UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE) announced the availability of seed grant funds intended to foster basic and applied interdisciplinary energy and environmental research. Researchers are encouraged to submit proposals that demonstrate interdisciplinary innovations in IEE’s research themes, as well as four crosscutting topics:
- Integrated energy systems
- Negative carbon emissions
- Resilience of environmental or energy systems
- Water
This year, up to $400,000 of funding is available. The deadline for proposals is 5 p.m. Dec. 4.
An informational webinar will be held at 12:15 p.m. Nov. 6.
All Penn State faculty members — tenured, tenure track and fixed term — who hold an appointment of half-time or more at any Penn State campus are eligible to submit a seed grant proposal as a principal investigator.
The seed grant program strives to support researchers as they develop new interdisciplinary research teams and position them for substantial external funding success; pursue novel research in IEE’s research theme areas, especially high-risk proof of concept projects; and promote research development and mentorship between junior and senior faculty.
For more details as well as the full Request for Proposals (RFP), visit iee.psu.edu/seedgrant/2019.
This RFP is sponsored by IEE, which works to build teams of researchers from different disciplines to see how new partnerships and new ways of thinking can solve some of the world’s most difficult energy and environmental challenges. Since 2013, IEE has awarded more than $2 million to 96 interdisciplinary projects across 15 Penn State colleges and campuses.