UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE) has announced the availability of seed grant funds focused on energy and the environment. Projects that demonstrate interdisciplinary innovations in four of IEE’s five research themes are encouraged to apply:
- Climate and Ecosystem Change
- Future Energy Supply
- Smart Energy Systems
- Water and Biogeochemical Cycles
Successful proposals will span disciplines and will work to build new cross-college and cross-campus collaborative research teams. To promote mentorship, collaboration between junior and senior faculty members is preferred.
Although proposals may vary in topic, IEE aims to increase the impact of the seed grant program by supporting projects that align with expanding federal opportunities. Extra consideration will be given to proposals addressing transitions to sustainability associated with any facet of the first four themes.
This year, at least $300,000 is available in funding. Larger grants, in amounts up to $25,000, will require innovative partnerships between Penn State colleges and campuses.
All Penn State faculty members who hold appointments of half-time or more at any Penn State campus are eligible to submit a seed grant proposal as principal investigator.
The deadline for pre-proposals is 5 p.m. on Oct. 4.
For more details, visit the IEE seed grant web page and download the full request for proposals.
An informational webinar about pre-proposals is scheduled for 11 a.m. to noon on Sept. 5.
Please direct any questions regarding the proposal process to iee@psu.edu.
This request for proposals is being sponsored by IEE, which is one of seven interdisciplinary research institutes at Penn State. It fosters and facilitates interdisciplinary scholarship and collaboration to positively impact important energy and environmental challenges. IEE brings together more than 500 extraordinary faculty, staff and students to advance the energy and environmental research missions of the University.
Established in 2013, the seed grant program has awarded more than $1.5 million to 70 interdisciplinary projects with investigators from 15 Penn State colleges and campuses.
A call for proposals related to IEE’s fifth theme, Health and the Environment, is scheduled for later this academic year.