SFI provides grants for researchers from around the world who wish to relocate to Ireland and those already based in Ireland, for outstanding investigators, for conferences and symposia, and for collaboration with industry. Proposals are evaluated in open competitions via a combination of international peer review and strategic fit with SFI's mission. Science Foundation Ireland funds early- and mid-career researchers to become fully independent research leaders and collaborates with a number of UK based funding agencies, such as the
Wellcome Trust,
The Royal Society and the
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). These partnerships work, in some cases, by sharing the funding costs between the two agencies or in others, by facilitating Irish entry into the UK based fellowship.
Transitioning to Independence Applies to early career researchers ready to embark on a career independent of their current supervisor; they will have a track record of research activity including senior author publications and will demonstrate an upward trajectory; they should be capable of describing research plans that fit into a national and international context and be starting to show evidence of independence and international recognition. Applicants to the SFI Starting Investigator Research Grant (SIRG), Royal Society-SFI University Research Fellowship and Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellowships are considered to be at the transition-to-independence stage.
Transitioning to Leadership Applies to early and mid career researchers who have already demonstrated research independence. The SFI Career Development Award (CDA), Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Science and Future Research Leader applicants are considered at the transition-to-leadership stage of their career.
SFI Research Professorship Programme supports national research bodies in the recruitment of researchers for Professorial Chairs, or similar research leadership positions in targeted scientific areas in all areas covered by SFI's legal remit. The programme can also act as a mechanism to support the recruitment of individuals who possess a strong industry background, as well as for directorship roles in established research centres within eligible research bodies in Ireland.
Industry Programmes The
Industry Fellowship programme funds the bi-directional movement of academic and industry researchers. Fellowships can be awarded to academic researchers wishing to spend time in industry worldwide and to individuals from industry anywhere in the world (including Ireland) wishing to spend time in an eligible Irish Research Body. The programme facilitates knowledge transfer and training, building critical mass in areas of strategic importance for Ireland.
SFI Research Centres are large scale Research Centres which have an economic impact for Ireland. SFI Research Centres may be funded at a level of between €1-5 million per year in direct costs. SFI funds up to 70% of the overall Research Centre budget. A minimum of 30% of the budget must be secured from industry partners, at least one-third of which must be in cash.See details on the 16 funded SFI Research Centres here:
SFI Research Centre Spokes is a mechanism to allow new industry and academic partners to join the existing SFI Research Centres.
SFI Partnership Programme is a mechanism by which SFI builds collaborations with industry, funding agencies, charities, philanthropic organisations or higher education institutes (HEIs) in order to co-fund future opportunities.
SFI Centre for Research Training is a mechanism to fund cohorts of research students.
Other SFI Research Infrastructure Call funds the research community in building and sustaining the required infrastructural capacity to accomplish research in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. SFI supports the use, renewal and development of existing national research infrastructures and invests in modern research equipment and infrastructure in areas of national priority.
SFI Fellowship Programme is a career development programme that allows candidates to participate in the activities carried out by a funding agency in order to gain new experience.
SFI Conference and Workshop programme funds international and national conferences and workshops hosted in Ireland. These events are for the dissemination of research, knowledge exchange, development and exposure of early career researchers and students and development and growth of new and existing collaborations both nationally and internationally. SFI will support conferences and workshops of timely importance in all areas covered by SFI's legal remit. SFI Conference and Workshop Awards fall into four different categories: Conference, Exceptional Conference, Workshop and Conference Bid.
SFI Award for Journalism Relating to Science and Technology is an annual award issued by the
National Student Media Awards (Smedias) and funded by SFI. The Smedias are run by the Oxygen.ie website.
Technology Innovation Development Award (TIDA) is a joint funded initiative by SFI and
Enterprise Ireland (EI). The TIDA programme enables researchers to focus on the first steps of an applied research project that has a commercial benefit if further developed.
SFI St. Patrick's Day Medal Every year Science Foundation Ireland celebrates the achievements of Irish Scientists, engineers and business leaders living and working in the USA. The agency awards two Medals - one for industry and one for academia. Both Medals recognise individuals who are not only outstanding in their fields of expertise but who also have demonstrably assisted researchers in Ireland in either academia or industry - via mentorship, supervision, collaboration, industrial development, entrepreneurship or who have made significant contributions to developing the research ecosystem in Ireland.
Past medal recipients are: == Public Engagement, Education and Outreach ==