Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research

Kickstart Facility Grant Program

The Ohio State University Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research invites proposals to its Kickstart Facility Grant Program.

The Ohio State University Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research invites proposals to its Kickstart Facility Grant Program. IMR Kickstart Facility Grants make shared campus research facilities more accessible to demonstrate materials-related research results with the goal of strengthening near-term research proposals for external support.

Preference is given to research conducted in one of IMR’s core materials research facilities, including:

  • Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME)
  • Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis (CEMAS)
  • Nanosystems Laboratory (NSL)
  • Nanotech West Laboratory (NTW)
  • Semiconductor Epitaxy and Analysis Laboratory (SEAL)
  • AFM Core Facility in Scott Laboratory W374B
  • Battery Cell R&D Center

Downloads

Highlights

  • Each grant provides $2,500 to offset the cost of user fees and access fees associated with participating facilities: CDME, CEMAS, NSL, Nanotech West Lab, SEAL, AFM Core Facility (Scott Lab W374B), and the Battery Center.
  • Available to non-tenured faculty (regular and research), with special consideration given to new faculty within 5 years of appointment; senior research staff with Principal Investigator status at Ohio State; and postdoctoral researchers who wish to perform research independent of their current advisor, as a path towards a future independent academic career.
  • This is an excellent training opportunity for post-candidacy graduate students, fellows, and postdoctoral fellows to co-author proposals, and we encourage faculty to engage their students and staff in their proposal development.
  • To support research aligned with one or more of IMR’s Signature Areas and Strategic Themes.

Key Dates

  • Request for Proposals Release: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
  • Submission Deadline: Friday, November 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST
  • Submit your application as an email attachment in PDF format to Joanna Gardner, IMR Research Development Manager, at gardner.306@osu.edu.
  • Anticipated Award Announcements: Monday, November 16, 2026
  • Anticipated Award Start Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2026

Additional Information

Joanna Gardner
Research Development Manager
Joanna leads pre-award proposal development, post-award program management, and seed grant administration for IMR faculty, while coordinating international research partnerships and events supporting the institute’s mission.
Joanna Gardner headshot