The OSU Materials Research Seed Grant Program leverages resources and best practices of the Center for Emergent Materials (CEM), the Center for Exploration of Novel Complex Materials (ENCOMM), and the Institute for Materials Research (IMR). The result is a unified RFP with Funding Tiers designed to achieve the greatest impact for seeding excellence in materials research of varying scopes, and with the goal of generating new directions that extend beyond the boundaries of existing research programs.
2021-2022 OSU Materials Research Seed Grant Program
Request for Proposal
We are pleased to announce the 2021-2022 OSU Materials Research Seed Grant Program Request for Proposals (RFP). This enhanced seed program leverages resources and best practices of the Center for Emergent Materials (CEM), an NSF MRSEC; the Center for Exploration of Novel Complex Materials (ENCOMM); and the Institute for Materials Research (IMR).
The two funding tiers of the OSU Materials Research Seed Grant Program offered this cycle are:
Multidisciplinary Team Building Grants
MTBGs provide funds up to $60,000/year per award in direct costs, and require one PI and one Co-PI, and may have unfunded collaborators, with the goal of forming multidisciplinary materials research teams that can compete effectively for federal block-funding opportunities, or eventually be included in the re-competition proposal to be submitted to the NSF MRSEC program.
Exploratory Materials Research Grants
EMRGs provide funds up to $40,000/year per award in direct costs, and require one PI, and may have Co-PIs and/or unfunded collaborators, with the goal of enabling nascent and innovative materials research to emerge to the point of being competitive for external funding. EMRGs, while open to all faculty, emphasizes support of pre-tenure faculty members.
Eligibility
1. An applicant may serve as Principal Investigator on only one proposal in response to this RFP (Multidisciplinary Team Building and Exploratory grants only). The PI must hold a faculty-level appointment at OSU. All proposed research must be clearly distinct from ongoing externally or internally funded research.
2. Currently funded (2020 EMRG awardees) MRSGP Principal Investigators or Principal Investigators with unspent MRSGP funds (no-cost extension) are not eligible to apply to this RFP.
Key Dates:
- Request for Proposals Issued: Friday, October 22, 2021
- MRSGP Open House: Wednesday, November 10, 2021
- 4:30-5:30 p.m., Physics Research Building Room 4138; and virtual: https://osu.zoom.us/j/91475730522?pwd=OW9vaFJucGl0TXBXTEhRZ0hlNlVjQT09
- Letters of Intent Due: Friday, November 19, 2021 at 5 p.m.
- Notice of MRSGP Appropriateness: Tuesday, November 23, 2021
- Multidisciplinary Team Building Grants Tier – Mandatory Team Proposal Presentations: December 1, December 8, and December 15
- 4:15-5:15 p.m., Physics Research Building, Room 4138
- Proposals Due (All Funding Tiers): Monday, January 24, 2022 at 5 p.m.
- Awards Announced (anticipated): Wednesday, June 1, 2022
- Funded Projects Start Date (anticipated): Wednesday, June 1, 2022 (15-month project period)
Additional Information
Have a question? Please contact IMR Proposal Development Specialist Joanna Gardner at gardner.306@osu.edu