Seed Fund

 

Seed Fund

This funding instrument helps generate and develop new ideas and approaches in research. Furthermore, Seed Fund resources indirectly help to enhance the facilities, equipment and infrastructure in the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences.

The essential goal of the Dean's Seed Fund is to finance innovative research projects in the start-up phase that are not as yet eligible for external funding.

Seed fund grants are awarded on a competitive basis. They are to strengthen the core competencies of the University and improve interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange between the Natural Sciences and the Engineering disciplines. The process is expected to generate topical research projects which may develop into future key research areas.

In the years 2008, 2009 and 2010,16 projects were approved for funding. In 2011, 14 projects were approved, in 2012 and 2013, 19 and 15 projects received funding, respectively. Elevent projects received funding in 2015. Currently, nine projects are receiving seed fund grants.

According to the RWTH allocation model, 30 percent of Institutional Strategy funding is to be reserved for female researchers. For this reason, we ask women professors in particular to apply. This funding is also available for projects with participation from female researchers. Applications for the next year must be submitted to and received by the Dean's Office by August or September 2016. A call for applications (year 2016/2017) is out; deadline is 30 June 2016.