Tánaiste announces €11.3 million investment in 68 Science Foundation Ireland

‘Research Frontiers’ projects “Support for critical research of direct relevance to our everyday lives”

Tánaiste The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Mary Coughlan T.D., has today (Monday, July 13th, 2009) announced Government funding of €11.3million for 68 research projects under the Science Foundation Ireland Research Frontiers Programme (RFP) for 2009.

The Tánaiste made the announcement at NUI Maynooth, where she was attending a meeting of the Board of Science Foundation Ireland.

In making the announcement, the Tánaiste said “The Research Frontiers Programme supports innovative, cutting-edge and internationally-competitive research in a broad range of disciplines in Science, Mathematics and Engineering. The research funded under this programme represents the underlying scientific and engineering concepts that will assist in the development of future generations of technologies and products in areas, which are very important to everyday life. For example cancer and Alzheimer’s treatments, MRI scanning, mobile communications, air quality, and fuel cells.

While these awards are being made to a wide profile of researchers, a key component of the programme is to provide early career researchers with a first step to building their own research team. Each researcher will train a PhD student who will work with them in their endeavours to explore these areas of frontiers research. Government funding of €11.3 million under the 2009 programme will support these crucial activities over the next three to four years.”

The Tánaiste added “Among the many projects selected for funding include the development of a ground-breaking wind forecast system (led by Professor Peter Lynch at UCD) and the administering of effective stroke rehabilitation therapy through a suitable brain computer interface (under the leadership of Dr. Tomás Ward at National University of Ireland, Maynooth). Such critical research is of direct relevance to our everyday lives, and any improvements that can be achieved in these sectors will have an enormous impact on the environment, health and other important fields”.

The funding for these 68 projects is spread across 13 different and exciting areas including genetics; geosciences; astronomy; neuroscience; engineering and environmental science.

Welcoming today’s Research Frontiers funding announcement by the Tánaiste, Professor Frank Gannon, Director General of SFI, said “Today’s announcement of funding follows detailed review and adjudication by over 150 international reviewers. Such a rigorous approach is essential if SFI is to source, select and support the very best research talent. The diversity and dynamism displayed in each successful application, chosen from almost 400 original submissions, clearly demonstrates that the momentum associated with the growth and enhancement of Ireland’s research landscape is continuing. The Government’s ongoing commitment to the development of the Smart Economy is evident and, indeed, is critical for our international competitiveness and future economic recovery.”

The 12 research bodies receiving funding under the 2009 RFP are University College Dublin; Trinity College Dublin; National University of Ireland Galway; University College Cork; Dublin City University; National University of Ireland Maynooth; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; Dublin Institute of Technology; Tyndall National Institute; Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies; Teagasc and Waterford Institute of Technology.

Click here to view details of the 68 RFP 2009 Awardees

Click here to view examples of research projects supported under RFP 2009

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