SUBJECT:

Frontiers of Innovation: Support for Center Development - Request for Applications for 2015-16 Academic Year

The "Frontiers of Innovation" program is a campus-wide effort to support the primary research initiatives of the UC San Diego Strategic Plan. One component provides funding to support teams of UC San Diego scholars from across campus in their efforts to launch new large-scale, multidisciplinary research-center applications. Last academic year, the program helped to fund seven new research collaboratives on campus.

The Office of Research Affairs (ORA) again invites applications for a one-time, non-renewable funding opportunity for planning, capacity building, and development activities towards launching research centers. These centers are to be externally funded, multidisciplinary efforts in the research areas of UC San Diego's Strategic Plan:

* Understanding and Protecting the Planet
* Enriching Human Life and Society
* Exploring the Basis of Human Knowledge, Learning and Creativity
* Understanding Cultures and Addressing Disparities in Society

Center leaders are expected to submit an application for external funding, within one year from the time the funds are made available to the awardees, for funding from federal, state, or private sources. The centers' long-term administration can be linked to and/or administered in departments, divisions or current ORUs.

The Office of Research Affairs will fund up to three smaller ($20-30K) and up to three larger (up to $75K) awards for FY2015-2016. Funds can be used up to two years from the time they are awarded.

In rare cases, where the intent of the proposal is to develop a major institute, consideration will be given to extending funds to three years. Such applicants should indicate their intent to develop a major institute in their proposal.

The deadline for application for this funding opportunity is November 2, 2015, with funding to be available in January 2016. Detailed information on the application and selection process, eligibility, and administrative guidelines is available at the following web page: http://research.ucsd.edu/seedfunds.html

Sandra A. Brown Vice Chancellor for Research Miroslav Krstic Associate Vice Chancellor for Research