SCIENCE FOUNDATION IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT 2015
New Awards in 2015
367 new awards were approved in 2015 across 26
programmes with a value of €131 million. Total
payments to 62 research bodies/organisations in 2015
were almost €163 million.
Summary of award programme decisions in
2015:
23 awards made to outstanding senior researchers
through the Investigators Programme (IvP).
This programme was run in partnership with
the Department for Employment and Learning
(DEL) Northern Ireland and funded seven projects
involving North–South research collaboration.
Six awards were made through the SFI Research
Centres Spokes Programme involving
approximately €16.3 million funding from Science
Foundation Ireland, co-funded by over 20 industry
partners to a cumulative value of €10.5 milion,
resulting in total 2015 Spokes funding of over €26
million.
Under the Strategic Partnerships Programme
four awards were made reflecting a Science
Foundation Ireland investment of €9.8 million,
plus cumulative of €8.9 million from industry,
philanthropic, charitable and academic partners,
resulting in a total value for partnership-based
funding of almost €19 million.
Science Foundation
Ireland - A Balanced
Portfolio
Science Foundation Ireland offers a balanced
portfolio of programmes, many involving national
and international collaborations with industry (small
and large), charities (Wellcome Trust, Irish Cancer
Society) international funders (National Science
Foundation, National Institute of Health (USA), Royal
Society and BBSRC (UK), Department of Education
and Learning (N Ire) and national funders in Ireland
(Teagasc, Irish Research Council, Health Research
Board, etc.). The portfolio includes both investigator
initiated and thematic calls, project grants and
large-scale Research Centre awards, short and long-
term funding, support for early career researchers,
emerging and established research leaders, individual
and collaborative awards. Science Foundation Ireland
currently invests approximately equal amounts of
its budget in Investigator led awards and in large
Research Centre-type activities.
Science Foundation Ireland’s budget broken
down by Programme Type
5.12%
Three awards funded under the SFI-Royal Society
Partnership Scheme resulted in prestigious Royal
Society University Research Fellowship (URF)
awards to Irish early career researchers.
Three SFI-Pfizer Biotherapeutics Innovation
Awards were made, bringing the total projects
funded under two calls of this unique partnership
scheme to eight.
€28 million investment in 21 research
awards for equipment and facilities in sectors
including applied geo-sciences, pharmaceutical
manufacturing, bio-banking, marine renewable
energy, internet of things, astronomy, big data and
additive manufacturing using nano-materials.
56 awards were made as part of the SFI
Discover Programme call totalling €3.9 million
supporting the education and engagement of
the Irish public and more specifically Irish young
people who we hope will pursue careers in
science, technology and engineering to fuel our
economy in the future.
31
12.73%
44.06%
38.10%
Industry and Entrepreneurship
Investigator Led Awards
Research Centres
Other