SCIENCE FOUNDATION IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT 2015 9
Director General’ s Statement
Science Foundation Ireland will progress Ireland’ s society and economy by supporting the best scientific and engineering research while building an awareness of the role, impact and opportunities science creates.
Looking back on the last year, it is clear that through our ongoing focus on excellence and impact, in line with the Government’ s National Research Priority areas( NRP), Science Foundation Ireland is supporting outstanding people. Together, we are fuelling innovative ideas, fostering meaningful collaborations with industry and national and international funders to produce the discoveries and innovations that will provide more jobs, economic growth and societal benefits, such as improved health and a better environment for all.
Building SFI Research Centres of global scale, excellence and relevance; attracting and training both young researchers and established stars; making important fundamental discoveries; spinning out companies; creating a greater connection for Irish people with science; and enhancing Ireland’ s international reputation, were all delivered by Science Foundation Ireland and the research teams we supported in 2015.
Talent and Skills
The Expert Group for Future Skills Needs( EGFSN) estimates that skills shortages are significant in ICT in particular, and are beginning to emerge elsewhere. We recognise and support the premise that appropriately trained, outstanding human capital is one of the most significant impacts of publicly-funded scientific research as it can go some way to supporting this need, creating excellent, fully independent research leaders across the STEM spectrum.
Science Foundation Ireland’ s programmes, developed in collaboration with HEIs and industry, support early- and mid-career researchers. Programmes funded this year include those administered solely by Science Foundation Ireland, for example, Starting Investigator Research Grant( SIRG), Career Development Award( CDA), Research Centres and Research Professorships, and those in partnership with international funders( e. g. The Royal Society and Wellcome Trust). Interestingly, when competing for UK funding, our researchers compete and win alongside their UK peers, clearly demonstrating the international excellence of Irish researchers.
Currently, over 4,040 highly skilled people work on Science Foundation Ireland-supported research projects in the HEIs, including over 1,300 postgraduate students.
Recognising that the talent pipeline is also dependent on a scientifically and mathematically confident cohort of primary and post primary students, Science Foundation Ireland continued to manage and fund a number of formal and informal education interventions in 2015. These included our SFI Discover Primary Science and Maths teacher CPD programme, our partnership with the RDS STEM Learning programme and the Project Algebra initiative with Kildare VEC and the NCCA.
Programmes for Researcher Career Development
SFI-HRB-WT( Sir Henry Wellcome, RCDF and Career Re-entry)
Transitioning to Independence
Royal Society-SFI URF SFI ERC Support- Starting
SFI SIRG
SFI Fully-funded programme Programme to end Dec 2015 Joint-funded programme
SFI-HRB-WT
( Senior Research Fellowship)
Transitioning to Leadership
SFI PIYRA SFI Future Research Leaders Award
SFI ERC Support- Consolidator
NEW
Established Investigators and Leaders
SFI Investigator Programme( IvP) SFI ERC Support- Advanced
SFI Research Professorship
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 + Years post-PhD( approx.)