Please note: In view of requests for additional preparation time from various groups, the deadline for submissions to the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment Call for Proposals for Innovative Research in Energy and the Environment has been changed to Monday, May 15, 2017.

The Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University is pleased to announce a call for proposals for University faculty and senior researchers. The goal of this call is to encourage research that will develop solutions for our energy and environmental future.

The deadline for written proposals is Monday, May 1, 2017 May 15, 2017. Selected proposals can start as early as Summer 2017.

Goals of the present solicitation

The Andlinger Center would like to promote development of research thrusts into center grant proposals. Towards this goal, the Andlinger Center has identified numerous clusters of excellence and facilitated several cluster-based discussions. This call takes this initiative to the next level and enables research that can lead to compelling center grant proposals.

Catalyzing preparation and submission of center grant proposals

Multi-investigator proposals for research that can serve as seeds for future center grant proposals are sought. Each proposal should describe a set of (say three) unified inter-disciplinary research projects (to be pursued by different teams of researchers), which fit in a theme of a possible future center grant proposal. The synergy between the different projects – how they are related, why together they are more than the sum of the individual parts, and how they help to assemble a strong center grant proposal – must be clearly articulated. Any theme relating to energy and environment is acceptable, with currently identified clusters of excellence only serving as examples. Each proposal is limited to $300,000 and to be spent over a one- or two-year period. The Andlinger Center hopes to fund up to two compelling submissions.

Criteria for selection:

Successful proposals should address the following questions:

• What larger problem is being addressed within the cluster and how does the team’s composition and experience address the problem?
• How would these projects serve as seeds for a successful center grant proposal?
• What is the theme of the anticipated center grant proposal? Which anticipated call is this in response to? Which funding agency?

Submissions requesting support for the actual task of writing a center grant proposal will not be supported. Similarly, preparation of the non-technical aspects of the grant proposal, such as educational initiatives, outreach and so on, are also out of scope. The Andlinger Center is actively working on means of enabling these activities and fully intends to support them, financially or otherwise.  Researchers interested in writing center grant proposals should talk to the Andlinger Center’s associate director for research in the interim. These activities will be supported through a different mechanism, but not through this call.

Proposal Submission

Proposals should be submitted to acee@princeton.edu, should be no more than 10 pages in length, and should include the following:

• A project abstract or summary statement (not to exceed 200 words)
• A description of the proposed research projects, placing it in the context of competing research in relevant disciplines, research objectives, and milestones
• A description of the envisioned future research center, including how it relates to development of solutions for our energy and environmental future
• A description outlining how seeding these projects will enable a strong and credible center grant proposal
• A project budget and justification. Project budgets may include but are not limited to expenses related to research materials and supplies; travel; and support of graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, research assistants, and visiting collaborators. Outside collaborators are welcomed on these projects but funding will be limited to supporting activities on Princeton campus. Budget can include expenses related to activities (retreats or workshops) that foster collaboration and brainstorming across disciplines. Overhead charges do not apply.
• A list of current and pending support for all PIs and/or senior personnel that clearly indicates how the proposed effort is distinct from earlier or ongoing funding to the investigators involved. Current and pending support lists, and references cited do not count toward the page limit.

Questions about the call for proposals should be directed to Robert Eich, the center’s program and financial assistant at eich@princeton.edu. All co-PIs of the proposals must be up to date with their reports from past Andlinger Center funding before submitting new proposals in response to this call.