Biotechnology is increasingly aimed at tackling the so-called "grand challenges" such as climate change, pollution, and healthy communities. We now know that these challenges cannot be addressed by a single discipline or solved by a technological 'fix'. They are complex and difficult to solve from within the halls of academia. As academics, we need to put our thinking caps on, step out of the ivory tower, and engage with others who can enrich our efforts. So, who are these others and how can you work with them?
To explore this question, we are inviting early career researchers working with all aspects of biotechnology to apply for the Impact funding call 2023!
Available funding: NOK 70,000
Application deadline: 31st December 2023
If your immediate response to this question was, "But this is easy, my project regularly collaborates with other disciplines!", here's the catch: to win this funding, the 'others' you propose to work with should go beyond the usual suspects.
Center for Digital Life Norway is focused on increasing engagement between academic and non-academic communities (to know more read the DLN white paper ). Academic communities could include those specifically working within the natural sciences, social sciences, or other disciplines. Non-academic communities could include (but are not limited to) citizens, patients, and other users of your research; governmental and non-governmental bodies; science communicators and journalists; industry and small businesses; artists; children and senior citizens among others. We would like you to bring them in as research partners, not only as participants. The knowledge and expertise these communities bring to the table is integral to addressing the global challenges you are working on, because they are impacted by the possible solutions developed by science.
Application
Who can apply?
This call is directed at PhD students and postdocs/researchers affiliated with Center for Digital Life Norway through a member project or the DLN Research School. If you're not already a member, apply here. The period for the use of the fund is within 2024. Collaborators outside DLN must have agreed with the application.
What can you apply for?
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Any type of specific engagement activity will be considered. This means interaction, working together, and collaborative work between academic and non-academic partners. Collaborations only between project partners or only with members of the industry will not be sufficient . You are encouraged to be creative. For ideas, check out this action catalogue .
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Costs for the proposed activity – rental, travel, and other costs associated with organizing the proposed activity.
What you cannot apply for:
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Salary
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Equipment
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Rental costs for research facilities
Evaluation criteria
To keep with this objective, your proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
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Novelty
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Relevance to biotechnology and/or synergies between different knowledge domains inside and outside academia.
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Feasibility of the proposed activity
What we expect from you
At the end of the funding period, we would like you to:
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Submit a report describing your activity with reflections on what you learned through this experience. This will be published on the DLN webpage.
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Share records of how you have communicated the activity and your reflections through blog posts, podcasts, popular science events, and others.
Contact
If you have any questions or need advice on how to develop your proposals, you are welcome to contact Anamika Chatterjee or Ragna Breines