Stanford Doerr Discovery Grants - Call for proposals

Fundamental research is critical to understanding the planet (physically, chemically, and biologically) and the world we live in; generating knowledge that is the basis for understanding Earth and planetary processes, life on the planet, energy and infrastructure, and societies.

The Stanford Doerr Discovery Grants will emphasize fundamental, inquiry-based research for all topical areas within the SDSS community. We seek to support research that is novel and creative, and which seeks to advance our understanding of Earth (or other planetary bodies) and life (from biological to societal) on Earth. We welcome cutting-edge endeavors that are seen as too risky for conventional funding sources. Priority for funding will be given towards proposals that do not easily fit within the solutions-focused calls such as Woods EVP, Precourt Pioneers, and Sustainability Accelerator Flagship Destinations.

Eligibility

Proposals must be submitted by a faculty member with 0% or greater appointment within the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Scientific staff within SDSS with PI-eligibility are also eligible.

Award Amount & Duration

Funding available is $150,000 for a 2-year award.

No cost extensions will be available for up to 1 year beyond the award period for projects that have made adequate progress.

Submission Guidelines

Proposals are due on Monday, October 2, 2023 by 11:59pm PST and must be submitted here:

https://stanford_sustainability.slideroom.com/#/permalink/program/73629

Please use the following naming convention: LeadApplicantLastName_LeadApplicantFirstName_ProposalKeyWord.pdf

The proposal must include these four elements:

1. Proposal narrative, including: description of the core research idea; how the idea meets merit criteria described below; and expected outcomes for the 2-year period
2. Budget and budget justification*
3. Ethics and society review (ESR) statement which describes the ethical challenges and possible negative societal risks of the proposed research, and how you will mitigate them. Here are more detailed instructions.**
4. Team involved and short biosketches of named personnel

Page limits and formatting:

Parts (1) narrative and (2) budget combined are limited to 3-pages total (maximum), including all text, figures, tables, excluding  references. 

Part (3) ESR statement should not exceed 1 page.

Part (4) biosketches of each named individual on the proposed project team are required, and limited to one page per person. There is no limit on the number of named individuals.

Format: PDF, single-spaced, 11 point, 1 inch margins on all sides.

*Proposed budgets do not need to be routed through OSR for this internally funded research. The source of funding is an Expendable gift; proposed budgets do not need to include indirect costs.

**ESR process occurs after the merit review, and is not part of the merit review criteria. Once SDSS conducts a merit review, they will forward proposals selected for funding and their accompanying ESR statements to the ESR. The ESR panel is composed of Stanford faculty with expertise on a variety of ethical and societal issues from disciplines ranging from engineering, to philosophy, to earth sciences. Panelists will read the statements alongside the original grant. The ESR may send written feedback or schedule a conversation. The ESR can also help connect projects to collaborators or stakeholders if needed or requested. The ESR's goal is to help guide the conversation, and bring in experts to help expand the horizon of foreseeable harms and how to mitigate them. The goal of the ESR is to act as a coach, not a reviewer.

Proposal Selection & Merit Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by a panel of peers.  The review will assess projects against the following merit criteria:

Novel & Creative - proposal relays importance of the topic, how the work is situated within the broader field, and how the research question addresses a novel and unexplored area of research, or a creative approach to exploring a research question.

Risk-Taking - ideas push boundaries of exploration, with projects not readily funded by existing Stanford programs (Woods EVP, Precourt Pioneers, Accelerator Flagship Destinations, etc.) or external funders; with preliminary results to engender higher likelihood of future external funding.

Systematic - proposal describes a methodology that is systematically addressed; leverages the qualifications and expertise of the research team.

Awards & Reporting

It is anticipated that awards based on this solicitation will be announced in December 2023, and awards may start as early as January 2024. Award letters will include periodic reporting and progress tracking.

Contacts

For clarifying questions, please contact Scott Fendorf (fendorf@stanford.edu), Anjana Richards (anjanapr@stanford.edu) or Patty Germanow (pattyg@stanford.edu).