Science Foundation Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) is the Irish statutory body with responsibility for disbursing funds for basic science research with a strategic focus. The agency was established in 2003 under the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003 and is run by a board appointed by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, to whom the agency is responsible.
Under its remit, SFI funds researchers working in the fields of biotechnology and information and communications technology (ICT). Its current budget is over €160M per year, and typical grants range from about one hundred thousand euro per year to about one million euro per year per project.
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[edit] History
Following a Technology Foresight activity managed by Forfas the Irish Government allocated €1.3B under the 2000-2005 National Development Plan to be spend on R&D. SFI was responsible for disbursing €650M of these monies in the target, strategic areas of ICT and Biotechnology during this period.
After an initial call for research proposals in 2000, the first Director General, Dr. William Harris, joined SFI in 2001 leading the organization to the establishment of a range of research programmes from Principal Investigator Awards to large research centers, called Centers for Science & Engineering Technology.
In 2006, under the next National Development Plan, under the Strategy for Science, Tehcnology & Innovation (SSTI), the Irish Government has allotted a further €3.7B to spend on R&D.
[edit] Chairpersons of SFI
| # | Name | Appointed | Retired |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dr. Pat Fottrell | 2003 | Current Incumbent |
[edit] Director Generals of SFI
| # | Name | Appointed | Retired |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dr. William Harris | 2001 | 2006 |
| 2. | Prof. Mark Keane | 2006 | Current Incumbent |
