The University of Chicago’s Climate Systems Engineering initiative (CSEi) is pleased to invite proposals for Seed Grants and Faculty Research Grants. CSEi Grants will be awarded twice a year by the CSEi Executive Committee, based on research merit and anticipated contribution to building the climate systems engineering research cluster.

The goal of the CSEi is to advance understanding of the benefits, risks, and governance of technologies that might reduce the impacts of accumulated greenhouse gases, and to educate students who will face the challenges of managing industrial civilization on a fragile planet. We invite research proposals that address the CSEi’s topical scope of open-system carbon removal, solar geoengineering, and interventions to limit loss of glacial ice.

We welcome research from across fields including the sciences, humanities, social sciences, public policy, law, and other fields. Grants can support any research activities permitted under UChicago policies, including the hiring of research staff, retention of consultants and contractors, subawards (with indirect costs limited to 15%), purchase of data, laboratory equipment and supplies, travel, etc.

Seed Grants

Seed grants are intended to ignite new areas of investigation and applicants need not have prior experience with climate systems engineering. It is anticipated that Seed Grant awards will be made for a maximum of $150,000, with a performance period of one year or less.

Faculty Research Grants

Faculty Research Grants are intended to make a significant contribution to the field of climate systems engineering. We seek ambitious, collaborative projects with the potential to answer important questions that will advance the field. It is anticipated that Faculty Research Grant awards will be made for $150,000-$500,000 per year, with a performance period of 1-3 years.

Eligibility

All UChicago tenure-line faculty, academics, and staff with PI status are eligible to apply. Only one application per PI per cycle.

Selection Criteria

CSEi leadership and the Selection Committee will evaluate proposals according to a variety of criteria, including:

• Relevance to CSEi focus areas of open-system carbon removal, solar geoengineering, and interventions to limit loss of glacial ice.
• Intellectual merit
• New work
• Collaborative work, particularly new cross-disciplinary collaborations.
• Possibility of growth and future funding

Key Dates

Grants will be awarded twice per year, for projects starting as soon as the next quarter and as late as the next fiscal year. Deadlines for the first application cycle are as follows:

26th November 2024 – Letter of Intent deadline
9th December 2024 – Invited proposal deadline
18th February 2025 – Proposal deadline
11th March 2025 – Announcement of grant awards

The spring letter of intent submission deadline will be posted in winter 2025.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should respond by the application deadline by emailing all materials to info-csei@uchicago.edu. The application should include:

• CVs of PI, co-investigators, and other relevant personnel.
• Project title and letter of Intent, of no more than 250 words for a seed grant and 500 words for a faculty grant, outlining the idea and its relevance for CSEi.
• Letters will be reviewed by CSEi leadership, and the most promising projects will be invited to submit full proposals by a secondary deadline.

Terms and Conditions

• Progress reporting: Submit a 200–500-word summary of your findings and financial report at the end of each academic year throughout the duration of the project.
• CSEi community: Grantees are expected to attend CSEi dinners and, to the best of your ability, actively engage in the life of the CSEi, via its events and activities.
• Publicity and outreach: Provide copies of, or links to, materials resulting from the supported project, such as reports, publications, photographs, or videos, for inclusion on the CSEi website. Policy and communications staff will work with researchers to disseminate research results as appropriate.
• Attribution: Presentations and publications intended for the public domain, including academic papers, policy briefs, press releases, blogs, and newsletters that emerge from projects should credit the CSEi. When appropriate, the CSEi logo should be included, subject to each prior approval.
• Co-funding and IP: Any anticipated external source of support for the proposed project or existing IP relevant to the proposed project must be declared at the time of full proposal submission. Associated Conflicts of Interest must also be reported.
• Awarded funds: Funding for selected proposals will be transferred to the PI’s home unit. Unspent funds must be returned at the close of a project unless written approval of an extension is granted.