Funding Opportunities

IBACS Large Seed Grant Applications Due 4/1

A reminder that The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) has two large seed grant cycles per year. Our next deadline is 4/1/24 and we are currently accepting letters of intent and full applications.

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The seed grant program is intended to fund research consistent with the IBACS mission. Large Seed Grant applications (>$10,000 but <$25,000) are time-limited to accommodate GA/TA assignment. Please submit letters of intent as soon as possible, but at least 2 weeks prior to the seed grant application deadline (by 3/18/24), to allow time for review and feedback prior to submission of the full proposal.

Our Spring deadline for Large Seed Grants will be April 1st, 2024. Small Seed Grant applications (<$10,000) are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.

Seed funding is intended to support direct research costs such as supplies, participant fees, animal costs, and student support. Review criteria seek innovative, novel, and collaborative projects in the field of brain and cognitive sciences.  Postdocs can also apply, with a faculty mentor as co-PI. Undergraduates are directed to separate academic/summer funding. Full details on the seed grant program, including applications (letter of intent and full seed app) and allowable costs, please check our website. 

The Institute also invites applications for affiliate memberships.  

Any questions should be directed to the Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937. 

IBACS Undergraduate Award Application is Open!

IBACS is happy to announce another year of the undergraduate research grant program! 
 

Please note that our dates have changed from past cycles. The academic year application is open and Fall 2023 applications are due at 11:59 pm September 182023. Spring 2024 applications are due on February 6, 2024

It is expected that applicants will be conducting research with IBACS faculty members, focusing on any research area associated with the IBACS mission.  Faculty sponsors will need to supply a letter of recommendation. Once the applicant lists the faculty advisor of the project in the form, an email will be sent to the faculty member with directions for how to submit the letter.  Applicants must fill out the online application, and also submit via the online application, a relatively short research plan (maximum of 6,000 characters, approximately 3 pages) and a budget that explains in detail how the funds will be spent. The application link is listed below. It is recommended that the student first compose the research plan and budget using a word processing program, and then upload the final versions on to the website.

This program is not meant to provide direct financial support to students. Instead, it is meant to provide support for the research. The account will be set up with the faculty sponsor after the award is given. The funding is meant to defray the research-related costs such as materials & supplies, software, animal or participant-related costs. The budget should reflect these expenditures.

Recipients cannot apply for another grant within the same academic year, however, are eligible for the summer research grant program, provided that they are still a UConn student at the time. Please note that the application period for the summer research grant program will open on December 1, 2023, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on January 30, 2024

The IBACS undergraduate award academic year applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • The project description is well written and clearly explains the project.
  • The project clearly focuses on a research area associated with the IBACS mission.
  • The budget is itemized, appropriate to the project described, and reports the total cost of the project (even if it exceeds the funding requested).
  • The advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work to date highly. 
  • Where project applications are equally meritorious, the reviewers will take note of how the student’s project will contribute to the advisor’s research goals.
  • The student and his/her project meet the eligibility criteria.
  • The student has secured research compliance approval(s) if necessary for the project. No award will be issued until documentation of approval(s) is received.

      IBACS Fall 2023/Spring 2024 Application: https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/ibacs_undergraduate_research_grant_-_fall_2023_spring_2024/

      Please contact our Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937 if you have any questions or visit our information page.

      IBACS Fall 2023 Call for Seed Grant Applications

      The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) is pleased to announce a new call for applications to its seed grant fund.  

      The seed grant program is intended to fund research consistent with the IBACS mission. Large Seed Grant applications (>$10,000 but <$25,000) are time-limited to accommodate GA assignment; the Fall deadline is October 2nd, 2023 (due to the 1st falling on a weekend)Please submit letters of intent as soon as possible, but at least 2 weeks prior to the seed grant application deadline (by 9/15/23), to allow time for review and feedback prior to submission of the full proposal. 

      A reminder that our Spring deadline will be April 1st, 2024Small Seed Grant applications (<$10,000) are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.

      Seed funding is intended to support direct research costs such as supplies, participant fees, animal costs, and student support. Review criteria seek innovative, novel, and collaborative projects in the field of brain and cognitive sciences.  Postdocs can also apply, with a faculty mentor as co-PI. Undergraduates are directed to separate academic/summer funding. Full details on the seed grant program, including applications (letter of intent and full seed app) and allowable costs, please check our website. 

      The Institute also invites applications for affiliate memberships 

      Any questions should be directed to the Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937. 

      IBACS Summer 2023 Call for Seed Grant Applications

      IBACS Summer 2023 Undergraduate Research Grant Program 

      The application period for the summer research grant program opens TODAY, Monday February 20th, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on March 13th, 2023. It is expected that applicants will be conducting research with IBACS faculty members, focusing on any research area associated with the IBACS mission.  Faculty sponsors will need to supply a letter of recommendation. Once the applicant lists the faculty advisor of the project in the form, an email will be sent to the faculty member with directions for how to submit the letter. Applicants must fill out the online application, submit a relatively short research plan and a budget that explains in detail how the funds will be spent.

      The budget should be constructed in the following manner:  The total award will be for up to $5,000. $3,500 should go to providing the student with a summer stipend, and it is expected that the student will spend at least 10 weeks of the summer working on this project at UConn.  Up to $1,500 can be allocated for any supplies or materials that contribute to the research, including software, participant costs and any animal expenses. 

      Students who received a Fall 2022/Spring 2023 IBACS grant are eligible for the summer award. However, students cannot take the summer IBACS award in combination with any other major summer award (e.g. SURF). Thus, a student can apply for multiple awards, but can only accept one. The results of the grant review will be given to the student awardees in time for them to make a decision about which grant they will accept, in case they receive more than one. 

      The IBACS undergraduate award applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

      • The project description is well written and clearly explains the project.
      • The project clearly focuses on a research area associated with the IBACS mission.
      • The budget is itemized, appropriate to the project described, and reports the total cost of the project (even if it exceeds the funding requested).
      • The advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work to date highly. 
      • Where project applications are equally meritorious, the reviewers will take note of how the student’s project will contribute to the advisor’s research goals.
      • The student and his/her project meet the eligibility criteria.
      • The student has secured research compliance approval(s) if necessary for the project. No award will be issued until documentation of approval(s) is received.
      IBACS Summer 2023 Application: https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/ibacs_undergraduate_research_grant_-_summer_2023/
       

      Call for IBRAiN Applications

      The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) is inviting graduate students to apply for theIBACS-BIRC Research Assistantships in Neuroimaging (IBRAiN) Program. These graduate assistantships are for 10 hours per week during the Fall (2023) and Spring (2024) semesters at the Brain Imaging Research Center (BIRC). During the first year, assistants will be trained in neuroimaging methods, data science, and reproducibility. Assistants will spend the remaining allocated hours at BIRC, supporting users of BIRC facilities. This could involve helping design and implement experimental procedures for fMRI, EEG, TMS etc., recruitment and prepping of participants, data analysis, or overseeing use of equipment by others. Applicants will be expected to commit to the full duration of the assistantship (Fall & Spring). Funds may be available during Summer 2024 to enable IBRAiN students to pursue their own research at BIRC. IBRAiN students also receive an allocation of 20 hours of resource time to be used at BIRC during the course of the fellowship. 

      Up to three students will be supported in the 2023-2024 cycle. Students will participate in common training activities, but will primarily specialize in one of three roles at BIRC. Applicants should indicate which role(s) they wish to be considered for. 

      1. Research software engineer. This role assists researchers in data analysis, particularly functional MRI, using existing software, and engineering and implementing new analytic tools when needed. Qualified candidates will have demonstrated proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or Julia, and Unix like computing environments. 

      2. User support. This role assists researchers in using BIRC facilities, including experimental design and setup, equipment training, data management, and maintaining documentation resources. Qualified candidates will have prior experience in designing and running in-person experiments. Familiarity with Python or MATLAB is preferred. 

      3. MR Operator. This role assists researchers in obtaining functional and structural MRI data by learning how to operate the Siemens Prisma 3T MRI Scanner to perform brain research studies. Qualified candidates will have demonstrated an understanding of MRI safety, a high level of reliability, and the ability to work with participants across the lifespan.

      The deadline for receipt of applications will be midnight on Friday, February 24, 2023

      Subject to funding constraints, these assistantships could be renewed for a further year. Please refer to the full details and access the application on our IBRAiN webpage

      If you have any questions, please contact the Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu

      Reminder: IBACS Summer Grad Fellowship Applications Due 12/2

      The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (CT IBACS) is inviting applications to its Graduate Fellowship Program.

      These summer fellowships are intended for graduate students working on topics with relevance (broadly construed) to the Brain and Cognitive Sciences. IBACS Graduate Fellows attend a short grant-writing workshop and will be expected to submit an application to the NSF GRFP, NRSA (pre- or post-doctoral fellowship), or equivalent.

      Deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, December 2nd, 2022.

      Graduate students who are not US citizens are eligible to apply and are expected to work with their advisor to develop an external research proposal if they are not eligible for graduate fellowships. Students who were fellows in summer 2021 may apply if they submitted the external grant proposal they developed last year and it was not funded, with the expectation that they will revise their previous grant or develop a new one.

      Please refer to the full details here before you apply. If you have any questions, please contact Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu

      Reminder: IBACS Publication Awards Available

      A reminder that The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) launched the new IBACS Publication Award this Fall for faculty, graduate students, and post-docs. This award will provide a lump-sum payment up to $1.5K to cover all publication costs, or, up to 50% of the costs with a $3K cap on IBACS contribution. 
       
      We are aware that publication costs are sometimes very high and are only increasing. Our goal is to help get work published into journals that the PI would otherwise not be able to publish in. The Institute’s ability to offer these awards is not guaranteed and will be reviewed on an annual basis. Any costs over the award are the responsibility of the recipient. 
       

      The application process is rolling and will close once funds are exhausted. Please visit our award page for more information, including eligibility requirements and the form to apply!

      IBACS Summer Graduate Student Fellowship Applications Due 12/2

      The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (CT IBACS) is inviting applications to its Graduate Fellowship Program.

      These summer fellowships are intended for graduate students working on topics with relevance (broadly construed) to the Brain and Cognitive Sciences. IBACS Graduate Fellows attend a short grant-writing workshop and will be expected to submit an application to the NSF GRFP, NRSA (pre- or post-doctoral fellowship), or equivalent.

      Deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, December 2nd, 2022.

      Graduate students who are not US citizens are eligible to apply and are expected to work with their advisor to develop an external research proposal if they are not eligible for graduate fellowships. Students who were fellows in summer 2021 may apply if they submitted the external grant proposal they developed last year and it was not funded, with the expectation that they will revise their previous grant or develop a new one.

      Please refer to the full details here before you apply. If you have any questions, please contact Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu

      Reminder: IBACS Undergraduate Research Awards

      The application period for the Fall 2022/Spring 2023 research grant program opens today, September 1st, 2022, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on February 202023The academic year applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and awards will be made until funds are exhausted, or up until the application deadline. 

      It is expected that applicants will be conducting research with IBACS faculty members, focusing on any research area associated with the IBACS mission.  Faculty sponsors will need to supply a letter of recommendation. Once the applicant lists the faculty advisor of the project in the form, an email will be sent to the faculty member with directions for how to submit the letter.  Applicants must fill out the online application, and also submit via the online application, a relatively short research plan (maximum of 6,000 characters, approximately 3 pages) and a budget that explains in detail how the funds will be spent. The application link is listed below. It is recommended that the student first compose the research plan and budget using a word processing program, and then upload the final versions on to the website.

      This program is not meant to provide direct financial support to students. Instead, it is meant to provide support for the research. The account will be set up with the faculty sponsor after the award is given. The funding is meant to defray the research-related costs such as materials & supplies, software, animal or participant-related costs. The budget should reflect these expenditures.

       Recipients cannot apply for another grant within the same academic year, however, are eligible for the summer research grant program, provided that they are still a UConn student at the time. Please note that the application period for the summer research grant program will open on February 20, 2023, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on March 13, 2023

      The IBACS undergraduate award academic year applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

      • The project description is well written and clearly explains the project.
      • The project clearly focuses on a research area associated with the IBACS mission.
      • The budget is itemized, appropriate to the project described, and reports the total cost of the project (even if it exceeds the funding requested).
      • The advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work to date highly. 
      • Where project applications are equally meritorious, the reviewers will take note of how the student’s project will contribute to the advisor’s research goals.
      • The student and his/her project meet the eligibility criteria.
      • The student has secured research compliance approval(s) if necessary for the project. No award will be issued until documentation of approval(s) is received.

           

          IBACS Fall 2022/Spring 2023 Application: https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/ibacs_undergraduate_research_grant_-_fall_2022spring_2023/

          Please visit our website for more information and contact our Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937 if you have any questions. 

          Undergraduate Research Program Now Open

          IBACS is happy to announce another year of the undergraduate research grant program! Please share with the undergraduate students in your labs.

          The application period for the Fall 2022/Spring 2023 research grant program opens today, September 1st, 2022, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on February 202023The academic year applications are reviewed on arolling basis and awards will be made until funds are exhausted, or up until the application deadline. 

          It is expected that applicants will be conducting research with IBACS faculty members, focusing on any research area associated with the IBACS mission.  Faculty sponsors will need to supply a letter of recommendation. Once the applicant lists the faculty advisor of the project in the form, an email will be sent to the faculty member with directions for how to submit the letter.  Applicants must fill out the online application, and also submit via the online application, a relatively short research plan (maximum of 6,000 characters, approximately 3 pages) and a budget that explains in detail how the funds will be spent. The application link is listed below. It is recommended that the student first compose the research plan and budget using a word processing program, and then upload the final versions on to the website.

          This program is not meant to provide direct financial support to students. Instead, it is meant to provide support for the research. The account will be set up with the faculty sponsor after the award is given. The funding is meant to defray the research-related costs such as materials & supplies, software, animal or participant-related costs. The budget should reflect these expenditures.

           Recipients cannot apply for another grant within the same academic year, however, are eligible for the summer research grant program, provided that they are still a UConn student at the time. Please note that the application period for the summer research grant program will open on February 20, 2023, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on March 13, 2023

          The IBACS undergraduate award academic year applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

          • The project description is well written and clearly explains the project.
          • The project clearly focuses on a research area associated with the IBACS mission.
          • The budget is itemized, appropriate to the project described, and reports the total cost of the project (even if it exceeds the funding requested).
          • The advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work to date highly. 
          • Where project applications are equally meritorious, the reviewers will take note of how the student’s project will contribute to the advisor’s research goals.
          • The student and his/her project meet the eligibility criteria.
          • The student has secured research compliance approval(s) if necessary for the project. No award will be issued until documentation of approval(s) is received.

               

              IBACS Fall 2022/Spring 2023 Application: https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/ibacs_undergraduate_research_grant_-_fall_2022spring_2023/

              Please visit our website for more information and contact our Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937 if you have any questions