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2009-2010 Call for Proposals

MISTI offers seed funds to MIT faculty and researchers to support early-stage international projects and research collaboration. Applicants are encouraged to involve MIT students—both undergraduate and graduate—in their projects.

MISTI GSF includes a general fund for projects in any country and six country funds, each with its own specific set of requirements (details below). Projects that match the requirements of a country fund should apply to that fund; all others should apply to the general fund.

Download the application form.


Eligibility
The MISTI GSF is open to all MIT faculty and members of the research staff with principal investigator privileges. This includes faculty, principle research scientists and senior research scientists.

Lecturers are eligible to apply to the MIT-India/IFMR Trust Seed Fund.


Students
MIT students and postdocs are encouraged to participate in projects but may not apply directly for funding. MIT students funded to participate will be expected to attend country-specific training through MISTI.


Funding available
Maximum award amounts vary depending on the fund (see below). Funding may be used to cover travel, meeting and workshop costs to facilitate international projects and collaboration. Funds may not be used to cover salaries* or materials. Applicants should include 10% for MIT overhead in their grant requests.


Travel expense guidelines
Awards may cover up to 75% of the US Department of State maximum per diem rate

http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp

for the proposed travel plus a reasonable estimate of the transportation. For instance, if the maximum per diem rate for Paris is $454, you may request up to $340 per day for a trip to Paris, plus airfare.

For travel to MIT, applicants are eligible for up to $250 per day in expenses, plus airfare.

If you have any questions or concerns about these guidelines, please
contact us.


Application process and deadline
Please complete the PDF application form and email it to misti-gsf@mit.edu by Monday, September 14, 2009. If you have trouble with the PDF form, please contact us.


Review and selection process

  1. Projects will first be evaluated by MIT faculty knowledgeable about the field within which the proposal falls. These evaluators will review a proposal taking into consideration the importance of the scientific problem or project and its potential contribution to the field.
  2. The finalists will then be selected by a selection board composed of MIT faculty drawn from all of MIT's Schools. The selection board will review proposals based on the requirements and priorities of the specific fund (see below). In addition, for all funds, priority will be given to:
    1. new projects or projects that are entering a new phase
    2. projects that involve students
    3. projects that are likely to be sustainable beyond the grant period.


Results
Awards will be announced in fall 2009. Funds will be available for use starting in January 2010 through August 2011.
 
In 2008, MISTI received 104 requests for funding, and 27 projects were funded:

MISTI Global Seed Fund winners

MISTI Hayashi Seed Fund winners

MIT-France Seed Fund winners

MIT-Spain/La Cambra de Barcelona Seed Fund winners

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MISTI Global Seed Fund (general fund)

  • For international research and projects in any country
  • Open to all disciplines
  • Maximum award: $30,000 ($20,000 maximum for faculty and researcher expenses / $10,000 maximum for students)


MISTI Hayashi Seed Fund

  • For collaboration with universities and research laboratories in Japan and Southeast Asia
  • Projects must focus on advancing science relating to the environment, especially involving oceans
  • Maximum award: $30,000 ($20,000 maximum for faculty and researcher expenses / $10,000 maximum for students)


MIT-France Seed Fund

  • For collaboration with universities and research laboratories in France
  • French colleague(s) must be identified in advance; proposal will be submitted jointly by two teams
  • Priority given to projects that propose a balanced exchange between MIT and France and demonstrate complementarity between the two teams
  • Maximum award: $30,000 ($20,000 maximum for faculty and researcher expenses / $10,000 maximum for students)


MIT-India/IFMR Trust Seed Fund

  • For projects in applied technology for development in India
  • Maximum award: $15,000

 

MIT-Spain/La Cambra de Barcelona Seed Fund

  • For collaboration with companies, universities and research laboratories in Spain
  • Spanish colleague(s) must be identified in advance; proposal will be submitted jointly by two teams
  • Priority given to projects that propose a balanced exchange between MIT and Spain and demonstrate complementarity between the two teams
  • Maximum award: $30,000 ($20,000 maximum for faculty and researcher expenses / $10,000 maximum for students)


MITOR Project

  • For collaboration with the Politecnico di Torino in Turin, Italy
  • Italian colleague(s) must be identified in advance; proposal will be submitted jointly by two teams
  • In addition to travel, meetings and workshop expenses, funds may be used to cover extended research stays for faculty, students and postdocs. *Applicants to the MITOR Project may request funds to cover salaries for extended research stays.
  • Awards range between $5,000 for individual student and faculty travel to $60,000 for projects involving extended research stays. Average award: $10,000-$20,000.


Progetto Roberto Rocca

  • For collaboration with Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy
  • Priority given to projects that focus on the novel use of materials, and mathematical and physical modeling
  • Italian colleague(s) must be identified in advance; proposal will be submitted jointly by two teams
  • Maximum award: $15,000

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  • MIT China
  • MIT France
  • MIT Germany
  • MIT India
  • MIT Israel
  • MIT Italy
  • MIT Japan
  • MIT Mexico
  • MIT Spain