Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Jimmy Devins T.D. (pictured), has launched on behalf of Science Foundation Ireland its Annual Report 2007 and announced new funding of over €23m for 143 projects, under the SFI Research Frontiers Programme (RFP) for 2008.
Launching the SFI Annual Report at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin, Minister Devins said: “Investment in research is at the core of the Government’s strategy to ensure the development of Ireland as a knowledge-based economy. The Government’s Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (SSTI) 2006-2013 and the allocation of €8.2bn under the National Development Plan provides the framework necessary to build a world-class research system in Ireland, and SFI is a key player in achieving this objective.”
Minister Devins added: “The SFI 2007 Annual Report illustrates clearly that this investment in new and innovative research programmes in science and engineering is now clearly resulting in the attraction and retention of high-quality researchers, increased numbers of highly-skilled PhD students graduating from SFI supported research teams, and new substantial collaborations with industry.”
Commenting on the Annual Report, SFI chairperson, Prof. Patrick Fottrell, said: “The Annual Report for 2007 shows SFI is delivering on its SSTI targets and is on target in the recruitment and retention of top-class researchers, as it continues to build a high-quality research environment in this country. Through the new SFI Strategic Research Cluster (SRC) Programme, key partnerships have been forged with 43 distinct companies, while the establishment of a new SFI Centre for Science Engineering and Technology (CSET) in the software sector led by Dublin City University, has brought together researchers in partnership with IBM, Microsoft, Symantec and others. SFI continues to work together with the other Governments agencies implementing SSTI, in particular IDA and Enterprise Ireland to foster stronger collaboration between SFI researchers and industry.”
In announcing the Annual Report and new funding of over €23 million under the SFI Research Frontiers Programme (RFP) 2008, Minister Devins said: “Today is both a reflection on the year past, and, with this major new investment, very much a statement of intent for the future. The funding of these 143 research projects is spread across 13 different and exciting areas encompassing health, engineering, energy, ecology, medicine, mathematics, genetics and related fields. Significantly, this funding will allow for the provision of high-quality training and jobs for 180 scientists.”
Welcoming today’s Research Frontiers announcement, Director General of SFI, Prof. Frank Gannon, said “Ireland has genuine potential to be a hub for world-class scientific research, and SFI is spearheading this through a number of highly-competitive award schemes…The range and level of expertise, as evidenced in this year’s submissions, is a clear illustration of the progress Ireland is making in this field.”
The 10 research bodies receiving funding under the 2008 RFP are Trinity College Dublin; University College Dublin; University College Cork; National University of Ireland Galway; National University of Ireland Maynooth; Dublin City University; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; University of Limerick; Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies; and the Tyndall National Institute (UCC).
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