The Office of the Vice President for Research is offering a seed grant program to encourage researchers to use Materials Analysis Testing and Fabrication (MATFab) Facility to help secure further external funding. Proposals must be submitted by January 3, 2025, and awards will be announced January 21, 2025, after consideration by an internal review committee. Unused funding expires October 31, 2025, for awarded projects.

Funds provided through the MATFab Seed Grant Program may be used to develop new research directions, make use of instrumentation they have not previously utilized, or employ new applications of instrumentation—all with the purpose of securing proof of concept and generating data to be used to pursue external funding for their work. This program is open to University of Iowa faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students. Postdoctoral scholars and graduate students must have approval from their research mentor for submission.

Details and application linked here.

Note: This memo was also published on December 4, 2024.