Argonne’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program is incorporating a new component called LDRD Swift that will support short-term research with a “swift” project timeline of a year or less. Following an initial call this spring, the LDRD program office plans to issue calls for Swift proposals up to four times per year.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) encourages the national laboratories to invest in innovative and strategic research and development (R&D) in the form of LDRD programs. LDRD projects, typically lasting one to three years, advance laboratory capabilities, foster cross-disciplinary solutions to complex problems and demonstrate success for new concepts.
This year, Argonne is expanding the vision of its LDRD program to include R&D projects led by researchers who need short-term resources to develop new ideas to compete for identified funding opportunities.
“We are considering researchers who are working to be in a better position to win upcoming funding opportunities,” said Kawtar Hafidi, Argonne associate chief scientist for LDRD. “The LDRD program is designed to help the lab grow, and one way we can help is by making sure researchers have the resources they need to secure new funding.”
A call for Swift proposals will be issued April 29, 2016, followed by a one-stage peer review that will determine which projects are accepted to the program. Swift projects are limited to a maximum duration of one year, and proposals may include a maximum funding request of $150,000. The first quarter of funding will be allocated this summer for the remainder of FY16.
Hafidi said an additional component within Swift, known as LDRD Seed, will benefit postdoctoral associates and early-career scientists who are interested in pursuing an independent project but need resources, including salary, while they prepare for competitive funding opportunities. Seed projects will be awarded up to $25,000.
Swift complements Argonne’s two existing LDRD components: Prime, directed at major laboratory initiatives and focus areas defined by senior management, and Innovate, which is open to exploratory R&D projects in any discipline aligned with Argonne and DOE mission goals. Peer reviews for FY17 Prime and Innovate projects are already underway and funding allocations will be announced in July.
For questions, contact Rebecca (Becky) Rank, Argonne LDRD program manager, at ext. 2-6855.