 MIT Portugal leaders discuss open competition New funding and research collaborations with the MIT Portugal Program are now open to Portuguese researchers, students and companies. The Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) has opened a competition to fund research projects in the context of existing research initiatives of the MIT Portugal Program.
In two open sessions this month, at the National Civil Engineering Laboratory (LNEC) in Lisbon, and at the University of Aveiro, Paulo Ferrão, National Director of MIT Portugal Program, and other program leaders led information sessions about this new opportunity for Portuguese teams to join the MIT Portugal Program’s research effort.
Ferrão described the competition as an opportunity to “broaden the base of research participation in the Program in Portugal,” noting that the successful launch of four PhD programs in the past year has created a growing supply of doctoral researchers able to participate in the Program’s research portfolio.
Over 100 researchers, company and government organization representatives participated in the open information sessions to learn about the terms of the competition.
The competition is open to teams representing at least two Portuguese research centers, and will give priority to those proposals showing strong support and co-financing by industry partners. MIT faculty in each of the four Focus Areas (Bio-Engineering Systems, engineering Design and Advanced Manufacturing, Sustainable Energy Systems and Transportation Systems) will ensure that proposals fit the specified sub-topics which have been opened to new research proposals.
An international review committee will select the winning proposals, which will receive grants that are intended to take effect in January 2009. Proposals will be accepted through October 15. |
