A major national funding programme for scientific research was announced this morning by the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering & Technology (IRCSET).
Funded by the State under the National Development Plan with research funding of €95.3 million, the Embark Initiative is aimed at "knowledge creation for the long-term future benefit of society and the economy".
In its first phase, it will provide a new €2.9 million post-graduate scholarship research scheme for researchers planning to complete masters or doctorate level research in the sciences, engineering or technology.
The scheme and programmes to be announced later this year are aimed at preventing financial and commercial pressures inhibiting individuals who want to pursue a career in scientific, engineering or technological research in Ireland.
They are also designed to ensure that Ireland will become an internationally attractive place for high-level research.
The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering & Technology is chaired by Dr Tom Mitchell, formerly Provost of Trinity College Dublin, and the the board of the council includes senior scientific figures employed by academic establishments, State bodies and commercial organisations.
The plan is operated under the Department of Education & Science within the National Development Plan.
Last December, the Embark Initiative also launched a Basic Research Grant Scheme jointly with Enterprise Ireland.
Embark takes a unique approach to funding people and their research ideas. It will not target projects with an industrial or economic focus but will give individual researchers the means to explore ideas and bring concepts into reality.
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