SEAS Interdisciplinary Research Seed (SIRS) and Translational Acceleration Research (STAR) Funding
ForecastedInternal — Columbia University only
SEAS Interdisciplinary Research Seed (SIRS) and Translational Acceleration Research (STAR) Funding supports faculty collaborations and later-stage research to launch cross-field work and advance practical applications.
Funder: Columbia University
Due Dates (Anticipated): April 2027 (Proposal submission)
Funding Amounts: $85,000 for one year, with equivalent second-year funding contingent on successful progress
Summary: Supports interdisciplinary faculty collaborations and the translation of later-stage Columbia research into real-world applications.
Key Information: All proposals require a SEAS lead PI; SIRS requires at least two faculty members working in different fields.
Description
Columbia Engineering’s SEAS Interdisciplinary Research Seed (SIRS) and Translational Acceleration Research (STAR) programs support two stages of faculty research. SIRS provides seed funding to initiate interdisciplinary work and build collaborations across fields, with preference for faculty who have not worked together before. STAR supports later-stage Columbia research that needs further development toward practical application and real-world impact.
Alongside the open call, both programs offer specialized support through the Blavatnik Fund for Engineering Innovations in Health and the Tang Family Fund for Research Innovations in FinTech, Engineering, and Business Operations. Encouraged themes include sustainability and climate change, health and medicine, materials, sensors and devices, artificial intelligence, and computational science and engineering. These themes are examples rather than an exhaustive list.
