Monday, 17th June 2024: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has today announced a €1.4 million investment in 15 awards through the SFI Industry Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) Fellowship Programme.

The Programme will support the temporary placement of academic researchers in 12 companies, to conduct research across a variety of areas including energy efficient communications networks, electrochemical sensors for rapid medical diagnostics, seaweed extract for use in cosmetics/health products, moorings for offshore wind platforms, and reducing cement’s carbon footprint using new generation low clinker cement technology.

Minister O’Donovan said: “I am delighted to announce the SFI Industry RD&I Fellowship Programme recipients, connecting academic researchers and industry partners to collaborate and mutually benefit from each other’s invaluable knowledge and expertise. Academic-Industry collaborations maximise the economic and societal impact of Irish State-funded research and resources, and foster impactful innovation. I look forward to seeing the achievements that will shape the years ahead.”

The industry partners collaborating on these awards will provide co-funding with a total value exceeding €1 million. Industry partners will benefit from the expertise of the Fellow, while Fellows are provided with an opportunity to be immersed into industry and gain relevant business knowledge and experience. 

Dr Siobhan Roche, Director, Science for the Economy at Science Foundation Ireland, said: “Science Foundation Ireland is really pleased to support these academia-industry connections. This funding supports colleagues in academia to bring their research knowledge and skills to an industry partner and work collaboratively on solutions to industry‐informed challenges. The SFI Industry RD&I Fellowship Programme provides a unique opportunity for researchers, drives research excellence through knowledge exchange, and enhances the industry partners’ competitive advantage.”

Examples of projects include:

• Rapid medical diagnostics using a smart sensing interface, in collaboration with Analog Devices Inc (ADI)
• Seeking new, sustainable alternatives to reduce environmental impact of composites for renewable energy devices, in collaboration with ÉireComposites
• Accelerating the reduction of cement’s carbon footprint, in collaboration with Ecocem
• Improve detection and understanding of the small signalling particles that respond to cancer cells, in collaboration with Beckman Coulter Life Sciences
• A seaweed compound to improve the cosmetics and health product industry, in collaboration with Bantry Marine Research Station
• To develop and commercialise a load reduction device to reduce the cost of the moorings for offshore wind platforms, in collaboration with Dublin Offshore Technology
• Exploring new sources or technologies to meet future bandwidth requirements of networks in an energy efficient manner, in collaboration with Eblana Photonics

Fellowships can have a duration of between one and 12 months if full-time, and between two and 24 months if part-time. Fellows are from 9 higher education institutes, including Trinity College Dublin, University of Galway, University of Limerick, University College Dublin, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Science, Technological University of the Shannon, University College Cork, Atlantic Technological University, and Dublin City University. 

The collaborating industry partners include: Analog Devices Inc (ADI), GlasPort Bio Ltd., Subsea Micropiles Ltd., ÉireComposites, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., Dublin Offshore Technology, Ecocem, Eblana Photonics, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, NEG8 Carbon, and Bantry Marine Research Station.

Applications for the 2024 SFI Industry RD&I Fellowship call are now open. Deadline for submissions is 26th June 2024. 

For more information on the SFI Industry RD&I Fellowship Programme, visit the programme webpage SFI Industry RD&I Fellowship Programme.