A proven funding mechanism ensures high-merit projects can move forward, strengthening the Program’s scientific reach and graduate training capacity.
At the end of July, the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) announced the results of the 2024 Call for Exploratory Research Projects (ERPs) under the UT Austin Portugal Program. The eight top-ranked proposals received funding for implementation through the Call’s standard budget, as highlighted in our earlier announcement.
At the same time, the Program recognized the outstanding quality of the eleven projects that followed the eight proposals moving forward to funding. However, this additional group could not – at least, in theory – advance because the Portuguese funding allocated to the call had already been exhausted.
To prevent this loss of momentum, the Program’s UT Austin leadership, backed by its Portuguese counterparts – requested authorization from FCT and the Program’s Governing Board to activate an alternative funding mechanism.
A Mechanism Tested and Proven
This scheme, first tested successfully in 2022 with FCT’s approval, allowsproject grants to be assigned directly to UT Austin PIs and their teams. It was created to ensure that high-quality, peer-reviewed joint projects could still be implemented, even when direct funds for the Portuguese teams were no longer available.
- Although the mechanism formally funds only UT Austin teams, projects can only advance if the Portuguese PI accepts collaboration under these terms and if they explicitly support transatlantic mobility, i.e., visits by Portuguese PIs to Austin and short-term research stays for their team members in UT laboratories. Mobility in the opposite direction is also strongly encouraged. Moreover, UT Austin PIs are required to remain faithful to the original goals and objectives of their proposals, maintaining the spirit of the bilateral work they were designed to pursue.
This ensures that, even under an adjusted framework, Portuguese researchers and students remain directly engaged in the Program’s collaborative research environment.
Strategic Significance
This expansion of the Program’s portfolio through these Extra Exploratory Research Projects (EERPs) reinforces some of Phase IV’s long-term priorities:
- Preserving research excellence: Whenever possible, ensure that no high-merit proposals are left behinddue to budgetary constraints.
- Broadening networks: More Portuguese and UT Austin researchers can initiate collaborations across nanotechnology, advanced computing, clean energy, and space-earth interactions.
- Training the next generation: Graduate students in both Portugal and the U.S. gain hands-on experience and international exposure.
- Maintaining continuity: The Program demonstrates resilience by using tested mechanisms to support outstanding science – as recognized by independent evaluation panels – when conventional routes fall short.
Next Steps
Following consultations with the PIs in Portugal and their counterparts at UT, eight of the 11 additional proposals will now move forward, expanding the 2024 ERP portfolio well beyond its original scope.
We are pleased to share the full list of Extra Exploratory Research Projects (EERPs) funded under this mechanism.
Together with the eight projects funded directly through FCT, the 2024 Call will now support these collaborative initiatives, further proof of the Program’s ability to adapt, scale, and deliver impact across the Atlantic.
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