Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Innovation Batt O'Keeffe has announced more than €25 million over the next five years for 139 researchers to carry out cutting-edge work that will generate new jobs in the Smart Economy.
The researchers, who are based in our higher education institutions, were awarded the funding under Science Foundation Ireland's Principal Investigator Programme which supports strategic work in the life science, information communications technology and sustainable energy sectors.
Announcing the funding, Minister O'Keeffe said the selected projects had "the capacity to create new jobs in the "smart" economy because they targeted high-growth areas at the cutting-edge of innovation.
Advertisement
"The wide range of projects on which the selected researchers are working capture the calibre of work under way in our higher education institutions.
Science Foundation Ireland directly supports more than 3,200 researchers who are collaborating with almost 400 indigenous and multinational firms.
Among the research fields targeted by the new round of funding are energy, environmental protection, health, agriculture and telecommunications.
Intel, Sigma Aldich, Seagate, ESB and Eirgrid are among the partner companies involved in the research projects which will result in new products, services and jobs.
Director general of Science Foundation Ireland Prof Frank Gannon said the Principal Investigator Programme has been the cornerstone of the agency's work agenda: "The track record shows that by selecting excellent researchers we can develop key partnerships with leading industries in Ireland, as well as producing high-quality publications and highly skilled workers. That is the promise of the Government's strategic investment in high-value research and human capital."
Read more Technology News http://www.rte.ie/business/2010/0430/smart.html