Research funding opportunities from MSR
Yesterday Microsoft Research announced a couple of major opportunities to fund research for university research groups.
Digital Inclusion is about innovating in the area of mobile computing (an excerpt from the RFP description):
Specifically, Digital Inclusion means that computing must be affordable, accessible, and relevant. Novel approaches in computing technology have the potential for great impact in a range of areas, including education, healthcare, and economic development. The relevance that research projects can have in this area is significant, given that estimates of populations that can be positively affected by computing technologies fall within 2–4 billion people worldwide. Some tough research problems must be solved to realize that vision — such as work in last-mile networking infrastructures, intuitive user interfaces, low-cost computing devices, and geographically relevant applications. The External Research & Programs group in Microsoft Research will support research into the use of technologies, such as cell phones, wireless technologies, and applications, that make computing affordable, accessible, and relevant.
Proposals are accepted from November 7, 2005 to January 13, 2006. See the press release here.
Inspire Programme is about promoting interaction between academics from developing and developed countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East while recognising exceptional students from developing countries who want to embark on a research career. An excerpt from the program description:
This programme offers an online service that matches universities in developing countries with researchers and lecturers from Europe or the United States who volunteer to teach computer science. This online service is free for anyone to use and will be available from 7 November 2005.
In addition, Microsoft will offer a travel stipend to some of the volunteers to assist with travel expenses but expects the host university to provide accommodation and the originating university to allow the volunteer the time off.
