UChicago Big Ideas Generator

Big Ideas Generator (BIG) supports new bold, ambitious ideas that can change the way we think about a subject. A truly transformative idea requires a certain amount of intellectual courage- and the BIG goal is to provide all the necessary support for it before it can grow into a substantial research program. With the aid of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, BIG provides two different levels of funding:

• Seed grants for up to $15,000 
• Vision grants for up to $100,000 

Funding decisions will be made by the Faculty Advisory Council. The Council is made up of junior and senior faculty members from diverse disciplines and is chaired by the Vice President of Research.

Funded BIG projects could also receive customized support to develop and implement a research plan that includes organizational development and assistance in seeking additional support from diverse sources in subsequent stages of the project.

APPLY HERE

FUNDING INFORMATION

Spring Quarter Deadline: Wednesday, April 15th at 5pm CT.

Eligibility

Proposals may only be submitted by the University of Chicago faculty as Principal Investigators. Co-Investigators may be from other institutions. We encourage proposals from both senior and junior researchers across disciplines. Proposals should represent an innovative area of research for the investigator rather than be a mere extension of the existing research agenda.

Selection Criteria

Awarded projects will be selected based on the following broad criteria:

• Strength of the research hypothesis 
• Capacity for success as a subsequent broader area of study
• Alignment with BIG Focus Areas (and at least one of the guiding questions)

Focus Areas

With support from the John Templeton Foundation, Big Ideas Generator provides funding to pursue a set of broadly compelling big questions within these  focus areas: Information, Complexity and Emergence, and Intellect, Cognition and Consciousness. Research proposals must align with at least one of the guiding Big Questions within the Focus Areas. Other focus areas will be pursued in the future.