Introduction

The Simons Foundation's Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) division is launching a new Solar Radiation Management (SRM) program. This international collaborative research program aims to address fundamental scientific knowledge gaps related to SRM technologies and their potential impacts. The program prioritizes research on environmentally benign materials for stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) and cirrus cloud thinning (CCT), laboratory characterization of these materials, and modeling of their atmospheric effects.

Scope of Work

The program focuses on the following priority research areas:

• Environmentally Benign Materials Discovery: Identifying and developing materials for SAI and CCT with minimal environmental impact.

• Laboratory Characterization: Physicochemical characterization of SAI and CCT materials and their interactions with light, clouds, atmospheric trace gases, and aerosols.

• Cirrus Cloud Thinning: Developing approaches to minimize cirrus cloud formation, including those from aircraft emissions.

• Near-Field Atmospheric Turbulence: Assessing the impact of near-field atmospheric turbulence on SAI and CCT interventions through modeling.

• Global-Scale Modeling: Integrating improved representations of aerosols and turbulence into global climate models and characterizing the global and regional impacts of novel SAI and CCT materials.

Exclusions: Social science research and in-situ field experiments involving aerosol release are not within the scope of this program.

Eligibility

• Institutions: Established U.S. and foreign public and private educational and nonprofit institutes, research centers, and national laboratories are eligible.

• Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-Investigators (Co-Is):

  • Universities: Must hold a tenured or tenure-track faculty position (or equivalent) in a department with a Ph.D. program.

  • National Labs/Nonacademic Institutions: Must be Ph.D.-level full-time non-visiting research and/or senior scientist (or equivalent) staff members.

• Current SRM awardees are not eligible to apply.

Budget and Duration

• Budget: Proposals should not exceed $500,000 per year (including indirect costs, limited to 20% of modified total direct costs).

• Duration: 3 years.

Key Dates

• Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: September 30, 2024, 12 p.m. (noon) EDT

• LOI Notification: December 15, 2024

• Full Proposal Deadline: February 27, 2025, 12 p.m. (noon) EDT

• Award Notification: June 1, 2025

• Award Start Date: July 1, 2025

Application Process

• Letter of Intent (LOI): A two-page LOI and two-page biosketch for each senior investigator must be submitted via the Simons Award Manager (SAM) portal: https://sam.simonsfoundation.org/.

• Full Proposal: Invited applicants will submit a full proposal, including a statement of work, budget, and other required information.

• Refer to the "How to Apply" tab on the grant page for detailed instructions.

Selection Process

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Scientific quality

• Potential for impact

• Potential for collaboration

• Extent of training graduate students and postdocs

• Broadening participation domestically and globally

Contact Information

• Simons Award Manager (SAM) FAQs and Instructional Videos:

• Office Hours:

  • Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (excluding holidays)

• Office Closures:

  • November 27–29, 2024

  • December 24, 2024–January 1, 2025

  • January 20, 2025

For More funding Opportunities, Visit Global Funding Opportunities.