Seedcorn research grants allow researchers to explore new ideas, run pilot studies for larger grant applications, and collaborate with members from other departments. The grants are mainly (but not exclusively) targeted at junior researchers and serve as career development instruments. 

With the seedcorn funding, we also wish to promote principles of open science. We hope that the seedcorn grants encourages research that is pre-registered before the study is run and gives other researchers access to the data and materials of the study (e.g. on the Open Science Framework).

With the seedcorn grants, we mainly aim at supporting empirical studies (including “new” studies and replication studies). We explicitly welcome studies that involve inter-departmental collaboration. Researchers (including PhD students) from the Departments of Psychology, Management, and Economics can apply for the seedcorn grants. Each seedcorn grant application will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• The project falls within the four key topics of the centre: Consumer behaviour, sustainability, behavioural biases and nudging, business ethics
• The “seed” character of the proposal: The grant allows the researcher to test ideas and to inspire future research
• The quality of the proposed study (validity and reliability of study design and methods; statistical power)
• The project’s potential contribution to practice
• Adherence to principles of open science
• Whether the projects includes inter-departmental collaborations
• The seedcorn grant can serve as career development

The centre’s leadership team will decide which projects qualify for funding. If more projects qualify for funding than it is possible to fund, we will apply a lottery scheme (see this inspiring report in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03572-7).

The extended deadline of the call is December 11, 2020. Applicants will receive notifications about funding before January 16, 2021. To apply for a seedcorn grant, please use the following submission system: https://forms.gle/a2JQsEAyWzmUzaA66

Your application must include:

• A project title
• A description of the project (max. 250 words) stating the main research question and embedding the project in the existing literature
• The rationale for why the project should receive funding (max. 200 words)
• A description of the study design (max. 250 words)
• Amount applied for (max. DKK 30,000)
• Confirmation that you adhere to the principles of open science (if possible)
• Confirmation that you will write a short summary (max. 500 words) after the project has been completed
• Confirmation that you will give a short talk at the centre about the project’s main findings

There are no restrictions in terms of the research questions, study design, and methods applied. Projects must be completed and the financial resources spent before 31 December 2021. However, please note that you cannot apply for:

• Your own salary ("frikøb" at AU)
• Other academic salaries (except for student research assistants)
• Dissemination (e.g. publication fees)
• Conference fees and travel costs
• Infrastructure (equipment for more than DKK 20.000)

 

We look forward to receiving your submissions!