Research pod activities should aim to bring faculty together to discuss, collaborate, workshop, or advance research ideas, but the specific activities are flexible. Funding could be allocated to organizing a series of meetings or workshops, inviting an external collaborator to campus, hiring hourly student support, or coordinating any form of community event relating to the specific research theme. Successful applications will demonstrate the potential for long-term collaboration. Expenses involving data collection or research activities will be considered, but applicants must justify this activity toward the goal of fostering sustained collaboration.

Funding for IES Research Pods will be up to $3,000 for the year.

To apply, please submit a proposal (up to 1,000 words) to ies@cornell.edu with the subject titled “IES Research Pod Application.” The application should include the names and affiliations of all Cornell researchers involved in the pod’s initial formation, and the proposed activities of the pod. We hope to award the first set of research pod seed funding by the end of 2022, with applications considered on a rolling basis.

We awarded the first research pod in early 2023. Find out more here.