UCOP recently released the 2022 RFP for the UC Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives (MRPI). MRPIs are multicampus or systemwide research collaborations that go beyond individual Principal Investigator (PI)-driven projects to: benefit the UC research enterprise; strengthen UC’s position as a leading public research university; launch pioneering research in thematic, multidisciplinary, or inter-disciplinary areas; enhance education and training; inform policy; and benefit California and its people. The competition is open to all fields of scholarship.
MRPI awards should be directed to research that fulfills the following three principles:
- Enhance UC’s systemwide research capacity, influence, and advantage by providing access to the facilities, resources and opportunities available across the UC system.
- Enhance multicampus collaborations, and foster multicampus engagement, in order to achieve outcomes not available through (or duplicative of) a single campus and discipline.
- Mutually benefit UC and California, its people, environment and economy.
MRPI funding supports two types of awards: Planning/Pilot awards (up to 1-2 years, $150K/year max) and Program awards (2-4 years, commensurate with proposed scope). See solicitation for additional information. Both types of proposals should include multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary research; collaboration of at least 3 UC campuses; and engagement of researchers across career stages.
If a PI is considering submitting an LOI (due May 12) and already has at least one UC partner, the Office of Research Development can assist in identifying additional possible partner(s). Interested parties should submit a request through InfoReady by April 13. PIs will be asked to provide a brief description of the proposed project and what they are looking for in a potential collaborator in the “Abstract” section.
PIs can contact Heather Bell (hmbell@ucsc.edu) or Ned LeBlond (nleblond@ucsc.edu) with questions or to discuss a project and prospective collaboration.