The Office for Research and Innovation at Stony Brook University has announced the recipients of its 2025 OVPR Seed Grant Program. This year, $1.2 million was awarded to 22 faculty-led research projects, marking the highest total distributed in a single cycle since the program began.
The initiative attracted 100 applications from across various university divisions, including the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Renaissance School of Medicine, School of Health Professions, College of Business, School of Social Welfare, and School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. Projects funded this year cover diverse topics such as energy-efficient data centers, cancer therapeutics research, studies on transgender youth healthcare access, quantum sensing technologies, and environmental monitoring in the Hudson River.
The OVPR Seed Grant Program aims to support early-stage research that can lead to larger external funding opportunities. Proposals were reviewed by a panel of faculty peers using standardized criteria focused on project merit and potential for future funding.
“This year’s award rate was a historically high 22 percent. From its inception in 2018 through the end of FY 2024-25, the OVPR Seed Grant Program has received 743 applications and made 129 awards totaling over $6.7 million. The program, administered by the Office of Proposal Development (OPD), has completed 11 funding cycles to date and has achieved a return on investment of more than 9:1 based on external funding outcomes from completed projects.”
“These awards represent Stony Brook’s continued commitment to supporting faculty-driven research at its earliest and most promising stages,” said Kevin Gardner, vice president for research and innovation. “Our research enterprise is only as strong as the people and ideas that fuel it. By investing in bold, original thinking across disciplines, we’re building the foundation for transformative discoveries and sustained external funding.”
Awardees noted that internal support from this program helps them begin new lines of inquiry, form collaborations, and mentor students.
Information about future cycles will be available later this academic year through InfoReady software designed to streamline submissions. Details about current awards or upcoming application periods can be found at the Office of Proposal Development’s website.
