Seed Grant Overview

Seed grants are awarded to innovative interdisciplinary projects involving the study of science in society that require modest amounts of seed money to initiate collaborative research and programming. All full-time junior faculty, students, and postdocs at Columbia University and Barnard College are eligible to apply. Proposals are welcomed especially from undergraduate and graduate students. Projects might include small research collaborations and pilot studies, organizing internal discussion groups and journal clubs, planning an event or conference. Collaborative projects that involve participants from different disciplines are encouraged.

  1. Over nine years and 43 Seed Grants, more than $98,000 has been awarded. The average award amount is $2,280.
  2. Among surveyed recipients, 100% stated they would recommend CSS Seed Grants to other members of the Columbia community. 
  3. Members of 37 departments (including those at Barnard College, Columbia University Medical Campus, and Teachers College) have been awarded Seed Grants, including astronomy, journalism, psychology, religion, and sustainable development. 
  4. Roughly 75% of recipients were undergraduate or graduate students. 
  5. Seed Grants have been used to fund reading groups, conferences, workshops, and academic research. 

Learn more about the Seed Grants awarded: