Sandpit

Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft sandpits invite researchers to work outside their comfort zone in unconventional constellations in order to give shape to an overarching topic and develop fresh approaches and research questions that promise to deliver innovative insights. The program welcomes research topics that are not covered by the mainstream of existing funding opportunities and thus promise to break new ground. The format requires all participants to be outstanding, intellectually open-minded team players so as to create a setting in which established traditions of thought and disciplinary boundaries can be called into question. Participants should not have collaborated or published together previously. The goal of the program is to generate unorthodox ideas for projects that set out to tackle highly relevant challenges in today’s society.

The theme of our first call is: 

Big Data in Clinical Research – scientific progress, translational breakthroughs, commercial use and societal implications

Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft is making available €50,000 for a three-day sandpit event plus an ensuing workshop to document the results. The sandpit will be organized by the researchers who have been awarded funding for the event. Funding can be used flexibly to cover costs for travel, accommodation, catering, the event location, and other expenses. The documented results will be published by Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft. 

Researchers who are awarded funding may nominate up to 8 participants themselves and choose an additional 6–8 participants from a pool of potential candidates to be drawn up by a group of experts consulted by the Foundation. Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft will provide successful candidates with a list of potential workshop facilitators. 

Researchers at all career levels (post-doc and above) working at a German university

Your application should contain three separate documents:
 
A. Research topic
Individuals or groups of up to three researchers may submit an application by presenting a two-page (max.) outline of the specific research topic they wish to focus on in the sandpit. Groups are requested to designate a spokesperson. Explain which disciplines are essential for the sandpit. Applicants are encouraged to think outside familiar boxes. The identity and institutional affiliation of applicants will not be disclosed until the final review phase, so please do not include details that might enable reviewers to identify the researchers involved or their institutional affiliation, and do not submit preliminary data, or details related to publications, awards received, patents filed, etc. This approach will help Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft to ensure reviews are as unbiased as possible, giving priority to the most original ideas.

B. CVs and budget   
Applicants should include their CVs as well as a short description of the expenses to be covered by the funding (€50,000 max. including all costs for a three-day event, travel and accommodation, research material, as well as other necessary expenses). It is possible to include a budget for a follow-up weekend to write up and finalize the results and positions that have emerged during the sandpit. Funding will be released through the university with which the applicant (or the applying group’s spokesperson) is affiliated. That university will be responsible for disbursing and accounting for funds.

C. Date and potential participants
In document C, please suggest a date for the sandpit and nominate up to 8 sandpit participants (with whom you have not collaborated or published previously).

•    Application deadline November 1, 2024 
•    Review phase closes December 31, 2024 
•    Funding notification by January 7, 2025 
•    Funding period February 1, 2025–June 30, 2025 
•    Publication of results September 30, 2025 at the latest