2022 Call for Seed Proposals
List of Projects Approved Under this Call
The program awarded 11 seed project grants to proposals that will further enhance the academic collaborations among our four research areas.
Principal research areas:
- Climate Science & Climate Change: 3 projects
- Earth Systems (Ocean to near Space): 1 project
- Digital Transformation in Manufacturing: 3 projects
- Sustainable Cities: 4 projects
Scientific Area: Sustainable Cities
Abstract: Decarbonizing buildings by electrifying all equipment, appliances, and infrastructure is critical for governments and industry stakeholders worldwide to reach their net-zero emission targets.
Over the past decades, a number of cost-effective technologies for electrifying office buildings have come online. However, the adoption of such technologies is hampered by behavioral barriers and market failures.
In this project, we propose the development of a comprehensive analytical framework that describes the economics of electrification in real estate. Our framework will provide streamlined decision-making tools and behavioral intervention strategies for industrial stakeholders and policymakers to accelerate commercial building electrification. We will demonstrate its practical value in Boston and Lisbon, where existing regulations are imposing high penalties on real estate owners to incentivize the electrification of their properties in accordance with their net-zero emission targets.
MIT PIs:
Christopher R. Knittel, Professor Sloan School of Management
MIT Co-PIs:
Juan Palacios, Postdoctoral Associate, MIT Center for Real Estate and MIT Sustainable Urbanization Lab;
Erez Yoeli , MIT Sloan, MIT Applied cooperation lab;
Alejandro Valdez Echeverria , MIT S.M. Technology and Policy Program;
Siqi Zheng STL Champion Professor of Urban and Real Estate, Sustainability, MIT Center for Real Estate
PT PIs:
Ricardo Gomes, IN+ Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa
Scientific Area: Sustainable Cities
Abstract:
Innovative solutions are needed to reduce the impact of cement production. This project explores a revolutionary process referred to as biocementation whereby microbes bind calcium and CO2 to produce a range of mineral forms of CaCo3 and other cementitious materials. If such a technology become commercially viable it could serve not only a source for cementitious materials but also as an economical method of carbon sequestration. Although this technology has been demonstrated to have promise, it needs to be optimized to see broad commercial adoption.
This project will apply the unique microscopy-based characterization methods within the Masic lab at MIT to characterize the fundamental mineralization processes within biocementation. This information will guide the design of a formal optimization process in a subsequent project. Additionally, the Concrete Sustainability Hub will perform the first formal life cycle assessment of biocementation to confirm that it would, in fact, be a carbon beneficial technology.
MIT PIs:
Admir Masic, Associate Professor, Dept of Civil and Environmental
Engineering
MIT Co-PIs:
Randolph Kirchain, Principal Research Scientist, Co-director,
MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub,
PT PIs:
Rafaela Cardoso, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico,
CERIS, Universidade de Lisboa
Scientific Area: Climate Science & Climate Change
Abstract:
Speleothems, such as stalagmites, stalactites, and flowstone, are cave deposits that acquire natural records of climate as they form and have been extensively analyzed to study past climates. Small amounts of ferromagnetic minerals in speleothems may also record the geomagnetic field in the form of weak magnetization. The ability to precisely date speleothems using U-Th geochronometry provides a unique opportunity to directly compare climate and paleomagnetic records preserved in the same geological material and to investigate whether certain changes in the geomagnetic field may eventually lead to climate events. State-of-the-art magnetic microscopy techniques allow for obtaining paleomagnetic records with higher temporal resolution, thus improving the characterization of short-term variations in the magnetic field and reducing the mismatch in resolution between climate and paleomagnetic records. Two Portuguese speleothems will be analyzed, one of which is expected to span a geomagnetic excursion.
MIT PIs:
Eduardo Andrade Lima, Principal Research Scientist, Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
PT PIs:
Eric Font, Assistant Professor, Departamento de Ciências da Terra, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal,
Scientific Area: Climate Science & Climate Change
Abstract:
Gas separation, already encompassing a great variety of large, energy-intensive processes, will become a critical aspect of mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Technologies that selectively capture or separate CO2, methane, and other GHGs are currently prohibitive because they often involve expensive scrubbers, or energy-intensive technologies such as pressure and temperature-swing adsorption. Here, we describe a patently new concept for gas separation: capacitive-swing adsorption (CSA), and propose both materials, as well as devices to prove the new concepts. Whereas pressure- and temperature-swing processes rely on changes in the pressure or temperature of the gas feeds (thus requiring bulk energetic inputs), CSA functions by applying an electrical potential to a membrane or bed of active adsorbent, thus becoming significantly less energy intensive. CSA, however, requires that materials with very high surface area/porosity and electrical conductivity be developed, as porosity and electrical conductivity are typically antithetical. Here, we propose the use of materials developed in the Dinca lab, conductive metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as active adsorbents to demonstrate the feasibility of CSA in gas separation processes that are relevant for climate control or green energy: CO2 capture from flue gases, biogas upgrading, hydrogen purification. All of these have been identified as critical in the Portuguese Plan for Energy and Climate. The effort combines materials synthesis and characterization on the MIT side with device engineering and separation studies on the Portuguese side.
MIT PIs:
Mircea Dincă, Professor, Department of Chemistry
PT PIs:
Rui Ribeiro, Department of Chemistry, Assoc. Laboratory for Green Chemistry,
Universidade NOVA de Lisboa
Scientific Area: Climate Science & Climate Change
Abstract:
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising materials defined by their reticular nature consisting of inorganic secondary building units and organic linkers that enable combinatorial design. The porous structure of MOFs suggests they should be suitable for addressing the capture and storage of harmful greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. Despite this potential, poor stability limits their widespread practical use. This proposal develops strategies and artificial intelligence models that can be used to explore vast spaces of candidate MOFs to simultaneously optimize their gas storage properties and stability. Specifically, we will develop and test models of stability of MOFs while also searching for MOFs that capture methane or carbon dioxide. We will pair these models with simulations that enable rapid optimization for both design objectives. The MIT-Portugal team brings together complementary expertise on MOF synthesis and computation, and this exchange will strengthen the project outcomes.
MIT PIs:
Heather Kulik, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
PT PIs:
José Paulo Mota and Rui Ribeiro, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa
Project Report :
2022-2023 Seed Project Report
Scientific Area: Sustainable Cities
Abstract:
The project will initiate the development of a pedestrian mobility model for Lisbon, which can estimate the amount of foot-traffic on city streets at different representative time periods (AM peak, Lunch, PM peak, Weekend) based on land uses, urban form, pedestrian infrastructure and demographics of each area. We use the Urban Network Analysis software, developed at the MIT City Form Lab, to estimate pedestrian flows, and will calibrate the model on observed and anonymize pedestrian counts from NOS cell-phone positioning data, available via the C-Tech project in selected neighborhoods. The calibrated model can be used to analyze how upcoming urban developments and infrastructure changes are likely going to impact foot-traffic around them, helping direct pedestrian infrastructure investments and upgrades to sidewalks, cross-walks and public spaces that benefit most constituents, and more broadly, increasing the city’s zero-carbon mobility share. The work will complement the existing C-Tech project through specific focus on the urban mobility sector.
MIT PIs:
Andres Sevtsuk, Associate Professor, Department of Urban Studies and Planning
MIT Co-PIs:
Christoph Reinhart, Professor, Department of Architecture
PT PIs:
Filipe Moura, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon;
Paulo Ferrão, Professor of Instituto Superior Técnico – University of Lisbon, President of IN+, Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research.
Project Report:
2022-2023 Seed Project Report
Scientific Area: Sustainable Cities
Abstract:
The global food system responsible for 26% % of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions with most of the food being consumed in cities. While municipalities have traditionally ignored the environmental impact of food within their carbon inventories, there is now growing interest in the topic as cities aim to widen access to affordable, healthy, and sustainable food options. Under the second phase of the MIT Portugal Program, MIT and IST developed a methodology to quantify the environmental impact of plant-based produce in cities worldwide and how to reduce it through local hydroponic food production.
For this seed project, we propose to expand our analysis to cover total diets and their potential changes through a variety of urban planning measures and new technologies from raising resident awareness to plant-based meat replacements. Our outputs will include expanded publicly available simulation tools and survey-based adoption models for low carbon diets.
MIT PIs:
Christoph Reinhart, Professor, Department of Architecture
PT PIs:
Khadija Benis, IST Lisbon
Scientific Area:
Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
Abstract:
We will investigate how we can manipulate 3D printed objects at the voxel level to produce 3D prints with accuracies unachievable in any other way. Our focus will be on the creation of novel 3D printable robotic actuators, such as the fingers of a robotic hand, and show increased grasping precision, but our technique can also be used in a wide range of other applications. In the traditional workflow, when 3D printing a model, the model geometry is first translated into layers and voxels using a software called slicer, and then 3D printed. Inaccuracies occur as the slicer software tries to match the 3D geometry to a grid-like voxel pattern (for Polyjet 3D Printing), which leads to wrong material properties in the 3D print. We address this issue by instead assigning materials to the 3D printed voxels during the modeling stage.
MIT PIs:
Stefanie Mueller Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science & Mechanical Engineering
PT PIs:
Pedro Neto, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra
This grant is renewed until August 31, 2024.
Scientific Area:
Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
Abstract:
Designing better wind turbines is critical to improving sustainable renewable energy generation. A key challenge is the time-consuming multi-physics simulations of the turbine, that limit exploration of many design options. We propose a geometric deep learning approach to generate surface and volumetric meshes for fluid and structural simulations. By accelerating CFD and FEA simulations, our proposed methods will improve the accuracy and time taken to complete wind turbine design analysis by orders of magnitude. The methods developed will be broadly applicable to applications with solid mechanics and fluid dynamics problems. These fundamental contributions to machine learning-driven meshing will also help accelerate innovation for our multiple industry partners in Portugal.
MIT PIs:
Faez Ahmed, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
PT PIs:
Jorge Belinha, Polytechnic of Porto;
Sérgio Tavares, University of Aveiro
This grant is renewed until August 31, 2024.
Scientific Area:
Earth Systems : Ocean to Near Space
Abstract:
The islands of the Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde are the subareal portions of volcanos constructed on the Atlantic sea-floor. These volcanos are products of mantle plumes, which arise from the deepest mantle and collect as “pillows” of anomalously hot material several hundred kilometers in radius, feeding the volcanos above. We propose to use geological and geochemical data to model the process by which plume material forms the plume pillows that underlie these islands, and to investigate how plume dynamics and flux rates affect crustal magmatism and surface volcanism. The proposed study takes advantage of new methods for determining mantle potential temperatures and a new geodynamic model for plume dynamics, both developed at MIT. The geodynamics of plumes is important for understanding surface volcanism and seismicity, landslides and landslide-related tsunamis, and ultimately for mitigation of geologic hazard for people living on these islands.
MIT PIs:
Leigh Royden, Professor, Department of Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
MIT Co-PI
Olivier Jagoutz, Professor of Geology, Dept of Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
PT PIs:
João Duarte, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon and Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL).
Additional Collaborations:
Rui Fernandes, Assistant Professor, University of Beira Interior
Ricardo Ramalho, Invited Assistant Professor, University of Lisbon and Instituto Dom Luiz – and – Lecturer in Geo-Environmental Hazards, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University
Ana Ferreira, Professor of Seismology, Dept. of Earth Sciences, University College, London.
Scientific Area:
Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
Abstract:
Digital manufacturing, designing at the “speed of thought,” enables the flexibility to respond expeditiously to evolving needs. This is good. However, speed is not necessarily better: it creates the risk of management thrashing about uncontrollably. We need a new paradigm for planning and managing production that will implement flexibility effectively. Our MIT-Portugal team proposes to build on our history of collaboration to define a follow-up research program into the most desirable strategies to transition industry efficiently to digital manufacturing. It will integrate design procedures to identify significant uncertainties, define design and management flexibilities, and implement desirable future production processes.
MIT PIs:
Richard de Neufville, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society
PT PIs:
João Claro, Professor Associado com Agregação, Departamento de Engenharia e Gestão Industrial, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto
José Coelho Rodrigues, Invited Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto
Project Report :
2022-2023 Seed Project Report
STATUS: CALL CLOSED.
See the List of Projects Approved Under this Call, at the “Funded Projects” tab.
The MIT Portugal Program (MPP) is pleased to announce its 2022 call for seed grant proposals from MIT Principal Investigators from any of the Institute’s schools, departments, laboratories, or centers. The call was open until April 4, 2022.
The MIT Portugal Program (MPP) is a strategic international partnership between MIT, Portuguese universities and research institutions, the Portuguese government, as well as partners from industry and other non-academic institutions, with the goal to foster collaborative research between the parties. The seed grants are designed to seed and support idea generation for MIT faculty on topics that are of mutual interest to both MIT and Portugal and that would promote collaboration between both.
For the 2022 Call for Proposals, the MIT Portugal Program encourages both:
- New applications for innovative projects in one of the below four research areas, and
- Renewal applications to allow for the continuation of research projects, with an active Portuguese collaborator, that were funded in a previous round of MIT Portugal Program seed grants and which grants have not yet expired.
Interested researchers are particularly encouraged to submit proposals in the following 4 research areas although other areas with benefit to the Portuguese people will also be considered:
- Climate Science & Climate Change
- Earth Systems: Oceans to Near Space
- Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
- Sustainable Cities
A more detailed description of each research area can be found in the research section.
The Program has supported over 40 research projects in this phase of the collaboration. A list of past awards can be found here.
Eligibility
Proposals will be accepted from MIT Principal Investigators from any school, department, laboratory, or center. While this funding is exclusively for MIT Principal Investigators, proposals are expected to include collaboration with Portuguese faculty, students, industry, or other institutions in Portugal. If you do not have a Portuguese collaborator, we can help you connect with interested collaborators in Portugal.
Renewal applications of existing research projects must demonstrate active and meaningful collaboration with Portuguese researchers, industry and/or students.
How to Apply
The deadline to submit proposals is April 4, 2022. Seed grants will be awarded in amounts up to $100,000 for a one-year period. Proposals with a higher budget will be considered with appropriate justification. Applicants will be informed of the results by the end of May 2022. Funds for new projects will be available for use from June 1, 2022, through August 31, 2023. Funds for renewal projects will be available for use from the expiration date of the existing grant through August 31, 2023.
Funding may be used for, but is not limited to, MIT salaries (including summer salaries as well as RA, postdoc, and other salaries), tuition for MIT students, materials & supplies, services, equipment, travel & meeting costs to facilitate collaboration with Portuguese collaborators, and indirect costs. Funding should not be used for salaries for foreign collaborators.
MIT PI’s hosting a visiting student from Portugal, as part of research collaboration, may apply for additional funding to cover visiting student fees.
Applications must include a project proposal and a project budget. Both the proposal and the budget templates can be found here.
Please submit the project proposal and project budget via Apply here button on MIT Funding Opportunities.
Any area-or-budget-related questions can be raised with mitportugal@mit.edu. The proposal and budget do not need to be routed via RAS or Kuali Coeus (KC).
At the end of the grant period, grantees will be required to submit a brief report to the MIT Portugal Program office highlighting the accomplishments and results of the project, active collaboration with Portuguese researchers, industry and/or students, any publications resulting from the project, as well as a final financial statement. The report should be 2–4 pages in length and may be used in whole or in part in materials submitted to governing bodies and on the MIT Portugal Program website.
Summary schedule:
April 4, 2022 |
Proposal and budget submission deadline |
End of May 2022 |
Announcement of funded projects |
June 1, 2022 – August 31, 2023 |
Funds available for use for new projects |
End existing grant – August 31, 2023 |
Funds available for use for renewal projects |
Please check the FAQ section if you have questions about the seed grants or the process.
For the 2022 Call for Proposals, the MIT Portugal Program is seeking innovative proposals in the following 4 categories although other areas with benefit to the Portuguese people will also be considered:
- Climate Science & Climate Change
- Earth Systems: Oceans to Near Space
- Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
- Sustainable Cities
A more detailed description of each research can be found in the research section.
- If you received an award from the MIT Portugal Program in the past, and that award has expired, you can submit a proposal under this call for proposals.
- If you currently have an active seed award from the MIT Portugal Program, you can submit a proposal to allow for the continuation of this research project provided it can be demonstrated that your research project includes meaningful collaboration with colleague(s) in Portugal.
Proposals that include collaboration with faculty, industry, and researchers from other institutions in Portugal are strongly encouraged. If you do not have a collaborator in Portugal, we can help you connect with interested collaborators in Portugal. Please contact our office via mitportugal@mit.edu.
Proposal submission deadline April 3, 2023 (11:59pm ET)
Announcement of funded projects End of May 2023
Funds available for use for new projects June 1, 2023 – August 31,2024
Funds available for use for renewal projects End of existing grant-August 31, 2024
Please submit a budget for total proposal costs, including all applicable overhead costs at the current research rates for FY 2022 listed below.
Research F&A Rate 55.1 %
Employee Benefits Rate 24.8 %
Vacation accrual Rate 8.7 %
Funding may be used for, but is not limited to, MIT salaries (including summer salaries as well as RA, postdoc, and other salaries), tuition for MIT students, materials & supplies, services, equipment, travel & meeting costs to facilitate collaboration with Portugal, and indirect costs. Funding should not be used for salaries for foreign collaborators.
If, during the research project, you will host a visiting student from Portugal, you may apply for additional funding to cover the visiting student fees. This additional funding can be requested separately during the grant period and does not need to requested in the proposal stage.
Seed grants will be awarded in amounts up to $100,000 for a grant period of one year. Proposals with a higher budget will be considered if appropriate justification for a higher budget is provided.
Grantees may be asked to participate in activities with Portugal or the MIT Portugal Program, such as workshop requests and the MIT Portugal Annual Conference, typically held at the end of September in Portugal.
No, the proposal should not be routed via KC.
Please submit the project proposal and project budget via MIT Funding Opportunities by April 4, 2022, 11:59pm ET. Any area- or budget-related questions can be raised with mitportugal@mit.edu.
For all other questions not addressed above please contact the MIT Portugal Program at mitportugal@mit.edu.