The Science and Industry Endowment Fund is supporting the SIEF STEM +Business Fellowship Program which will assist in the growth of Australian SMEs through enhanced relationships and collaboration between SMEs and Research Organisations.

For the purposes of supporting the interests of the Australian community and Australian industry, and contributing to the achievement of Australian national objectives, the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF) provides grants to science and scientists. This unique and esteemed funding arrangement received a substantial gift from CSIRO made possible from proceeds of its fast wireless local area network (WLAN) technology, facilitating the rejuvenated Fund to be a mechanism for significant support of science in Australia.

The STEM + Business Fellowship Program places science, technology, engineering and mathematics Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in Australian business and industry as researchers-in-residence for 2-3 years.

The main purpose of the Fellowships is to provide a mechanism for ECRs to build new skills and relationships with industry. The Fellowships will also further highlight the significance of STEM’s role in raising Australia’s competitiveness on an international scale, provide ECRs with practical industry experience and in return create the next generation of researchers skilled in addressing national challenges.

SIEF is providing $7.9 million for the program over five years and it is being managed by CSIRO’s SME Engagement Centre.

The fellowships will be announced throughout 2016.

Find out more here.

February, 2016.