Introducing Google's new Academic Research Awards

Mark your calendars for June 27, 2024, because that's when Google will kick off the application period for the exciting new Google Academic Research Awards (GARA) program. GARA is all about fueling groundbreaking research in computing and technology across the globe, and it's a fantastic opportunity for academics to dive into some truly innovative projects.

Every funding cycle, Google zeroes in on specific research areas and invites proposals from academics who are not only advising students but also pushing the boundaries in tech-focused fields with real-world impact. If your project gets the green light, you could be looking at an unrestricted gift of up to $150,000 USD. That's right—freedom to chase your innovative ideas and tackle challenges that could make a big difference for both the scientific community and society at large.

But it's not just about the money. GARA recipients get to join a vibrant community of practice and are matched with a Google research sponsor. This isn't just any sponsor; they're there to offer long-term support, mentorship, and serve as your bridge to Google's wider research network. It's a partnership that really helps to strengthen the ties between academia and industry, speeding up innovation and the sharing of knowledge.

And here's the best part: GARA's focus areas evolve with each cycle to tackle pressing global challenges. For this year, we're excited to invite proposals in the following areas:

1. Creating ML benchmarks for climate problems: We're looking to develop data-driven solutions for climate action using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). The focus is on creating robust benchmarks to evaluate these models effectively.
2. Making education equitable, accessible and effective using AI: We want to improve educational outcomes for everyone through AI, emphasizing equity, inclusivity, and research into AI-powered learning systems, teacher empowerment, and accessibility tools.
3. Quantum transduction and networking for scalable computing applications: This area is all about advancing distributed quantum computing. We're interested in research on superconducting qubit transduction, exploring alternative platforms, and discovering novel applications beyond just parallel computing and quantum key distribution.
4. Society-centered AI: Here, we're harnessing AI's potential for societal good through a multi-stakeholder approach. It's about understanding diverse needs and creating impactful solutions for underserved communities.
5. Trust & safety: We're aiming to enhance digital safety across the online world, addressing issues like scams, misinformation, child safety, and the challenges posed by generative AI. We're open to research from a variety of disciplines.
6. Using Gemini & Google’s open model family to solve systems and infrastructure problems: We're excited to see how Gemini and Gemma can be used to push forward next-generation computing infrastructure, focusing on improving efficiency, security, and sustainability through machine learning optimization.

Ready to apply? You can submit your proposals from June 27 to July 17, 2024, until 11:59:59pm AoE (UTC-12). We can't wait to see what you come up with!