Vienna Doctoral School in Chemistry (DoSChem)

New Ideas Funding

DoSChem Call: New Ideas

Student-driven collaborative research

Science often advances through unexpected observations and unconventional ideas. The New Ideas programme provides DoSChem doctoral students with the possibility to explore novel scientific questions and develop independent research ideas beyond their own PhD projects.

The programme supports short-term, student-driven collaborative projects across different DoSChem research groups. It enables participants to pursue new or unexpected findings while gaining early experience in identifying collaborators, formulating research proposals, and securing independent funding.

At the same time, the programme fosters new collaborations and long-term synergies within DoSChem.

14 Students have received funding (2020-2025).

New Ideas Programme A crumpled blue paper ball lies on an open notebook page. Next to it is a simple sketch of a light bulb with radiating lines, and the handwritten word “What?!”. The scene represents creativity and the development of new ideas.
Pixabay

Guidelines and Application Information

Programme Goal

The programme supports student-driven collaborative research projects across different DoSChem research groups.

Eligibility

This call is open to all enrolled DoSChem doctoral students. Applications are evaluated and ranked. Proposals must be submitted jointly by two doctoral students from two different DoSChem research groups, who will collaborate on the proposed project.

Funding Scope

Funded projects must:

  • Be novel and not directly related to the applicants’ PhD thesis projects
  • Be feasible within 1–3 months
  • Involve collaboration between two DoSChem research groups outside the applicants’ own groups 

Funding covers:

  • Salary costs (up to 3 months)
  • Consumables (up to 1,000 EUR per month; max. 3,000 EUR total)

Application Deadline and Requirements

The application deadline for 2027 is expected January 15 and July 1.

Applications must be submitted jointly by two doctoral students.

The application must include:

  • A 2-page proposal in English outlining:
  1. The novel idea and scientific background
  2. Planned implementation
  3. Required resources, including a budget (consumables only)
  4. The added value of the collaboration
  • A title page with project title, names, and affiliations
  • Approval statements from both supervisors confirming lab space

Selection Process

The selection process typically takes 6–8 weeks.

Applications are reviewed by independent principal investigators. Based on their evaluations, the DoSChem steering committee makes the final decision.

Evaluation criteria follow the ABC principle:

  • A: highly eligible for funding
  • B: eligible
  • C: not eligible 

Application Support

Download the application form (docx) from our internal Moodle page and contact DoSChem for further guidance.

Contact: dos.chem@univie.ac.at

2024

Paul Schweng & Christoph Bendl

Project: Ultra-high surface area polymers for effective atmospheric water harvesting

Aleksandra Ptaszek & Giorgia Toscano

Project: Automating Methyl Assignment in Protein NMR by Machine Learning Chemical Shift Predictions and Isotopic Labelling

 

2023

Martina Crosta and David Hernández-Castillo

Project: Conjugation-Induced TADF Emitters: A Theoretically-Driven Experimental Design

Claudia Iriarte Mesa and Janice Bergen

Project: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Coenzyme Q10 delivered from liposome coated-mesoporous silica: novel hybrid nanoformulations towards the treatment of ulcerative colitis

 

2022

Miran Lemmerer und Ludovica Martina Epasto

Project: Investigation of Amide Radical Intermediates by Integrative Real-Time Spectroscopy

 

2021

Mira Flasch and Martin Schaier

Project: Investigating environmental exposures to infants using a multi-omics approach