Chasing Cosmic Clues: Groundbreaking New SETI Grants Could Shape the Search for Alien Technology

The SETI Institute has launched a new grants program to support the advancement of technosignature science, utilizing the Allen Telescope Array (ATA), a crucial observatory in the search for extraterrestrial technology. This program, the first of its kind, will fund research ranging from observational techniques to theoretical models in technosignature science, with grants available for non-tenured faculty and post-prelim graduate students. Credit: SETI Institute

The SETI Institute’s new grants program supports advanced research in detecting extraterrestrial technosignatures with grants up to $100,000, leveraging the capabilities of the Allen Telescope Array.

The SETI Institute has introduced a groundbreaking grants program focused on advancing technosignature science. This unique initiative is designed to fund innovative research that tackles essential observational, theoretical, and technical challenges in the quest for technosignatures, which may reveal signs of past or present extraterrestrial technology.

At the heart of this groundbreaking research is the Allen Telescope Array (ATA), a world-class instrument known for its capabilities in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The ATA is the first, and still only observatory built specifically to conduct SETI research. With its upgraded feeds and backend processing capabilities, the ATA’s advanced technology and strategic design make it a pivotal tool in detecting potential technosignatures, solidifying its position as a leading asset in this scientific frontier.

“In just the last few years, a wealth of new research avenues have opened up in technosignature science, made possible by new ideas, new technologies, and a fast-growing community of early-career researchers,” said Dr. Andrew Siemion, Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI at the SETI Institute. “The novel investigations enabled with this grants program will spur the state-of-the-art in the technosignature field, continuing in the spirit of the SETI Institute’s 40 years of leadership in SETI science.”

Grant Program Details

The Technosignature Science and Technology Grants Program invites applications from Principal Investigators (PIs) in two distinct categories:

• Non-tenured faculty or researchers who are eligible to serve as Principal Investigators at universities or non-profit organizations with award amounts up to $100,000, including overhead.
• Post-Prelim Graduate Students in Master’s or Doctoral degree programs who have completed preliminary ex-ams and for whom the only remaining degree requirement is their thesis or equivalent with award amounts up to $25,000, including overhead.

Research Focus Areas

Funded investigations must focus on technosignature science, encompassing a broad range of topics that could include, but are not limited to:

• Observational programs or the development of observational techniques and strategies for detecting technosignatures
• Theoretical models that predict or explain technosignature phenomena
• Technical innovations that enhance the capability to detect and analyze technosignatures
• Research at the intersection of social sciences and technosignature research, exploring the societal implications and human factors related to the search for technosignatures

The application deadline for the 2024 grants is July 15, 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by August 5, 2024. For more information and instructions: CLICK HERE