Vanderbilt University continues its commitment to advancing research and innovation with the launch of the Generative AI Seed Grant. This latest initiative, sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, is designed to stimulate pioneering work with large language models such as ChatGPT, Claude and Bard, supporting research endeavors, curriculum innovations and fresh applications of LLM technology.
Faculty members can look forward to tapping into this promising avenue, with funding up to $20,000 for a one-year span. The award could be larger in some cases depending on the merits of the proposal and the available program budget.
Jules White, associate dean for strategic learning programs and professor of computer science, proposed the new fund to advance LLM research at Vanderbilt.
“It is critical that we invest and foster innovation in generative AI as it is going to have a transformative impact on society,” White said. “We need to seed research and innovation at Vanderbilt to ensure that we are leaders in this space over the next decade.”
Generative AI Seed Grant applications are due by Nov. 8.
An interdisciplinary advisory board will review the applications and provide funding recommendations by the end of the fall 2023 semester.
Applicants interested in pursuing the grant will need to furnish an abstract, along with a breakdown of the research, methods, workplan, research trajectory and envisioned deliverables.
For more information about the grant, visit the Generative AI Seed Grant webpage. If you have questions about the opportunity, email OVPRFunding@vanderbilt.edu.
Research Development and Support, based in OVPRI, oversees the administration of the Generative AI Seed Grant. RDS plays a pivotal role in bolstering the research ecosystem at Vanderbilt by offering internal funding, identifying external funding opportunities, providing proposal development assistance and organizing workshops and training for faculty. For more information about their services, email rds@vanderbilt.edu.