The "How to attract funding" panel at our 2024 conference sparked lively discussion and enthusiastic audience participation. Moderated by Prof. Gillian Dobbie FRNZ from the University of Auckland, the panel featured accomplished experts who have secured grants from diverse sources, Dr Qi Chen (VUW), Prof Richard Green (UoC) and Prof Mengjie Zhang (VUW).
Throughout the discussions, several common themes emerged, offering valuable insights for individuals seeking funding:
Advance preparation is key
Cultivate support from collaborators
Demonstrate persistence
Establish a robust track record in the respective field
Foster international connections
The discussions generated ideas aimed at bolstering research funding within Aotearoa’s AI community:
Foster collaborations with stakeholders beyond the AI sphere
Clarify whether research contributes to other domains or exclusively to AI, ensuring transparency about contributions
Establish a centralised data repository and encourage the sharing of data and open-source code with Aotearoa
Explore the implementation of industry PhDs, akin to those in France. Update after panel: the applied PhD scheme in Aotearoa will be continued.
The discussions showcased a wealth of innovative ideas, underscoring the necessity for continued dialogue on the future trajectory of funding within our community.