Competition

* Unless explicitly noted, all times indicated for deadlines are for the appropriate NL timezone (NST or NDT)

The Internet Society Foundation’s Research Program supports global research collaborations that advance understanding of the Internet and its value for all. Furthering our 2030 strategic objectives, the program fosters ideas and innovation that further the long-term goal of a world where people everywhere enjoy affordable, reliable, resilient Internet access and a safe, secure, and trustworthy online experience.

Program Objectives

• Promote novel methodologies that generate solutions to Internet-related challenges

• Identify and support a diverse and collaborative group of researchers and research institutions

• Facilitate access to intersectional research that can be applied to decision-making in government and industry

This program is intended for research that is applied and open, meaning the research seeks to answer a real-world question and should be openly published and made available to the scientific community at no cost. The Foundation supports research involving human or animal subjects when the project has been certified by a responsible body to be ethical and in compliance with local law. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator of the project to obtain these certifications.

Areas of Focus

Statements of interest and subsequent proposals should address topics related to one of the following thematic areas:

1. Inclusive Internet  Proposals for this thematic area must focus on the structural and systemic barriers, such as income levels, gender, geography, and lack of digital literacy, that prevent one-third of the world’s population from participating in digital ecosystems. Research should address the preconditions for meaningful digital participation, from affordable infrastructure to community-led networks.

2. Greening the Internet This focus area is aiming at improving our understanding of the Internet’s environmental impact, infrastructure, use, and uneven distribution across communities and regions. We encourage research proposals on sustainable technologies, energy use and efficiency, resource extraction, climate resilience, and climate-conscious digital practices, as well as the effects of extreme weather on connectivity, particularly for already-disadvantaged communities.

3. Measuring Meaningful Connectivity This focus area promotes research to determine aspects of meaningful connectivity that genuinely allows people to engage in economic, social, cultural, and civic activities. Proposals should examine measurement frameworks that include emerging technologies such as AI, cloud services, and platform-dependent ecosystems.

4. A Trustworthy Internet  This focus area examines how the Internet meets user expectations for reliability, security, and accountability across all network layers. Research should explore emerging risks that challenge the Internet as an open platform for free expression and contribute toward building a more trustworthy digital environment.

In addition to the external funding agency’s submission procedures, this opportunity must also be submitted for Departmental, HSS Faculty, and Research Initiatives and Services (RIS) institutional reviews and approvals via Memorial's Researcher Portal (RP). In order to facilitate the HSS Faculty’s administrative review, please ensure "Heather C. O'Brien (Grants Facilitator)" and “Matthew Milner (Grants Facilitator)” are added as "Team Members" on your RP file. 

In accordance with University-wide approval protocols, all tabs of the RP file must be completed, the completed application must be uploaded to the “Attachments” tab, all supporting documentation including support for cash and in-kind commitments and/or letters of support must also be uploaded, and “Submit” must be pressed prior to the HSS internal deadline listed below. HSS cannot guarantee completion of an administrative review for application files that are incomplete and/or are submitted after the HSS deadline. For more detailed submission instructions and information, please consult the HSS Research Support Services website.

If you plan to apply to this competition or other research funding opportunities (as either PI or CI), e-mail an HSS Grants Facilitator, Heather C. O’Brien (HSSResearchAdmin@mun.ca or 864-8603) or Matthew Milner (HSSResearchGrants@mun.ca or 864-8050), to notify the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of your intent to apply. E-mailing the intent to apply as early as possible will help to facilitate an efficient review. A Grants Facilitator can answer any questions you may have about internal or external submission procedures and may also be able to help with proposal development.