Big Ideas for Oceans

Awards enable interdisciplinary teams to pursue high-risk, high-reward ocean and coastal projects that address urgent climate change impacts in the Bay Area and beyond.

In 2023 the Stanford Oceans Department and the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment launched a new funding opportunity “Big Ideas for Oceans.”

Announcing our 2025 awardees

2026 applications are closed. Applications are expected to reopen in November.

Please consult the Priorities, Guidelines, Instructions and Budget Guide for insights into the program and what is required. Only Principal Investigators with AC or MCL status were eligible to apply.

If you have any questions about your project or research idea, or would like additional information, please contact Fio Micheli, Chair, Oceans Department at micheli@stanford.edu, Chris Field, Stanford Woods Institute Director at cfield@stanford.edu or Brian Sharbono, Stanford Woods Institute Director of Programs at sharbono@stanford.edu

COMPETITIVE GRANTS FROM $10,000 to $150,000

This new program provides seed grants totaling from $10,000 to $150,000, for up to two years, for interdisciplinary research projects that seek to promote new understanding of ocean processes and marine life, and to inform solutions for ocean health and sustainability. Research projects are evaluated for their intellectual merit, potential for new breakthroughs, potential contribution to solving critical problems, and the project’s potential to secure additional funding.

“Big Ideas for Oceans” will support multidisciplinary seed grant projects, including those that may be viewed as high risk/high impact, focused on the oceans and coastal areas, including but not limited to research that addresses large marine animals, marine protected areas (MPAs), coral reefs, or mesopelagic environments, and with a geographical preference for the tropical Pacific and Antarctica. Proposals on other timely and compelling questions and areas are also welcome and will be given full consideration. and sustainability. Research projects are evaluated for their intellectual merit, potential for new breakthroughs, potential contribution to solving critical problems, and the project’s potential to secure additional funding.

The vision and main goal are to create new knowledge in support of ocean health and ocean-based solutions for climate change or other grand challenges, most likely through interdisciplinary approaches. Priority will be given to projects involving junior faculty, post-docs, and graduate students and to teams from diverse backgrounds.

Please view the “Application Instructions and Guide to Writing the Budget and Proposal” documentation. Only Principal Investigators with AC or MCL status were eligible to apply.

If you have technical questions regarding submitting your proposal through the online application system, please contact Stanford Woods IT Manager Keith Iverson at kailou@stanford.edu for assistance and include Brian Sharbono sharbono@stanford.edu in the communication.