FAPESP outlays almost R$ 1 billion for research in 2011

The amount is 20% higher than outlays in 2010. Over the past 10 years, funding increases have exceeded 90%.

By Jussara Mangini

Agência FAPESP – FAPESP released R$ 938.73 million in funding for scientific and technological research produced in the state of São Paulo last year. The sum represents a 20% increase over disbursements in 2010. Over the last 10 years, the growth in funding has surpassed 90%.

This amount of almost R$ 1 billion was directed to 11,188 fellowships and 9,386 grants throughout the year. These awards include part of the new projects contracted in 2011 (12,451), which received installments in the period, and ongoing projects contracted in previous years. The number of new projects contracted was almost 8% more than the previous year.

These numbers appear in FAPESP’s 2011 Annual Activity report, released on October 31, 2012 at the Foundation’s headquarters along with the opening of an exhibit of reproductions of the works of artist Arcangelo Ianelli, which illustrate the publication.

Among FAPESP’s three funding lines, the Regular Program received the greatest volume of resources – R$ 640.26 million (68%). This is a permanent funding line that addresses immediate requests from researchers. It encompasses Fellowships and Regular Research Grants and is focused on the training of human resources for research.

Scientific initiation grants (2,725) were the leading category of fellowships. The number of fellowships for study abroad also grew by 27.6%, totaling 208, including Research Internships Abroad (BEPE). Among the new grants and fellowships, 1,211 involved scientific research exchange, especially at North American institutions.

“It has become increasingly clear to the global scientific community in the 21st century that advancing knowledge in any society is impossible without a growing international exchange of studies and researchers. This is the reason that increasing this dialogue has been a priority for FAPESP since the middle of the past decade,” commented Celso Lafer, FAPESP president.

The volume of resources for Special Programs grew 113.4% in relation to 2010, totaling R$ 208.85 million. The increase in outlays for this funding line – which is focused on projects that bridge gaps in the state’s scientific and technological system and promote improvements in the state’s research infrastructure – is due primarily to the R$ 92 million outlay made to one modality: the Multiuser Equipment Program (EMU), which receives projects through calls for proposals.

EMU funds the acquisition of equipment for shared use in the scientific community of São Paulo, Brazil and South America. One example is the Alpha Crucis, considered the country’s largest oceanographic vessel for academic research, which is especially important for studies on biodiversity, climate change and exploration of the oil reserves in the pre-salt oceanic layer.

The research projects developed under the Research for Technological Innovation Programs received R$ 86.6 million. For these projects, FAPESP expects results with clear potential for technological innovation or application to the formulation of public policy.

The largest outlays under this funding line went to the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (CEPIDs) program, followed by the FAPESP Research Program on Global Climate Change, which received R$ 21.67 million.

During the fiscal year, FAPESP contracted 44 new research projects under the auspices of the BIOTA-FAPESP program, more than double those in 2010, and the R$ 9.96 million outlay was 49.77% greater than the previous year.

This same funding line also includes the rubric of Innovative Research in Micro and Small Companies, which is dedicated to programs with this purpose. One of these activities is the Innovative Research in Small Companies Program (PIPE), which contracted 71 new projects and awarded R$ 11.21 million.

By funding objective

In terms of FAPESP’s objectives for funding lines, the resources focused on Fundamental Academic and Applied Research expanded by 30% over 2010, reaching R$ 572.62 million. Outlays with Human Resources Training, representing 32% of the total (R$ 300.39 million), grew 8%. Funding to Application Focused Research represented 7% of total resources (R$ 65.71 million), 5% more than in 2010.

“The same numbers, however, can be organized by other criteria, using certain thematic areas – health, engineering, agronomy, veterinary sciences – in addition to traditional programs such as PITE and PIPE [Research Partnership for Technological Innovation and Innovative Research at Small Companies], which almost inevitably lead to applications,” clarifies Celso Lafer.

“Classifications of this nature, like any classification, are meant to organize the comprehension of a given subject, to provide a better vision for application of FAPESP resources and to produce the following results: 1) supporting the advance of knowledge: 32%; 2) supporting research for application: 49%; 3) supporting research infrastructure: 19%,” he said.

Selection criteria for research proposals

The number of requests for FAPESP fellowships increased by 10%, climbing from 10,418 in 2010 to 11,418 in 2011. FAPESP’s selection criteria are strictly defined by scientific merit based on peer evaluation. In 2011, FAPESP had 8,978 ad hoc peer evaluators, 9% more than in 2010, when productivity reached 23,226 opinions. This performance represents an increase greater than 349% from 1993, when only 5,171 opinions were given.

The majority (8,163 or 90%) of the ad hoc peer evaluators issued one to four opinions, while 722 analyzed five or more projects each. Another 88 issued opinions on 10 or more projects each, while five analyzed 15 or more proposals. To exemplify the growth in productivity of the advisors, it is worth mentioning that in 1992, only 102 specialists analyzed five to 15 proposals and 2,028 issued only one opinion.

Celso Lafer stresses that with the growth in the number of requests and funded projects, there is an increasing need to clearly identify the appropriateness and quality of the projects that have guided FAPESP’s activities since it was founded 50 years ago. “For this reason, we take pride in FAPESP’s status as a pioneer among the country’s research foundations in adopting the code of good scientific practices,” he explained.

Launched in 2011, the code establishes ethical guidelines for the scientific activities of any beneficiaries of FAPESP funding and for scientific evaluation. It is applicable to sites of research and periodicals that receive FAPESP funding for publication.

Outlays by area and institution

Health was the field that received the greatest volume of resources: R$ 254.94 million (27.16%); followed by Biology, R$ 162.06 million (17.26%); Engineering, R$ 101.35 million (10.80%); Human and Social Sciences, R$ 92.96 million (9.90%); and Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences, R$ 85.14 million (9.07%).

Researchers from USP received the greatest volume of resources, R$ 452.75 million (48.23%), followed by the projects of UNICAMP researchers, R$ 131.13 million (13.97%), and UNESP, R$ 129.19 million (13.76%). Federal higher education and research institutions in São Paulo State received R$ 116.25 million (12.38%), particularly UNIFESP, which received R$ 48.34 million, and UFSCar, with R$ 30.35 million.

Cooperation in research

FAPESP has stepped up international agreements with companies, foundations and universities as part of its strategy to increase the quality, impact and the visibility of science conducted in São Paulo.

In 2011, FAPESP signed 11 new partnership agreements with universities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel and 4 new accords with international funding agencies. By the end of 2011, FAPESP had 16 agreements with international funding agencies, two of which are in Germany, two in Canada, three in the United States, three in France, two in the United Kingdom, one in Denmark, one in Argentina, and one in Mexico.

The Foundation also signed an agreement with Agilent Technologies and negotiated the terms of accords with Embraer, Boeing and Glaxo SmithKline (GSK), which were signed in 2012.

Under its international agreements, FAPESP conducted 18 calls for proposals, which selected 58 collaborative research proposals and exchanges. Through its national agreements, FAPESP also opened seven calls for tender that selected 62 proposals. The agreement with ETH Bioenergia brought with it partnerships with 15 other Brazilian companies.

Official release

The official release of the 2011 FAPESP Activities Report occurred on October 31, 2012 at FAPESP’s headquarters along with the inauguration of the Ianelli exhibition, in which 28 reproductions of the artwork that illustrated the book are displayed. The Foundation has been honoring renowned São Paulo artists by highlighting their works for the last six years. The exhibit will continue to be open to the public through December 2012.

Arcangelo Ianelli’s work is marked by a passion for color and geometry. According to art critic Fábio Magalhães, light was also his obsession: “The light is one of the most expressive elements of his geometric composition; it gives rhythm to his paintings and structure to the composition.”

Ianelli actively participated in the Brazilian artistic movement as an exhibitor, curator of shows in the country and abroad, a member of museum art councils and a member of the National Commission of Fine Arts. His works figure in the collections of several international museums, and he has received several national and international awards.

FAPESP’s 2011 Annual Activity report: www.fapesp.br/en/publications/2011report.pdf