AMBER Researcher National Challenge Fund finalist

17 December 2024

Congratulations to AMBER Researcher Professor Maurice Collins of the University of Limerick on his project success as part of the ‘Healthy Environment for All Challenge’ of the National Challenge Fund for Project ‘Traceless’. Prof Collins Co-leads the project with Dr Yuanyuan Chen, Technological University of the Shannon, which was awarded up to €500,000 funding for the next 12 months to develop fully biodegradable tree-supporting products with controlled release of fertilizers and pesticides to avoid microplastic and chemical pollution.

The Healthy Environment for All Challenge seeks solutions to ensure clean and healthy air, water and soil for humans, animals, and plants. ‘Grow Phase’ funding of over €9million has been announced today for 16 research teams under the National Challenge Fund – a €65million competitive programme which aims to deliver solutions for major environmental and societal issues.

Established under the Government’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, the National Challenge Fund has supported 96 teams to identify problems related to Ireland’s Green Transition and Digital Transformation and collaborate directly with those stakeholders most affected by them to create real and tangible solutions.

The teams selected today will have the opportunity for additional funding in the final phase of the programme, where prize funding of between €1-2million will be on offer to the most competitive teams under each Challenge.

Full list of successful projects here