More than 1,500 research proposals from various regions were submitted for the competitions this year. The quality of each proposal was evaluated by 3 to 5 reviewers, including external reviewers from overseas, based on the scientific merit.
The main tasks of this funding program are to offer a long-term funding prospective for leading scientists and early-career researchers in Russia so that they can build their own independent research teams and pursue their best ideas at the frontiers of knowledge.
Russian Science Foundation has also completed review of scientific reports submitted by the young scientists. As a result, 11 out of 725 projects completed by young researchers received negative assessments by the Expert Council so that respective project investigators will be banned to submit other applications to the RSF for the period of three years.
Based on the recommendations of the RSF Expert Council concerning review of 1134 interim reports, the RSF board decided to discontinue funding of 4 on-going projects due to the failure of the respective project investigators to fulfill their obligations with regards to their scientific plans and publications of the research results. 26 active projects received early warnings from the RSF Expert Council and will be subject of in-depth evaluation next year.
91 youth group grants out of more than 160 applications will receive additional extension funding for up to two years.
