Microsoft Azure for Research Award in Public Health 2017

The Microsoft Azure for Research program is offering free cloud computing resources to researchers working toward developing a better understanding of matters affecting public health.

Application Deadline: 15th August, 2017

Eligible Field of Study: All researches in emerging infection diseases like the Zika virus, or chronic illnesses such as asthma and hypertension. The list of research is flexible but must be restricted to health, small or epidemic.

About the Award: Scientists in many areas of research are affected by the growing need to better understand health issues that affect the world’s population. Whether they’re studying emerging infection diseases like the Zika virus, or chronic illnesses such as asthma and hypertension, scientists work with massive amounts of data and must push the limits of computer technology. Resolving health-related humanitarian crises as well as smaller-scale problems requires innovation on all fronts, including computer science. The Microsoft Azure Public Health Research Award aims to support researchers who are able to find applications for their work in this area.

Whether it’s a computer with more memory, a cluster with thousands of cores, a big data platform, an internet of things solution, or open-source machine learning at scale, you can achieve more using the cloud. Microsoft Azure for Research awards offer large allocations of cloud computing for a candidate’s research project, and already supports hundreds of researchers worldwide across all domains.

Type: Research/Grants

Eligibility: To qualify for the programme, candidates must be affiliated with an academic institution. In addition to individual investigator projects, Microsoft is interested in projects that will support access to services and data of value to researchers and those in disciplines concerned with public health.

Number of Awardees: Several

Faculty, researchers, and graduate students are qualified to submit proposals for Azure awards for research projects. Masters and undergraduate students require a faculty project supervisor to submit their proposal. The Azure for Education program provides free cloud computing for teaching classes of students.

Value of Programme: 

• Microsoft Azure can help researchers do their research better, bigger, and faster.
• The awards program provides free access to significant amounts of cloud computing resources for a year, so researchers can easily experiment and scale up their project quickly to achieve more.
• Submitting a short proposal is easy, and they will receive a decision within just a few weeks.
• This is an ongoing program, with proposals evaluated every two months.

Duration of Programme: Not stated

How to Apply: Researchers can apply for the Microsoft Azure Award for Public Health Research cloud computing resources by providing a simple proposal that states the project’s intent and an outline for how your project will use the resources. Please note the following application requirements:

• Length: Your proposal should be no longer than three pages.
• Title: Your proposal title must begin with “Public Health” to ensure that your proposal is considered for this award.
• Submission: Submit your proposal via the online application form.
• Deadlines: Proposals can be submitted throughout the calendar year and are due on the fifteenth of even-numbered months. Proposals are reviewed and award recipients are notified within four to eight weeks.

Visit Programme Webpage for details

Award Provider: Microsoft