The Takagi Fund for Citizen Science (Takagi Fund, Tokyo, Japan) will invite grant applications for the 2008-2009round from groups and individuals in Asia1 pursuing “Citizen Science”. The deadline for submission of applicationsfor this round is 30 September, 20082.

Takagi Fund was established in 2000 following the last will of Dr Jinzaburo Takagi (1938-2000) who devotedhis life to the realization of a nuclear-free society, democratization of public decision making and advocacy of“Citizen Science.” His early career as a nuclear chemist led him to question the rationale of utilization ofatomic power and turned him into a strong critic of nuclear energy both in military and commercial use. Hiswish was to foster and support the next generation of Citizen Scientists by converting his own estate into afund and complimenting donations from concerned individuals and other sources that share his belief in the

necessity of Citizen Science. Since then, more than a hundred research projects and activities have been offered grants in Japan andAsia.

The purpose of Takagi Fund is to foster and support independent Citizen Scientists who are capable ofpresenting well-founded criticism and a scientific counterargument toward problems and threats caused bypresent-day science and technology. Such criticism and counterargument can be based on independentresearch and analysis by citizens themselves with appropriate back up from committed experts. TakagiFund expects that a true spirit of science, which opens up a sustainable future, should well up fromvoluntary acts by citizens equipped with social awareness, a sense of justice and some essential training,rather than from occupational activities of “professional” scientists controlled by Governments and/orcorporate interests. Takagi Fund particularly encourages applications from young researchers andgrassroots groups, NPOs, NGOs who share the Citizen Scientist spirit and practical mind to opposetechnological threats to the people.

Dr Takagi’s concept of “Citizen Science” came from his strong sense of crisis as a concerned scientist thatpresent-day science and technology are leading to threats to life and the environment. It was also his concernthat most conventional scientists and researchers lacked a sense of social responsibility and have failed totake any initiative for an alternative relation between science and people.The concept of “Citizen Scientists” presupposes that science should not be monopolized by those who areengaged in academic research and that citizens need to empower themselves by developing scientificknowledge, skills and critical ability.According to Dr Takagi, themission of Citizen Science is “to give science a direction with a focus on hope for a future and to present a concept enabling the construction of asustainable future.” He also added that citizen science must “sow the seeds of hope into the hearts of people,organize people, and generate a flow leading to a revolutionary change.”

 

 

 

 

The total grant and limit par grant for the 2008-2009 round is JP¥ 2,000,0003, roughly equivalent toUS$18,575 / EUR11,809 (at July 2008 rate). The grant size in the past has ranged from ¥200,000 to  ¥1,000,000 annually.

The basic term of support is for one year after the agreement. If you want to apply with on-going or short

termresearch or training plan, please consult the Takagi Fund Secretariat.

 Project/proposal which inquires into urgent issues of science and technology threatening human societyand environment, and related policy issues.

 Project/proposal which contributes to enhancing human rights, human security, ecological wealth,alternative economics and peace for all citizens without exclusion of themost disadvantaged.

 Project/proposal which has imagination and conceptual power, backed by expertise and appropriate methodology, with planning and budget adequately designed.

 Project/proposal which has a clear and practical vision of how to return the project findings to society or to advocate policy changes.

 Project/proposal which deals with issues that Japanese government and/or corporations are partly or fully responsible for.

* Past grant recipients can be found at http://www.takagifund.org/e/list.html

 Project/proposal of which the topic and the level has a high possibility of receiving public funding or support fromcorporations.

 Project/proposal submitted by a relatively large group or a well-established institution that has the ability to reach its own funding sources.

 Project/proposal of which the budget is allocatedmainly to outsourcing to other researchers.

 Project/proposal of which the budget is allocated mainly to administrative costs, salaries and

campaigns.

■Application Procedure

Applicants are required to submit an application form by Email. Application forms can be downloaded fromhttp://www.takagifund.org/e/apply.html. The deadline for submission of applications for this round is 30September, 2008. Funding decisions will be made by the executive board. The review process usually takes between one and three months. Takagi Fund recommends you to contact the Secretariat with a brief summary of your project/ proposal by email before submitting a full application.

 

Applications and Inquires to:

Shoko Murakami, Asia Program Officer

The Takagi Fund for Citizen Science

4F Toda bld. 1-21 Yotsuya, Shinjyuku-ku,

Tokyo 160-0004 JapanTel&Fax: +81-3-3358-7064

E-mail: asia@takagifund.org

URL: http://www.takagifund.org/e/call.html

 

 

3 Takagi Fund has already selected one recipient for a research grant for this year, and the grant amount left is ¥1,600,000.