Mercer_Allison

First question: Not yet, but I suppose it's a risk. However, the site is not just a site to fund science, but also a way to connect the public to science and scientists, allowing the community to watch the scientific process unfold, and see that it can pay dividends in the future.

Second: We think that a greater engagement between scientists and the broader community is necessary; that is part of our mission.

I was looking to fund some of my own research on for-profit crowdfunding sites. I was aware that cuts to science funding were a problem, and that new scientists were at a disadvantage to more established programs. Also, 43% of projects are successfully funded on Kickstarter, and that beats the success rate of traditional funding sources. However, at the time, the available sites didn't have a model that we thought necessary for effective and sustainable science funding.

We anticipated that people like you existed, elmyrah; we are so glad to see that you do!

1) We have a couple of projects that are going up that do fund-matching for science outreach. For every dollar they raise on the site, GT will match it. We ensure as part of the review process that project creator are not double-dipping, so to speak, but as long as that is clear, supplemental grants are not an issue.

2) Your question addresses both the beauty and the challenge of peer review. We have a number of projects in the queue, but we're serious about our peer review process. It's not a joke - it's very real. Our researchers already have impeccable standards, but it is through the peer review process that we confirm that the project creators have the skills needed to conduct the research, that the proposed budget is appropriate to support the project, and that the funds will be spent the right way. No other crowdfunding platform offers this kind of assurance to donors. Also, getting the word out the faculty, staff, and students takes time.

3) What the funding covers is project-specific. Some of the current projects cover student wages, some of them cover equipment. For most of the academic faculty, wages are covered by the University, but some of the research faculty would need their time covered by the project. We encourage everyone who applies to be as open and up front about where the money is going as possible.

Edit: words

Yes, we are, burpsngiggles. So far, we have not encountered any conflicts of interest, but as the site grows, it's probably inevitable. We've already been approached by other universities interested in this particular funding model.

Well, you can use TechStarter to fund your thesis research, to engage with the broader community that may be interested in your findings, and to differentiate yourself from your peers when you are looking for jobs.