JICE Seed Funding

The Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment (JICE) offers Seed Funding for innovative research projects addressing causes, mechanisms or consequences of individualisation within natural sciences, social sciences or humanities. The programme aims to advance the understanding of individualisation processes in changing environments and their broad applicability across disciplines and species.

Funding Volume

Successful proposals will be funded with up to 10,000 € each.

Who can apply?

The programme is open to applicants from all career levels. To be eligible for funding, at least one applicant needs to be associated with the University of Münster or Bielefeld University.

How to apply?

Applications are currently not possible. We will inform you here when applications are accepted again.

Contact

For further information:
Dr. Tobias Zimmermann
Scientific Coordinator
contact@jice.info

Current funding

• Individualised paths to well-being

  Dr Lara Kroencke & Dr Niclas Kuper (Psychological Assessment and Personality Psychology, University of Münster)

  Well-being is a highly important variable that is closely connected to adjustment and risk for mental health issues. Thus, a large body of research has examined the determinants of well-being. Notably, most previous research on well-being predictors has focused on general influences that are important on average. However, this approach ignores the substantial variability between individuals in what they like and which activities they enjoy – and thus, the extent to which pathways to well-being are individualised (i.e. specific to individuals). In light of this, this project takes a more individual-specific approach: Using a highly intensive smartphone-based study on indivdiualised well-being dynamics in everyday life, it investigates the personal factors that lead to well-being for specific individuals. By means of well-being interventions, it will additionally contribute to developing tailored interventions that account for individuality.

• Elderly populations in digital environments. Individuality, vulnerability and meaning in life

  Dr Nadine Mooren (Ethics and Practical Philosophy, University of Münster) & Dr Julia Rötzmeier-Keuper (Digital Markets, TU Berlin)

  As digital technology becomes more integrated in our everyday-lives, e.g. through smart homes, online services and ambient assisted living, it is important to understand how these changes affect elderly populations and their quality of life. There is still limited research on the collective impact of multiple digital technologies within the social and physical spaces of the elderly. This project addresses this research gap by conducting in-depth interviews with older people to explore how they perceive and interact with digitalised environments, what different values guide them and how individual styles of coping with technological change are connected to their individual biographies. Besides that, it examines ethical concerns that arise as digital technologies have an impact on factors such as the elderly's sense of security, social connectivity, experiences of loneliness and personal autonomy.

• What does it take to understand a building?

  Jun-Prof Dr Jakub Krukar (Spatial and Architectural Cognition, University of Münster)

  The project explores how small differences in individual walking paths affect a person’s ability to navigate and comprehend large public buildings, like airports or hospitals. Current architectural analysis tools overlook personal experiences, focusing on the overall layout rather than how people interact with their surroundings. This project uses virtual reality and online experiments to examine how individual trajectories and perspectives impact navigation, with the aim to improve design of complex public spaces, making them easier to navigate for everyone.