CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2024

 

THE CENTER FOR CYBER, LAW AND POLICY &
The Sub-Center on Biometrics

 

CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2024

 

The Center for Cyber, Law and Policy (CCLP) invites scholars, researchers, young scientists, graduate and post-doctoral students, and experts in law policy and technology, in cyber with an emphasis on issues related to biometrics, to apply for research grants in the tracks described below. Applications must be submitted no later than 15 June 2024.

DISCLAIMER: Approval of the proposals is subject to final budget approval.

The CCLP was established by the University of Haifa in collaboration with the Israeli National Cyber Directorate. The purpose of the CCLP is to develop the academic capacity necessary to advance cutting-edge research with theoretical and practical implications and to inform public policy in Israel and around the globe on cyber law and policy issues. Within the CCLP, a sub-center for the study of the technology, law and policy related to biometrics has been established, and this calls for proposals is for the sub-center as well. The CCLP takes an interdisciplinary approach, which integrates legal analysis, social sciences, and research related to innovative technologies, in order to develop a deeper understanding of challenges and opportunities cyber, and in particular biometrics and AI, present. Within this sphere, the center covers questions related to regulatory “toolkits” for addressing governance, national security, innovation, competition and civil rights in the trans-jurisdictional (and international) digital ecosystem. 

Research proposals should therefore be informed by the research mission of the CCLP as described above and follow the instructions listed on page 4 under “application submission.” Please relate to the themes (described under “themes” below) and be sure to specify the track for consideration (and matching funds, if applicable; while matching funds is not a pre-condition, proposals offering such funds will be preferred – see ANNEX). Proposals should include a form indicating the request budget per categories (see relevant form at the end). The CCLP cannot cover salary of tenure-track faculty members.

  • Research Track 

Eligibility: Faculty members of any accredited academic institution in Israel and prominent academics or professional experts working in collaboration with a faculty member as Co-PIs on a joint proposal. A single researcher can submit applications.  

Funding: up to NIS 200,000 (approx. USD 58,000) for up to 2 years. Proposals addressing aspects prominently related to biometrics (on its own or in relation to cyber questions) may receive up to 300,000 NIS.

* Researchers who are not faculty members at the University of Haifa shall register, upon receipt of the grant, as CCLP Research Fellows.

  • Group Track

To further encourage researchers to approach their research in an interdisciplinary manner, we allow Research Track proposals to collaborate as a research group. A group proposal will be based on at least three (but possibly more) Research Track proposals, together with an additional proposal to form a group emphasizing the expected synergy that the group offers (e.g., how one research track proposal would fit or support the other). A group proposal will aim at forming a group based on distinct research projects on closely related subjects from different perspectives.

Eligibility: Faculty members of any accredited academic institution in Israel and prominent academics or professional experts working in collaboration with a faculty member as Co-PIs on a joint proposal. The proposal must feature at least three Research Track proposals (please see above) and a group proposal for a related integrating project.

Funding: up to NIS 400,000 (approx. USD 133,000) for up to 2 years, which includes the funding allocated to each Research Track proposal. Funding may exceed this sum at the discretion of CCLP based on the quality of the proposed group and its related Research Track proposals, the interdisciplinary quality of the group, and available resources.

* Researchers who are not faculty members at the University of Haifa shall register, upon receipt of the grant, as CCLP Research Fellows.

  • Fellows Track

Eligibility: Graduate students of any accredited academic institution in Israel interested in pursuing a research project towards an academic publication (e.g., peer review journal, book, patent). 

Funding: up to NIS 80,000 (approx. USD 21,000) for up to 2 years. 

* Fellows will be required to participate in a bi-weekly seminar at the University of Haifa and to register as CCLP Research Fellows.

  • Visiting Researchers Track

Eligibility: Faculty, fellows and doctoral students of any accredited foreign academic institution interested in visiting CCLP for two weeks or more towards an academic publication (e.g., peer review journal, book, patent). 

Funding: CCLP will cover travel and accommodation expenses throughout the visit. A modest honorarium, scholarship or grant may also be provided.  

* Visiting researchers will be expected to attend a bi-weekly seminar at the University of Haifa and register as CCLP Research Fellows. 

RESEARCH THEMES 

CCLP will support selected proposals related to biometrics or cyber or the interrelation of cyber and biometrics, covering different angles (legal, ethical, or technological), including the following themes (listed alphabetically): 

  • Cyber Technologies and Biometrics, (Hereinafter CT&B) including: Digital identity, Facial recognition (and other biometric modalities, such as gait and voice) in controlled and in public spaces; reliability of biometric methods and calculations; biometrics applications and identification applications in Blockchain technologies; detection of forgeries (PAD - (presentation attacks detection) including "animal" test, "morphing" detection, Deep Fake detection; innovative cyber-security technologies (device-level, localized organizational level, cloud-based); Digital Identification technologies, online authentication and verification (eKYC), with or without eID; Decentralized Identification technologies; Mobile Documentation technologies; information security; anonymization; cryptography (related to identification processes); big data – collection, storage, fusion, analysis); artificial intelligence (machine/computerized/deep learning, including generative AI), “smart” systems”, integration of "smart" systems in decision-making processes and products used in the public and private sectors, including smart cities and smart transportation, robotics, & human enhancement. Implementation of algorithms in the management of the physical-social space (transportation, agriculture, education, law, etc.); Quantum and quantum technologies (including their interaction with biometrics and offence, defence, surveillance and AI).
  • CT&B and the state, including: Government – central, local, supra-national – role in cyber and biometrics; National Digital Identity Management (focus on the EU, US, Australia); infrastructure protection; state responsibility;legal competence (separation of powers in cyber & biometrics); legal procedures and discretion of executive bodies; Cyberspace, biometric and national security strategies (e.g., Cyber-deterrence and role of cyber in conventional deterrence; Cyberspace effects on geopolitical interaction; Arms race and offence-defence balance in cyber & biometrics; Cyber and cross-domain campaign planning; National level crisis-management and decision-making process in the cyber & biometric context); Information warfare in cyber and biometric space; Platform/Corporate Sovereignty vs. State Sovereignty.
  • CT&B, public policy and ethics, including: Public policy challenges in risk-analysis, preparedness, mitigation, response &, recovery in cyber, digital identity and biometrics; ethics-by-design; Public policies processes regarding cyber technologies and biometrics; role of civil-society organizations; role of corporations, including multinational entities; trust and information sharing in cyber and biometrics; cybernetic and/or biometric organizational culture; insurance policies; cybernetic defence, surveillance, offence and/or biometrics during extreme conditions, emergencies, pandemics, and other natural disasters; cyber & biometrics impact on democracy, democratic processes and institutions. 
  • International law an international relations, CT&B including: sovereignty, authority, jurisdiction, supranational regimes (such as EU law and its translational impact); International and transnational laws of war and terrorism, cyber defense, state responsibility, human rights (including privacy, freedom of movement, equality, freedom of expression, due process); International and transnational regulation of multinational companies (service and platform providers); the role of the supranational in shaping domestic, transnational and international norms.
  • CT&B, the Market and the economy - including: innovation economy, competition and antitrust, IP in cyber technologies including digital identification, biometrics, private/public cooperation, technology transfer, cyber exports, consumer protection, R&D policies (and supervision thereof), monetization measures (digital coins), Fintech, Web 3.0, digital communication markets, intermediaries and cyber companies as private entities performing a public role; economic implications of cyber and biometric technologies (e.g., innovation, market regulation); digital divide, market failures in disruptive technologies.
  • Regulation of CT&B, including: Regulatory attitudes to CT&B (command and control, co-regulation, private regulation), modalities of regulation (including regulation of, and by, information, licenses, civil and criminal liabilities, taxation, insurance), the regulatory process of CT&B; human rights / constitutional rights including the right to privacy, property rights and intellectual property, equality, freedom of vocation, due process, freedom of expression – and including the proportional limitation of such rights; Institutional design of legal protection mechanisms including procedures and remedies; Regulatory Impact Assessment of cyber and biometric measures and regimes; Platforms regulation, including content moderation; legal implications of cross-border activities, cyber and Biometric protection by Design; Regulation in emergency situations, regulation in a rapidly changing technological environment (regulation of personnel, products, processes, etc.).
  • Regulation of AI and Generative AI, including: Artificial Intelligence in biometrics and online identification, AI used by state bodies, by SME’s and large enterprises; AI and disinformation, fake information, AI and the use of force, AI in specific sectors (such as health, education, , AI and other cyber technologies; Comparative regulation of AI, RIA and AI, Algorithmic decision-making, Machine Learning; Adversarial attacks (and their prevention) on biometric algorithms based on AI; regulation of generative AI, regulation of “smart” social spaces, products, services, regulation of Web 3.0

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

All applications must be completed in English and submitted electronically, clearly stating the submission track. 

Applications should include: 

  • A Research Proposal: up to a three-page description of the proposed research and its relevance to the current call (plus one page for references). Additional supporting material may be submitted and read at the reviewers' discretion. 

The research proposal should include:

  • A clear presentation of the research questions, their relevance to a specific theme, state of the art, the proposed solutions, methodologies or technical approaches the research intends to set forth, and their novelty. 
  • The qualification of the research team to perform the proposed research. 
  • A research plan and timetable demonstrating the feasibility of conducting the proposed research within the time and funding limitations. 
  • A Research Budget: please see Annex for guidelines. Where applicable, indicate whether other sources provide additional support. More specifically, if you have non-Israeli-government funds which may be, or are, allocated to support the proposed research or components thereof, please be sure to state the sum and source, as this increases the chances of funding.
  • Curriculum Vitae of PIs, including a list of publications. 

REVIEW PROCESS

All proposals will be peer-reviewed. Selection for funding will be determined by CCLP's Scientific Committee on the basis of academic excellence and the availability of resources. All funding decisions are subject to approval by the CCLP Steering Committee (and where relevant, the steering committee of the Biometrics’ sub-center). CCLP reserves complete discretion regarding awarding grants, including the option of not awarding any grant under this CFP.

Decisions on funding are expected in October.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

Grant recipients will be expected to:

  • Lead their research agenda, as well as collaborate with the CCLP faculty and fellows, and contribute to the building of its academic community and reputation. 
  • Participate in a bi-weekly research seminar (for fellows and visitors) and present their work at a CCLP conference/workshop. 
  • Submit a final research report describing the outcome of the research, 
  • Submit a paper for publication resulting from the research. Each publication supported by the grant will include an acknowledgment of CCLP. 

 

DEADLINE 

Completed applications must be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and received by 15 June 2024.  If you have any additional questions, please contact us.

 

Annex

The research budget should be formulated subject to the following limitations:

  • Stipends/Scholarships: 
  • Scholarships to graduate students (including post-doctoral): at least 35%
  • Salaries for researchers and technical personnel: up to 65%.
  • Travel expenses (in Israel and abroad): up to 10%.
  • Hosting foreign researchers in Israel: up to 7.5%.
  • Research Equipment: up to 10%.
  • Equipment and Professional Services up to 10%
  • Events 2.5-10%
  • Teaching: up to 25% and not exceeding four teaching units altogether for a year and all researchers taking part in the research. And will not exceed 40,000 NIS per teaching unit.
  • Proposals with an additional source not the Israeli government (i.e., not the ISF, Israel's MOST, etc.) will be preferred. The proposed budget should detail the outside support and the requested matching from the CCLP. The total sum should not exceed the cap relevant to the chosen track.