NHMRC Careers Scholarships Postdoctoral Awards Career Development Awards

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NHMRC CareersScholarshipsPostdoctoral
AwardsCareer Development Awards
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Rule 1
Understand the system (know the enemy)
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Rule 2
Follow the guidelines (to the letter) eligibility
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Rule 3
Know the Scoring Matrix (format your application
accordingly)
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NHMC Research Training Awards
BSc, MBBS etc
Postgraduate Scholarships
Training Awards
Postdoctoral Fellowships
0 - 5 yrs (since PhD)
CDA
Career Development Awards
3 - 9 yrs
RF / PF
Career Fellowships
gt9 yrs
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Career Support Path
Training
PhD
No more than 2 yrs post-doc (at application)
2-5 yrs post-doc
CDA
3-9 yrs post-doc
RF / PF
Usually more than 9 yrs post-doc
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Training Awards
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NHMRC Training AwardsScholarships

• Features
• Designed for a recent graduate
• a medical graduate with further clinical
  training,
• enrolled in combined PhD/MBBS,
• from a nursing or allied health professional
  background.
• 3 yr funding (6 month extension possible)
• Apply in August each year
• 2250 in direct research costs
• Research Scholarships available in
• Biomedical Science 19,231 - 21,231 pa
• Clinical Medicine 24,817 -
  26,817 pa
• Public Health 28,600 -
  30,600 pa

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NHMRC Training AwardsScholarship Types
1. Biomedical (Dora Lush) Postgraduate Research
Scholarship 2. Medical and Dental Postgraduate
Research Scholarship (including Gustav Nossal
Scholarship) 3. Training Scholarship for
Indigenous Health Research 4. Public Health
Postgraduate Research Scholarship 5. Primary
Health Care Postgraduate Research Scholarship 6.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia Scholarship 7.
John Shaw Scholarship (MSD)
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NHMRC Training AwardsTraining Fellowships- a)
Australian Full-time

• Features
• Up to 2 yrs post PhD at application
• Institution and supervisor must be different from
  PhD (limited exceptions)
• 4 years in an Australian Institution
• Training Support Package Level 1 - 59,750
  5,000 pa. in Direct Research Costs
• Apply in July each year
• Three types
• Biomedical - Peter Doherty
• Clinical - Aust Clinical Research
• Public /Population Health
• - Public Health Australia

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NHMRC Training AwardsTraining Fellowships- b)
Overseas

• Features
• Up to 2 yrs post PhD at application
• 2 years overseas
• 2 years back in Australia
• Up to 2 years suspension permitted
• Must be in Aust in Dec of year before apply
• Training Support Package Level 1 - 62,250 O/S
  allowances (5000 direct res costs).
• Four types
• Biomedical - C.J Martin
• Clinical - Neil Hamilton Fairley
• Public Health - Sidney Sax
• INSERM - exchange with France

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NHMRC Training Awards Training Fellowships- c)
Australian Part-time

• Features
• Preferably 2 yrs post PhD at application
• Connected to Health Professional activity
  relevant to research/ special circumstances
• Up to 1 year suspension permitted
• Training Support Package Level 1 - 62,250
  5,000 pa. DRCs.
• 50 - 70 (incl. DRCs)
• Two types
• Health Professional Research training - Clinical
  and Population Health (4 yrs)
• Australian Part-time (in any category). For
  compassionate reasons only (4 yrs)

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NHMRC Training AwardsOther Fellowships - Howard
Florey Centenary
Provides a vehicle for Australian researchers
working overseas to return to Australia and
continue with a biomedical/health related
research career

• Features
• 2 to 5 yrs post PhD at application
• Must be overseas at time of application
• 2 years in an Australian Institution
• Training Support Package Level 2 - 73,750
• Resettlement Allowance - 5,000 (one-off)
• Direct research costs - 10,000 pa

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NHMRC Training AwardsOther Fellowships -
Industry Research
Industry Research Fellowships target outstanding
researchers who will spend up to two years in
industry and two years in a research institution.

• Features
• foster closer interaction between Australian
  researchers and high technology industries
• Intermittent time between with industry partner
  as expertise developed (up to 50)
• Award can be in marketing,IP, business
  development, IT, formulation, chemistry,
  toxicology, clinical devlt etc
• 4 year fellowships
• package is 90,500 pa including direct research
  costs

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Scholarship and Fellowship Assessment and Scoring
Matrix

• Assessors consider
• Selection Criteria and Eligibility
• All applicants ranked within their category
• Generic scoring matrix

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Scholarship and Fellowship Assessment and Scoring
Matrix

• A generic scoring matrix is used. The assessment
  teams consider -
• Selection Criteria and Eligibility is determined
• All applicants are ranked against each other
  within their category
• Scoring and Ranking Key criteria
• undergraduate record
• research experience
• publications (papers/chapters/abstracts/patents)
  - quality, quantity and originality
• professional skills and potential to succeed
• postgraduate/professional training (for some
  categories)
• research project and potential benefits
• supervisor and institution
• referees reports
• The Howard Florey Centenary Fellowship has its
  own scoring matrix.

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NHMRC Training AwardsScoring matrix -
Postdoctoral

• Get involved
• Highlight your major research achievements
• Join ASMR other professional societies
• Volunteer to give lectures (scientific lay)
• Organise symposia
• Ask to be nominated for prizes

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NHMRC Training AwardsScoring matrix -
Postdoctoral (cont)

• Review other successful applications
• Clear, concise research plan (2 pages)
• Highlight significance, outcomes, deliverables
• Choose a strong supervisor/institution
  highlight strengths

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NHMRC Training AwardsScoring matrix -
Postdoctoral (cont)

• Track Record
• Current impact factors
• Ask to co-author reviews/book chapters
• Present your work widely (nationally/internation
  ally)

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Scholarship and Fellowship Referees

• Choose supportive, highly regarded referees
• Referees comment on
• quality of the project,
• research environment, and
• capacity and potential of the applicant
• Fellowships (arranged by applicant)
• personal referee (applicant-nominated)
• independent referee (different institution)
• proposed supervisor
• The supervisors report and the independent
  referee report are critical.

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Scholarship and Fellowship Referees

• Referees are broadly asked to comment on the
  quality of the project, the research environment,
  and the capacity and potential of the applicant.
• Scholarships
• Applicants should arrange for an independent
  referee and a supervisors report. Both are
  critical to the assessment.
• Fellowships
• Applicants should arrange for 3 referee reports
  one personal referee (applicant-nominated), one
  independent referee, and a report from the
  proposed supervisor. While each is important, the
  supervisors report and the independent referee
  report are critical to the applicants
  assessment.
• Independent Referee - should have had no
  substantive professional or private contact with
  the applicant, or the applicants recent or
  future supervisors, and should not be from the
  same institution.

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How to make your application more competitive
(Scholarships/Fellowships)

• Read the scoring matrix and frame application
  according to the weighting.
• Prioritise successesrecent rather than earlier.
• Clearly indicate your research record.
• Dont inflate your application with non-events.
• Be enthusiastic about your project and your
  career plans.
• Make sure your planned supervisor/referee "sells"
  you.
• Think beyond refereed publications Impact in
  Australia is highly regarded across all three
  areas. For Public Health Researchers government
  reports with high impact are valuable, for
  Clinical Researchers changes in practice
  recognised by your profession are valuable.
• Fully document your claims when arguing not to
  transfer institutions, or if you claim to have
  less than two years research despite a PhD which
  is more than two years old.

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How Many Scholarships / Training Fellowships were
Awarded (for 2006)?
Post-Graduate Scholarships (Australia-based only,
access to Travelling Awards) 153 of 331
applicants
Success rates 30-50
Training (Postdoctoral) Fellowships (4 yrs in
Aus, or 2 yrs OS 2 yrs in Aus) 115 of 325
applicants
Industry Fellowships (2 yrs in industry OS or Aus
2 yrs in research institution in Aus) 6 of 15
applicants
Howard Florey Centenary Fellowship (2 yrs
Aus-based only, returning from OS) 9 of 28
applicants
Career-Development Awards (5 yrs Australian-based
only) 48 of 222 applicants
Practitioner Fellowships (5 yrs Australian-based
only) 6 of 21 applicants
Research Fellowships (5 yrs Australian-based
only) 27 of 101 applicants
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Career Development Awards(CDAs)
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NHMRC Career Development Awards(Formerly
R.D.Wrights)

• Features
• Researchers moving towards independence
• In the 3 - 9 years postdoctoral range
• Are for 5 years
• Apply in April each year (outcome end Oct)
• CDAs are available in
• Biomedical Science 89,000 pa including direct
  research costs
• Clinical Medicine FT or 30 - 70
• Population Health FT or 30 - 70
• Support Enhancement Option (SEO) - (10,000) for
  Health Practice or Industry linkages

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CDAs- Assessment

• Highly Competitive
• Full and Part-time (30-70)
• Biomedical (3)
• Clinical/Pop Health (1)
• Assessment
• Research objectives,
• research proposal,
• research support,
• detailed CV

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NHMRC Training AwardsScoring matrix - Career
Development Awards

• Track Record is Everything
• Current impact factors
• Citation rates (if relevant)
• Ask to co-author reviews/book chapters
• Present your work widely (nationally/internation
  ally)

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NHMRC Career Development Awards
Commencing in 2007
Number of Applications 186 Category Applied Aw
arded Biomedical 141 37 Clinical 24
7 Population Health 21 6 Incl Partnerships
with Diabetes Aust, National Heart Foundation
(2), National Breast Cancer Foundation,
Alzheimers Aust, ANZ Nephrology Society, Kidney
Health Aust
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NHMRC Career Development Awards
Success rates 20-30
For 2007, 45 applicants were female while only
28 of recipients were female
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Recent Developments

• CDAs are extremely competitive
• Difficult for early CDAs to compete with more
  experienced applicants
• RC approved two CDA levels for 2007
• lt 7 years post-doc (research active years)
• 7-12 years post-doc (research active years)

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Research Fellowships
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Aims of the ResearchFellowships Scheme

• Aims of the Research Fellowship Scheme
• Develop and support highly productive Australian
  biomedical and health research scientists
• Provide researchers with a career structure
• Foster an intellectual environment supporting
  training
• Encourage translation of research outcomes into
  health practice
• Facilitate interaction with industry

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Research Fellowships

• Features
• Long-term career structure possible if maintain
  standards of excellence
• Available from about 9 yrs postdoc
• 5 years, renewable in Open Competition with
  Initial Applicants every 5 years
• Automatic 6th yr if not renewed
• 7th yr Grant-In-Aid possible if not renewed
• 100 inital apps pa 45-65 renewals pa
• Four levels of RF
• SRFA Senior Lecturer
• SRFB Senior Lecturer
• PRF Assoc Prof
• SPRF Prof, Personal Chair

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Research Fellowships

• Features
• HIGHLY competitive scheme
• Only for full-time researchers
• Part-time appointments on case-by case basis (eg
  parental responsibilities, illness)
• Part-time for those with active Clinical or
  Public Health Practice - whose research and
  practice don't strongly link
• Most Initial Appointments are at SRF levels, to
  maintain a career path
• Senior, tenured academics or Institute Directors
  generally ineligible to apply
• Honorary Fellows can obtain leave of absence up
  to 5 yrs for another award
• Promotion - at Renewal or in yrs 2-3 of existing
  Fellowship

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Peer-Review Process

• Applications assigned to one of three Peer Review
  Advisory Panels (PRAPs) - 65-70 per panel
• Only competitive applicants proceed to interview
  (cull)
• Panels seek external assessors
• Interviews (50 per panel) non-negotiable dates
  19-24 June
• Ranking
• Outstanding (top 5)
• Excellent (top 10)
• Very Good (but not top 10 internationally)
• Good (some reservations)
• Fair (major reservations)
• Funding available to Outstanding and 45 of
  Excellent
• Recommendations go to Research Committee

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Numbers of Research Fellows in Scheme (1998-2007)
Total
Block Funding
SRF
PRF
SPRF
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How Many Get Appointed?
Initial Applicants success rate (25)
Renewals success rate (76)
Total
Total
Received
Received
Funded
Funded

• Similar success rate to Project grants
• There are no set quotas for IA.
• Success depends on ranking in open competition
  with renewals

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Tips

• Distinction between top of CDA and entry to
  Fellowships Scheme is blurry. Some have been
  awarded both!
• Consistent publications in the top journals in
  your field/discipline.
• Significant and sustained scientific
  achievements. You need to show that your work
  makes a difference.
• Evidence that others listen to you - conference
  invites, literature reviews, commentaries, awards
• An active and vibrant plan for the next 5-years
  is essential, not more of the same (new
  directions, team building).
• Give something back ASMR, peer review,
  conference organisation etc.
• Training and mentoring are very important.

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Tips

• The application is not JUST a CV. Have your
  colleagues look it over.
• The interview is critical. No less important
  than a job interview. Have a mock interview.
• Bring CONCISE CV updates to interview.
• Interview can radically change ranking within a
  category (and less so, between categories).
• Get your case summarised early in the interview.
• Panels often focus on what they perceive as your
  weaker points. Don't despair, they have not
  forgotten your strengths!
• At the interview end, you can point out what has
  not been raised.

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Broad Scope of Panels (PRAPs)

• There are currently three PRAPS covering a broad
  number of research fields. In general terms
• Panel A includes the fields of Biochemistry,
  Immunology, Virology, Cancer/Oncology,
  Parasitology, Infectious Diseases and Genetics.
• Panel B includes the fields of Neuroscience,
  Pharmacology, Physiology and Endocrinology.
• Panel C includes the fields of Epidemiology,
  Health Innovation, Applied Statistics, Clinical
  Sciences and all applications for Practitioner
  Fellowships.
• Note that due to the hump years in 2004-2005 most
  applicants whose research involves "humans" were
  in Panel C, whether clinical or not. Needed to
  spread the work load.

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Peer-Review Process

• Applications assigned to one of three Peer Review
  Advisory Panels (PRAP). Closing date 10 Feb
  2006.
• First stage review Only competitive applicants
  proceed to interview
• Panels seek external assessors
• Second stage review Interviews (non-negotiable
  dates 18-23 June 2006 (DATE NOT FINAL-CHECK
  WEBSITE)
• Ranking
• Outstanding (top 5)
• Excellent (top 10)
• Very Good (but not top 10 internationally)
• Good (some reservations) - Fair (major
  reservations)
• Funding available to Outstanding and 45 of
  Excellent
• Recommendations go to Research Committee

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Position Classification Statements

• Lists which set out broad outlines of baseline
  activities, attributes and achievements
• Definitions are provided for each of the 4 levels
  of the scheme
• Considered relative to opportunity (explain in
  your CV or write to chair of Fellowships
  Committee)
• Includes activities and attributes required of a
  Fellow
• Strongest applications will show breadth over
  widest range of the descriptors
• You don't just MEET these guidelines, you need to
  be HIGHLY COMPETITIVE within them

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Research Performance Descriptors

• This is a set of guidelines on how to describe
  your performance
• Guidelines are indicative, not exhaustive
• A guide to what might be considered of higher
  merit in
• Publications
• Grants
• Peer Recognition (invitations to speak)
• Prizes and Awards
• Research translation (Commercialisation / Health
  Practice)
• Research training
• Professional activities

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Tips - The Application

• Distinction between top of CDA and entry to
  Fellowships Scheme is blurry. Some have been
  awarded both!
• Publications must include consistent articles in
  the top journals in your field/discipline. Not
  everyone has published in Nature/Science/Lancet
  (because these are not relevant to all
  disciplines).
• Scientific achievements must be significant, and
  sustained. You need to show that/how your work
  makes a difference.
• Case is strengthened by evidence others listen to
  you - hence conference invites, literature
  reviews, commentaries, awards.
• An active and vibrant plan for the next 5-years
  is essential. "More of the same" is
  insufficient. Show how you have increased
  potential for next 5-years. Particular attention
  to new directions and efforts at building team.
• Must be giving something back to the discipline -
  peer review, conference organisation etc. But
  not necessarily in all areas. (Depends on
  seniority).
• Must be involved in training and mentoring.
  Considered highly. Small teams can do well too,
  but if small they need greater strength in other
  areas.

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Tips - The Interview

• Put considerable effort into the application.
  Its not JUST a CV. Have your colleagues look it
  over. Annotate, explain, expand...
• The interview is crucial. No less important than
  a job interview.
• Bring CONCISE updates on your CV to the interview
  (8 copies). Bring documents to support claims
  (in press papers, new grants). Unsupported
  claims occasionally cause problems.
• Interview can radically change your ranking
  within a category (and less so, between
  categories).
• Get your case summarised early in the interview.
• Panels may focus interview on percieved weaker
  points. Don't despair, they have not overlooked
  your strengths! The focus is to help you bring
  out anything they may have overlooked.
• At end of interview, you can point out what has
  not been raised.
• Interview does not cover SEO application - to RFC

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Practitioner Fellowships
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Aims of the PractionerFellowships Scheme

• Aims of the Practioner Fellowship Scheme
• Strengthen clinical and public health by
• Providing opportunity to combine research with
  professional career
• Facilitate translation of research outcomes into
  practice
• Contribute to evidence-based practice and policy
  development

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Practioner Fellowships

• Features
• Provide evidence of Clinical/Health Practice
• 5 years, part-time 30 - 70
• A second five-year appointment is now possible
  (immediately or after a break).
• Scheme provides "protected" research time
• Targetted at mid-career clinician-researchers
• Essential to show link between research
  activities and clinical practice - translation
  (if not linked, can now apply for part-time RF
  instead)
• Very competitive 20-30 applicants pa for up to
  10 Fellowships pa
• Two levels of PF
• PF1 SRF
• PF2 PRF

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How Many Practioner Fellowships were Awarded (for
2006)?
Post-Graduate Scholarships (Australia-based only,
access to Travelling Awards) 152 of 308
applicants
Training (Postdoctoral) Fellowships (4 yrs in
Aus, or 2 yrs OS 2 yrs in Aus) 106 of 325
applicants
Industry Fellowships (2 yrs in industry OS or Aus
2 yrs in research institution in Aus) 8 of 21
applicants
Howard Florey Centenary Fellowship (2 yrs
Aus-based only, returning from OS) 9 of 28
applicants
Career-Development Awards (5 yrs Australian-based
only) 48 of 222 applicants
Practitioner Fellowships (5 yrs Australian-based
only) 6 of 21 applicants
Research Fellowships (5 yrs Australian-based
only) 27 of 101 applicants
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How Many Practitioner Fellows Are There?
All

• Scheme started in Jan 2001
• Scheme just completed its first 5 year cycle for
  2005.

PF1
PF2
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NHMRC KEY Dates for 2007 Round

• Applications open Dec 7th
• Project Grants
• Applications due Mar 16th
• Program Grants
• Intent to apply Jan 12th
• Applications due Feb 9th
• Fellowships
• Applications due Feb 9th

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NHMRC KEY Dates for 2007 Round

• CDAs
• Applications open Mar
• Applications due May
• Postdoc fellowships Aug