ARC Discovery Projects Grants Gippsland Research Office Roadshow

1
ARC Discovery Projects Grants Gippsland Research
Office Roadshow

• Helen Papaefthimiou
• Acting, Research Grants Coordinator
• Monash University Research Office
• Day 2 - 27 October 2006

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Todays presentation

• Overview of ARC Discovery
• The Application
• Assessment Process
• Successful application
• GAMS

3

• Overview of
• ARC
• Discovery

4
ARC Discovery Projects (DP)

• 1 round per year, applications due early March
• 1-5 years duration
• 20K to 500K per annum

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ARC DP Objectives

• support excellent fundamental research by
  individuals and teams
• enhance the scale and focus of research in NRP
• assist researchers undertake research in
  conditions conducive to achieving best results
• expand Australias knowledge base and research
  capability
• foster the international competitiveness of
  Australian research and
• encourage research training in high-quality
  research environments.

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DP No. of apps. results
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Grant size

• Average 1st year funding per proposal
• 2007 105,019
• 2006 103,768
• 2005 94,340
• Average funding over project life
• 2007 334,267
• 2006 298,350
• 2005 282,030

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Grant size cont

• Average approved funding per proposal
• 2007 64.3
• 2006 69.4
• 2005 72.4

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Applicant Roles

• CI - Chief Investigator
• PI - Partner Investigator
• Fellows
• APD - Australian Postdoctoral Fellow
• ARF - Australian Research Fellow /
• QEII - Queen Elizabeth II Fellow
• APF - Australian Professorial Fellow

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Researcher Roles Eligibility Chief
Investigator (CI) by 1 January 2008

• Reside predominantly in Aus, temp/perm residence
• Either
• Be an employee and derive at least 50 of salary
  from Eligible Organisation, or
• Hold adjunct appt or equivalent at an eligible
  institution, or
• be a Federation Fellow.

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Researcher Roles Eligibility Partner
Investigator (PI)

• Not be eligible to be CI
• Demonstrate significant contribution of cash,
  in-kind or other material resources from the
  researchers organisation, and
• Take significant intellectual responsibility
• Cannot be both CI PI

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Early Career Researcher (ECR) status

• ECR
• PhD or equivalent awarded on or after 1 March
  2002
• ARC sets aside funds for ECR-only applications
• ECR-only proposals are those where all
  researchers have ECR status

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ECR-only applications

• ECR-only proposals assessed against the same
  criteria as other DP projects
• 2007
• 869 ECR-only applications (21.5)
• 14.6 success rate

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Fellowships - APD

• APD
• Awarded PhD or equivalent on or after 1 March
  2004
• Duration
• 3 yrs 100 research
• 4 yrs 75/25 research / teaching

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Fellowships ARF QEII

• 1st ARF / QEII
• 8 years professional experience since PhD
  award
• Duration 5 yrs 100 research
• 100 salary option must resign continuing
  position
• 5050 salary option

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Fellowships ARF QEII cont

• Subsequent ARF / QEII
• 13 years professional experience since PhD
  award
• Duration 5 yrs 100 research
• 5050 salary option

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Fellowships APF

• APF
• PhD or equivalent qualification or experience no
  restriction date of award
• not hold a continuing research-only position at a
  professorial level or equivalent

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Fellowships

• Limited number
• Excellence of track record and proposed research
  project
• Preference to candidates who move organisation
• Need to justify Host Organisation, particularly
  where no move is intended

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Application Limits

• No more than 2 applications as CI or Fellow, and
• may only be sole CI/Fellow on 1 of the 2
  applications
• A sole CI application is one on which there is
  only 1 named CI / Fellow, regardless of the
  number of PIs involved.

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ARC DP Research Projects

• Types of research funded
• Pure basic research
• fundamental, no immediate direct benefit
• Strategic based research
• to solve practical problems
• Applied research
• to find uses for the above

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DP timeline

• Funding Rules, Instructions and forms available
  November/December
• Applications submitted early March
• Assessors reports available mid June 2 weeks to
  prepare rejoinders
• Results announced November

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• The
• Application

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The Application
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Part E Project Description (10 pages)

• E2 Aims Background
• E3 Significance Innovation 30
• E4 Approach Methodology 20
• E5 National Benefit 10
• E6 Communication of Results
• E7 Role of Personnel
• E8 References

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Track Record

• Investigators 40
• track record relative to opportunities
• capacity to undertake the proposed research

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Proposed Project Content

• Significance and Innovation 30
• does the research address an important problem?
• how will the anticipated outcomes advance the
  knowledge base of the discipline?
• is the research principally focussed upon a topic
  or outcome that falls within one of the NRPs,and
  if so how does it address it?
• are the Proposals aims and concepts novel and
  innovative?
• will new methods or technologies be developed?

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Proposed Project Content cont

• Approach 20
• are the conceptual framework, design, methods and
  analyses adequately developed, well integrated
  and appropriate to the aims of the Proposal?
• how appropriate is the proposed budget?

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Proposed Project Content cont

• National Benefit 10
• what is the potential of the research project to
  result in economic and/or social benefits for
  Australia from the expected results and outcomes
  of the project?
• what is the potential for the research to
  contribute to the National Research Priorities?

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• Assessment
• Process

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Selection Criteria

• Track Record 40
• Significance Innovation 30
• Approach Methodology 20
• National Benefit 10

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ARC Panels

• BSB - Biological Science Biotechnology
• EE - Engineering Environmental Science
• HCA - Humanities Creative Arts
• MIC - Mathematics, Information Communication
  Sciences
• PCG - Physics, Chemistry Bioscience
• SBE - Social, Behavioural Economic Sciences

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College of Experts (CoE)

• 75 members
• 1-3 year terms
• approved by the Minister
• experts of international standing, drawn from the
  Australian research community higher education,
  industry and public sector research organisations

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Reviewers

• Each application assigned to
• 2 CoE members
• 2 OzReaders
• 4 IntReaders (at most)

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Assessment Process

• Each reviewer returns an assessment on each of
  the Selection Criteria
• The applicant(s) is allowed 5,000 character
  reply/comment on assessors comments
• Two weeks to prepare response
• Rejoinders submitted in GAMS

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• What makes for
• a successful
• Application
• (ARC presentation Dr Mandy Thomas)

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Top-ranked applications

• Balance technicality and accessibility
• Present problems and/or controversies and explain
  how they will solve them
• Explain how the momentum of the subject demands
  funding now
• Show how Australian work fits into the
  international picture
• Back up compelling claims with evidence and
  others' judgments

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Top-ranked applications cont

• Carefully moderate ambitious goals with plausible
  approaches
• Display evidence of responsible but daring
  approaches to the problem
• CIs have strong international track records
• Present excellent progress reports on previous
  grants

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Low-ranked applications

• Too much technical jargon
• Grandiose and implausible claims about outcomes
• Don't support claims of excellence or progress
  with evidence
• Relate to "backwater" research without momentum
• Weak links into national and international
  research networks

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Low-ranked applications cont

• Emphasize data collection rather than solving
  problems
• Set negative or depressive tone about the state
  of the subject in Australia
• Contain a high rate of spelling and grammatical
  errors
• Text may not make sense at all to the reader

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• Grant Application
• Management
• System
• (GAMS)

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GAMS

• What is GAMS?
• GAMS is the ARCs web-based system used to
  capture research proposals, assessment
  scores/comments and rejoinders.

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GAMS cont

• Who needs GAMS?
• All researchers wanting to apply for ARC funding
  will require access to GAMS.
• All researchers named on an application for ARC
  funding will require a GAMS ID.

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GAMS cont

• How do I access GAMS?
• GAMS is accessed through the ARCs website
  https//gams.arc.gov.au/, using your GAMS ID and
  password.

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GAMS cont

• How do I get a GAMS ID?
• Complete the Research Office online request form
  at
• http//www.monash.edu.au/research/academics/fundin
  g/
• (follow the ARC links)
• GAMS IDs are issued by the ARC, on request from
  the Research Office.
• The ARC will send your GAMS ID to the RO we will
  set your password and inform you of both the GAMS
  ID and password.

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GAMS cont

• What else about GAMS IDs?
• A GAMS ID is for life!
• GAMS IDs and passwords are case sensitive
• You can edit your own personal details in GAMS

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Useful links and information DP08

• DP08 mailing list email arc_at_adm.monash.edu.au
  with Subscribe DP08 mailing list in subject
  line
• http//www.monash.edu.au/research/academics/fundin
  g/information/arc/
• http//www.arc.gov.au/apply_grants/discovery_proje
  cts.htm

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• Need help?
• Contact the Research Office
• Tel [phone]
• Email arc_at_adm.monash.edu.au

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• Thank you!