NSERC STRATEGIC NETWORK AND WORKSHOP GRANT PROGRAMS

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NSERC STRATEGIC NETWORK AND WORKSHOP GRANT
PROGRAMS
Denis Godin, Ph.D. Research Partnerships
Programs [phone] Denis.Godin_at_nserc.ca
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OUTLINE

• Overview of Strategic Grants
• Strategic Network Grants
• Strategic Workshop Grants
• Questions

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Strategic Partnerships Programs

• SWP is part of the Strategic Partnerships
  Programs

Strategic Partnerships Programs
Strategic Projects
Strategic Networks
Strategic Workshops
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Innovation Programs Budget 2007-08(millions of
dollars)
Total 193
1. Includes College and Community Innovation
Program (0.3M).
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OBJECTIVE

• To increase research and training in targeted
  areas that will enhance Canadas economy,
  society and/or environment

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TARGET AREAS

• Advanced Communications and Management of
  Information
• Biomedical Technologies
• Competitive Manufacturing and Value-Added
  Products and Processes
• Healthy Environment and Ecosystems
• Quality Foods and Novel Bioproducts
• Safety and Security
• Sustainable Energy Systems

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ACMI

• 6 priority research topics
• Network-Intensive Applications
• Ubiquitous Networks
• Management of Information in a Networked
  Environment
• Adaptive/Cognitive Networks
• Advanced Materials, Devices and Supporting Tools
• Software and Computing Systems
• Another category
• Exceptional Opportunity Outside the Research
  Topics

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EXPECTED RESULTS

• Generate new knowledge / technology
• Increase number of HQP in targeted areas
• Foster increased participation of Canadian-based
  companies / government in academic research
• Transfer knowledge / technology expertise to
  Canadian-based companies that can apply results
  for economic gain or to government to strengthen
  public policy

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STRATEGIC NETWORK PROGRAM (SNP)
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STRATEGIC NETWORK GRANTS

• large-scale,
• multi-disciplinary research projects,
• in targeted research areas,
• require a network approach,
• involve collaboration between academic
  researchers and Canadian-based organizations.

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STRATEGIC NETWORKS

• a minimum of 500,000 and a maximum of 1 million
  annually from NSERC
• funded for up to five years
• not renewable for a second term
• participation of Non-NSE academics is encouraged.
• Preliminary Application June 23, 2008
• Open only to ACMI, ENV Energy

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EVALUATION PROCESS

• Preliminary applications Strategic Panels
• Full proposal preparation 6 months
• Recommendations from
• External reviewers (7-10)
• Site Visit Committee (5 to 7 members)
• Strategic Panels will review applications
• Process - 1 ½ Yrs.

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SELECTION CRITERIA

• Merit of the research proposal
• Need for a network approach
• Interactions and partnerships
• Training
• Management and budget
• Benefits to Canada and the partners

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STRATEGIC WORKSHOPS
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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• 3-year pilot program
• 25,000 awards
• Funding available for 40 awards/year
• Awards support single or multiple events
• Intended for small, highly focused groups, with
  attendance not expected to exceed 20
  participants
• Not for established partnerships!

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PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

• Bring together academic researchers with
  non-academic end users to create new
  partnerships
• Priority given to targeted areas of research, but
  other areas not excluded
• Address research and technology needs identified
  by the user community
• Generate new collaborations that will lead to
  funding proposals.

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WORKSHOP PARTICIPATION

• Organized and championed by one university and
  one non-academic leader
• Must include academic researchers and members of
  non-academic end user organizations
• Participants have the expertise, experience and
  stature to implement the workshop results
• Awards may support Canadian and foreign
  participation.

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WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES

• Discussions topic may typically include
• Research priorities and knowledge gaps
• Current research capacity and future needs
• HQP training and skills needs
• Knowledge/technology transfer
• Funding challenges and opportunities
• Existing and potential new collaborations
• Next steps for collaborative activities.

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APPLICATION PROCESS

• Application at anytime
• On-line application forms currently under
  development by e-business
• One applicant (academic workshop leader), could
  be researcher or university administrator
• Non-academic leader must be identified
• Contributions from supporting organizations
  encouraged but not mandatory

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APPLICATION FORMAT

• Five-page detailed proposal written in a
  free-form format
• Budget and expense justification
• Form 100 of the academic workshop leader and CV
  of non-academic leader
• Letters from supporting organizations, if
  applicable
• No F-183A

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PROPOSAL

• Detailed proposal should clearly address the
  following points
• Rationale for the workshop in the context of
  industry or government needs
• Identity and roles of university and
  non-academic workshop leaders
• Workshop participants, justification for their
  selection
• Plans for workshop organization

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PROPOSAL

• Proposed workshop activities and methodology
• Expected workshop outcomes (i.e. new
  university-industry-government research
  collaborations, potential for future research
  funding proposals)
• Budget and justification for expenses.

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EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Need for workshop
• Future benefits to Canada
• Appropriateness of leaders and participants
• Workshop plans and budget
• Plans for workshop outcomes.

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REPORTING

• All participants to complete questionnaire to
  assess the quality and execution of the event
• Written report from the grantee within 90 days
  following the workshop
• Update on impacts of the workshop 18 months after
  the event.

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Comments/Questions??
Contact NSERC RPP Denis Godin, Account
Manager [phone] Denis.Godin_at_nserc.ca
RPP_at_nserc.ca
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MERIT OF THE PROPOSAL

• Originality of the research
• Quality of the research
• Network work plan
• Quality of the applicants as researchers

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NEED FOR A NETWORK APPROACH

• Demonstrated need for a network approach to
  conduct research and achieve objectives

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INTERACTIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS

• Interactions with partners must be actively
  involved and have capacity to apply results
• Interactions among participants must have plan
  to ensure effective interaction information
  exchange
• Knowledge / technology transfer must have
  strategy for knowledge / technology transfer to
  all stakeholders, including general public

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TRAINING

• Training potential opportunities for HQP
  training with skills relevant to Canadian
  organizations
• Training plan to facilitate interaction with
  participants from other sectors to encourage
  collaboration inter-disciplinary training
• Partners active participation of partners in
  training HQP opportunities for work terms,
  co-supervision of students, reciprocal laboratory
  visits, joint workshops

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MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETING

• Management structure to direct, manage and
  integrate activities of network (Board of
  Directors, Scientific Advisory Committee, Network
  Manager)
• Commitment of host institution, applicant,
  co-applicants partners to ensure effective
  management
• Budget - justification for the level and duration
  of funding requested vis-à-vis the research
  administrative costs
• Appropriateness of the overall budget, including
  in-kind cash contributions from partners

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BUDGET ISSUES

• Keep budget tight and strongly justified
• Ensure other resources are fully utilised
• NSERC request should be lt1M

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BENEFITS TO CANADA AND PARTNERS

• Must demonstrate how research will benefit
  partners and how exploitation of results will
  benefit Canada within 10 years
• Archiving of research data agreement for
  maintenance preservation of large data sets at
  outset of research activities
• Research Agreement