NHMRC Training Fellowships

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NHMRC Training Fellowships
Brendan Jenkins Centre for Innate Immunity and
Infectious Diseases Monash Institute of Medical
Research
Thanks to Bronwyn Kingwell Baker Heart Research
Institute
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Grantsmanship
Good grantsmanship will not turn poor or mediocre
science into a fundable grant proposal. Bad
grantsmanship will (can) turn very good science
into an unfundable grant proposal. A polished
application will maximise your chances of
funding (Bronwyn Kingwell)
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Rule 1

• Understand the system
• (know the enemy)

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Rule 2

• Follow the guidelines (to the letter)
• e.g. eligibility

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Rule 3

• Know the Scoring Matrix
• (format your application accordingly)

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Rule 4
Seek advice/talk to people in the know
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Career Support Path
Postgraduate Scholarships
BSc (Hons) etc
Training Awards
Postdoctoral Fellowships
0 - 2 yrs (since PhD)
CDA
Career Development Awards
2 - 12 yrs
SRF/SPF
Career Fellowships
gt9 yrs
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Training Fellowships for commencement in 2009

• Aims of the scheme
• How to write a strong application
• Pitfalls to watch out for
• The assessment process

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Aims
Support the continual development of outstanding
(young) health and medical researchers to
undertake further training either in Australia
or overseas.
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Training Fellowships - Full-time Australian Based

• Types of Award
• Biomedical Fellowship
• Clinical Fellowship
• Public Health Fellowship
• Primary Health Care Fellowship
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait
• Islander Health Research

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Training Fellowships - Full-time Australian Based
cntd

• Features
• Up to 2 yrs post PhD at application
• Institution and supervisor must be different from
  PhD (exceptions)
• 4 years in an Australian Institution
• Can transfer, but not to same Institution
• where PhD obtained (within first 2 yrs)
• Up to 1 yr suspension permitted
• Training Support Package Level 1 - 64,750
  5,000 pa. in Direct Research Costs

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Training Fellowships - Full-time Overseas Based

• Types of Award
• Biomedical Fellowship
• Clinical Fellowship
• Public Health Fellowship
• INSERM Exchange Fellowship
• Training Fellowship for Aboriginal and
• Torres Strait Islander Health Research
• Australia-China Exchange Fellowship

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Training Fellowships - Full-time Overseas Based
cntd

• Features
• Up to 2 yrs post PhD at application
• First 2 years overseas
• 2 years back in Australia
• 2 yrs postdoc reflects active research time
• Up to 2 yrs (o/s) suspension permitted
• Training Support Package Level 1 - 64,750 o/s
  allowances ( 5,000 pa. DRC).

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Training Fellowships Australian Part-time

• Two types
• Health Professional Research
• Australian Research Part-time (in any category).
• Features
• Preferably 2 yrs post PhD at application
• 4 yrs

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Fellowship Assessment and Scoring Matrix

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

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• Assessors consider
• Career Development
• - Hns (why choose lab?, what did you study?,
  pubs, awards, scores)
• PhD (why choose lab?, what did you study?, pubs,
  scholarship, awards)
• post doc (why choose lab?, what did you study?,
  pubs)
• Intent of the Applicant - Future Career
• - Why are you in research (eg. understand human
  disease)?
• - What are you goals?
• short term (Australia or o/s
  post-doc.reasons why?)
• long term (establish own group)

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Assessors consider cntd Undergraduate
Performance - Historical perspective -
Highlight excellence (use numbers, not vague
terms) eg. awards, prizes Additional
Biographical Information - Highlight unique
things about yourself (eg. president of
associations, contributions to fund raising
events, community groups, extra-curricular
activities, prac class demonstrator, tutor) - Dot
point What makes you stand out as a candidate?
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NHMRC Training AwardsScoring matrix -
Postdoctoral
Its not quite all about you, but a lot of it is!
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Relative to opportunity

• Research experience
• - 3 yrs v 20 yrs.dont feel youre
  disadvantaged (the big picture)
• its important what you do with your time
• arm yourself with different sets of skills (in
  and outside of the lab)
• Professional skills
• - Committees (institute, student, social clubs)
• - Society memberships
• Potential to succeed
• - Indicators of success at every stage of career
  (undergraduate, Hns, PhD)
• - Career Development, Undergraduate Performance
  sections
• Prizes / lectures / conferences organised /
  courses

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• Get involved and be pro-active!
• Join professional societies (eg. ASMR)
• Volunteer to give lectures (scientific and lay)
• Conference participation
• Ask to be nominated to join committees
• Ask to be nominated for prizes (eg. poster)
• Highlight your major research achievements

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NHMRC Training AwardsScoring matrix -
Postdoctoral (cont)

• Be smart and savvy
• Understand the science
• Clear, concise research plan (2 pages)
• Highlight significance, outcomes..the big
  picture
• Choose a strong supervisor/institution with
  recognized strengths
• and track record

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NHMRC Training AwardsScoring matrix -
Postdoctoral (cont)

• PUBLICATIONS what we live or die by!
• Relative to opportunity and field of study
• eg. IF of 3 may be low (in general), but within a
  field may be
• the top ranked journal if so, state it!

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Strong Publications
Strong Track Record
Increased Grant Success

• Ask to co-author reviews/book chapters (lit.
  review)
• Present your work widely (nationally/internation
  ally)

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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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Writing a strong application

• Understand the scoring matrix and frame
  application according to the weighting - know
  what panel members are looking for!
• Prioritise successes - recent rather than
  earlier.
• Clearly indicate your research record (dot
  points).
• Dont inflate your application with non-events to
  fill space (but dont be shy pumping up your own
  tyres with events)

• Indicate enthusiasm about your project and your
  career plans.
• Liaise with your planned supervisor over your
  project, make sure he/she is selling you.
• Think beyond refereed publications
• Make sure that you fully document your claims
  when arguing not to transfer institutions

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How Many Scholarships / Training Fellowships were
Awarded (for 2007)?
Post-Graduate Scholarships 161 of 341 applicants
47
33
Training (Postdoctoral) Fellowships 119 of 359
applicants
Industry Fellowships 5 of 16 applicants
Howard Florey Centenary Fellowship 6 of 22
applicants

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Career-Development Awards 50 of 186 applicants
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Practitioner Fellowships 13 of 30 applicants
Research Fellowships 72 of 186 applicants
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39
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How Many Training Fellowships were Awarded (for
2008)?
of Apps received       390 Recommended for
Funding 230 Actually funded                
135 (34)
Training (Postdoctoral) Fellowships 119 of 359
applicants
33 in 2007
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Parting Words

• Understand the system
• Follow the guidelines
• Know the scoring matrix
• Learn from your experiences and others
• Have others provide critical input
• Use a mentor (in addition to your boss)