Overview of Upcoming SFI Grant Schemes

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Overview of Upcoming SFI Grant Schemes

• Professor Brian Fitzgerald
• Vice-President Research
• University of Limerick

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Overview of Presentation

• PIYRA (President of Ireland Young Researcher
  Awards)
• Research Professorships
• Stokes Professors/Lecturers
• SIRG (Starter Investigator Research Grant)
• STTFs (Short-Term Travel Fellowships)

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President of Ireland Young Researcher Award
(PIYRA)

• (SFI Person Dr. Ruth Freeman)

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Key Changes

• Moving to rolling call
• 2-8 years post-PhD
• No institutional cap on applications
• Two stage review process

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Structure

• Stage 1 Expression of Interest to seek
  permission to submit.
• CV 1 page programme
• 12 weeks to submit full proposal
• Stage 2 postal review as per PI
• Funding (up to 1M) for up to 5 years
• Mentor

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After 5 years

• Within final 18 months of award, can apply to PI
  programme
• Standard PI salary policy
• Institution must cover full salary

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Timeline

• Call open September 2008

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Research Professorship Programme

• (SFI Person Dr. Steve Flinter)

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Key Changes

• Up to 5 years of funding
• Up to 1m per annum
• Salary allowed
• Up to 5 awards per annum

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Structure

• Stage 0 permission to submit
• Stage 1 rapid turn-around postal review
• CV high-level research programme
• Funding for up to 2 years
• Stage 2 submit PI proposal
• PI evaluation criteria meet the bar
• Not in competition with regular PIs
• Additional for a max of 5 years

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Salary Policy

• Stage 1 (2 years)
• SFI will contribute salary up to 200 of the
  standard Prof scale
• Stage 2 (3 years)
• SFI will contribute salary up to 100 of standard
  Prof scale
• Institution will cover the balance

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After 5 years

• RPs will apply to PI Programme
• Standard PI salary policy
• Institution must cover full salary

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Timeline

• Rolling call
• To be reopened in September

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Stokes Professorship and Lectureship Programme

• (SFI Person Dr. Steve Flinter)

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Key Changes

• Approx 20 posts 10 Prof 10 Lecturer
• All candidates must be named
• Only named candidates may be appointed
• To be appointed within 8 weeks of LOO
• To be on-site within 6 months of LOO
• Expanded Energy remit

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Structure

• Single EoI per Institution
• One proposal per nominated candidate
• Max of 15 proposals per Institution
• Two panels (as per PI)
• No interview stage

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Funding

• Unchanged
• 90k p.a. for SFI Stokes Lecturer
• 180k p.a. for SFI Stokes Prof.
• May seek industrial/commercial sponsorship

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Submission Material

• One EoI per Institution
• Separate proposal per candidate
• Letter of commitment from candidate
• Brief statement of candidates research programme

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Appointments

• Appointments to be made within 8 weeks of LOO
• Signed contract
• Confirmed start date
• Candidate to commence within 6 months of LOO
• PI proposal submitted within 18 months of start
  date

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Failure to Appoint

• Offer rescinded
• New offer made to candidate on SFI reserve list
• May or may not be from same Institution

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Exclusivity

• Only one major application under review at any
  given time

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Timeline

• Sept call opens
• 16 Jan EoI deadline
• 27 Feb Proposal deadline

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Starting Independent Researcher Grant (SIRG)

• (SFI Person Dr. Graeme Horley)

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Objectives

• Assist in establishing independence
• Provide necessary support and infrastructure
• Gain experience towards a full-time academic
  position
• Fund one PhD student

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Eligibility

• 3-8 years of post-doctoral experience
• Proven record of accomplishments
• No previously significant research awards (gt
  100,000)
• Not faculty member
• Must have a mentor

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Funding

• Up to 500k over 4 years
• Budget will allow
• Applicants salary stipend fees for PhD
  student consumables materials small equipment
  travel
• Salary to be set at specified annual levels
• PhD costs as per SFI budget policy
• 20 posts in first call

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Application

• Two separate PDFs submitted simultaneously
• Part 1
• Signed Cover Sheet Applicant CV Abstract and
  Keywords Publication List
• Part 2
• Research Programme (with References) Mentor CV
  Mentor Letter of Support Proposed Budget and
  Justification Research Body Letter of Support

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Review Process

• Conducted in two stages
• Stage 1
• A panel will assess Part 1
• Strongest proposals to be advanced
• Stage 2
• Both parts evaluated by international experts
• Highest-ranked applications recommended for
  funding

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Key Evaluation Criteria

• Quality, significance, and relevance of the
  applicants research record
• Quality, significance, novelty, and relevance of
  the proposed research

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Other Relevant Criteria

• Understanding scientific challenges
• Clear and concise communication
• Quality of the proposed programme for the
  postgraduate student
• Level of support from mentor and research body

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Provisional Timeline
Feb 09 Submission deadline
Jul 09 Stage 2 results announcement
Oct 08 Call announcement
Dec 08 Expression of Interest
Sept 09 Awards start
Apr 09 Stage 1 results announcement
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Submission

• Call document and FAQs will be available in
  October 2008
• One electronic submission of the proposal
• Two PDF files
• Submitted by email to sirg_at_sfi.ie

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Short-term Travel Fellowships (STTF)

• (SFI Person Dr. Brian Collier)

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Objectives

• Carry out collaborative research in international
  laboratories
• Forge collaborations
• Facilitate training that is unavailable in
  Ireland.
• Enhance career development of our researchers.
• Develop a component of the currently funded SFI
  research programme.

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Eligibility

• Team member in an SFI funded group or an SFI
  award holder.
• One application per SFI award will be accepted.
• All applications to the STTF supplement must be
  endorsed by both the SFI award holder and the
  Irish Research Body
• Applicant must have a contract in place which
  will enable him/her to complete the fellowship
  within the term of the SFI award

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Funding/Eligible Costs

• Up to 15,000 direct costs for up to 3 months.
• Eligible costs travel, accommodation and
  subsistence
• Subsistence rates will be based on Marie Curie
  travel fellowships
• Consumables and materials for use only in the
  international laboratory during the research
  programme.

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Terms and Conditions

• Travel within 12 months from date on the LOO
• Must return to the home laboratory following
  completion
• Non transferable
• Outward bound only
• Report submitted within 45 days of applicants
  return

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Review Criteria

• Benefit to the Irish home laboratory
• Justification of the need for this collaboration
• Quality of the applicant
• Quality of the SFI funded home laboratory
• Quality of the international laboratory
• Quality of the international collaborator
• Quality of the proposed research project

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Submission and Deadline

• Call launched week of 21 July
• Call closes 15 Sept 2008
• One electronic copy of the proposal, in pdf
  format to be submitted by email to sttf_at_sfi.ie