Overview of Upcoming SFI Grant

Schemes

Professor Brian Fitzgerald

Vice-President Research

University of Limerick

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)

President of Ireland Young Researcher Award (PIYRA)

(SFI Person: Dr. Ruth Freeman)

Key Changes

• Moving to rolling call

• 2-8 years post-PhD

• No institutional cap on applications

• Two stage review process

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

After 5 years

• Within final 18 months of award, can apply to PI programme

• Standard PI salary policy:– Institution must cover full salary

Timeline

• Call open September 2008

Research Professorship Programme

(SFI Person: Dr. Steve Flinter)

Key Changes

• Up to 5 years of funding

• Up to €1m per annum

• Salary allowed

• Up to 5 awards per annum

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

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

After 5 years

• RPs will apply to PI Programme

• Standard PI salary policy:– Institution must cover full salary

Timeline

• Rolling call

• To be reopened in September

Stokes Professorship and Lectureship Programme

(SFI Person: Dr. Steve Flinter)

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

Structure

• Single EoI per Institution

• One proposal per nominated candidate

• Max of 15 proposals per Institution

• Two panels (as per PI)

• No interview stage

Funding

• Unchanged:– €90k p.a. for SFI Stokes Lecturer– €180k p.a. for SFI Stokes Prof.

• May seek industrial/commercial sponsorship

Submission Material

• One EoI per Institution

• Separate proposal per candidate

• Letter of commitment from candidate

• Brief statement of candidate’s research programme

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

Failure to Appoint

• Offer rescinded

• New offer made to candidate on SFI reserve list

• May or may not be from same Institution

Exclusivity

• Only one major application under review at any given time

Timeline

• Sept: call opens

• 16 Jan: EoI deadline

• 27 Feb: Proposal deadline

Starting Independent Researcher Grant (SIRG)

(SFI Person: Dr. Graeme Horley)

Objectives

• Assist in establishing independence

• Provide necessary support and infrastructure

• Gain experience towards a full-time academic position

• Fund one PhD student

Eligibility

• 3-8 years of post-doctoral experience

• Proven record of accomplishments

• No previously significant research awards (> €100,000)

• Not faculty member

• Must have a mentor

Funding

• Up to €500k over 4 years

• Budget will allow:– Applicant’s 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

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

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

Key Evaluation Criteria

• Quality, significance, and relevance of the applicant’s research record

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

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

Provisional TimelineOct 08

Call announcement

Dec 08Expressionof Interest

Feb 09Submission

deadline

Apr 09Stage 1 resultsannouncement

Jul 09Stage 2 resultsannouncement

Sept 09Awards start

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@sfi.ie

Short-term Travel Fellowships (STTF)

(SFI Person: Dr. Brian Collier)

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.

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

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.

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 applicant’s return

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

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@sfi.ie