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The University of Adelaide
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AUSTRALIA
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Research Branch Newsletter - 15 January 2007

New

ARC Linkage International - Funding Commencing in 2008

The ARC provides funding under Linkage International for the movement of researchers between eligible Australia based research organisations and centres of research excellence overseas, and to foster collaboration and networking between Australia-based and overseas researchers.

The 'Linkage International Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008' are now available from the Research Branch website http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/arc/LinkInt.html

Linkage International proposals submitted in 2007 (for funding commencing in 2008) include one round only of Awards, ARC International Fellowships and two Internationally Coordinated Initiatives.

The internal closing dates are:
Linkage International Awards - Thurs 5 April 2007
ARC International Fellowships - Thurs 5 April 2007
Social Sciences Collaboration ICI - Friday May 18 2007
Materials World Networks ICI - Friday 16 November 2007

Changes to the Linkage International Funding Rules from the previous year (proposals submitted in 2006) are summarised at Section 2 of the rules.

Research Branch will provide further notification via the All Researchers email list advising when Application Forms and other relevant documentation become available.

Linkage Projects - For Funding Commencing in 2008

Linkage-Projects aims to foster alliances between higher education institutions and external organisations. A specific objective of this programme is to provide opportunities for Postdoctoral and Postgraduate researchers to pursue high quality research collaboration with external organisations.

The 'Linkage Projects Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008' are now available from the Research branch website
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/arc/LinkProj.html. Linkage Projects proposals submitted in 2007 (for funding commencing
in 2008) are due for submission at the following internal closing dates:

Round 1 - Friday 13 April 2007; and
Round 2 - Friday 2 November 2007

The main changes to the Linkage Projects Funding Rules from the previous year (proposals submitted in 2006) are summarised at Section 2 of the rules. We will provide further notification advising when Application Forms and other relevant documentation become available.

ARC Discovery Projects - Costing Personnel in Budget

The ARC have provided the following clarification regarding costing personnel in the budget:

Page 35 of the Discovery Projects Instructions to Applicants for funding commencing in 2008 provides details on how to complete the application form relating to Part C - Project Costs - Direct Costs - Personnel. The Instructions currently state: "Do not build increments into the amounts requested. Project payments to the Administering Organisation will be automatically indexed at the time of payment for each year of the Project".

The increments referred to are the annual pay rises arising from enterprise agreements. Organisations may still include salary increases to match anticipated normal progress through salary increments within a classification level based on current pay scales.

Please note that an Excel spreadsheet is available on the Research Branch website at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/docs/ResAssoc_and_Officer.xls to assist you to cost personnel for the budget section of the application.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) visit in May

Dr Antonio Scarpa, Director of the Centre for Scientific Review, which is the portal for NIH grant applications and their review, will be visiting the University on the 14 and 15 May 2007.

Dr Scarpa will present an information session on grant opportunities and the NIH process as well as visiting relevant areas of the University.

His visit will provide an excellent opportunity for researchers and administrators to find out about grant opportunities with the NIH as well as an insight into NIH processes.

The visit is being coordinated by Dr Don McMaster at the Research Branch and further information about the visit will be distributed closer to the date. Be sure to put this date in your calendar.

Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) Fellowships & Significant Projects

The second round of research funding grants is now open for applications. As was the case with the establishment of large scale, multi-year, multi-disciplinary Research Hubs, funding for projects and fellowships are preferentially targeting environmental public good research across CERF's four broad Priority Research Areas (PRAs). Note that the details of the PRAs have changed for this funding round.

CERF research fellowships are intended to provide support to assist in bringing acknowledged, world-class scientists (Australian or international) to work for a specified period within an Australian institution on an activity relevant to one of the Priority Research Areas. A key criterion for the assessment of CERF research fellowships is the degree to which the fellowship will enhance Australia’s research capacity. The budget range for research fellowships is $100 000 to $300 000 per annum for up to three years.

A significant project is considered to be a research activity that addresses a narrowly defined area of interest, is undertaken within a single institution or by a limited number of collaborating partners, and seeks funding for up to three years. The budget range for significant projects is $100 000 to $500 000 per annum.

1 hard copy + electronic of the fellowship application are due in Research Branch by 9 February 2007.
1 hard copy + electronic of the significant project application are due in Research Branch by 9 March 2007.
Further information is available at http://www.deh.gov.au/programs/cerf/round2.html

TRACsa: Trauma and Injury Recovery (TRACsa) Research

TRACsa: Trauma and Injury Recovery (TRACsa) is an initiative of Compulsory Third Party (CTP) stakeholders concerned to improve health and social outcomes for victims of road trauma in SA. It is the outcome of over 4 years of collaboration, consultation and research, instigated in 2001 when the Royal Australian College of Physicians published a report summarising the "good evidence" that people who are injured and claim compensation have significantly poorer outcomes than people
with similar injuries who do not claim compensation.

TRACsa are preparing to hold a one day workshop (probably in the first week of March) with the purpose of better defining the research agenda, assessing relative benefits to claims reduction/return to work capability from investing in research, discuss possible collaborative models both within SA and elsewhere and identify possible funding sources.

In preparation for this workshop, TRACsa have requested the following information from the University of Adelaide:

* research capabilities within your univieristy which would contribute to such a research agenda,
* names of your colleagues who should be invited to the workshop and
* any other information you feel may be relevant.

Some of the areas that research might be beneficial would be to reduce claims/facilitate appropriate return to work and would encompass:

* clinical treatment
* physical/social treatment
* best practice adoption ( eg clinical, claims mangement, legal etc)
* population studies (eg risk profiling/predicting)
* legal issues (eg impact of plaintiff lawyer revoking information access etc)
* system organisation issues (eg impact on the health system of CTP)
* workforce issues
* data linkage issues

If you would like to contribute information to TRACSA, it would be appreciated if you could please forward these details to Felicity Cheek in the Research Branch on felicity.cheek@adelaide.edu.au at your earliest convenience so that we can provide TRACsa with a co-ordinated response from the University of Adelaide.

Funding Opportunites

The Funding Opportunities page on the Research Branch website provides access to all ARC and NHMRC opportunities as well as the rural and natural resources R&D corporations. In addition, you can also access the myriad of other funding opportunities available in the Current List of Funding Opportunities and the Comprehensive List of Funding Opportunities. Also, you might like to look further at the funding opportunity databases listed such as SPIN. If you have any queries in regards to finding funding or using the databases please contact Linda Knobben on 8303 4722

Below is a selection of upcoming funding opportunities now open for application. If a web address is not listed, guidelines and application forms can be obtained from Linda Knobben on ext. 34722. Please visit the Research Branch website http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/funding/ to access the full range of opportunities and information on how to apply for them.

Sponsor & Scheme	Internal Closing Date	Number of Copies
Society of Nuclear Medicine - Pilot & Seed Research Grants	18 January 2007	2
PADI Foundation - Grants (underwater science & environmental projects)	1 February 2007	2 hard copies + electronic
Sir Ross & Sir Keith Smith Fund - Research Grants (aeronautics/ aerospace technology)	1 February 2007	2
Leukemia Research Foundation - Research Grants	9 February 2007	1 hard copy + electronic
Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) - Road Safety Research Grants	16 February 2007	4 hard copies + electronic
Land and Water Australia - Exchange Incentive Fund	Apply any time	2 hard copies + electronic
Macquarie Bank Foundation - Grants	Apply any time	2
Sarah Scaife Foundation - Grants (public policy)	Apply any time	2

Still relevant...

Subscribe to Research Branch Mailing List

The Research Branch has established a mailing list for researchers interested in research news. The list circulates information on the major schemes and other funding opportunities, information sessions, prizes, general information relevant to researchers and the regular Research Branch newsletter.

To subscribe to the list, go to http://list.adelaide.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/allresearchers-v.researchbranch
Or contact Linda Knobben at linda.knobben@adelaide.edu.au or on Ext. 34722

Heart Foundation Information Session

Date: Monday 22 January 2007
Time: 4.00pm - 4.30pm
Venue: Stirling Lecture Theatre, Room: SG16
Medical School South, Frome Road

The presentation will outline each award currently being offered by the Heart Foundation in clinical, biomedical or public health research: Grants-in-aid; Postgraduate Scholarships; Postdoctoral Fellowships; Career Development Fellowships; Overseas Fellowships; Vacation Scholarships; and Travel Grants. The information session is valuable for all researchers considering applying for Heart Foundation funding, in particular, those applying for the first time. The information sessions will also cover changes to the Heart Foundation Research Program.

Materials World Networks - Rejoinders

The rejoinder process for 'Materials World Networks' proposals (submitted on 13 October 2006 under the Internationally Coordinated Initiatives category of the 'Linkage International' scheme) will commence approximately Monday 15 January 2007, closing internally Wednesday 24 January 2007.

Instructions regarding the rejoinder process will be available on the ARC website at http://www.arc.gov.au/apply_grants/assessor_rejoinders.htm (please refer to the instructions provided for 'Linkage International' ICI Materials World Networks Proposals).

NHMRC Research Fellowships

The purpose of the NHMRC Research Fellowships Scheme is to provide opportunities for outstanding biomedical and health researchers with proven track records to undertake research that is both of major importance in its field and of significant benefit to Australian health and medical research. Research Fellowships offered by the NHMRC are prestigious awards and are, consequently, highly sought after and extremely competitive.

An NHMRC Research Fellowship is a full time research appointment that enables high calibre biomedical and health researchers with a proven track record in research to undertake research of significant benefit to the health of Australians. Opportunities exist in biomedical, clinical and population health research. 2 hard copies + electronic (pdf) of the application are due in Research Branch by 2 February 2007. Further information is available at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/nhmrc/

NHMRC Practitioner Fellowships

This is a targeted award intended to assist experienced and productive clinical and public health researchers who wish to maintain both a research and a professional career. The scheme aims to support clinical (medical, paramedical, allied health) and public health professionals who have undertaken a successful research program and wish to continue at nationally or internationally competitive levels. Successful applicants will, for their non-research time, be employed by a health care authority to provide clinical care, or public health services or related policy activity.

The scheme is not designed to support applicants already well established as scientists who happen also to be clinicians or public health practitioners; such scientists are more appropriately supported by the Research Fellowships Scheme. Rather it is intended particularly for active clinicians and public health practitioners to undertake research that is linked to their practice or policy. The scheme may support practitioners in developing a career that included successful research; the Practitioner Fellowship is a five-year award, and successful Fellows may apply for a second five year appointment or it may be more appropriate for them to seek appointment as a Research Fellow. 2 hard copies + electronic (pdf) of the application are due in Research Branch by 2 February 2007. Further information is available at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/nhmrc

South Australian Grain Industry Trust Fund (SAGIT) - Call for Proposals

The SA Grain Industry Trust (SAGIT or the Trust) was established in 1991 to administer the voluntary research levy collected from South Australian grain growers. The Trust is required to use the funds for research, development and extension into the growing, harvesting, storage, processing and marketing of grain in SA in order to increase profitability and sustainability of the grains industry. The application submitted online + 1 hard copy + electronic are due in Research Branch by 2 February 2007. Further information is available at http://www.sagit.com.au/site/page.cfm?u=21

ARC Discovery Project Applications Now Open

The ARC is now seeking Proposals under Discovery Projects for funding commencing in 2008. Documentation is available at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/arc/DiscProj.html. The documentation includes the Funding Rules, Instructions to Applicants, Certification pro forma, Eligibility Exemption/Ruling Request form, and the Request not to Assess form

The internal deadline for submitting an Eligibility Exemption/Ruling Request is 12 January 2007.
Request not to Assess forms are due 5 February 2007.

The internal deadlines for submitting applications:
Full Review: applications received by 9 February 2007.
Compliance Review: applications received after 9 February, before 26 February 2007.
Submission Only: applications received after 26 February 2007.

The Discovery Projects Application Form is now available on the ARC grants on-line management system (GAMS) located at https://gams.arc.gov.au/.

Please direct queries about the scheme to Louise Moore on 8303 3387 and queries about GAMS to Linda Knobben on 8303 4722.

NHMRC - General Practice Clinical Research Program

This is the second round of grants to be funded under the Australian Governments Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development Strategy. Applications are called for in the priority areas described in the Program Framework. The aim of funding research in these areas is to contribute to better health outcomes through improved clinical practice and better informed policies. 2 hard copies + electronic of the application are due in Research Branch by 12 February 2007. Further information is available at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/nhmrc

Call for NHMRC Grant Review Panel Members in 2007

Each year the NHMRC establishes Grant Review Panels (GRPs) which are responsible for the review and ranking of NHMRC grant applications. GRP members also have the opportunity to provide advice to the NHMRC on emerging research developments. The NHMRC is calling again for nominations for appointment of suitable individuals to its 2007 GRPs. Researchers who are currently receiving NHMRC funding are required to nominate. The Deed of Agreement (clause 13.4) obliges Institutions to use their best endeavours to facilitate compliance by the Chief Investigator(s) to make available to the Commonwealth, the services of the Chief Investigator(s) for the purposes of reviewing or assessing applications made under the NHMRC funding schemes.

An information kit and nomination form is available on the NHMRC web site at: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/apply/nominfo/index.htm

Nominees are to send the completed nomination form to: grantnet_assessors@nhmrc.gov.au and cc to raohealth@adelaide.edu.au

Nominations close at 5.00 pm AEDT on 14 February 2007.

At this stage the NHMRC is determining interest and availability of nominees to serve on a GRP. The completion and return of this form to the NHMRC does not mean automatic qualification to serve on a Panel. Please direct any queries you have to the GrantNet Helpdesk: telephone 1800 500 983 or email: grantnet.help@nhmrc.gov.au.

NHMRC Dementia Research Grants Program

The Dementia Research Grants Program aims to improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers through research into identified gaps in applied and translational dementia research. The program aims to achieve this through the establishment of multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral research programs and by supporting areas of dementia research that focus on practical applications of evidence based research. 2 hard copies + electronic of the application are due in Research Branch by 16 February 2007. Further information is available at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/nhmrc/dementiagrants.html

NHMRC Project Grant Applications Now Open

Please note that Applications for 2008 Project grant funding are now open. Information on application procedures can be found at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/nhmrc/projectgrants.html. An information session on 2008 NHMRC Project Grant applications will be held late January.

Please note the internal closing date for project grant applications is 26 Feb 2007. Due to the volume of project grant applications received, the Research Branch has implemented a new '3 tier review policy'.
Full review: Applications received by 26 Feb 2007.
Compliance review: Applications received after 26 Feb, before 5 March 2007.
Attempted submission only: Applications received after 5 March 2007.

To apply for funding for 2008, Adelaide University staff please email raohealth@adelaide.edu.au with the following information

Type of application:
Chief Investigator A:
School you wish project to be registered to:
Discipline:
Email address:

Clinical and Affiliate title holders (CATHs) should contact their relevant research secretariat for an ID number.

NHMRC Complementary Medicines Strategic Awards

This special call for research provides $5 million to fund the best innovative research into Complementary and Alternative Medicine that addresses needs or information gaps that are not already being covered through other means. The scope of this call encompasses research on a diverse group of health-related substances, therapies and disciplines that are not considered to be part of mainstream medical care in Australia. These include herbal medicine, vitamin and mineral supplements, nutritional supplements, traditional medical systems such as Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and homeopathic medicine. 2 hard copies + electronic of the application are due in Research Branch by 23 March 2007. Further information is available at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/nhmrc/compmeds.html

Successful NHMRC Project Grants for 2007 Funding

Please note that funding will not commence for successful project grants until the following have been received:
a) all relevant ethics clearances;
b) two intialled copies of the schedules;
c) signed University acceptance.

To accept the project funding, the Research Branch must forward these items to the NHMRC before 31 March 2007.

DEST Collection of 2006 Publications

The Research Branch is continuing to encourage Schools and other units to make the annual collection of research publications for submission to DEST an ongoing process through the year. It it would be appreciated if Schools and Disciplines that have not already begun collecting 2006 publications could begin as soon as possible with a view to sending batches to the Branch progressively until the deadline 31 March 2007. The Research Branch will be glad to receive batches at any time. Please note, due to the implementation of the Research Quality Framework it is now mandatory to collect Research Fields, Courses and Disciplines (RFCD) and Socio Economic Objective (SEO) codes for all publications (codes can be obtained at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/funding/codes.html). Information on the Publication Collection is available on the Research Branch website at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/rb/pub

Prizes

Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History - Closing Date Extended

The Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History 2006 will be awarded to an individual or group, for an outstanding publication or body of work that contributes significantly to an understanding of Australian history. The prize comprises an embossed gold medal and a grant of $100,000.

The subjects of work submitted could include, but are not limited to:

historical events
hisorical figures (including biographies); and
work covering a particular subject.

Eligible nominations can include a published book, a documentary film, a documentary for radio or television, CD-ROM, DVD, other form of multimedia or a series of these works. Submissions must have been first published, produced or broadcast between 20 September 2004 and 31 December 2006. Nominations close (apply direct) on 31 January 2007. Further information is available at http://www.dest.gov.au/pmhistorypriz

Holberg International Memorial Prize 2007

The prize will be awarded to scholars who have made outstanding, internationally recognised contributions to research in the arts and humanities, social science, law or theology, either within one of these fields or through interdisciplinary work. Through his/her scholarly work, the prizewinner must have had a decisive influence on international research in the field, for instance through the development of new theory, knowledge or insight, through making new use of existing theories or through the methods used. The prize has a value of NOK 4.5 million, approx US$715,000). Nominations (direct to sponsor) are due 15 February 2007. Further information is available at http://www.holbergprize.no/HP_prisen/e_HP_retningslinjer.htm

2007 Balzan Prizes in the Scientific and Humanistic Fields

The International E. Balzan Prize Foundation – “Prize” has the aim of fostering culture, the sciences and the most meritorious humanitarian initiatives of peace and brotherhood among peoples, regardless of nationality, race or creed. It meets these goals by assigning four annual awards in the following categories: 1) literature, the moral sciences and the arts; 2) the physical, mathematical and natural sciences and medicine. The amount of each prize is currently 1,000,000 Swiss francs; half of the prize must be destined by the prize-winner for research work, preferably involving young scholars. Nominations are due (direct to sponsor) by 15 March 2007. Further information is available at http://www.balzan.it/Premi_eng.aspx?codice=F000000066

Rolex Awards for Enterprise

For 30 years, the Rolex Awards for Enterprise have provided financial support for exceptional individuals with groundbreaking projects that:
-expand our knowledge of the world;
-improve quality of life on the planet or
-enhance the human condition.

The awards are presented in every two years in five areas: Science and Medicine, Technology and Innovation, Exploration and Discovery, The Environment and Cultural Heritage. However a project may be submitted in almost any field of endeavour. Projects must be innovative, feasible and demonstrate a spirit of enterprise. The deadline for projects from Australia is 31 May 2007. Further information is available at http://www.rolexawards.com/news-update/home.html (apply direct).