CHARLES PERKINS CENTRE
GUIDELINES FOR ESTABLISHING A PROJECT NODE IN THE CHARLES PERKINS CENTRE
RESEARCH FRAMEWORK AND TERMINOLOGY
Our mission is to ease the burden of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease by generating collaborative research and
teaching programs that translate into real-world solutions that will transform the way we eat, work and live.
Our research focusses on the following four related Domains:
 Populations
 Biology
 Society and environment
 Solutions
Several Themes run as threads throughout all four Domains, and offer a means of tying together the entire research
network within the Charles Perkins Centre as well as linking to external research. These include:
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Nutrition
Physical activity, exercise and energy expenditure
Complex systems and modelling
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
Politics, governance and ethics.
PROJECT NODES
Our research Domains and Themes are addressed by a richly linked and interconnected network of Project Nodes. Project
Nodes involve researchers coming together across disciplines to address identified major gaps in our understanding of
obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and related conditions.
For a current list of Charles Perkins Centre (CPC) Project Nodes please visit sydney.edu.au/perkins/research
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Project Nodes are major foci of innovative, cross-disciplinary research and teaching as well as opportunities for
securing competitive grants (program grants and centres of excellence in particular), philanthropic and industry
funding.
Project Nodes target and address high focus knowledge gaps in relevant areas.
It is the ethos of the Charles Perkins Centre that Project Nodes are open research communities and welcome
new, active collaborators to participate.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF PROJECT NODES
Project Nodes drive new research and education opportunities and a functioning Project Node will be expected to
generate or contribute to the generation of:
 new multidisciplinary research grants
 new translational research opportunities
 new opportunities for philanthropic activity
 increased RTS income through new Honours and PhD projects
 supervision of a CPC Summer Research Scholar
 education activities, such as specialised short courses, online learning, seminars, conferences and workshops
 outreach opportunities - linking the CPC to the external community
 intellectual property
Project Node leaders will be requested to present a summary of research and education activity at an annual event hosted
by the CPC.
Charles Perkins Centre – Guidelines for establishing a Project Node
Project Nodes will be supported by the CPC Theme and Domain leaders and the Program Management Office (PMO) to
meet these objectives.
Initial funding for a seminar or workshop is available through the CPC, it is then expected the Project Node will become
financially self-sufficient.
COLLABORATION
Guided and supported by relevant Theme and Domain leaders Project Nodes will be expected to collaborate, cooperate,
share data (when appropriate) and participate in a culture of open enquiry and sharing of ideas.
Collaboration meetings will be organised three times per year for Project Node leaders to network, share ideas and seek
new collaborations. It is expected that the Project Node leader, or their delegate, attend these meetings as it is a key
forum through which we can communicate relevant CPC information to all Project Node leaders at once.
REPORTING
The CPC reports three times per year to the SEG Governing Committee against the KPIs set out in the CPC business case.
The CPC Program Management Office will be in touch with Project Nodes to gather information in relation to this
reporting via survey and reports from IRMA for input and confirmation.
Information gathered will assist CPC to map research and education activity generated by the Centre. Once accepted by
SEG Governing Committee, these reports will be disseminated to Deans, CPC Executives and other Project Node leaders.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OFFICE
The CPC Program Management Office is available to support Project Nodes in their establishment through finding new
collaborators, assisting with initial meetings, developing the EOI and other ad-hoc support.
Ongoing support is also available to ensure the node flourishes and is connected to other CPC nodes. In the first instance,
please contact Senior Project Officer, Dr Lise Mellor, with all enquiries by telephone on 9351 4548 or by email
lise.mellor@sydney.edu.au.
HOW TO ESTABLISH A PROJECT NODE
Project Nodes will be developed and grown over time. It is expected that a Project Node may take 12 months to develop
from initial expression of interest to applications for research funding.
Establish a collaboration team
Generally, the process is as follows:
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Interested researchers should discuss their idea with the relevant Domain or Theme leader. Our Domain and
Theme leaders are listed on our website at http://sydney.edu.au/perkins/about/people/researchleadership.shtml. If you would like assistance to facilitate a meeting with our Domain or Theme leaders, please
contact Senior Project Officer (Research), Dr Lise Mellor, by telephone on 9351 4548 or by email
lise.mellor@sydney.edu.au and she will organise the meeting for you.
Generate a Project Node collaboration team. Senior Project Officer (Research), Dr Lise Mellor will assist the
Project Node proposer to identify potential collaborators for the initial collaboration team on request. This will be
in consultation with the relevant Domain and Theme leaders where necessary.
The CPC Program Management Office will provide support for setting up the meeting, including sending invites
and recording summaries of meetings and action items arising from discussions.
In the instance where there are multiple relevant Domain and Theme leaders CPC will nominate one Domain and
Theme leader to champion the proposal and manage the ongoing Project Node.
The collaboration team may meet a couple of times before they have their proposal to the stage of submitting a formal
expression of interest.
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Charles Perkins Centre – Guidelines for establishing a Project Node
Submit an expression of interest
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An expression of interest is submitted to the CPC Executive Committee (who meet monthly) and will be
represented by the relevant Domain or Theme leader.
The Executive Committee will consider factors such as:
o The potential of the proposal to meet the academic standards and requirements of a CPC Project Node,
i.e. is it innovative, likely to be internationally competitive, suitably collaborative and cross disciplinary,
financially sustainable, and within the Centre’s research strategy?
o Is external expert advice required for the proposal to be assessed? If so, it will be sent for external
review.
o How does the proposal relate to other established, nascent or planned Project Nodes?
o Are there obvious potential USYD partners who could be included in the proposed Project Node working
group to benefit the application?
o Willingness to collaborate and potential for data sharing with other Project Nodes of the CPC.
EOIs are to be sent to the Charles Perkins Centre by email to Dr Lise Mellor, Senior Project Officer (Research):
lise.mellor@sydney.edu.au.
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After review by the Executive Committee, feedback is provided to applicants.
Where the application has not been successful the Domain and Theme leader may ask the Project Node leader to
provide further information and resubmit the EOI.
Where the application has been successful the Project Node leader will receive a letter of welcome from the
Academic Director, Charles Perkins Centre.
Where the application has been successful, the CPC Program Management Office will organise to meet with the
Project Node leader to discuss how to progress the Project Node.
PROGRESSING THE PROJECT NODE
Hold a workshop or seminar
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Workshops are used as the first stage towards developing the node membership and ideas for grant and
philanthropy applications for research proposals. Typically, the Project Node workshop is held within the first six
to twelve months. Workshops will be:
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hosted by the centre, supported administratively and financially if necessary, typically to a sum of $5K, with
external or partner funding secured as needed
widely advertised and broadly inclusive, to give others a chance to take part
where possible, planned around a visit by a high-profile researcher who can serve as an external advisor for
the Project Node
include a facilitator if appropriate
Develop ideas for funded research
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Following the workshop, Project Nodes should progress with the aim of development to one or more applications
for competitive federal grant funding, applications for other external funding or philanthropic opportunities.
If requested, before submission to funding bodies, the CPC will facilitate an external review by appropriate
individuals as agreed with the Project Node proposers.
Feedback from reviewers will be provided to the Project Node leader to assist them to finalise their application.
Develop proposals for education activities
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Each Project Node is expected to generate at least one interdisciplinary education activity per year. These may
include:
o Short courses
o Online learning
o PhD and EMCR opportunities
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Charles Perkins Centre – Guidelines for establishing a Project Node
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Undergraduate CPC Summer Research Scholarship project
Award courses (undergraduate or postgraduate)
Community outreach (including primary and secondary engagement opportunities)
Industry workshop
SUPPORT AND MANAGEMENT OF PROJECT NODES
 On approval by the Executive Committee, a Project Officer from the CPC Program Management Office will be
appointed as the point of contact for enquiries
 The Senior Project Officer will work with the Project Node leader to facilitate the first meeting and work with the
group to generate a suggested annual work plan for the node.
 Proposals will include:
o Node membership and roles of personnel;
o Requirements for facilities, staffing and core infrastructure;
o Initial potential research areas
o Potential funding strategies;
o Opportunities for education and community engagement
o Objectives, expected outcomes and milestones against progress can be reviewed.
(Note: some of the work plan content will already be provided within the expression of interest (EOI), however, it is
useful to further develop the ideas presented in the EOI with further group discussion after the node is formally
established.)
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A CPC Project Officer will organise and attend Project Node meetings (if requested) and will document the
meeting summary and action items for dissemination to members.
The CPC Program Management Office will provide administrative support for the workshop or seminar,
disseminate information about funding opportunities, assist the Project Node leader to find appropriate
collaborators and other ad-hoc support on request.
The nominated Domain and Theme leader will meet with the Project Node leader on request to provide or
facilitate guidance where needed.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact Senior Project Officer, Dr Lise Mellor: lise.mellor@sydney.edu.au or 9351 4548.
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