17th April 2015
SFI’s Investigators Programme 2015
Webinar
Webinar Information
• This webinar consists of a PowerPoint presentation with
voiceover (1-way!)
• We will walk you through the presentation and answer
questions at the end
• Submit questions by text on the GoToWebinar control
panel – please be concise
• FAQs are available on the webpage
• The webinar will be recorded and uploaded to the
webpage http://www.sfi.ie/funding/funding-calls/opencalls/sfi-investigators-programme-2015.html
Investigators Programme Team
Graeme Horley
Avril Monahan
Lisa Higgins
Caroline Coleman
Webinar Content
• Programme Overview
• Applying to the IvP 2015 Call
• IvP 2015 Review Process
• SESAME
IvP 2015 Programme Objectives
•
To support excellent scientific research that has potential economic and societal impact
•
To stimulate and catalyse strong participation by Ireland’s researchers in the Horizon 2020
(H2020) research framework programme
•
To build capacity, expertise and relationships in order to increase the number of
leadership roles held by Ireland-based PIs in H2020-funded projects
•
To enable researchers to compete in future SFI Research Centres Programmes
•
To facilitate partnerships with other agencies
•
To support relevant collaborations and partnerships between academia and industry
•
To maintain Ireland’s top-20 position in international bibliometric rankings through an
increase in the number and quality of journal publications
•
To allow Ireland-based researchers to win top-tier international prizes (e.g., the Nobel
Prize, the European Science Prize, the Lasker Award, etc.)
•
To support researchers returning to active academic research after a prolonged absence
through the Investigator Career Advancement (ICA) component of the call
Programme Structure
•
Aim is to stimulate and catalyse strong participation by Ireland’s researchers in two of the
key H2020 pillars:
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Industrial Leadership
•
Societal Challenges
•
Funding requests: €400,000 - €2,500,000 direct costs
•
Award Duration: 4 or 5 years
•
H2020 Catalyst Award: €25,000
•
IvP awards support the research programme costs of the applicant(s) and their research
group(s)
•
Eligible costs include:
•
Relevant research expenses, including equipment, consumables and travel.
•
Contributions to salaries/stipends for staff hired specifically to carry out the research
programme. Lead PI/co-PI salaries are not eligible costs.
Programme Remit – H2020 Alignment
Industrial Leadership
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Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies
o Information and Communication Technologies
o Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing and Processing,
and Biotechnology
o Space
Societal Challenges

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
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Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing
Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime and Inland Water
Research and the Bioeconomy
Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy
Smart, Green and Integrated Transport
Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials
Europe in a changing world - Inclusive, innovative and reflective societies
Secure societies – Protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens
Programme Remit – SFI Legal Remit
•
All proposals must align with SFI’s Legal Remit, that is, “oriented basic and applied
research in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM), which promotes and assists the development and competitiveness of
industry, enterprise and employment in Ireland”
•
Oriented Basic Research is “research that is carried out with the expectation that
it will produce a broad base of knowledge that is likely to form the background to
the solution of recognised, or expected, current or future problems or possibilities”
•
Applied Research is “an original investigation undertaken to acquire new
knowledge and is directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.
The results of applied research are intended primarily to be valid for a single or
limited number of products, operations, methods, or systems”
Applicant Eligibility
Lead Applicants and Co-Applicants must:
•
Be at least 5 years post-PhD
•
Have at least 10 senior-author publications
•
Have held an independent research grant
•
Demonstrate a record of supervisory experience
For the purposes of eligibility, reviewing and monitoring, a Co-Applicant applying for funding
under the SFI Investigators Programme will receive equal evaluation to the Lead Applicant
and will hold equal accountability for the delivery of the proposed research
Other criteria apply – see call document for details
Investigator Career Advancement (ICA)
•
Category 1: Any applicant who has taken consecutive documented eligible leave
(minimum 12 weeks) since 1st January 2007 and has since returned to work.
Examples are listed in the call document
•
Category 2: Permanent or contract academic staff who have returned to an
academic research position since 1st January 2010, having worked for a minimum
of 2 years in a science- or engineering-related industry
•
Either ICA category only requires 5 senior author publications (all other eligibility
criteria for IvP 2015 apply)
•
Review process is the same for ICA and non-ICA applicants
Partnerships
SFI-DEL Partnership:
•
Minimum of 2 Applicants and a maximum of 3 Applicants per proposal
•
At least 1 Co-Applicant must be from Queen’s University Belfast or the University of Ulster
•
Each Applicant or Co-Applicant must account for a minimum of 30% and a maximum of 70% of the
total budget (direct and indirect costs)
SFI-Teagasc Partnership:
•
Minimum of 2 Applicants and a maximum of 3 Applicants per proposal
•
At least one of the Lead or Co-Applicants must be a Teagasc employee
•
In addition, at least one of the Lead or Co-Applicants must not be a Teagasc employee.
•
Each Applicant or Co-Applicant must account for a minimum of 30% and a maximum of 70% of the
total budget (direct costs)
•
The research topic must be multidisciplinary in nature, and must combine research from the
agriculture or food disciplines within one or more of the areas outlined in Appendix A of the call
document
Partnerships
SFI-IRC Partnership:
•
Inclusion of an Academic Collaborator from the Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences (AHSS) disciplines
•
Proposals must be STEM-led
•
Requests of up to €50,000 per annum are permitted
•
AHSS Collaborators must be able to demonstrate a competitive track record of achievements, must
have previously held a supervisory role in research programmes and are required to have
demonstrated research independence through securing at least one independent research grant as
PI or Co-PI, or through leading a work package in a competitive funding award
•
AHSS Collaborators must be members of the academic staff of an eligible Research Body (permanent
or with a contract that covers the period of the grant)
GSI, the MI and the EPA:
•
Alignment to particular research topics outlined in Appendix A of the call document
Application
•
Single-step application process
•
Details of Applicant(s), CVs (SFI template) and funding record
•
Collaborator(s) details, CVs & Letters of Support
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Justify the alignment of the proposed research within the chosen thematic area (250 words)
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Justification of alignment of the proposed research within SFI’s legal remit (250 words)
•
Scientific Abstract: a succinct and accurate summary of the proposed work when separated
from the application (max. 200 words)
•
Lay Abstract: a succinct and accurate summary in lay, non-technical language of the
proposed work when separated from the application (max. 100 words)
•
Extended Research Synopsis (max. 5 pages including references)
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H2020 Planning Statement and Catalyst Award Budget (max. 3 pages)
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Economic and Societal Impact Statement (max. 3 pages)
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Research Description (max. 15 pages) & References (max. 5 pages)
•
Infrastructure Description (max. 1 page)
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Proposed Budget (NI & ROI separate) & Budget Justification (max. 3 pages)
•
Letters of support (max. 2 pages each)
Extended Research Synopsis
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A brief description of the proposed research
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What is the question that this proposal addresses?
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Why is this question significant?
•
How will the question be addressed?
•
It should stand alone and not refer reviewers to the 15-page research description
for more details
•
It will be reviewed during the Stage 1 review process
•
The Stage 1 panel will not have access to the 15-page research description,
collaborator CVs, letters of support, or detailed budget information
H2020 Planning Statement
The H2020 Planning Statement will describe how a platform for a future application (or applications) to
H2020 will be developed as a result of the submission to the IvP 2015 call:
•
An outline of which areas of H2020 will be targeted and, if known, which call(s) will be approached
•
The specific rationale for targeting a given H2020-themed research topic, where indicated in the
Planning Statement
•
A specific description of how the research proposed in the IvP 2015 application relates to, and will
strengthen, future H2020 applications
•
Information on the role of the Lead Applicant and Co-Applicant(s), where relevant, in the future
H2020 activities, including details on the proposed leadership of these activities
•
An indication of the likely other consortium partners, where known and if applicable, that will be
involved in the future H2020 application(s)
H2020 National Contact Points (NCPs) and National Delegates (NDs) play a vital role in this call by:
•
Informing SFI and its Partners about plans for future H2020 Work Programmes
•
Advising IvP 2015 applicants about alignment of their proposals to future H2020 opportunities
It is strongly recommended that prospective IvP 2015 applicants get in touch with relevant NCPs and/or
NDs in advance of submitting their proposals.
H2020 Catalyst Award
Applicants must outline their plans for the H2020 Catalyst Award, the maximum value of which is
€25,000. This outline should detail the intended coordination activities that are envisaged and
how these will help to create future strategies and build consortia for future applications to
relevant H2020 calls.
Examples of eligible uses of the Catalyst Award include:
•
Organisation of targeted workshops and symposia
•
Costs associated with inviting speakers to workshops and events
•
Travel for face-to-face meetings with potential consortium partners
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Costs associated with other relevant planning initiatives
Costs relating directly to research activities, professional consultancy, teaching buyout or any staff
salary costs are not eligible under the Catalyst Award.
•
The plans should be accompanied by an appropriate description and justification for the
indicative costs of the various activities. Applicants providing H2020 planning statements that
fail to provide a full justification for the requested funds will not be able to avail of the
Catalyst Award support
•
H2020 Catalyst Award budget requests must not be included in the Proposed Budget
Research Description
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Describe clearly and concisely the specific aims and objectives of the proposal
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Explain the background and significance of the problem
•
Ensure that the novelty of the approach is clearly explained
•
The methodology of the proposed research should be well developed
•
The application should also include:
•
•
Appropriate timelines, milestones and expected outputs for the proposed
research (e.g., a Gantt chart), and the roles of the Lead Applicant, CoApplicant(s) and Collaborators in the work programme need to be clearly
described
•
Relevant preliminary data
Appropriate references and citations in a separate uploaded PDF (5 pages)
Economic and Societal Impact
For the Investigators Programme, scientific excellence is both necessary and paramount, but is
not sufficient; applications must also demonstrate potential economic and societal impact
(http://www.sfi.ie/funding/sfi-research-impact/)
Impact can be described as the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to
economy and society. Impact embraces the diverse ways in which research-related knowledge
and skills benefit individuals, organisations and nations by:
•
Powering an innovative and enterprising economy
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Creating high-value jobs
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Attracting, developing and nurturing businesses, scientists and talented people
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Increasing the effectiveness of public services and policy
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Enhancing quality of life, health and creative output
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Developing the country’s international reputation
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Educating and training the population
•
Solving major national and global problems and challenges, such as food security and world
hunger, climate change, energy security, ageing population, rural sustainability, and other
sustainability challenges
Impact Statement
An Impact Statement is required. This will require you to devote a maximum of 3
pages for articulating the planned and potential economic and societal impact of the
proposed research.
We advise that applicants make best use of the allowed space; impact is a key review
criterion.
The Impact Statements should be written primarily in lay, non-technical language, be
as specific yet comprehensive as possible, and describe potential economic and
societal impacts by answering the following overarching questions:
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Who will benefit from this research?
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What plans will you put in place to increase the chances of economic and
societal impacts from the proposed research?
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Over what timeframe might the benefits from your research be realised?
Research Body Approval
A Letter of Support from your research body is required – this letter approves:
•
The eligibility of the applicants
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That the applicants are, or will be upon receipt of the grant, recognised as employees of the Research
Body for the duration of the grant
•
That the requested budget including salaries/stipends, equipment, travel and consumables are in line
with accepted institutional guidelines
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The availability of infrastructure within the institution, as outlined by the applicant in the research
proposal
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That the proposed research programme has not been funded by other sources
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That relevant ethical approval has been or will be sought and must be granted prior to the award
commencing
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That the relevant licences will be in place at the time of award
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That the details provided in relation to research funding history (i.e., current, pending or expired
grants, as detailed in the application) are valid and accurate
Letters of Support are also required from (other) Research Bodies of Co-Applicants and any AHSS
Collaborators
IVP 2015 REVIEW PROCESS
SESAME SYSTEM
Review Criteria
•
Applicant
•
•
Proposed Research
•
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Quality, significance, and relevance of the recent research record of the
proposed investigator(s), taking into account the career stage of the
applicant(s), performance on recent awards, and the applicant’s record of
securing non-exchequer funding
Quality, significance, and relevance of the proposed research, including value
for money and the potential to advance knowledge and understanding
within its own field or across different fields
Impact
•
Quality, credibility and relevance of the impact statement, including the
likelihood, scale and value of societal and economic effects on Ireland as a
result of the proposed research
Review Process
Stage 1 Panel Review
Stage 1 PDF: Extended Research Synopsis, the Lead Applicant (and CoApplicant) CVs and research funding support, the Impact Statement
and the H2020 Planning Documentation
Criteria: Applicant, Proposed Research & Impact
Stage 2 Postal Review
Stage 2 PDF:
All documentation excluding the Extended Research
Synopsis
Criteria: Applicant & Proposed Research
Stage 2 Panel Review
Stage 2 PDF and the Applicants’ response to the Postal Reviewer’s
comments
Criteria: Applicant, Proposed Research & Impact
Review Process
• Impact statement
• http://www.sfi.ie/funding/sfi-research-impact/
• Write the impact statement first?
SESAME Submission Tips
•
Get set up in SESAME as soon as possible so that you can start your application well in
advance of the Investigators Programme 2015 submission deadline, or any internal
submission deadline set by the your Research Office
•
Review the User Guides, FAQs and Short Guides on this website:
http://www.sfi.ie/funding/award-management-system/. These documents contain all
the information you need to enable you to submit an application through SFI’s SESAME
system
•
Complete all mandatory fields under "Additional Contact Information" (e.g., nationality,
year of PhD, etc.) in your personal profile prior to submission
•
Start your application as soon as possible
•
Log any technical queries with the SESAME support team at sesame@sfi.ie well in
advance of the submission deadline. There are a large number of applications expected
for this call and last-minute technical issues may affect your ability to submit before the
deadline – avoid problems by starting your application early!
Eligibility Questionnaire
Proposal Summary
Lead Applicant Information
Adding a Co-Applicant
Adding a Co-Applicant
Adding a Collaborator
Proposal Information
Research Funding
Budget and Other Information
Completing your Budget
Validation and Submission
Key Dates
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Pre-approval deadline for DEL budgets – 29th May 2015
•
Deadline for proposal submission – 26th June 2015, 13:00 Dublin Local Time
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Estimated date for announcing results of the call – April 2016
Q&A Session
• We will put voice on ‘mute’ for a few minutes while we
gather questions- please be patient
• We will deal with as many questions as we can verbally
• Submit questions by text on the GoToWebinar control
panel – please be concise
• All information is at this link, slides uploaded shortly:
http://www.sfi.ie/funding/funding-calls/open-calls/sfiinvestigators-programme-2015.html
• After webinar, email investigators@sfi.ie with any queries
Tuesday 14th October 2014
Thank you
investigators@sfi.ie