SFI Research Centres
Programme 2012
SFI Confidential
Webinar Instructions
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•
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This webinar consists of a
PowerPoint presentation
with voiceover (1-way!)
We’ll walk you through the
presentation and answer
questions at the end
Submit questions by text on
the GoToMeeting control
panel – be concise
We will post link to recording
of webinar on www.sfi.ie
shortly
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SFI Confidential
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Communications
• Information meeting on 26 Jan
• ~200 attendees (mostly academic)
• Information meeting on 10 Feb
• ~100 attendees (mostly business)
• ~50 submissions: feedback & suggestions
• Upcoming: town-hall workshops
• March 20-23
Introduction
• Follow government-led initiatives (i.e. research agenda and
priorities).
• Link scientists and engineers across academia and industry.
• Budget: €16m (direct costs) in 2013
• Approximately €100m (direct costs), 2013-2019.
• Only proposals with both research excellence and high impact in
areas of national importance funded.
High-Level Objectives
• Excellent basic, oriented research
• Discoveries in areas informed by Ireland-based
technology companies
• Significant economic or societal impact
Objectives (updated)
• Achieve, maintain or enhance academic leadership.
• Attract large FDI investments in corporate R&D centres.
• Spin-out new, disruptive, high-tech start-ups.
• Transfer technology & expertise to Irish MNCs & SMEs.
• Educate next generation of engineers & scientists for Irish
MNCs & SMEs (MSc & PhD).
• Provide tangible societal benefit (e.g. Health Service /
Education / Social Welfare / Public Sector).
Definitions
Applicant Group
• Lead applicant and co-applicants.
• Pre-existing research group, e.g. CSET or SRC.
• New collection of investigators.
Centre Budget (direct costs)
• SFI cash contribution
• Industry cash contribution.
• Industry in-kind contribution.
General Eligibility
• Must meet eligibility criteria, by pre-proposal closing date 20
April 2012 @ 13.00.
• Ineligible submissions, eliminated without review.
• Comply with SFI’s general terms and conditions.
Programme Remit
• Programme covers:
• Life Sciences (LS).
• Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
• Sustainable energy and energy efficient
technologies (Energy).
• Must fall within at least one of the research
priority areas.
• Must clearly identify the relevant priority
areas.
SFI Confidential
Research Priority
• Report of the Research Prioritisation Steering
Group published March 1.
• Available at:
• http://www.forfas.ie/newsevents/news/title,8960,
en.php
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Research Priorities and STI System
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14 Research Priority Areas
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A Future Networks & Communications
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B Data Analytics Management, Security & Privacy
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C Digital Platforms, Content & Applications
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D Connected Health & Independent Living
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E Medical Devices
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F Diagnostics
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G Therapeutics - synthesis formulation, processing and drug delivery
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H Food for Health
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I Sustainable Food Production and Processing
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J Marine Renewable Energy
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K Smart Grids & Smart Cities
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L Manufacturing Competitiveness
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M Processing Technologies and Novel Materials
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N Innovation in Services and Business Processes
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6 Underpinning Areas
• Basic Biomedical Science
• Nanotechnology
• Advanced Materials
• Microelectronics
• Photonics
• Software Engineering
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Integrating Infrastructure
• Operation and maintenance of equipment
• Clinical and translational integrating
infrastructure
• e-Infrastructure
• …
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Eligibility Criteria of Applicants
• One lead applicant, 2-9 co-applicants
Lead/co-applicant must be:
• Academic staff.
• Contract researcher.
• Academic staff member on award of grant.
• Ph.D. (or equivalent) - at least 8 years.
• Senior author - 10 international peer reviewed articles.
• One independent research grant - lead investigator or coinvestigator.
SFI Confidential
Lead Applicants
• Lead applicant – only one pre-proposal.
• Lead/Co-applicants – named Co-PIs (CSET /
SRC awards) not eligible to lead
• May be named as a co-applicant.
• Eligible to apply – if under evaluation 2012 SFI
Investigators Programme / other SFI
programmes.
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SFI Confidential
Lead/Co-applicants
Lead or co-applicants – in receipt of significant
SFI research funding:
• Examine commitment and work load.
• Strong justification – role in applicant group.
Co-applicant:
• May be located at different research body to
lead applicant.
• Comply with eligibility and evaluation criteria.
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Applicant Groups
• Research groups previously funded, but not in
receipt of SFI centre/cluster funding.
• New groups of independent academics
• Non SFI-funded academic centres/clusters
• Existing SFI centres/clusters:
• Expiration date centre/cluster award - on or before
31 December 2014.
• At least one positive - external progress evaluation.
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Applicant Groups
• Raised €10m cash in direct costs – 2006-2012.
• SFI awards - CSET, SRC, PI, RFP, SIRG, PIYRA.
• Industry-funded research projects.
• National funding agencies – HRB, IRCSET.
• EU Framework Programme awards.
• International funding sources - Wellcome Trust.
• Irish or international charities.
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Research Centre Structure
• Hub & spoke model
• Hub:
• Core operations.
• Platform research.
• Spokes:
• Targeted projects,
each with at least
one industry partner.
Programme Structure
• Expression of Interest
• Match making - no evaluation
• Pre-proposal
• Scientific/technical & impact panels
• Full-proposal
• Postal review
• Final panel
• Decision (early 2013)
Expression of Interest
• Expression of Interest
• Expression of Interest – 9 March 2012 @ 13.00.
• Industry - helpful not necessary to participate.
• Academic – necessary in order to submit a
proposal.
• Full collection of EoI’s will be made available.
• No evaluation, no groups eliminated.
SFI Confidential
Matchmaking
• After EoI deadline:
• All EoI’s will be made available to all who
submitted.
• SFI will facilitate introductions & match-making.
• SFI will hold town hall meetings in locations around
the country.
• Galway March 20, Limerick March 21, Cork March
22 & Dublin March 23.
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Pre-Proposal
• Deadline – 20 April 2012 @ 13.00
• Scientific panel
• Excellence of the people and ideas
• Impact panel
• Potential of the economic benefit
• Need positive evaluation in both panels
Full Proposal
• Deadline – 10 September 2012 @ 13.00.
• Only invited proposals evaluated.
• Postal review – 4 – 6 written reviews by topic
experts.
• Internal selection of most competitive proposals.
• Selected proposals invited for final panel meeting.
• Opportunity to provide brief written response to
postal reviews.
Programme Structure
• Postal Review, Panel & Decision
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Panel Meeting Invitation - 15 November 2012.
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Final panel meeting – 10 December 2012.
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Final panel – high-level members (VPR, Corporate
R&D Directors, VCs, Entrepreneurs).
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Decision for funding – early 2013.
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Letters of Offer in Feb/March 2013.
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Fast start expected.
Funding Structure
• Centre Budget
• Min 30% industry contribution overall
• Min 10% industry cash
• Balance of ind. contribution in-kind
• SFI contribution max 70%
• Government, not-for-profit, philanthropy,
etc. are not industry contributions
Research Centre Budget
• €1m & €5m SFI contribution per annum.
• Centre budget can (and should) grow over
time.
• New targeted projects (spokes) during
lifetime of the programme.
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Research Centre Budget
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Operations
— maximum of 20% of budget.
— fund operational running costs.
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Platform Research
— maximum of 30% of budget.
— fund core research activities.
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Targeted projects (Spokes)
— budget is flexible for targeted projects.
— at least one industry partner
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Industry Funding
• Minimum of 30% of budget.
• Cash must be calculated as direct research
funding.
• In-kind: People, Equipment, Software,
Materials.
• Must be committed – 2013 and 2014
• May be indicative – 2015 and beyond.
• No double counting
Membership Scheme
• Charge companies to participate in the
activities of the Research Centre.
• Funds raised may fulfil necessary
industry cash contributions.
• Outline operation of the scheme.
Follow-up Funding
• Opening calls for additional Targeted
Projects (spokes) – rolling and fixed-call
basis.
• Rolling call open to projects with 50%
industry cash
• Follow-up funding – critical performance
indicator.
Other Issues
• Research Body Approval
• Submission of application – represents
approval of application.
• Approval of the lead applicant and all coapplicants.
• Intellectual Property Management
• Revised National IP guidelines in development.
• Consultation period expected Feb-Mar 2012.
QUESTIONS
Pre-proposal Submission
• Cover Sheet
• Contact Details
• Scientific Abstract (max. 200 words)
• Succinct, accurate summary of the proposed work.
• Lay Abstract (max. 100 words)
• Succinct, accurate summary in lay, non-technical language.
• Research Priority Areas (max. 1 page)
• Identify one or more research priority areas.
• Keywords (max. 15 words)
• Up to 15 - best describe the topic areas.
Pre-proposal Submission
• Applicant Team (max. 2 pages per applicant)
• CV for each lead applicant and co-applicant.
• Funding History
• Funding history from 2006 – 2012.
• At least €10m cash in direct costs.
• Profile of the Applicant Group (max. 3 pages)
• Scientific/technical discoveries or achievements
• Economic/societal impact achievements
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Pre-Proposal (cont.)
• Research Programme (max. 5 pages)
• Key research objectives.
• Brief description of the research programme.
• Economic/Societal Impact (max. 5 pages)
• Key economic/societal impact objectives.
• How will objectives be achieved
• Make reference to programme objectives
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Pre-Proposal (cont.)
• Membership structure (max. 1 page)
• Letter(s) of intent/support from industry
collaborators
• Indicative budget
• Overall centre budget
• SFI contribution
• Annualised budget by operation & projects
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Full Proposal Submission
• Cover Sheet
• Contact Details
• Scientific Abstract (max. 200 words)
• Lay Abstract (max. 100 words)
• Research Priority Areas (max. 1 page)
• Keywords (max. 15)
• Funding History
SFI Confidential
Full Proposal (cont.)
• Applicant Team (max. 7 pages per applicant)
• Detailed CV for each co-applicant.
• CV for funded investigator and official
collaborator – max. 2 pages.
• Profile of the Applicant Group (max. 5 pages)
• Scientific/technical discoveries or achievements of
the group.
• Economic/societal impact achievements of the
group.
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Full Proposal (cont.)
• Research Programme (max. 30 pages)
• Key research objectives.
• Detailed description of the research programme.
• Describe Platform Research and each Targeted
Project
• Why relevant, timely, novel, important
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Full Proposal (cont.)
• Economic/Societal Impact (max. 10 pages)
• High-level economic and societal impact of centre
• Impact of Platform Research and Targeted Projects.
• How can objectives be achieved
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Full Proposal (cont.)
• Management and Operations (max. 5 pages)
• Describe the management and operations of the
centre
• Programme/project management
• Education & outreach
• Membership Structure (max. 2 pages)
• Brief description – membership scheme operation.
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Full Proposal (cont.)
• Support from the Host Institute (max. 2
pages)
• Infrastructure, facilities space and services –
provided by Host Institution.
• Clearly describe how overhead income will be
used.
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Full Proposal (cont.)
• Letters of Support
• Each industry collaborator.
• Each official collaborator.
• Host research body of the lead applicant.
• Host research body of each co-applicant and
funded investigator.
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SFI Confidential
Full Proposal (cont.)
• Summary budget and detailed budgets.
• Overall centre budget.
• Summary budget – for SFI Contribution.
• Annualised budget – for centre operations.
• Detailed breakdown of industry financial
contributions .
• Detailed breakdown for SFI funding – staff,
equipment and materials.
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Full Proposal (cont.)
• Budget Justification (max. 5 pages)
• For each requested researcher – including
salary scale for each team member.
• For equipment, consumables and travel.
• For overseas equipment/services.
Full Proposal (cont.)
• Excluded Reviewers
• Up to three (3) individuals – request SFI excludes
from postal reviews.
• Research Centre Summary (10 pages)
• Summarised version of full proposal.
• Include team, research programme,
economic/societal impact and summarised budget.
SFI Confidential
Overall Research Centre Budget
TOTAL RESEARCH CENTRE BUDGET
2013
2014
2015
Industry
Cash
Contribution
Industry InKind
Contribution
Requested
SFI
Contribution
TOTALS
2016
2017
2018
2019
Total
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Summary of SFI Request
REQUESTED SFI CONTRIBUTION: RESEARCH CENTRE BUDGET
2013
Staff
Equipment
Materials
Travel
TOTALS
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Total
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Breakdown of SFI Request
REQUESTED SFI CONTRIBUTION: OPERATIONS BUDGET
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Operations
Platform
Research
Targeted
Project 1
⁞
Targeted
Project n
TOTALS
2019
Total
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Detailed Industry Cash
DETAILED INDUSTRY CASH CONTRIBUTION
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Company 1
Cash
Contributio
n
Company 2
Cash
Contributio
n
⁞
Company n
Cash
Contributio
n
TOTALS
2018
2019
Total
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Detailed Industry In-kind
DETAILED INDUSTRY IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Company 1
in-kind
Contribution
Company 2
in-kind
Contribution
⁞
Company n
in-kind
Contribution
TOTALS
2018
2019
Total
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Detailed SFI Contribution
STAFF
Role
Role 1 (e.g.
post-doc,
PhD
student, etc.)
Role 2
⁞
Role n
TOTALS
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Total
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Applicant CV Template
• Lead Applicant/Co-Applicant CV Template
• Maximum of 7 pages:
• Section 1 (max. 2 pages)
• Section 2 (max. 3 pages)
• Section 3 (max. 2 page)
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Applicant CV Template (cont.)
• Section 1 - Required Details (max. 2 pages)
• Name and Contact Details.
• Career Profile.
• Most Relevant Research Funding as Lead/CoApplicant.
• History of Mentoring and Supervision.
• Innovation/Commercialisation Activity.
• Other Information as Appropriate.
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Applicant CV Template (cont.)
• Section 2 - Publication Listing (max. 3 pages)
• Full List of Publications (or up to maximum space
allowed).
• Section 3 - Research Funding History (max. 2
pages)
• List of Research Funding History (within last 5
years).
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Timeline Summary
24 February
Publish call document
9 March
EoI deadline
20-24 March
Townhall meetings
20 April
Pre-proposal deadline
11 June
Invite to full proposal
10 September
Full proposal deadline
15 November
Invite to panel
10 Dec (week of)
Panels
Late Jan 2013
SFI Board - decisions
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2012 Strategic Collaboration
Development Award (SCDA)
Programme
• To facilitate established academic groups to
engage in an exploratory collaboration with
another party, e.g. research centre, or industry,
with a view to developing a significant, long–term
collaboration
• Eligible groups not in position to engage in the
Research Centres Programme may consider
applying to SCDA – perhaps precursor to future
application
• SCDA Call is now planned for Q3/Q4 2012
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SCDA 2012 (cont.)
• Funding:
• €50,000 - €200,000 (direct costs) over 6-18 months
• For applications involving an industry partner,
intellectual and financial commitment is required
• Details of eligibility criteria, etc. can be found
on the SFI website:
http://www.sfi.ie/funding/funding-calls/closedcalls/strategic-collaborative-development-award/
• Direct queries to: SCDA@sfi.ie
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Questions
Further Information
• centres@sfi.ie
• http://www.sfi.ie/funding/funding-calls/opencalls/sfi-research-centres-programme-2012/