SEES Postgraduate Student Research Grants
Graduate Research Scheme and SEES Postgraduate Research Grants - due 26 June 2007 Processes and Criteria for Project Assessment |
| Contact secretariat | Beth Moore School Administrator Ph: 07 4781 4521 Fax: 07 4781 5581 Email: Beth.Moore@jcu.edu.au |
| Contact convenor | Associate Professor Kevin Parnell Ph: 4781 4531 Fax: 4781 4020 Email: Kevin.Parnell@jcu.edu.au |
Graduate Research Scheme and SEES Postgraduate Research Grants - due 26 June 2007
The second round of the SEES Postgraduate Research Grants for 2007 and the Graduate Research Scheme (GRS) 2007 grants are being considered at the same time.
Students, except for those students who opted out of the SEES scheme are eligible to apply for both grants. Students who opted out of the SEES scheme may apply for the GRS grant only.
The application form and guidelines for the SEES scheme are within this document.
The application form and guidelines for the GRS scheme are here:
Please note that the assessment criteria are different for each grant. In addition, GRS funds MUST be spent by early December. There is more flexibility for rollover into 2008 for SEES scheme funds.
If you wish to apply under both grant schemes, you will need to complete two applications (but please cut and past liberally to save extra work). You can apply for different things under the two schemes, or have some overlap. Where the same thing is requested on both applications please make sure this is made clear.
Introduction
The two schools that have merged to become the School of Earth and Environmental
Sciences have had different procedures for the allocation of money for research support to
Postgraduate Students.
In the ex School of Earth Sciences – a sum of money (equal for all students) was
allocated each year
In the ex TESAG – a sum of money was allocated upon enrolment. After successful
completion of the confirmation process, students are eligible to apply for money from the
school, which could be a significant sum. Applications are assessed by a committee made up
of academic staff. Students may not receive funding, or may receive funding up to the
requested amount. In order to be eligible to apply, students must have applied for at
least one external research grant. The rules for application can be found below.
This process:
a) recognises that some students need extra funds for their research, and some are
sufficiently funded from elsewhere
b) gives students practice at applying for research grants.
There are normally 2 rounds of applications per year. However, students are encouraged to
apply in the first round if possible. Multiple applications are permitted during the
candidature.
It has been decided that the ex-TESAG scheme will be adopted for the new school. Therefore
for TESAG students, there will be no change to the process. However, as for ex-Earth
Science students, an interim procedure has been adopted.
For new students enrolling and receiving an allocation for the first time, the procedure
described above will apply. That is, on enrolment they will receive an allocation
(currently $1000) and any further allocation will be by application
For students who have previously received TWO allocations (normally students in their
third year of enrolment), they will continue to receive an automatic allocation.
For students who have previously received ONE allocation – they need to opt in or opt
out of the application system. If they opt out, they will receive an automatic allocation
for the remaining two years. If they opt in, they will be eligible to apply for money from
the scheme (potentially significantly more than the automatic allocation), but must apply
by the rules. However, there is the possibility may not receive funding in a particular
round.
Ex Earth Science students who have received ONE allocation previously must notify Kevin Parnell (kevin.parnell@jcu.edu.au), of
their decision to opt in, or opt out of the application process. In the case of students
wishing to opt in, who have not previously submitted a funding request to an outside
organisation, may do so concurrently with the application. IF I DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU, I
WILL ASSUME THAT YOU HAVE OPTED IN TO THE SCHEME. THEREFORE, IF YOU DECIDE TO OPT OUT,
MAKE SURE YOU LET ME KNOW OR YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR AUTOMATIC ALLOCATION.
ALL POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS PLEASE NOTE: The next round of applications closes on Tuesday 6
February 2007.
Committee Membership
The committee comprises members of academic staff and the School administrator (ex officio). Funding applications are assessed by academic staff members. The School administrator provides financial advice and administrative support. Academic staff on the committee are elected form across school disciplinary areas and from both Cairns and Townsville campuses. The Head of School is not a member of the committee and remains at arms length from allocation of funds to individual projects.
Current members of the Research Grant Committee are:
- Kevin Parnell (Chair)
- Beth Moore (ex Officio)
- Other members are yet to be appointed for 2007
Funding Rules and Criteria for Project Assessment
- Application for support for funds from SEES will be on a competitive basis.
- Applications will be received from higher degree research students who have already made at least ONE application for external funding *
- The allocation will be made on the principle of supporting excellence in both project proposal and research student (prospects for successful outcomes).
- Funds will be allocated with emphasis on the most outstanding projects and students
- Funds may only be used to cover direct project costs
- The demonstration of need will also be considered.
- Links to JCU Areas of Research Strength will be considered.
- The principle of capacity building (for students) will also be considered.
- Formal application sheets and project assessment sheets will reflect these protocols.
- Two rounds of funding will be available. However, if at all possible, students are encouraged to apply in the first semester.
* Although Masters by Coursework students are encouraged to seek external funding for projects, this rule does not apply to those students.
Eligibility and Funding Levels
Applications will be considered from postgraduate students currently enrolled in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Students sharing enrolment with other Schools are eligible for support in proportion to the share SEES takes in their enrolment.
Postgraduate Research Students
Commencing PhD and Master of Science by research students will be allocated an establishment account of $1000 to fund project planning, literature reviews and/or preliminary sampling and pilot studies. It is considered that this amount (which reflects JCU's Minimum Resources Policy) should support reasonable expenses so that the student may complete the Confirmation of Candidature process.
Students enrolled across different schools will be allocated money on a pro-rata basis ie. a student enrolled in a PhD allocated 50:50 across two schools will be allocated a 50% share of of normal SEES establishment funding from the SEES Research Grant Committee.
Students who successfully complete the Confirmation of Candidature process, may then apply to the SEES Research Grant Committee for additional project funds if needed. When applying for further funding, the application must include a statement on how the establishment funding provided before Confirmation of Candidature was spent.
There is no set maximum budget but we have a very limited pool of funds to draw on and as a consequence, large requests will be closely scrutinised and are very unlikely to be fully funded. Students are advised that they should be guided by the Minimum Resources Policy of $1000 per year, and funding requests after the candidature is confirmed should be within this range. To this end, students may apply for a lump sum to reflect the expenditure timeline of their individual projects, but total allocations for the full candidature will be taken into consideration when assessing applications.
Applicants consistently requiring support beyond the limits set by the Minimum Resources Policy are well advised to demonstrate that attempts have been made to acquire resources from alternative sources so that the scarce SEES funds are available for the maximum possible number of projects.
Coursework Research Students
Students undertaking coursework based postgraduate degrees will be supported to undertake minor research projects, with a minimum 12-unit value. Funding will be provided on a pro rata basis in relation to the EFTSU equivalent of the research component of the degree. This means that for a 12-unit research project (effectively half time research) the student can apply for up to $500. Applications must be supported by the students' project supervisor.
Honours Students
All proposals for funding for Honours projects are to be directed to the TESAG Honours
Coordinator, Associate Professor Kevin Parnell, as part of the formal proposal. The TESAG
Research Grant Committee will not consider Honours projects for support.
This scheme does not handle Honours research. Funding for Honours students is handled
separately. Please consult the Honours handbooks or discuss the matter with the Honours
coordinators, Kevin Parnell and Pat Williams.
Conference Travel
PhD students (only) in the final stages of their candidature may find it useful to present their research at formal conferences or workshops. These students may apply for financial support towards attendance at one conference or workshop to a limit of $500 (in addition to project funding). Students who have required little or no project funding after their initial establishment fund, may apply for higher support toward conference travel, and total allocations for the full candidature will be taken into consideration when assessing applications
It is expected that students applying a conference will be making a presentation, and students should demonstrate that such attendance will materially advance the project.
Application for conference support is by way of a letter to the Head of School.
Method of Application
All applications must be on the appropriate application form, "Postgraduate Student Application for Research Funds", and should be submitted in one of the two rounds of funding in each calendar year. Applicants should ensure that all applications have been approved by their supervisor/s prior to submission.
Applications must be emailed to beth.moore@jcu.edu.au
by close of business on the close-off date for each funding round (see below). Applicants
will be advised of the outcome within one month of the closing date.
Funding Rounds
Important Dates for funding round close-offs:
Round 1
Closing Date: Tuesday 6 February 2007
Round 2
Closing Date: Tuesday 26 June 2007
Applications should be emailed to Beth Moore by
5.00 pm on the closing date. You will receive a confirmation email that your application
has been received.
Allowable Expenses
Relevant research costs may include (within the funding limits):
- Photocopying
- Internet charges related to the project
- Essential inter-library loans
- Reasonable expenses for undertaking approved research at libraries and archives external to host campus.
- ISD and STD telephone calls, and fax costs related to the project
- Cost of access to service facilities
- Data analysis and other specialized computer packages
- Fieldwork expenses appropriate to the research project
- Laboratory consumables specific to the research project
- Postage associated with essential research activities eg. surveys
- Thesis costs if not met from external sources
- Training costs to meet requirements to the University's Workplace Health and Safety Policies.
