CANADA FIRST RESEARCH EXCELLENCE FUND

File number: (leave blank)

APPLICATION FORM PART B:

SCIENTIFIC STRATEGY

The Canada First Research Excellence Fund (the Fund) application form for Competition 1 of the Fund consists of two parts:

·  Application Form Part A: Institutional Strategy and Proposal Summary

·  Application Form Part B: Scientific Strategy

Completed applications must include one Part A and one or more parts B (one Part B for each scientific area of focus). Each eligible institution can only submit one application.

The completed application form (parts A and B) must be uploaded in the Fund’s application portal by 9 p.m. (eastern), March 2, 2015.

Institution:

Title of scientific strategy

Research Thematic Area(s)

Research thematic area(s):
Keywords:

Research Disciplines ("Click Here for List of Codes")

Primary code:
Discipline name:
Secondary code:
Discipline name:
Secondary code:
Discipline name:
Secondary code:
Discipline name:
Secondary code:
Discipline name:

Proposal Summary

Provide a 100-word summary describing the scientific strategy that will enable the institution to excel globally in this research area and create long-term economic advantages for Canada. Outline the main elements of the proposed research initiative and the nature of the high-level activities to be funded. This summary will be used in the peer review process, as well as for publicity and program communications purposes. Please use plain language.

Alignment with Federal Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy Priority Research Areas

Check the box(es) indicating the research area(s) and, if applicable, subarea(s) most relevant to your proposal. Refer to the strategy website for further information on these priority areas.

Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy Priority Research areas
Environment and Agriculture
Water: Health, energy, security
Biotechnology
Aquaculture
Sustainable methods of accessing energy and mineral resources from unconventional sources
Food and food systems
Climate change research and technology
Disaster mitigation
Health and Life Sciences
Neuroscience and mental health
Regenerative medicine
Health in an aging population
Biomedical engineering and medical technologies
Natural Resources and Energy
Arctic: Responsible development and monitoring
Bioenergy, fuel cells and nuclear energy
Bio-products
Pipeline safety
Information and Communications Technologies
New media, animation and games
Communications networks and services
Cybersecurity
Advanced data management and analysis
Machine-to-machine systems
Quantum computing
Advanced Manufacturing
Automation (including robotics)
Lightweight materials and technologies
Additive manufacturing
Quantum materials
Nanotechnology
Aerospace
Automotive

Partners

Please list all presently secured and potential partners for this scientific strategy. A partner is an institution or organization, rather than an individual. Do not list every institution or organization with which a faculty member in the area of research may have a professional relationship or with whom they have co-published. Partners are contributing partners with a defined and very concrete role to play in the implementation of the strategy. These roles reflect strategic alliances and collaborations at the institution level. Partners listed as potential partners in the Notice of Intent (NOI) should now be secured. List as potential (e.g., international) partners only those that have been approached and whose involvement is planned for the latter years of the initiative or is dependent on completing earlier phases of the initiative. In their performance measurement plan, institutions must demonstrate a process to monitor progress with secured partners and to secure the commitments of potential partners. A reminder that competition 1 is aimed at those institutions that already have detailed plans in place to meet the ambitious objectives of the Fund, and whose initiatives are fully developed and ready to implement. Competition 2 is available to institutions that need more time to develop their plans, proposals and partnerships.

Secured Partners / Potential Partners
Canadian postsecondary institutions eligible to the Fund:
Universities and their affiliated institutions
Canadian postsecondary institutions eligible to the Fund:
Colleges and Polytechnics:
Other Canadian Research Organizations
Academic and Research Institutes abroad (indicate name and country)
Private Sector in Canada and abroad (including not-for-profit organizations)
Public Sector in Canada and abroad
Philanthropic Organizations in Canada and abroad
Other (specify)


Proposed Use of Funds

Budget for implementation of the scientific strategy

Indicate the sources of funding, and how funds will be used, among the two categories of eligible expenses (direct and indirect costs) for the implementation of this scientific strategy. Note that funding requested for and allocated to the institutional strategy must be outlined in the accompanying Application Form Part A: Institutional Strategy and Proposal Summary. The amounts indicated in the table below should be rounded to the nearest 10,000, and should correspond to the total planned expenditures over the duration of the grant. Please refer to the Canada First Research Excellence Fund website for details on eligible costs under each expense category.

Include planned expenses to be incurred as of September 1, 2015. Include contributions (one-time and ongoing) committed and available as of September 1, 2015 (not retroactive). Other relevant contributions (one-time and ongoing) committed and available prior to September 1, 2015, can be reflected in the attachments. Do not include funds from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), any tri-agency program, or the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

Scientific Strategy Budget Table (Part B): Direct Costs of Research

Category of expense / Funding requested from the Fund / Funding from the lead institution / Funding from eligible partner institutions / Secured contributions from other sources
Cash / In-kind
Direct costs of research (if applicable)
Compensation-related expenses / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Recruitment and relocation / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Travel and subsistence / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Sabbatical/research leave / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Equipment and supplies / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Computers and electronic communications / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Dissemination of research results / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Services and miscellaneous expenses / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Other direct cost expense categories, not eligible under the Fund / $ 0 / $ / $ / $ / $
Subtotal (1) / $ / $ / $ / $ / $

Scientific Strategy Budget Table (Part B): Indirect Costs of Research

Category of expense / Funding requested from the Fund / Funding from the lead institution / Funding from eligible partner institutions / Secured contributions from other sources
Cash / In-kind
Indirect costs of research (if applicable)
Research facilities / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Research resources / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Management and administration of research enterprise / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Regulatory requirements and accreditation / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Intellectual property / $ / $ / $ / $ / $
Other indirect cost expense categories, not eligible under the Fund / $ 0 / $ / $ / $ / $
Subtotal (2) / $ / $ / $ / $ / $

Total Part B: Direct and Indirect Costs of Research

Category of expense / Funding requested from the Fund / Funding from the lead institution / Funding from eligible partner institutions / Secured contributions from other sources
Cash / In-kind
Total Part B
(Subtotals 1 + 2) / $ / $ / $ / $ / $

The total funding requested from the Fund for this scientific strategy must correspond to the total budget listed in the accompanying Application Form Part A: Institutional Strategy and Proposal Summary.

The total funding requested to cover the indirect costs of research cannot exceed 25 per cent of the total grant amount. However, the funding requested to cover the indirect costs of research in any of Part A and Part/parts B can exceed 25 per cent of the total requested for that Part.


Instructions for Completing Part B

1.  Context

In Part B, institutions must present a scientific strategy that addresses the Fund’s selection criteria 1 and 2 (see below). A scientific strategy must comprise a high-level research program or initiative in an institutional priority research area of focus. Part B must describe in detail how the grant would be used to achieve the scientific strategy’s stated objectives. It should demonstrate evidence of the institution’s existing strengths/capacity, international position and reputation in the priority area, as well as the potential and promise of the program of research over the duration of the award, in terms of scientific impact at a global level, societal (including economic) impacts, as well as impact on the institution’s position of global excellence and global leadership in the research area. Part B must also demonstrate alignment with the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priority areas.

Part B will be used to assess the elements related to selection criteria 1 and 2:

Criterion 1: Scientific merit and demonstrated capacity to lead on an international scale

·  level of excellence of the existing research underpinning the proposed initiative;

·  institution’s faculty research strength in the proposed area(s);

·  quality of the institution’s relevant research facilities, as well as of the opportunities and environments for research training;

·  originality and positioning of the proposed research with respect to existing national and international capacity;

·  potential for the proposed research to provide breakthrough impact on a global scale; and

·  potential for the institution to demonstrate global research leadership in the proposed area(s).

Criterion 2: Strategic relevance to Canada

·  potential for the proposed research to create long-term economic advantages for Canada;

·  alignment of the proposed initiative with the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priority research areas (note that only initiatives aligned with the Government’s priority research areas will be funded);

·  potential for the research results to foster innovation (e.g., to create or build upon commercial endeavours, advance public policy or otherwise mobilize research discoveries); and

·  ability of the proposed initiative to leverage additional resources and promote knowledge mobilization through partnerships with:

o  the private sector;

o  international research institutions; and/or

o  public sector, academic and philanthropic organizations, both in Canada and abroad.

The intended audience for Part B is experts in the areas of research.

2.  General content instructions

Part B must include:

·  this form;

·  a maximum 12- to 15-page document that provides the details of the scientific strategy (see instructions in section 3 below);

·  a budget justification (maximum four pages; see instructions in section 4 below); and

·  letters of support from any partner, including other eligible Canadian postsecondary institutions, who will play a concrete role in the implementation of the scientific strategy, if applicable.

All of the above must be uploaded in the Fund application portal by the application deadline (see instructions in section 5 below).

3.  Scientific strategy

Page limit

This attachment should normally be 12 pages, and (for larger-scale initiatives) must not exceed 15 pages. Any extra pages or materials other than what is requested will be removed. Graphs, illustrations and scientific references may be included, but will count as part of the page total. Either single- or double-column presentation of text, graphs and illustrations is acceptable.

Presentation

The lead institution’s name must appear at the top of each page. Number all pages. Use 12-point or larger Times New Roman font. Paper must be 8 ½” x 11” (21.5 cm x 28 cm). All page margins must be set at a minimum of ¾” (1.87 cm).

Headings

Information must be provided under the six headings below. Provide the information requested, as well as any other relevant information that relates to the criteria.

The scale of reference for all evidence, indicators and data is to demonstrate leadership in a global context.

Criterion 1: Scientific merit and demonstrated capacity to lead on an international scale

Heading 1: Existing Strengths/Capacity: This section must describe the institution’s existing strengths/capacity, international position and reputation in the priority area. Address the following elements:

Level of excellence of the existing research. Demonstrate that the existing research underpinning the proposed initiative is world-leading, as evidenced by the institution’s degree of commitment to foster and enhance the proposed area over time and how this scientific strategy fits within confirmed strategic priorities of the institution. For example:

·  institutional investments in the research area over the past five years, such as the trend in the number of current faculty positions, Canada Excellence Research Chairs, Canada Research Chairs, prestigious industrial and endowed chairs and other similar positions devoted to this research area over the past five years (provide a table of relevant trends in number of faculty and Chair positions in this research area and the appropriate comparison data for other research areas of comparable size at the institution as well as averages for the institution as a whole). Avoid subjective information (e.g., “have hired aggressively in this area”) and provide concrete data and comparison data to demonstrate the extent to which excellence in this area has been developed as a clear priority; and

·  internal research support from the institution (in particular, competitively allocated and externally reviewed).

Explain how your institution’s demonstrated priority and commitment to this area compares with that of competing research centres globally (postsecondary or other) and with the support that these competitors have access to (i.e., government priority funding; private sector commitments to a specific geography, etc.).

Existing faculty research strength. Outline the strengths of the institution’s faculty in the proposed area, including (for example):

·  key researchers involved in the research area(s); identify their sub-areas of focus, their most important research contributions and any highly prestigious international prizes/awards;

·  significant research issues in this area where researchers at your institution have provided insights, contributions and advances in the last five years, situating your comments in a global context;

·  current involvement in major national and international collaborations in this research area, including role of key researchers and institutions; and