Strategic Projects Grants Program

1. Strategic Projects GrantsProgram Simon Fraser University March 5th, 2008 Sylvain Langlois Research Partnerships Programs (613) 996-7135 Sylvain.Langlois@nserc.ca

2. Outline • Introduction • Overview of the Research Partnerships Programs (RPP) • Strategic Program • Program requirements • Target areas • Evaluation process • Statistics and typical grant

3. What We Do at NSERC We invest more than $957 million every year in people, discovery and innovation

4. People NSERC supports about 12,000 science and engineering students earning Master’s and Ph.D. degrees

5. Discovery NSERC supports the research of more than 11,000 university & college professors

6. Innovation 20% of NSERC’s budget goes to funding university-industry research partnerships

7. NSERC Budget 2007- 08(millions of dollars) Total: $957

8. Innovation Programs Budget 2006-07(millions of dollars) Total: $193 1. Includes College and Community Innovation Program ($0.3M).

9. Making the Connection

10. Research Partnerships Programs (RPP) Strategic Partnerships Programs • Strategic Project Grants (SPG) • Strategic Networks Grants (SNG) • Research Partnership Agreements (RPA) • Strategic Workshops Program (SWP) Industry-Driven Programs • Collaborative R&D Grants (CRD) • Industrial Research Chairs (IRC) Tech Transfer/ Commercialization Programs • Idea to Innovation (I2I) • Intellectual Property Mobilization Program (IPM)

11. Collaborative R&D Grants (CRD) • Main vehicle for Canadian firms to work with university researchers • At any point in the R&D spectrum • Support well-defined, focused projects with specific short- to medium-term objectives, or • Discrete phases in longer-range research programs • Require signed research agreement between university and industrial partner

12. Collaborative R&D Grants (CRD) • 1 to 5 years duration, usually 2 to 3 years • Average grant $55,000 per year • Industry responsible for at least 1/2 costs & must exploit results • Flexible leverage: cash and in-kind • 80-85% success rate • No fixed deadlines

13. Strategic Workshops Program • Objective • Bring together academic researchers with non-academic end users to create new partnerships. • Priority given to targeted areas of research, but other areas not excluded. • Address research and technology needs that are identified by the user community. • Generate new collaborations that will lead to funding proposals.

14. Strategic Workshops Program • Three-year pilot program • $25,000 award value • Funding available for 40 awards per year • Awards support single or multiple events • Intended for small, highly focused groups; attendance not expected to exceed 20 participants • Not for established partnerships

15. Idea to Innovation (I2I) • I2I supports R&D projects with recognized technology transfer potential • Mature technology with a clear market opportunity • The objective is to finalize the development of the technology to attract market support by early stage investors or Canadian Companies

16. Idea to Innovation (I2I) (Continued) • Several entry points: • Phase I – Researcher without a partner(Max $125K, max. 12 months) • Phase II – Researcher with a partner • Early stage investor (Max. $125K, 6-18 months, NSERC pays 2/3) • b) Company(Max. $350K over two years, NSERC pays 1/2)

17. Research Partnership Agreements (RPA) • Maximizes research resources by building university-industry-government linkages • Twice the amount of the industry's contribution from the program • Flexible industry contribution: both cash and in-kind • Currently only one agreement with Department of National Defence (DND) • 9 research priority areas within DND agreement (See NSERC’s website)

18. New Media Initiative • Joint program between CCA & NSERC • Funds collaborations between artists and scientists & engineers • Projects can last from 1 to 3 years (up to $60,000 per year from CCA; no limit on request from NSERC) • Annual competition run in parallel with NSERC’s Strategic Program

19. Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) • Supports focused collaborative research projects involving any field in NSE and the health sciences • Four main objectives: • Interdisciplinary Research • Translation • Collaboration • HQP training • Annual competition with two stage process: • Letter of Intent due May 1 • Full application due October 1 • More info: (See Website in “For Professors”, “Grant Programs”)http://www.nserc.gc.ca/professors_e.asp?nav=profnav&lbi=a3

20. Strategic Project Grants (SPG) • Objective • Increase research and training in targeted areas that could strongly influence Canada’s economy, society and/or environment within the next 10 years.

21. Anticipated Results • New knowledge/technology with strong potential to strengthen Canada’s industrial base, generate wealth, create employment and/or influence Canadian public policy • Highly qualified personnel trained in the identified target areas • Increased participation of companies and/or government organizations in academic research • Knowledge/technology and expertise transferred to Canadian-based organizations

22. Requirements • The research must fall within one of the target areas identified for support • The project must be well defined in duration, objectives and scope • Duration may be from 1 to 3 years • One or more supporting organizations that can apply the results must collaborate in the project • Supporting organization must be actively involved in all stages of the project • In-kind contributions are required, but cash is not

23. Supporting Organizations • Private sector • Canadian-based companies with Canadian operations (R&D or manufacturing) that can apply the research results for economic gain • Non-academic public sector • Canadian government organizations that can apply the research results to strengthen policies • Do not qualify as supporting organizations: • NGO’s • Venture capitalists • Hospitals, clinics • Government research labs • Foreign research institutions • Implementation sites and potential customers.

24. Supporting Organizations (continued) • A supporting organization must also: • Have a demonstrated interest in the project (letters of support, in-kind and/or financial support, etc.) • Be involved at all stage of the research (Help to develop the proposal, interact with researchers and students, provide input to the project) • Validate the results of the research • Provide guidance concerning the exploitation of the results

25. Eligibility of Applicants • Applicant and Co-applicants • Must hold, or have a firm offer of, an academic appointment at an eligible Canadian university, for: • A tenured, tenure-track or life-time professor emeritus position; or • A term position of no less than three years • College Faculty can be co-applicants (see NSERC Website for list of eligible colleges) • Co-applicants outside NSE must meet NSERC eligibility requirements New

26. Collaborators • Members of the research team that are not eligible as applicants or co-applicants, e.g.: • government scientists • company staff members • research scientists from other countries • Not eligible to hold NSERC grants • Qualified to undertake research independently • Expected to contribute to the overall intellectual direction of the research project • Expected to bring their own resources

27. Collaborations New Outside NSE – applicants are encouraged to collaborate with experts outside the natural sciences and engineering, where appropriate, up to 30% of the project costs International – applicants are encouraged to incorporate international collaborations into their proposals

28. Seven Target Areas • Advanced Communications and Management of Information • Biomedical Technologies • Competitive Manufacturing and Value-Added Products and Processes • Healthy Environment and Ecosystems • Quality Foods and Novel Bioproducts • Safety and Security • Sustainable Energy Systems

29. Focused Research • 3-8 priority research topics identified within each target area (80%) • Exceptional opportunities outside the research topics but within the target area (up to 20%) • Research outside the 7 priority target areas • will not be considered for funding

30. Research Topics • Advanced Communications and • Management of Information* • Network-Intensive Applications • Ubiquitous Networks • Management of Information in a Networked Environment • Adaptive/Cognitive Networks • Advanced Materials, Devices and Supporting Tools • Software and Computing Systems • *highlighted in national S&T Strategy

31. Research Topics (continued) • Biomedical Technologies • Detection Methods for Use in Whole Organisms • Computational Tools for Real-Time Signal Processing and Analysis • Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering • Technologies for Independent Living and in-Home Care

32. Research Topics (continued) • Competitive Manufacturing and • Value-Added Products and Processes • Value-Added Wood Products • Near-Net-Shape Processes • Process Models and Integrated Production Models • Functional Materials • Lightweight Materials for Transportation

33. Research Topics (continued) • Healthy Environment and Ecosystems* • Ecosystem Adaptation, Interventions and Modeling • Water Resources • Waste Management and Site Remediation • *highlighted in national S&T Strategy

34. Research Topics (continued) • Quality Foods and Novel Bioproducts • Food Quality and Safety • Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals • Novel Bioproducts • Aquaculture

35. Research Topics (continued) • Safety and Security • Risk and Vulnerability • Resiliency of Systems • Event Detection

36. Research Topics (continued) • Sustainable Energy Systems* • Integrated Systems Approach to Electrical Power Grids • Energy Storage • Fuel Cells and Clean Transportation Systems • Biomass Conversion and Co-product Optimization • Systems Engineering Approach to the Extraction, Conversion and Utilization of Fossil Fuels • Clean Coal and Carbon Capture and Storage • Low Emission Industrial Systems • Other Renewable Energy Sources • *highlighted in national S&T Strategy

37. Guidelines for Applicants • Applicants must: • Select a target area and a research topic from a list provided • Explain in the Proposal module (under ‘Introduction’ / one additional page is provided) : • why the proposed research is strategic; and • how it addresses the research topic selected • Provide a compelling case for consideration if the research falls outside the research topics but within the target areas listed • (“Exceptional Opportunity outside the Research Topics”)

38. Competition Timetable • Applications due April 15 • Pre-selection process, if necessary • External peer review – Summer • Panel evaluation – September • Results announced – October

39. Competition Statistics

40. Evaluation Process External referees • Typically three per application • Technical expertise to aid the committee • Appendix C: your suggestions • Internal selection committee • Proposal is assigned to three internal reviewers • Discussion amongst the whole group

41. Evaluation Process (continued) • Selection criteria • Originality of the research • Quality of the research • Project work plan • Quality of the applicants as researchers • Training potential • Interactions with the supporting organizations • Benefits to Canada and the supporting organizations Each criterion is of equal value Projects must be strong in all 7 criteria to be eligible for funding

42. Selection Criteria • Originality of the Research • The project must promise to generate new knowledge or to apply existing knowledge in an innovative manner. • Quality of the Research • The project must be scientifically sound and technically feasible. It must fall within a specific target area.

43. Selection Criteria (continued) • Project Work Plan • The project must have a clear and coherent work plan that demonstrates a high probability of achieving the objectives in the proposed time frame. • Quality of the Applicants as Researchers • The research team must have all the expertise to address the defined objectives competently and to complete the project successfully.

44. Selection Criteria (continued) • Training Potential • The project must provide opportunities to train students and other highly qualified personnel with skills relevant to the needs of Canadian organizations. • Interactions with Supporting Organizations • The supporting organizations must have the capacity to apply the results of the research and must be actively involved in all stages of the project.

45. Selection Criteria (continued) • Benefits to Canada and Supporting Organizations • The proposal must identify how the work will benefit the supporting organization and must demonstrate that exploitation of the research results will benefit Canada within a 10-year time frame.

46. Typical Strategic Project Grant • Average grant: $130,000/year for three years • Often involves several team members, from the same or different institutions • Some grants with single applicant • Collaborators (researchers from the supporting organization, government scientist, foreign research scientists) are often members of the team

47. Co-applicants Dr. Nicholas Bernier (Guelph) Dr. Brian Dixon (Waterloo) Dr. Bryan Neff (Western) Applicant Dr. Daniel Heath (Windsor) Supporting Organizations Yellow Island Aquaculture Ltd. Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. Target Marine Hatcheries Stolt Sea Farm Inc. Ewos Canada Ltd. Other Partner Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 3 years project - $138,450 in year 1 from NSERC (2004) Sexual selection as a factor in salmon fitness: a strategy for improving hatchery performance What do Teams Look Like ?

48. Co-applicants Dr. Alexandre Brolo (Victoria) Dr. Nedjib Djilali (Victoria) Dr. David Levin (Victoria) Dr. David Sinton (Victoria) Applicant Dr. David Harrington (Victoria) 3 years project - $135,000 in year 1 from NSERC (2004) A microscale biological fuel cell for micropower applications Supporting Organization Angstrom Power Inc. What do Teams Look Like ? • Departments involved: • Chemistry • Biology • Mechanical Engineering

49. Summary • Target areas corresponding to the Federal S&T strategy’s highlighted priorities have been expanded • Advanced Communications and Management of Information • Healthy Environment and Ecosystems • Sustainable Energy Systems • Applicants must explain why the proposed research is strategic and how it addresses the research topic • Proposal must relate to the specific research topic description • Insufficient information could result in the rejection of the proposal New

50. Summary (Continued) • Collaborations • Collaboration with researchers outside the natural sciences and engineering can be included (up to 30%) • Incorporation of international collaborations into proposals is encouraged to incorporate international collaborations into their proposals • Supporting Organizations • Active involvement is essential • Government fulfilling the Supporting Organization requirement: Proposal must clearly show how the project relates to their public policy responsibility (i.e. applying the results to strengthen public policy) New