CIHR Information Session

1. CIHR Information Session http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca Scholarships and awards August 17, 2012

2. Canadian granting agencies(Tri-council) • CIHR: Medical related research • NSERC: Basic science and engineering • SSHRC: Social sciences and humanities All have similar trainee support programs

3. My experience with National (and other) Fellowship Funding:

4. Awards held recently (as far as I know) • Colin Brown, MSc award, 2009 • Rene Jacobs, PhD award, 1999-2002 Now Asst Prof U Alberta • Laurie Stead, PhD, 2000-2003 • Jay Treberg, postdoc, 2006 – 2008 • Sherri Christian, postdoc, 2008-2009 • Elaine Dodge, postdoc, 2009-2011 • Simon Lamarre, postdoc, 2010-2012 • Mark Collins, PhD, now • Jason Robinson, PhD, now At MUN: 9 since 2009

5. In Newfoundland and Labrador we have 2 chances • Regular competition • Priority Announcements: Regional Partnerships Program • If score above 3.5 then you can get funded ½ from CIHR and ½ from Province (Research and Development Corporation; RDC) • Fellowships have lower priority than Operating grants and only get funded if money is left in the pot

7. Deadlines http://www.mun.ca/research/researchers/cihr_rpp.php

8. Eligibility

9. Evaluation Criteria All procedures are on the CIHR website; often hard to find Understand Peer Review: Policies and Procedures http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/39414.html Salary and Training Awards http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/23467.html Evaluation Criteria Funding opportunity details page for each program

10. Criteria for assessing applicant • Achievements and activities of the candidate • Characteristics and abilities of the candidate • Research training environment

11. Achievements and activities • Papers published (very important, especially for postdocs) • Presentations (at meetings like this, at national meetings and at international meetings) • Awards (eg travel awards, like Barrowman award, ASBMB travel awards, best poster, etc) • Active or member or local or national societies • Mentoring: High School Science Fair, training undergrads

12. Characteristics and abilities of the candidate • Grades • Publications • Presentations at conferences • References (Sponsors) • Choose well • Ask early

13. Research training environment • PhD and Postdoc only: • Supervisor’s: publications grants other trainees in the lab history of past trainees conferences, awards, etc • Equipment, core facilities, animal room etc

14. Some nuts and blots • Actual Application is online: Research Net • CV portion is through Canadian Common CV • Both need you to register- do this in ADVANCE • Both can be *tough* to navigate • Follow ALL instructions

15. RPP application / Letter of Intent • Guidelines for Letters of IntentThe letter of intent must include a cover letter and draft of the CIHR application. • Don’t worry if not perfect, just submit • Spend the next few weeks getting it perfect

16. Why apply? • If you don’t apply, you can not win • You have lost NOTHING if you try • If you win: • You get increased stipend ($$) • It saves your supervisor money from the grant • Creates a history of success = more success • Get familiar with the system

17. Deadlines • http://www.mun.ca/research/researchers/cihr_rpp.php

18. Need help or advice? • Your supervisor or supervisory committee • Any of the faculty • Margaret Brosnan: MSc, PhD and PDF committees • Jan Hopkins Grants Facilitation Officer Email: janiceh@mun.ca Phone: 709 864 4458 Room: C-2053