Mitacs Program and Eligibility Update – Virtual Event

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Announcement Type
Event

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UPEI Research Services and the Office of Commercialization, Industry and Innovation are pleased to host a virtual session with Niraj Shukla, Mitacs Director, Business Development and Team Lead, Atlantic. Niraj will provide details on the recent updates to the Mitacs programs.  The virtual presentation will be held on Tuesday June 22, 2021, from 10- 11am. With recently announced funding increases, several key programs have expanded partner and student eligibility.  This session may be of interest to any researchers hoping to develop or expand partnerships with industry, not-for-profit, or other partners.
 
Please pre-register to attend the session by emailing: researchservices@upei.ca. 

Call for Expressions of Interest – UPEI Undergraduate Research Days

Funding Organization

Announcement Type
Notification
Deadline Alternative Text
Please indicate interest before deadline date

Research Category

Internal Deadline
Body

The office of the VP Academic and Research is looking to determine if there is sufficient interest from undergraduate students to hold an Undergraduate Research Days (URD) event.  UPEI URD is anticipated to be scheduled over 1 or 2 days during the week of August 9th.  The event would be held in virtual format, and students would provide a PowerPoint presentation of approximately 10 minutes over Zoom.  Presentations would be judged with prizes available for the top participants. 

Please forward this message to any students who might be interested in participating, and request that they complete this short form to indicate their interest before June 29, 2021.  This information will be used for planning purposes, and if interest is sufficient, a formal call for UPEI URD will be issued in July.
 

Path2Innovation

End Date (year)
2021

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Announcement Type
Event

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Body

Applications for Dal Innovates Path2Innovation are now OPEN.

Atlantic Canadian graduate students, post-docs and faculty are invited to apply for the
three-day program taking place virtually July 28-30.

Explore the value of entrepreneurial thinking to advance research innovations, and turn
ideas into impacts, whether scientific, economic, social, cultural, or environmental.

Apply here by July 19 th : https://dalinnovates.ca/programs/nnce/path2innovation/

NSERC Discovery Horizons grants - webinar and FAQs

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Announcement Type
Event

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NSERC will be providing a webinar for the new Discovery Horizons program.  (Note: program information and UPEI timelines for the Letter of Intent stage can be found below.)

 
French session: May 26th, 11:00am - 12:30pm (AT)
English session: May 26th, 1:00pm - 2:30pm (AT)

 

A short presentation of the program will precede a Q&A session.
 
NSERC has provided some answers to frequently asked questions:

1.      Can applicants who hold a Discovery Grant or are applying for a Discovery Grant in Fall 2021 submit a LOI to Discovery Horizons?
Yes, researchers holding a Discovery grant or applying for one this year are eligible to apply to Discovery Horizons.

2.      Can co-applicants be from non-NSE disciplines (Economics, Sociology …)
As long as the faculty members meet all eligibility requirements they can be from any departments. However, in the Discovery Horizons proposal, they must work towards advancing knowledge in the NSE.

3.      Is the proposed work under Discovery Horizons expected to be drastically different from the work proposed for Discovery? Is conceptual overlap allowed as long as there is no budgetary overlap?
Discovery Horizons proposals should be different from Discovery Grants (applied for or held) since the Discovery Horizons applications, due to their broad level of interdisciplinarity with the social sciences or health research are not suitable for the DG program. At the full application stage, applications must indicate that the funds requested from the Discovery Horizons program will be for expenses that are distinct from those covered by support from other sources. For funding applied for, you must indicate that there will be no duplication of funding for the same expense(s) and explain how funds will be used if all applications are successful.

4.      Does the application need to have all three components: (1) social sciences and humanities, (2) natural sciences and engineering, and (3) health and wellness?
No, Discovery Horizons applications must be rooted in the NSE and integrate elements from the social sciences and humanities and/or health and wellness. 
 
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Leslie Cudmore <lcudmore@upei.ca>
Date: Wed, May 5, 2021 at 2:42 PM
Subject: NSERC announces new Discovery Horizons grants
 
NSERC is launching a pilot funding opportunity to support investigator-initiated individual and team projects that broadly integrate or transcend disciplines to advance knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE). Full applications submitted to this NSERC program will be reviewed by a tri-agency interdisciplinary peer review committee.

In partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), NSERC is piloting this new interdisciplinary peer review mechanism.

The Discovery Horizons program provides NSERC’s entry-point to the tri-agency interdisciplinary peer-review mechanism. It supports Discovery research projects that would significantly benefit from being assessed by a tri-agency interdisciplinary peer review committee, and aims to 
  1. answer NSE research questions that are best addressed through interdisciplinary approaches
  2. advance NSE disciplines through cross fertilization and new ways of thinking about research questions, ideas and frameworks; approaches and methods; platforms, tools and infrastructure; people, partners and trainees
  3. provide leading-edge NSE training for highly qualified personnel (HQP) in interdisciplinary research environments
Discovery Horizons grants are expected to be between $50,000 and $100,000 per year.  For this pilot year, NSERC is expecting to award 10 to 20 grants. 
 
A limited number of applicants will be invited to submit a full application based on a relevance review of their LOI.
 
UPEI Application Process for Letter of Intent (LOI) stage:
1) Complete your LOI using the Convergence Portal.  
2) Generate a PDF view of the LOI and submit it for UPEI approval using the Researcher Portal and selecting the "Research Funding Administrative Approvals Form for GRANT Applications (rev Dec 2020)".  Instructions for using the Researcher Portal can be found here.  Applicants are requested to submit by June 8, 2021, ensuring that the application is received by Research Services by June 10, 2021.
3) Upon receipt of UPEI approvals, you will be notified to proceed with the submission of your LOI in the Convergence Portal.  The deadline for submission is June 15, 2021.
 

Online Training: Researcher Portal for Animal Users

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Announcement Type
Event

Research Category

Body

Online Training: Researcher Portal for Animal Users

Notice Date
Event Date

Online training on how to use Animal Care Committee Forms in Researcher Portal is available. This training seminar is open to anyone using Animal Care Committee forms.

Title: Introduction to Animal Care Committee Forms in Researcher Portal

Date: Tuesday, May 18

Time: 10:00-11:00

If you would like to attend, please contact Jennifer Knight (jbknight@upei.ca) for login information

 

Mitacs Elevate

End Date (year)
2021

Funding Organization

Announcement Type
Funding

Research Category

Internal Deadline
Body

Mitacs Elevate is now accepting proposal submissions for two years of postdoc funding valued at $60,000/year plus extensive customized professional development training ($7,500/year non-cash value).  A minimum stipend/salary of $55,000 per year is allocated to the fellow and up to $5,000 is allocated to research costs.  Partner organizations must provide a minimum of $30,000/year.    

 
Postdocs:
Manage a long-term collaborative research project with a company or not-for-profit
Develop business-ready skills in leadership, financial literacy, management and negotiation, project management, problem-solving and much more

Key deadlines:
June 2, 2021 — If applicable, deadline to submit not-for-profit eligibility check or conflict of interest declaration at 5 p.m. PT
June 30, 2021 — Deadline to submit full application at 5 p.m. PT

For more information, please consult the Mitacs website or contact elevate@mitacs.ca.
 
UPEI application process:
1) Complete the application using the Mitacs Portal.  Details on how to apply can be found on the Mitacs website here.
2) The supervisor must submit the application and supporting documents for UPEI approval using the Researcher Portal and selecting the "Research Funding Administrative Approvals Form for GRANT Applications (rev Dec 2020)".  Instructions for using the Researcher Portal can be found here.  Applicants are requested to submit by June 23, 2021, ensuring that the application is received by Research Services by June 25, 2021.  
Ensure that the complete application, including the Office of Research Services Approval form, is uploaded to the Researcher Portal.  The supervisor is responsible for obtaining approvals from each university for which there is an academic supervisor on the project.
3) Upon receipt of UPEI approvals, the signed Office of Research Services Approval form will be provided to the supervisor by email and the application may then be submitted in the Mitacs Portal.  The deadline for submission is June 30, 2021.

NSERC Discovery Grant - Notice of Intent to Apply

End Date (year)
2021

Funding Organization

Research Category

Body

The NSERC Discovery Grant (DG) Notification of Intent to Apply (NOI) is now available on the Research Portal.
 

Researchers who intend to apply for a DG in Fall 2021 must submit an NOI by the deadline date of Tuesday, August 3, 2021, 8:00 p.m. (ET).  The NOI is mandatory when applying for a Discovery Grant. Applicants who do not submit an NOI cannot submit a full application.
 
Applicants are not required to submit their NOI to Research Services in advance for review and signature.  However, applicants may request feedback on their NOI (optional) if submitted sufficiently in advance of the deadline; please contact Leslie Cudmore (lcudmore@upei.ca).  
 
Please note – as previously announced by NSERC, all active Discovery Grant holders (as of the 2020-2021 fiscal year) can elect to receive a one-year extension with funds at their current funding level.  Individuals with grants expiring in 2021-22 (who have not previously received the COVID-19 extension with funds) will be contacted by NSERC in the month of June with information on how to accept the funded extension. For more information on the DG extension with funds please see: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/FAQ-FAQ/DG-SD_eng.asp

NSERC announces new Discovery Horizons grants

End Date (year)
2021

Funding Organization

Announcement Type
Funding

Research Category

Internal Deadline
Body

NSERC is launching a pilot funding opportunity to support investigator-initiated individual and team projects that broadly integrate or transcend disciplines to advance knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE). Full applications submitted to this NSERC program will be reviewed by a tri-agency interdisciplinary peer review committee.

In partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), NSERC is piloting this new interdisciplinary peer review mechanism.

The Discovery Horizons program provides NSERC’s entry-point to the tri-agency interdisciplinary peer-review mechanism. It supports Discovery research projects that would significantly benefit from being assessed by a tri-agency interdisciplinary peer review committee, and aims to 

  1. answer NSE research questions that are best addressed through interdisciplinary approaches
  2. advance NSE disciplines through cross fertilization and new ways of thinking about research questions, ideas and frameworks; approaches and methods; platforms, tools and infrastructure; people, partners and trainees
  3. provide leading-edge NSE training for highly qualified personnel (HQP) in interdisciplinary research environments
Discovery Horizons grants are expected to be between $50,000 and $100,000 per year.  For this pilot year, NSERC is expecting to award 10 to 20 grants. 
 
A limited number of applicants will be invited to submit a full application based on a relevance review of their LOI.
 
UPEI Application Process for Letter of Intent (LOI) stage:
1) Complete your LOI using the Convergence Portal.  
2) Generate a PDF view of the LOI and submit it for UPEI approval using the Researcher Portal and selecting the "Research Funding Administrative Approvals Form for GRANT Applications (rev Dec 2020)".  Instructions for using the Researcher Portal can be found here.  Applicants are requested to submit by June 8, 2021, ensuring that the application is received by Research Services by June 10, 2021.
3) Upon receipt of UPEI approvals, you will be notified to proceed with the submission of your LOI in the Convergence Portal.  The deadline for submission is June 15, 2021.

Climate Action and Awareness Fund: Request for Proposals - Advancing climate change science and technology

End Date (year)
2021

Funding Organization

Announcement Type
Funding

Research Category

Internal Deadline
Body
The new Climate Action and Awareness Fund (CAAF) will invest $206 million over five years to support Canadian-made projects that help to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. The current request for proposals is seeking projects that advance climate change science and technology in Canada. The objective of this request for proposals is to support projects that will strengthen Canada’s science capacity to understand, identify, accelerate, and evaluate mitigation actions that will work towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
 
Climate change science and technology projects may include activities related to monitoring, data collection, model development, application of novel technologies, and/or knowledge synthesis aimed at enhancing understanding at the national, provincial, regional, or local level, including Indigenous communities.
 
The projects funded by this request for proposals must fall under one of the following themes:
Theme 1: Informing carbon sink enhancements: nature-based climate solutions
Theme 2: Understanding the potential for, and implications of, negative emission technologies
Theme 3: Understanding city- and municipal-level GHG emissions and mitigation effectiveness
Theme 4: Understanding multiple benefits of integrated mitigation approaches for greenhouse gases and air pollutants
Theme 5: Understanding and quantifying transportation sector emissions in Canada
 
To be eligible for funding under this request for proposals, lead applicants must be one of the following:
- universities and other academic institutions;
- not-for-profit non-government organizations (NGO, e.g., environmental community groups); or
- Indigenous organizations
 
This request for proposals will provide up to $6 million per project over a maximum of five years.
 
For more information, see this link and consult the attached Applicant Guide.
 
Application process
There is a two-step application process, consisting of a letter of intent phase open to all eligible applicants, followed by an invitation-only full proposal phase. 
 
UPEI application process for submission and approval of the letter of intent (LOI):
1) Prepare your LOI using the attached form
- Please note that indirect costs must be included in the budget at an amount of 20% of the direct cost request.
2) Submit your LOI and supporting documents for UPEI approval using the Researcher Portal and selecting the "Research Funding Administrative Approvals Form for GRANT Applications (rev Dec 2020)".  
- Applicants are requested to submit by June 3rd, 2021, ensuring that the application is received by Research Services by June 7, 2021.
3) Upon receipt of UPEI approvals, you will be provided with access to the Grants and Contributions Enterprise Management System for submission of your LOI.  The deadline for submission is June 10, 2021, at 3:00 PM ET.

Tri-agency funding opportunity: Encouraging vaccine confidence in Canada

End Date (year)
2021

Funding Organization

Announcement Type
Funding

Research Category

Internal Deadline
Body

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) are pleased to launch a special $2.25 million funding opportunity to support activities that promote vaccine confidence in Canada. The agencies expect these activities will improve public understanding of vaccines and help Canadians to make evidence-based decisions, especially among populations that are hesitant about vaccines.

The new funding is targeted at Canadian non-profit organizations, non-federal museums and science centres, and academic institutions with a strong track record of science and/or health promotion. Researchers from all fields with an expertise in combating vaccine-related misinformation may apply either individually through their institutions or in collaboration with science, social sciences, humanities, and/or health promotion organizations.

Funding Information

Grants have a value of up to $50,000 and are to be used over a one-year period.

 
You can use the grant to cover operational costs, such as staff and personnel salaries, materials, supplies or translation, as long as they are essential to the delivery of activities supported by the grant. Meals, travel and accommodation for participants in the activity are also an eligible expense, where or when circumstances allow. Items such as tobacco and gifts to Elders are also eligible, as honoraria.  You may not use the grant to support research, however.

For more information: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Promoter-Promotion/VaccineConfidence_eng.asp

Webinars

NSERC will host information webinars to discuss the funding opportunity’s goals and selection criteria, how to prepare an application, and to answer questions. Interested applicants can attend the French session on March 8, 2021 at 2:30 PM (Atlantic Time) and/or the English session on March 9, 2021 at 1:30 PM (Atlantic Time).
 
Deadlines
 
Applicants must submit a penultimate copy of their application using the UPEI Romeo Researcher Portal for internal approval, ensuring that it reaches Research Services for review by March 29, 2021. Include the completed Application Summary Form as it requires the signature of the Vice President, Academic and Research.  
 
Upon receipt of internal approval, applicants must upload their application to NSERC's Secure Submission site before 9:00 p.m. (AT) on April 5, 2021.  
 
Please note that, due to the holiday weekend, support from Research Services will only be available until Thursday, April 1st.  
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