Are you engaging with an Australian business that has operated for at least three consecutive years, and within the current or previous two years had an annual turnover of at least $1.5m (or $750,00 for remote or northern Australia)?

You may be able to access Innovation Connections - a non-competitive program that funds research activities. It encourages and assists small and medium businesses to access knowledge, engage with researchers and foster innovation.

Join an information session by David Monck, Innovation Connections facilitator, at Flinders Bedford Park, Monday 10 February, 11 am – 12 noon. Register now through ienrol - Research to attend.

Innovation Connections facilitators provide guidance to match businesses with researchers to address knowledge or research related issues. David will be available to answer your questions in addition to providing insight into the program.

Activities that can be funded through this ongoing program are: 

• Researcher Placement: the placement of a Researcher in the business to work collaboratively on a specific Innovation Connections project in order to develop and implement a new idea with commercial potential (up to a maximum of $50,000, matched by business partner);
• Business Researcher Placement: the placement of a Participants’ own research employee into a Publicly Funded Research Organisation to work collaboratively on a specific Innovation Connections project and access to research infrastructure (up to a maximum of $50,000, matched by business partner);
• Graduate Placement: the employment of a graduate or post graduate into the Participant’s business to undertake a specific Innovation Connections project collaboratively with a Publicly Funded Research Organisation (up to a maximum of $30,000, matched by business partner).

Researchers of any discipline can be involved in this program; the funds provide support to businesses operating in the Growth Sectors, as well as the Enabling Technologies and Services to the Growth Sectors.

If you are interested in finding out more information about this opportunity please contact Mary Lyons, Senior Research Grants Officer (IGII).

The Flinders' Applying for and managing human ethics webpage has been updated.

The meeting schedule for the Flinders' Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee (SBREC) has been changed, and the dates are available for viewing on the webpage.

If you have any queries regarding the submission of applications for human ethics approval, please contact the Human Research Ethics Officers for the SBREC at Flinders.

Join the Southgate Institute for Health, Society and Equity Policy Club to reflect on how chronic stress influences adults’ and children’s mental health and wellbeing, and what policy responses are needed at their seminar, "Impacts of ongoing stress on mental health and wellbeing, and implications for policy". 

Chronic stress is a key pathway by which social factors get 'under the skin' to affect physical or mental health and wellbeing. Chronic stress is an equity issue because exposure to stressors is more frequent among people experiencing higher socioeconomic disadvantage. With the establishment of Wellbeing SA, there is the potential to explore possible policy responses to address chronic stress. 

When: 5.15pm to 6.30pm Tuesday 11 February 2020 (followed by refreshments and nibbles)

Where: Flinders in the City, corner Flinders Street and Victoria Square, Level 2 Room 2.1

RSVP: enquiries.southgateinstitute@flinders.edu.au

If you are unable to attend, the seminar will be livestreamed via the following link: https://video.flinders.edu.au/events20/20/SouthgatePolicyClub.cfm

Professor Fran Baum, Director, Southgate Institute for Health, Society and Equity, will Chair the seminar. The speakers will be: 

• Dr Leila Morsy: "Toxic stress and children's outcomes"
• Mrs Jane Fitzgerald: "How urban planning / environment policies can reduce or avoid the impacts of stress"
• Dr Matt Fisher: "Toward public wellbeing: Society, chronic stress and mental health"

Partnership Engagement Grants enable researchers to partner with the Heart Foundation to apply to NHMRC, ARC and other funding bodies for large-scale cardiovascular research projects. Success in this grant provides the applicant partnership support when applying for the large-scale funding.

The program is predominantly aimed at NHMRC Partnerships for Better Health Projects (Partnership Projects) and ARC Linkage Projects, however other partnership grant types will be considered. 

By partnering with the Heart Foundation, researchers benefit from association with a large, reputable organisation that will enhance their ability to attract further funding. The award provides financial, reputational and in-kind support. A successful application would be one that aligns with the Heart Foundation’s strategy, priorities and values. 

Applicants may request a financial contribution, an in-kind contribution, or a combination of both. If requesting a financial contribution, the amount requested must be equal to or less than $150,000.

Round One applications close on 20 March 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 6 March 2020. For application advice and assistance, contact Gareth Rees, Senior Research Grants Officer (NHMRC and Health).

For more information, including eligibility criteria, visit the Heart Foundation website.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is the federal Canadian research funding agency that promotes and supports postsecondary-based research and research training in the humanities and social sciences. By focusing on developing Talent, generating Insights and forging Connections across campuses and communities, SSHRC strategically supports world-leading initiatives that reflect a commitment to ensuring a better future for Canada and the world.

The SSHRC Partnership Grants are expected to respond to the objectives of the Insight and/or the Connection program. Proposals exclusively for partnered research training initiatives are expected to respond, instead, to the objectives of the Talent program. Flinders researchers are eligible to apply as co-applicants on Partnership Grants, with a Canadian lead applicant.

These grants provide support for new and existing formal partnerships over four to seven years to advance research, research training and/or knowledge mobilisation in the social sciences and humanities through mutual co-operation and sharing of intellectual leadership, as well as through resources as evidenced by cash and/or in-kind contributions.

SSHRC invites applicants and their partner organisations who wish to propose formal disciplinary, interdisciplinary, interinstitutional, international and/or cross-sector partnership arrangements to apply for support through this funding opportunity. Funds are available to support a variety of formal partnership initiatives in all of the disciplines and themes eligible for funding at SSHRC.

There are two categories of partnerships that may request support:

• Existing partnerships: Support to foster new research and/or research-related partnership activities that are distinct from the partnership’s previous/ongoing partnership activities.
• New partnerships: Support to foster new research and/or research-related partnership activities that are undertaken by partnerships in their initial stages.

Partnership Grants are intended for large teams working in formal collaboration between postsecondary institutions and/or organisations of various types. The quality of training, mentoring and employability plans for students and emerging scholars will be evaluated as an important part of the proposed initiative.

Partnership Grants undergo a two-stage adjudication process. Only applicants successful at Stage 1 will be invited to submit an application at Stage 2.

Stage 1: Applications successful at Stage 1 are valued at up to $20,000. These funds help applicants successful in Stage 1 to prepare for the Stage 2 application, that is, to further refine the question(s) to be addressed; to establish partnership arrangements, governance structure and/or approach/methodology; and to consolidate their collaborative activities.

Stage 2 (by invitation only): Partnership Grants are valued at up to $500,000 per year over four to seven years, up to a total of $2,500,000.

The closing date for Stage 1 applications is 15 February 2020. Any Flinders' co-applicants are encouraged to contact Mary Lyons, Senior Research Grants Officer (IGII), as soon as possible for application advice and assistance.

For further information, visit the SSHRC website.

The Living Lab partners invite you to hear how Big Data and data analytics can help us better understand our behaviour and increase Adelaide’s economy and liveability.

The Big Data – Future Cities Forum includes speakers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Chief Scientist for South Australia, DSpark and SA NT Datalink. They will discuss the role of big data in providing the tools to address the challenges to sustain Adelaide’s future growth.

Date: Monday 10 February 2020

Time: 9.00am to 12.30pm (a light lunch is included following the Forum)

Location: Lot 14, Eleanor Harrald Building, Lecture Theatre, Frome Road

Cost: Complements of the Government of South Australia

RSVP via Eventbrite. More information, including the speakers list is available at the Eventbrite page.

The world needs science and science needs women.

Applications for the 2020 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Australian & New Zealand Fellowships are now open. This year, the program will be supporting solely women researchers tackling issues around climate change.

Each year the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science program recognises the achievements of outstanding female scientists in over 100 countries. Since 1998 over 2,500 women have been awarded Fellowships to support their continued research.

In 2020 five For Women in Science Fellowships worth $25,000 - four for Australia and one for New Zealand, will be awarded. Eligible candidates must be within five years of completing their PhD and an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. Applicants must undertake research contributing to issues associated with climate change.

Applications are due Monday 2 March 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 17 February 2020. For application advice and assistance, contact Dr Marina Delpin, Manager: Research Training, Development and Communication.

More information and the online application form can be found at www.forwomeninscience.com.au.

The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZ Fund) is an innovative philanthropy providing small grants to boots-on-the-ground, get-your-hands-dirty, in-the-field species conservation projects for the world’s most threatened species.

Through innovative micro-financing, the MBZ Fund empowers conservationists to fight the extinction crisis instead of bureaucracy and red-tape. To date the Fund has awarded over 2000 grants to a diverse range of species across the world.

The MBZ Fund has been established to provide targeted grants to individual species conservation initiatives, recognise leaders in the field and elevate the importance of species in the broader conservation debate. Its focus is global and eligibility for grants will extend to all plant, animal and fungi species conservation efforts, without discrimination on the basis of region or selected species.

Round one closes 29 February 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 14 February 2020. Please note that the MBZ Fund advises not leave it until the last minute to submit your application but do so well ahead of the deadline. 

Round two closes on 30 June 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 16 June 2020.

Round two closes on 31 October 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 16 October 2020.

For grant writing and administrative support, please contact Denise Caretti, Trust & Foundations Coordinator - Alumni & Advancement, Office of Communication, Marketing & Engagement. For more information, including frequently asked questions, visit the MBZ Fund website.

BLiSS was founded with a vision to break down walls between disciplines to design a more ambitious research for tomorrow by empowering EMCRs to form multidisciplinary collaborations.

The inaugural BLiSS*Adelaide EMCR Collaborative Symposium was held on 4 October 2019. The BLiSS*Adelaide committee is now looking for passionate and highly motivated early- and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) to join the 2020 committee to make the next event even bigger and better!

The Adelaide symposium brought together researchers from across Adelaide to meet, share and grow new ideas. In 2019 attendees came from diverse STEMM backgrounds such as biomedical engineering, life sciences, applied linguistics and photonics biosensing, to name a few.

BLiSS*Adelaide attendees found the event useful for creating links across disciplines – 100% of attendees indicated they had met new EMCRs outside their discipline on the day, and 40% thought it likely they would develop a new collaboration with one of these connections. Delegates praised the unique format of talks and discussions, and 98% of attendees said they would recommend BLiSS events to colleagues and friends.

Build your CV and skills set. If you would like to play a role in shaping the research landscape in Adelaide, whilst working with highly talented and motivated E/MCRs in Adelaide, you can apply to join the team by downloading the application form and applying by 3 February 2020.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is the federal Canadian research funding agency that promotes and supports postsecondary-based research and research training in the humanities and social sciences. By focusing on developing Talent, generating Insights and forging Connections across campuses and communities, SSHRC strategically supports world-leading initiatives that reflect a commitment to ensuring a better future for Canada and the world.

The objective of the SSHRC Transformation stream is to support large-scale, Canadian-led interdisciplinary research projects that address a major challenge with the potential to realise real and lasting change. The challenge may be fundamental, leading to a scientific breakthrough, or applied, with a social, economic, environmental or health impact. Projects are expected to be world-leading, drawing on global research expertise, when relevant.

Transformation stream grants will support projects that:

1. tackle a well-defined problem or challenge;
2. propose a novel world-leading approach that is different from the current state-of-the-art approaches to the issue;
3. are interdisciplinary, bringing different perspectives to the defined problem; and
4. have the potential to be transformative, defined as the potential to create a significant and real change or impact—a noticeable leap or tangible breakthrough rather than an incremental advance.

Transformation grants are valued at between $2,000,000 and $4,000,000 per year (including indirect costs) for up to six years.

The closing date for Notice of Intent is 18 February 2020. Any Flinders' co-principal investigators, co-applicants and/or collaborators are encouraged to contact Mary Lyons, Senior Research Grants Officer (IGII), as soon as possible for application advice and assistance.

For further information, visit the SSHRC website.

Pawsey Supercomputing Centre are leading a User Training & User Forum in Adelaide in on 25 and 26 February for Researchers working with, or thinking about working with High Performance Computing. 

The training introduces Pawsey supercomputing and cloud resources and presents how to use those resources to aid researchers’ work. There is a minimal charge for each session.

Sessions include:

• Introduction to Pawsey
• Introduction to Unix
• Introduction to supercomputing
• Nimbus research cloud training
• Intermediate supercomputing

The links for more information and registrations are available on the Pawsey website.

The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards (the Awards) is an annual program which accepts books published in the previous calendar year. The Awards celebrate the contribution of Australian literature and history to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life.

The Awards play an important role in supporting a national appreciation of Australian literature. Entries are sought for books of high literary merit, and in the case of Australian history, scholarly accomplishment.

The Australian history category recognises outstanding work that contributes significantly to an understanding of Australian history.

They provide acknowledgement and prizes to the authors and illustrators that have published the best works of Australian literature each year.

The Awards are administered through an open competitive process. Awards are presented in six categories; fiction, non-fiction, young adult literature, children’s literature, poetry and Australian history. Up to $100,000 will be awarded in each category—$80,000 for the winning entry and $5,000 each for a maximum of four shortlisted entries. All prizes are tax-free.

Nominations close on 28 February 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 14 February 2020. For application advice and assistance, contact Dr Marina Delpin, Manager, Research Development, Training and Communication.

For more information, including the eligibility criteria, visit the Awards website.

The Department of Health is seeking interest from a range of stakeholders to assist in the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant review and assessment processes as a member of a Grant Assessment Committee for a number of 2019-20 MRFF grant opportunities. 

The MRFF helps shape the future of health and medical research, improve lives and contributes to an innovative and sustainable health system. It has a particular focus on collaborative and translational research and utilises grant assessment processes that embrace diverse perspectives, including alternative disciplines, industry, health care and consumer experience.

In line with the published MRFF Grant Opportunity Guidelines, MRFF grant assessments have a strong focus on impact and value and the Department of Health is interested in hearing from people with translation, implementation, and a health and medical consumer focus, who can demonstrate experience and/or expertise in the following areas:

• Translation of research into clinical practice
• Commercialisation of health research
• Transdisciplinary research, e.g. collaboration and/or engagement between researchers, consumers, patient groups, those involved in health service delivery and industry
• International research projects, including clinical trials.

It is not essential to have a research qualification to contribute to MRFF grant assessment.

Please note that NHMRC administers some MRFF grant opportunities on behalf of the Department of Health. As such, participation as a member of an MRFF Grant Assessment Committee is independent of, and should be considered separate to, any existing NHMRC peer review responsibilities.

To register your interest, visit the Grant Assessment Committee online portal.

Science is critical in solving global challenges. In 2020 Nature Research are inviting applications from early career researchers.

The winner will receive a grant of USD $30,000, coverage on nature.com and on the Award’s website, and an expenses paid invitation to attend the prize presentation ceremony at the 2020 Tencent WE Summit, to be held in Beijing in November 2020. The two runners up will each receive a grant of USD $10,000 and coverage on nature.com and on the Award’s website.

Applications are sought from ECRs working in one or more of the following areas:

• Food security, water security and/or energy security – ensuring a long term, sustainable supply of either food, water or energy.
• Healthcare interventions – the assessment, improvement or promotion of human health.
• Environmental protection – protection of the natural environment on land and water including the repair of damage.
• Climate change – slowing climate change and adapting to what’s unavoidable.
• Sustainable cities – building green, liveable cities that last.

They should hold a PhD or clinical doctorate, awarded not earlier than 1 January 2005, lead an independent research group established within the past 5 years as of 1 January 2020 and need to demonstrate that the application, or potential application, of their research will make a positive impact on one or more global challenges above.

Applications close on 27 March 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 13 March 2020. For application advice and assistance, contact Dr Marina Delpin, Manager, Research Training, Development and Communication.

For further information, including the guidelines for applicants, visit the Nature Research website.

Through their new research funding rounds, Kidney Health Australia, aims to reduce the impact of kidney disease on all Australians through the support of research.

The 2019-2020 Funding round will focus on research relating to making kidney transplants last longer in the basic science, psychosocial or clinical science/population health areas. The Grants scheme offers a once only amount of up to a maximum of $50,000 towards the cost of the project, with a total of 3 Awards available.

In 2016-2017 Kidney Health Australia conducted a review of the research grant system, and as a result of the review, research at Kidney Health Australia has undergone a transformation with a focus on community participation, a research agenda with structured programs of research endorsed by our community and organisational collaboration.

In line with its consumer focus, the Kidney Health Australia Research Grant Program will prioritise projects that clearly demonstrate consumer and/or community involvement or engagement at some or all stages of the research cycle. This includes:

• Consumer input into research priority setting, conception, design and conduct of research ideas and studies
• Consumers as part of the research team
• Consumer input in dissemination of research findings
• Consumer and community involvement in research translation and knowledge implementation

The deadline for funding submissions is Friday 14 February 2020. The Flinders internal closing date for a completed final draft application is 30 January 2020. For application advice and assistance, contact Mary Lyons, Senior Research Grants Officer (IGII). For more information, visit the Kidney Health Australia website. Applicants are advised to read the Kidney Health Australia Research Guide to Applicants before submitting their application.

The University of Adelaide Library has extended an invitation to Flinders University Library, academics, researchers, HDRs and professional staff to attend a series of three training sessions on the Cambridge Core platform on 18 February 2020.

The first session is focused on conducting research with the Cambridge Core Platform, while the second session concentrate on how to get published with Cambridge University Press and the third session provides an opportunity for questions and answers with the presenters.

Morning Tea will be served and sessions are estimated to run for 45 minutes. Further information, location and registration details are available via Eventbrite.

Please contact Mary Filsell, College and Research Services Librarian, Flinders university Library, if you have any further queries.

The Drug Discovery and Development SA Symposium will provide an opportunity to showcase and share drug discovery and development expertise, strengths and resources in South Australia, in addition to excellent networking and poster display

Hosted by the UniSA Cancer Research Institute in conjunction with the Adelaide BioMed City, the symposium will be held on Monday 17 February 2020, from 8.30 am – 4.30 pm, at the UniSA Cancer Research Institute, North Tce, Adelaide.

Guest speakers include:

• Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist for South Australia;
• Dr Robert Williams, Chief Drug Development Scientist, Cancer Research UK Centre for Drug Development
• Professor Ross McKinnon, College of Medicine and Public Health
• and other speakers from SAHMRI, CALHN, and Universities in SA

Lunch will be provided for attendees (G/F and vegetarian options wil be provided). Drinks and networking to be held at conclusion of event.

Register via eventbrite.

The Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) Program provides grants of up to $1 million to support the translation of new therapies, technologies and medical devices through to the proof of concept stage. Entities eligible for funding include universities, medical research institutes and SMEs. 

Register now to join representatives from the BTB partners on 5 February at the Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus) in Adelaide to learn more about the program, and the upcoming second round of funding which opens in February 2020.

The BTB Program is an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund. The BTB program is operated by MTPConnect in partnership with BioCurate, UniQuest, the Medical Device Partnering Program and the Bridge and BridgeTech programs.

Feedback is sought on the ANZSRC Review Consultation Draft which is now available on the Australian Research Council (ARC) website. The proposed changes to both the Fields of Research (FoR) and Socio-Economic Objectives (SEO) classifications are now available for comment.

Flinders University will be submitting a University wide response to this review. Please email feedback to research.data@flinders.edu.au by CoB Friday, 31 January 2020.

Feedback is sought on:

1. Whether the revised classifications accurately capture the current Australian and New Zealand research landscape. 
2. Whether any errors or ambiguities have been introduced in the drafting process. 
3. Concordance between the old and revised ANZSRC classifications, including
1. where codes have been deleted, where would that research be classified in the revised ANZSRC? 
2. where new codes have been created, where would that research have been classified in ANZSRC 2008?

Feedback should directly address corrections that are required to the draft classification to ensure the classification reflects research practices in Australia and New Zealand. If you identify issues with the draft, please provide specific suggestions as to how they could be resolved. Please consider your response in the context of disciplinary research practice, the multiple uses of ANZSRC and the information provided in the ANZSRC Consultation Draft Paper or ANZSRC Review Consultation Draft: Indigenous Research. To assist in a balanced evaluation of the draft, submissions in support of changes are also welcomed.

The Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion (ANZSBT) seeks expressions of interest for the ANZSBT Research Fund for the calendar year 2020. The Society is offering a total of AUD $75,000 comprising either a single grant of $75,000 or smaller grants totalling $75,000.

The ANZSBT Research Fund supports basic, clinical and translational transfusion research in Australasia to investigators at all levels of their careers. The aim of the Research fund is to support the advancement of research in transfusion medicine and science and to promote and develop research in related medical knowledge and science.

The Society maintains broad interests in clinical practice improvement, patient blood management and haemovigilance.

In addition, the ANZSBT Council has nominated the following research priorities for 2020:

• Transfusion in rural and remote settings;
• Transfusion in the fetal, neonatal and paediatric settings;
• Transfusion in indigenous populations or minority groups of Australia or New Zealand; or
• Transfusion in the elderly.

Grants will be available for research projects and are intended for researchers who have not received significant funding from other sources for the nominated project. Applications that seek funding to provide service delivery are unlikely to be funded.

Consideration will be given to applications that support a candidate to obtain an academic degree and/or to conduct research work or gain professional expertise at a centre of excellence relevant to the field of blood transfusion.

Applications are due 28 February 2020. The Flinders Internal closing date is 14 February 2020 for a completed final draft application. For grant writing and administrative support, please contact Denise Caretti, Trust & Foundations Coordinator - Alumni & Advancement, Office of Communication, Marketing & Engagement.