Interested researchers for an expected MRFF Frontier Health and Medical Research Program call are invited to complete a Flinders University Expression of Interest (EOI). As past calls from the MRFF have been on short notice and for a short duration, this will enable Research Development and Support to coordinate internal support and to notify interested researchers as soon as the calls are announced.

To complete the EOI please select the Expressions of Interest line in Reportal, accessible via OKTA, by selecting Expressions of Interest under Tasks and Actions. Once a 'New Expression of Interest' has been added, MRFF needs to be selected as the funding organisation. Please complete the EOI by 8 October 2018.

Note this EOI is not intended to be a selection process.

The MRFF has provided $240 million over five years to support researchers’ ‘out of the box’ ideas and discoveries to deliver new technologies and treatments to improve health and open new markets.  The MRFF will allocate the funds in two stages:

1. by an open competitive call for proposals where successful applicants will be provided 1 year and $1 million to advance their idea; and
2. selection of the best successful applicants from stage one to receive up to five years of funding between $10 and 20 million.

The MRFF Frontier Health and Medical Research Program was announced in the 2018/19 Federal Budget. Details on the Frontier Health and Medical Program can be found at https://beta.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/frontier-health-and-medical-research.

Developed by the CRC Association and Collabforge, the Collaboration for Industry Impact - Deep Dive workshop (two half-days) will combine practical bid-creation content with a deep dive into the theory and practice of collaboration.

The workshop will teach participants what makes a great bid, what the process of bid development entails, the roles of all bid participants, and how to build effective relationship / communication between researchers and industry to develop a compelling application/bid.

Participants will be provided with the opportunity to develop their ideas in conjunction with guidance materials and feedback, finishing with substantive parts of their bid concepts being fleshed out (these can be hypothetical CRCs, bids planned for submission, or even ARC Linkage type concepts).

This will help researchers to better understand how they can build successful partnerships with their industry partners, and form a bid concept that will deliver industry impact.

The workshop will be held over two half-days, 25 - 26 October 2018 at the University of Melbourne. For more information and to Register, visit here.

beyondblue is excited to announce an opportunity for researchers across Australia to involve beyondblue as a partner on an NHMRC Partnership Project funding application or an ARC Linkages Project funding application.

beyondblue is seeking Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from researchers addressing depression, anxiety and/or suicide prevention who would like to involve beyondblue as a partner organisation on an NHMRC or ARC application.

If your research proposal fits with their mission and priorities (refer to guidelines), and your application to the NHMRC or ARC is successful, beyondblue will provide up to $50,000 per annum (excl. GST) for three years (total $150,000 excl. GST) and in kind support. beyondblue intends to be a partner in up to five applications in total (NHMRC & ARC combined).

Visit https://www.beyondblue.org.au/about-us/research-projects for more information on beyondblue’s research priorities and how to submit an EOI to beyondblue.

EOIs must be made using beyondblue’s standard templates and be submitted via email to research@beyondblue.org.au by 5.00pm AEST on Friday 12 October 2018. For EOI assistance and advice, please contact Mary Lyons, Senior Research Officer, IGII.

The Hospital Research Foundation (HRF) is calling for applications for PhD Scholarships in both clinical and scientific medical research for South Australian students.

A total of ten scholarships at $32,000 per annum (for three years) are on offer that will support students commencing their PhD at a South Australian university in Semester 1 2019.

Five of these will be awarded to basic science research with the other five awarded to clinical research.

Applications close at 4pm, Friday October 12 2018.

For more information, including details on eligibility, selection criteria, and how to apply, please visit the HRF website.

The Lung Foundation have applications open for two new research awards that will support cutting edge projects.

The awards are for a PhD in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and a scholarship assiting with a Cochrane Systematic Review.

Lung Foundation Australia David Wilson PhD Scholarship in IPF Research 2019

This scholarship supports research to increase clinical knowledge about the incidence, prevalence or disease progression of IPF in Australia. Students, who are wishing to undertake a PhD and can demonstrate that their University or Research Institute is willing to partner and co-fund a PhD Scholarship in IPF research, are invited to submit an application.

Lung Foundation Australia will be allocating a set amount of $15,000 per year over a three year period for the PhD scholarship, with matching or greater funds to be provided by the University or Research Institute.

This scholarship is a collaborative initiative of Lung Foundation Australia, Thoracic Society of Australia, Centre for Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis and Mr David Wilson.

Lung Foundation Australia/Cochrane Airways Australia Scholarship 2019

Lung Foundation Australia and Cochrane Airways Australia invite applications for the Lung Foundation Australia/Cochrane Airways Australia Scholarship 2019 valued at $2,500. This scholarship is intended to assist with the completion, update and/or presentation of a Cochrane Systematic Review.

Applications close Friday 2 November, 2018. The Flinders internal closing date is 19 October 2018. For advice and information, please contact Gareth Rees, Senior Research Grants Officer (NHMRC, MRFF, and Health).

For further information and how to apply, please see the Lung Foundation website.

A presentation on the Eligibility for the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) new grant program will be delivered by Gareth Rees and Rebecca Cook on Tuesday 25 September 2018.

This presentation will explain the eligibility for grants under the NHMRC’s new grant program. Hear about the transition from the old NHMRC scheme and how the new rules impact on what NHMRC grants can be applied for.

There will be an opportunity for questions and discussion.

The presentation will be on Tuesday 25 September, from 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM in Lecture Theatre 1, Flinders Medical Centre.

Gareth is the Senior Research Grants Officer, (NHMRC, MRFF and Health) and Rebecca is the Senior Research Support Officer, CMPH, Research Development and Support.

This session will be livestreamed. Please send enquiries to kirsty.deruyter@flinders.edu.au.

The Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) offers two Research Awards annually.

These awards support a postgraduate student member of the ASMR nearing completion of their studies or a recently graduated (3 years maximum) postdoctoral member to undertake a short period of research in a laboratory outside of Australia ($5,000) or in a distal laboratory ($2,000) within Australia.

The award specifically excludes support for conference attendance and travel for an extended period of postdoctoral studies. Applicants for these awards must have been members of the ASMR for at least 12 months immediately preceding the year in which the Award application is to be considered.

Applications close 28 September 2018. For more information, please visit the ASMR website.

After the memorable debut in 2016, it's back, and you're invited! The New Venture Institute (NVI) has created one of the world's biggest speed networking platforms to connect SA's forward-thinkers, action-takers and self-starters.

This year, it's bigger and smarter than ever. NVI is using precise data science and analytics to match each networker with their 22 'speed dates', for more meaningful connections.

South Australia's on the rise when it comes to global innovation, but it can be difficult to successfully tap into talent and resources. NVI created Icebreaker to take networking to the next level, so it's quick, intense and incredibly fun.

Block out 21 November, and get ready for the networking event of the year - Icebreaker18 tickets are on sale now.

The Australian Academy of Science Early- and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Forum has opened expressions of interest for EMCRs to join the Executive Committee in 2019.

The Forum Executive is looking for new Executive Members who can bring enthusiasm, effort, skills and ideas to the EMCR Forum. All EMCRs interested in improving the research environment in Australia are welcome to apply.

The Forum Executive has a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and will select new members with these principles in mind. This year the Forum Executive strongly encourages applicants from underrepresented minorities to apply. Read more about this opportunity and how to apply.

Expressions of interest close Sunday 30 September 2018.

On 25 May 2018, the European Union (EU) introduced the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which increases privacy rights for residents of the EU. Research activities at Flinders University may be within scope of the GDPR if they involve personal information about EU residents.

Information and Digital Services (IDS) and Legal Services have developed a GDPR compliance resource. They are now requesting researchers to review this resource to ensure their collection, use and disclosure of personal information is authorised.

The University’s Privacy Policy will be updated, following consultation, to ensure all activities are authorised, and additional resources will be developed in due course. Advice should be sought for research projects involving data from EU residents.

If you have any further queries, or wold like some further guidance on how to proceed, please contact Legal Services at legal@flinders.edu.au.

The Supporting people with cancer grant initiative aims to reduce the burden of cancer through the provision of grants to community organisations; and encourage effective partnerships between organisations in order to improve coordination, accessibility and development of quality cancer support networks to better support people affected by cancer.

The outcome of the initiative is to build evidence-based information and improve access to quality, coordinated and sustainable cancer support networks for all Australians.

The external closing date is Tuesday 30 October 2018, 2.00pm AEDST (Australian Eastern Daylight Time). The Flinders internal closing date is Tuesday 16 October 2018. For application advice and information, please contact Gareth Rees, Senior Research Grants Officer (NHMRC and Health).

The Program will be undertaken according to the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines (CGRGs) http://www.finance.gov.au/sites/default/files/commonwealth-grants-rules-and-guidelines-July2014.pdf

A total of $360,000 over three years is available for the Supporting people with cancer grant initiative Round 11.

• Each grant cannot exceed $120,000 GST exclusive for the three year period.
• You are required to provide a contribution towards the grant project of up to $120,000 GST exclusive over three years.

Further Information is available at the Cancer Australia website.

At the request of the Australian Government, the Australian Academy of Science, with support from the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), is developing a Women in STEM Decadal Plan.

This plan will create a 10-year roadmap for enhancing the participation and retention of girls and women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The decadal plan will be developed through a broad process of consultation with individuals and organisations involved in or with an interest in STEM throughout Australia.

Contributing to the consultation process can be either via written submissions or community consultations forums.

Community forums will be held in all capital cities. Register now to attend. An online forum will also be held on 9 October.

The Northern Territory forum will be held on Wednesday 26 September, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm at the Darwin Innovation Hub, Level 1, 48-50 Smith St, Darwin, NT 0800.

Register to receive updates about the Women in STEM Decadal Plan including on consultation times and venues in your state or territory.

Researchers are invited to self-nominate to be considered for appointment to NHMRC expert review panels.

The nominations for researchers opened on Wednesday 12 September 2018. Self-nominations must be entered in RGMS by Wednesday 17 October 2018. 

Nominations will open for the following schemes:

• Centres of Research Excellence
• Clinical Trials and Cohorts Studies Grants
• Development Grants
• Ideas Grants
• Investigator Grants
• Keeping Australians Out of Hospital Grant Program
• MRFF Clinical Trials Activity – Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Need grant program
• MRFF International Clinical Trial Collaborations grant program
• Partnership Projects
• Postgraduate Scholarships
• Synergy Grants
• Targeted Health Systems Research Grant Program

A guide to assist researchers in determining the most appropriate funding program(s) to which they might contribute their expertise and experience is available from the NHMRC’s website.

'How to' instructions within RGMS are available here.

The CSIRO is offering two awards that recognise STEM Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and STEM professionals, communities, organisations and individuals.

Applications close (for both Awards) on Friday 28 September 2018 Awards. The Flinders internal closing date is 14 September 2018. For advice and support, please contact Marina Delpin, Research Development and Support.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander STEM Professional Awards recognise people who have made a significant contribution to key STEM initiatives and demonstrate suitability and capacity to act as a role model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. There are two awards in this category—the early career award and the career achievement award. The winners will become Indigenous STEM Education ambassadors and receive a prize of $20,000.

The STEM Champion Award celebrates STEM professionals, communities, organisations and individuals who are contributing to the success of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in achieving their STEM aspirations. The award targets those who have played a key role in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, teachers, schools and communities in STEM programs. Nominations for this award may be completed by teachers, principals or students, or be self-nominated.

Early Bird registration for the 6th Biennial ACSPRI Social Science Methodology Conference 2018 will close on 26 October 2018. To register, visit the ACSPRI conference website here.

All Flinders staff are eligible to register as a member of an ACSPRI Member Organisation. The Conference will be held from Wednesday 12 December to Friday 14 December 2018 at the University of Sydney.

The calls for abstracts of papers close on 14 September 2018.

ACSPRI is pleased to announce that on Day 1 of the conference, in addition to workshops, they will be incorporating the ANU-NCRM Social-Biological Methods Festival. Featuring international and Australian expertise in the growing field of social-biological research, this methods festival will showcase best-practice work in this interdisciplinary area and build skills and capacity of researchers in use of social-biological methods.

The four workshops (included in the registration costs) to be selected from are:

1. Introduction to the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): Data user training
2. Analysing and integrating mixed methods data
3. Conducting Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling with R
4. Methodological considerations in Biosocial Research

The International Journal of Inclusive Education will be publishing a "special issue" entitled, 'The efficacy of policies, theories and actions to support the inclusion of refugees'. This issue will be published in 2019. The special issue will comprise 6 to 12 papers depending upon the level of interest.

This special issue invites contributions on human flows from a policy, theoretical and practical aspect. It is less concerned with definitional matters; who are we to decide politically, morally and ethically who has the right to flee. The issue looks away from the much-debated causes of massive refugee movements and looks to the efficacy and assessment of actions directed towards inclusion.

Some suggested topics are:

• Globally differentiated and shared refugee policies of inclusion,
• In terms of specific areas, the practice of language, literacy, numeracy and ICT in education, health, employment and well-being are topics of particular interest,
• The role of cultural and inter-cultural practices of sensitivity and appropriateness,
• The inter-relationship between different professions working with refugees,
• Methodologies generating resources to facilitate and support the practice of inclusion.

Papers will be subject to anonymous peer review according to the journal’s requirements for scholarly contributions. Details of the journal’s publishing style may be found at: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?journalCode=tied20&page=instructions. The editors are keen for contributions that address the regions of South East Asia.

Submissions must comprise the title of the proposed journal paper, the names, affiliations and contact details for the author/s and an abstract that should not exceed 300 words including 3-6 key words. The submission should be sent in file format doc. or doc.x to Dr. Marta Pinto at mpinto@fpce.up.pt The deadline for the final paper is 30 November 2018.

The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) is calling for applications for the ASSA-CASS Joint Action Program.

In 2019, at least four grants will be awarded to teams of social scientists from Australia and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). Applications are due by 31 October 2018. The Flinders internal closing date is 17 October 2018. For application advice and assistance, please contact Mary Lyons, Senior Research Grants Officer (IGII).

The grant is intended to provide Australian and CASS researchers the opportunity to collaborate in areas of interest to both parties. The grant is particularly suited to younger researchers who wish to investigate a research opportunity with an international colleague, and pursue preliminary study which could lead to a larger research project.

It calls for researchers to submit a short statement indicating their interest in a new research project with an overseas partner having similar interests. Proposals which encompass multiple disciplines are welcome. The grant can be expended throughout 2019 on costs such as air travel, accommodation, digital conferencing, and other means of communicating between Australia, China, and any other relevant locations.

The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) encourages the participation of early career researchers. So at least one participant must be fewer than eight years beyond the completion of their PhD. Additionally, each application must contain at least one researcher from Australia and one from CASS. Work may be undertaken on each grant project at any time during calendar year 2019.

Australia-China Joint Action Program 2019 Application Form

 Please contact Dylan Clements at ASSA for more information, or with any inquiries you might have.  

The Flinders University submission report for the ARC Engagement and Impact (EI) is now available.  

The ARC Engagement and Impact assessment framework is a key measure under the National Innovation Science Agenda (NISA). EI 2018 was undertaken as a companion to ERA2018 and focused on assessing the engagement of researchers with end-users and showcases how universities are translating their research into economic, social , environmental and other impacts (ref: www.arc.gov.au/engagement-and-impact-assessment).

The EI2018 national report and impact case studies will be publicly available on the ARC website in early 2019. The Flinders EI2018 showcases the significant impact that Flinders’ research is delivering to industry and government as well as how our research is Making a Difference in the wider community.

The Flinders submission was a result of significant commitment and effort by a wide range of Flinders researchers and professional staff. The DVCR, Professor Rob Saint , PVC (research Impact), Professor John Spoehr and Director, Research Development and Support, Jodieann Dawe would like to extend their thanks and gratitude to all involved in the EI2018 submission.

A fan and password is required for access the Flinders University submission here.

With governments and funding bodies now looking to measure and weigh impact and engagement, now is the time to get ahead on E&I. The changing face of research reporting will be explored, discussed and experiences shared at Flinders Focus on Research Engagement and Impact in the week of 24 September 2018.

Why Flinders is involved in Engagement and Impact and most importantly, why now, are questions that will be answered in the presentations, workshops and peer-learning sessions. Come along to hear from your peers, Flinders staff, and industry members on what is good practice, communication skills specific for E&I and many more other skills and knowledge sharing.

Open to the entire research community, we welcome ECRs, MCRs, established researchers, research leaders and research support staff to participate. Rural and remote colleagues will be able to access and participate in sessions – please email the Researcher Professional Development team for further details.

Enrolments are now open - please book through ienrol Research and direct any queries to researcherpd.rds@flinders.edu.au.

Flinders Focus on Research Engagement and Impact full session details

Researchers intending to submit an application through Flinders University to the upcoming ARC or NHMRC grant rounds are requested to complete a brief Expression of Interest (EOI) online by 24 September 2018 (9 AM).

The EOI portal can be accessed here.

The timely completion of this EOI enables the College Deans (Research) and Research Development and Support (RDS) to be aware of the application intentions of researchers, and so initiate the appropriate advice and support that researchers may need before substantial work ensues with the grant application.

With the new landscape for NHMRC grants this year, this is particularly important. It also then helps to scope the subsequent grant application and review requirements over the coming months.

Information on the timing of all NHMRC and ARC rounds will be released together with RDS internal deadlines once the funding bodies provide dates for all schemes. Note however a number of NHMRC deadline dates are available here.

Please note that there will be a separate EOI process for the ARC Linkage Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities scheme – Round LE20.

RDS Senior Research Grants Officers would welcome the opportunity to meet with ARC and NHMRC applicants. Please feel free to contact the relevant officer below to discuss your application:

• NHMRC applications: Gareth Rees at nhmrc@flinders.edu.au or 8201 2199
• ARC applications: Maya Roberts at arc@flinders.edu.au or 8201 7698

Wind-driven sand transport at Ji Beach in Southern Brazil. Copyright: Graziela Miot da Silva

A new paper from an international group of authors, including Flinders Mid-Career Researcher from the College of Science and Engineering, Dr Graziela Miot da Silva, has been published in Nature Publishing Group’s social sciences journal, Palgrave Communications.

The paper details what is holding women back in these professions and suggests seven steps to success. The group found that although women make up almost a third of the coastal geoscience and engineering community, they represent only about one in five of its prestige roles. The lack of women in prestige roles and senior positions contributes to 81% of survey respondents perceiving the lack of female role models in Coastal Geoscience and Engineering as a key hurdle for gender equality.

'Steps to improve gender diversity in coastal geoscience and engineering' by lead author Associate Professor Vila-Concejo, University of Sydney, and team can be accessed at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-018-0154-0.

The authors of the paper are from universities in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain, Ireland, Mexico and France and, together, are the committee for the international network working for Women in Coastal Geoscience and Engineering (WICGE). The group was founded originally by the first 3 authors and the other members were then invited to join.

"We decided that as the WICGE committee we should make a real contribution to gender equity in our professions and wrote this paper as a first step to help achieving this goal," said Graziela.

"It was amazing to see how easily we worked together although we come from different cultures, languages and time zones. I think everything worked out so well because we had such a strong common goal and supported each other every time we faced a challenge."

WICGE can be followed on twitter, at Facebook, or through their website.