Monthly Archives: July 2015

Information session on the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications–Presentation Now Available

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The presentation from last month’s (June 2015) information session on the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications is now available. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) held information sessions for the Canadian research community on this policy.

To view a recording of the information sessions:

To download a copy of the presentations:

Please visit the main page (science.gc.ca) where these sessions are posted.

SSHRC: Important Updates to Website

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SSHRC has recently updated policies, guidelines and other related information on their website. Please click the following links for more information on these topics:

The following funding opportunities have been updated (descriptions and application materials):

  1. Insight Grants Funding Opportunity and Resource Centre for Grants (with new resources regarding Research Creation), and
  2. Knowledge Synthesis Grants : What effects will the quest for energy and natural resources have on our society and our position on the world stage?

 

Feedback Wanted: Draft Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management

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Overview
High-quality data management is fundamental to research excellence.  The ability to store, access, reuse and build upon digital research data is critical to the advancement of research and supports the discovery of innovative solutions to economic and social challenges. Digital data holds tremendous potential for Canada’s productivity and competitiveness, and for improvements in quality of life nationally and internationally.

The Tri-Agencies are committed to fostering a robust environment for data stewardship in Canada and internationally, and to helping ensure that Canada is well positioned to contribute to and capitalize on data-intensive science and scholarship. To achieve this, and while recognizing the diversity of data practices and needs within the Canadian research community, SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR are in the process of reviewing and enhancing their data management requirements for Agency-supported researchers.

As a step in this process, the Agencies have developed a draft Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management. This builds on the 2013 consultation document, Toward a Policy Framework for Advancing Digital Scholarship in Canada, information provided by a Comprehensive Brief on Research Data Management Policies, and advice received through stakeholder engagement.

The draft Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management (the Statement) outlines the Agencies’ overarching expectations with regard to digital research data management, and the responsibilities of researchers, research communities, institutions and funders in meeting these expectations. It complements and builds upon existing Agency policies, and will serve as a guide to assist the research community in preparing for, and contributing to the development of, Tri-Agency data management requirements.

Feedback
SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR invite institutions, associations, organizations and individuals to comment on the draft Statement, its comprehensiveness and balance, as well as its usefulness in advancing data stewardship in general and data management practices in particular. The HTML version is accessible here, and the PDF version is accessible here.

Please note that the Agencies will be accepting feedback on the draft Statement until September 4, 2015. Feedback can be sent electronically to any of the following email addresses:
researchdata@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
researchdata@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
researchdata@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Please indicate the section(s) of the draft being referred to in your feedback.

Next Steps
By the end of 2015, SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR will revise the Statement as appropriate and formally adopt it. In 2016, they plan to engage the research community to seek advice on realizing the principles expressed in the draft Statement, particularly with a view to developing new data management requirements.

SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grant (June 2015 competition)

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What effect will the quest for energy and natural resources have on our society and our position on the world stage?

The Government of Canada has identified natural resources and energy, as well as environment and agriculture, as research priorities for the country. The strategy stresses that the complexity of global challenges such as climate change and energy requires “international research collaborations across many disciplines.”

Natural resources and energy is one of six future challenge areas identified through SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative. These complex issues were identified following an extensive foresight exercise, and reflect key challenges that Canada is likely to face in an evolving global context over the coming decades, and to which the social sciences and humanities research community can contribute its knowledge, talent and expertise.

SSHRC is, therefore, launching a Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunity to which social sciences and humanities researchers can contribute insights focusing on the future challenge area “What effects will the quest for energy and natural resources have on our society and our position on the world stage?”

In support of the objectives noted below, these grants will foster a deeper understanding of the state of knowledge in the social sciences and humanities regarding the human aspects of the search for and the extraction, production and use of energy and natural resources. The resulting syntheses will also help identify roles that the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors may play in seizing future opportunities and mitigating risks related to new global geographies and economies of energy and natural resources. This knowledge will pave the way for developing robust policies, practices and tools for a sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for Canada and the world.

The objectives of this funding opportunity are three-fold:

State of Knowledge and Research Gaps:

  • describe the state of knowledge of the Future Challenge Area theme under consideration;
  • identify knowledge gaps within the theme; and
  • identify the most promising policies and practices related to the theme.

Research Data:

  • assess the quality, accuracy and rigour of current work in the field; and
  • identify gaps in the quantitative and qualitative data available.

Knowledge Mobilization:

  • mobilize knowledge related to promising policies and practices within the academic, private and public policy sectors; and
  • facilitate dialogue between academic researchers, cross-sectoral stakeholders and policy-makers in government.

Knowledge synthesis grants are not intended to support original research. They are intended to support the synthesis of existing research knowledge and the identification of knowledge gaps.

Value: up to $25,000
Duration: One year
Deadline for submission: September 10, 2015 (8 pm EST)
All synthesis reports must be completed  by May 13, 2016

Reports must be submitted in PDF and SSHRC Web CVs are required for each applicant and co-applicant.

Additional details about this opportunity can be found on the SSHRC website: http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/ksg_energy-ssc_energie-eng.aspx 

Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research Grant Competition 2016

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Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research (CFDR) Regular Grant Competition 2016

The Request for Letters of Intent to submit a proposal for the 2016 CFDR grants competition is now open. For more information, go to:  http://www.cfdr.ca/Research/Grants.aspx 

Application Deadlines:
Brescia Research Officer: 1 week before agency deadline (allow for 2 weeks before if you wish to receive feedback on your application, and/or if you require additional materials)
Agency: Send in your completed Letter of Intents to info@cfdr.ca before September 15, 2015 

CFDR’s maximum grant size is now $20,000.  In addition, there is an allowance in the research project’s budget for dissemination/travel costs of up to $1,000.

Grants are awarded in the following categories:

  • Outcomes of intervention: objective measures of the effect of a nutrition intervention in all practice areas
  • New roles for dietitians in meeting health needs of all Canadians: implementation and evaluation of novel service delivery in new environments
  • Identification of vulnerable groups and their nutritional needs: enhanced understanding of who are the nutritionally vulnerable, their nutritional needs and means to address these needs
  • Determinants of food choice: identification of factors and attitudes that influence the food choices made by consumers

Guidelines for smaller budget projects under $5,000 (pdf, English, French)
Guidelines for full grant applications ($5,000 to $20,000) (pdf, English, French)
Application Form (doc, English, French)
New! Photos and Photo Release Form (pdf)

The decisions of the Scientific Review Committee are final.  Applicants whose proposals are not funded have the opportunity to address feedback and resubmit in a subsequent funding cycle.

SSHRC Insight Grant: October 2015 Competition

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Insight Grants support research excellence in the social sciences and humanities. Funding is available to both emerging and established scholars for long-term research initiatives. Insight Grant research initiatives may be undertaken by an individual researcher or a team of researchers working in collaboration. The maximum value of an Insight Grant is $400,000 over three to five years. A minimum request of $7,000 is required in at least one of the years. A maximum of $100,000 is available in a single year.

October 2015 Competition information:

Value: $7,000 – $400,000
Duration: 3 to 5 years
Application deadlines:
Brescia Research Officer: 1 week before agency deadline (allow for 2 weeks before if you wish to receive feedback on your application, and/or if you require additional materials) 
Agency: October 15, 2015 (8pm, EST)
*note, there is no Notice of Intent stage
Results announced: Spring 2016
Apply: Web CV, application and instructions

For complete details on this opportunity see the SSHRC Insight Grant funding page: http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/programs-programmes/insight_grants-subventions_savoir-eng.aspx

Insight Grant proposals are expected to respond to the objectives put forward in the call for proposals for the Insight program. The objectives of the Insight program are to:

  • build knowledge and understanding from disciplinary, interdisciplinary and/or cross-sector perspectives through support for the best researchers;
  • support new approaches to research on complex and important topics, including those that transcend the capacity of any one scholar, institution or discipline;
  • provide a high-quality research training experience for students;
  • fund research expertise that relates to societal challenges and opportunities; and
  • mobilize research knowledge, to and from academic and non-academic audiences, with the potential to lead to intellectual, cultural, social and economic influence, benefit and impact.

Stable support for long-term research initiatives is central to advancing knowledge. It enables scholars to address complex issues pertaining to individuals and societies, and to further our collective understanding.

The Insight Grants funding opportunity supports research proposed by scholars and judged worthy of funding by their peers and/or other experts. Insight Grants research initiatives may be undertaken by an individual researcher or a team of researchers working in collaboration.

SSHRC welcomes applications involving Aboriginal research, as well as those involving research-creation.

Brescia Research Ethics Board – Important Updates

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New templates and template guidelines (effective July 14, 2015)

  1. When completing a new BREB application from this moment forward, applicants must use updated templates and guidelines for the Letter of Information, Consent and any other forms required for the study (email/telephone scripts, recruitment posters etc.). The BREB uses Western’s templates/guidelines for these documents and these have been recently updated by Western. Templates will be updated with the Brescia logo and available on the BREB intranet page by late Summer. For now, please replace the Western logo with the Brescia logo on the letterhead.
  2. Links to the templates and guidelines can be found in the BREB application itself, on the BUC REB Intranet page: https://intranet.bresciauc.ca/faculty-resources/brescia-research-ethics-board-reb/ , and on Western’s Research Ethics website:

New BREB Forms (effective July 14, 2015)

In addition to the new templates and guidelines, the BREB has developed two new forms:

  1. Annual Status Report—to be used for a request for study renewal or closure. For end of study status (closure), the Research Officer will send a reminder to applicants in advance letting them know their approved protocol is nearing expiration. The email reminder will include the Annual Status Form as an attachment to be completed by the principal investigator of the study. For renewals, please submit at least 2 weeks in advance for review.
  2. Request for Changes to Approved Protocol—to be used for any changes to an approved ethics protocol. Must be submitted at least 2 weeks in advance for review.

Both forms are located on the BUC BREB intranet page: https://intranet.bresciauc.ca/faculty-resources/brescia-research-ethics-board-reb/

Any questions can be directed to the Research Officer, Elizabeth Russell-Minda, elizabeth.minda[at]uwo.ca

CIHR Operating Grant: Population Health Intervention Research (Fall 2015 Competition)

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CIHR has announced the following funding opportunity:
Operating Grant: Population Health Intervention Research (Fall 2015 Competition)

Full details can be found on the funding opportunity page: https://www.researchnet-recherchenet.ca/rnr16/vwOpprtntyDtls.doprog=2287&view=currentOpps&org=CIHR&type=EXACT&resultCount=25&sort=program&all=1&masterList=true

Application Deadlines:
Brescia Research Officer: 1 week before agency deadline (allow for 2 weeks before if you wish to receive feedback on your application, and/or if you require additional materials)
Agency: October 15 2015

Anticipated Notice of Decision: Feb 29 2016

Funding Start Date: Feb 1 2016

The maximum amount per grant is $250,000 for over a period of up to 2 years. The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $3,027,250, enough to fund approximately 12 grants. This amount includes funding from partners for applications that align specifically with their relevant research areas as described in the Partner Description section. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate.

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

  • Generate evidence about interventions in health and other sectors that have the potential to promote health and health equity at a population level;
  • Catalyze new and existing collaborations with community, not-for-profit, private and/or public sectors within and outside of health;
  • Facilitate consideration and application of new evidence about population health interventions in decision-making.

Eligibility of Interventions

  • For this opportunity, the object of study must be a population-level intervention (e.g. a program, policy, social enterprise or resource distribution approach) that has already been developed and implemented by others (e.g., policy makers) and has the potential to impact health and health equity at the population level, including studies of implementation processes and outcomes. Population-level interventions operate in health and other sectors (e.g. education, transportation).
  • Population health interventions are intended to shift the distribution of risk and illness in entire populations or communities by targeting the social, cultural and environmental determinants rather than through clinical approaches targeting individual patients and their families. Therefore, population health interventions under study, for the purposes of this funding opportunity, must have a primary prevention focus. Interventions related to clinical interventions and approaches targeting individual patients and their families are not eligible to apply (e.g., the study of interventions that aim to manage complications from or treat a disease or disability).
  • Past launches of this funding opportunity required an element of time sensitivity related to rapidly unfolding programs, policies and resource distribution approaches that demonstrated a clear need for the rapid review and funding disbursement that was not being met by timelines for funding under other CIHR programs. While this explicit requirement has been removed from the current funding opportunity, rapidly unfolding time sensitive intervention studies are still eligible.

Application

  • The application submission uses ResearchNet. You must establish a ResearchNet account and CIHR PIN if you don’t have one.
  • The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of one step: an application.
  • To complete your Application, follow the instructions in the Grants – ResearchNet “Application” Phase Instructions along with any additional instructions found below under “Specific Instructions”.

CCV requirements:

Identify your role on ResearchNet and the participant role you select will determine which CV you are required to submit. For each participant (except collaborators), enter the confirmation number for the CIHR Academic CV (replaces Full Application CV) or the Knowledge User CV, as appropriate, validated for CIHR provided by the Canadian Common CV. You can find this number under your history on the CCV Web site.

CCV Enhancements

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Updates to the Canadian Common CV (CCV)

Please note that effective June 29, 2015, the following changes have been implemented:

* Record selection management capability

Users who submit a Canadian Common CV to different organizations or to different competitions within the same organization are now able to manage their record selection for each individual Funding CV template. This enhancement allows users to:

  • Create, edit and save versions of each Funding CV template, each with its own customized record selection. This feature is particularly useful to users who need to submit the same type of Funding CV to multiple competitions;
  • Preserve the record selection made in each individual Funding CV template version;
  • View the number of records selected for submission while updating the record selection in each section of CV template versions.

Please note that when loading a template for the first time after June 29, 2015, or when creating a new template version, the record selection will be based on the Generic CV. Any changes in record selection thereafter will be version specific and will not impact any other templates or versions in the CCV. It is important to note that modifications to the CCV dataset (e.g. creating or deleting records, entering or deleting data in individual fields) will still be reflected across all templates and versions created by a user.

* Re-organization of Student/Postdoctoral Supervision records

To enhance the clarity of the Student/Postdoctoral Supervision section in the PDF output of the CCV, all records are now grouped based on the Study Level, followed by descending chronological order.

For any CCV questions or comments directed to CIHR, please contact CIHR at ccv-cvc@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

CIHR & SSHRC Joint Initiative: Healthy and Productive Work

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Healthy and Productive Work Initiative

Call for Applications (Phase 1): Summer 2015
Full Application Deadline (Phase 1): Fall 2015
Anticipated Funding Start Date (Phase 1): 2016

CIHR and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) are pleased to announce a joint initiative: Healthy and Productive Work, aimed at driving innovative, evidence-informed solutions to work and labour market challenges to improve the health and productivity of Canada’s diverse workforce.

This summer, SSHRC and CIHR will launch the first phase of a two-phase Call for Applications under Healthy and Productive Work.

Description

The Healthy and Productive Work Initiative reflects the interplay between health and social sciences in responding to the growing interest in maintaining a healthy, productive and inclusive Canadian workforce.

The goal of Healthy and Productive Work is to bring together researchers, workers, employers, policy-makers, regulators, clinicians, insurers, service providers, workplace safety and insurance boards, unions, professional associations, and other stakeholders across sectors to develop, implement, evaluate and scale-up innovative, evidence-informed and gender-responsive solutions to foster the labour force participation of men and women with health issues (e.g., injuries, illnesses, chronic diseases, mental health challenges, and other conditions) and disabilities, as well as older workers and workers with caregiving responsibilities outside of their paid work.

Healthy and Productive Work builds on research gaps and opportunities identified through consultations with the research community and a broad range of stakeholders.

Highlights

The process through which funding will be allocated will have two phases:

Phase 1 – Incubator Phase (Summer 2015 launch)

The purpose of Phase 1 will be to support planning and development work for teams of researchers and partners (e.g. industry, employers, workers, regulators, service providers, policy makers and other stakeholders) for the purpose of relationship building, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem/research question identification. Two-year Partnership Development Grants will enable these types of activities and assist teams to prepare for Phase 2. Note that applications at the Partnership Development Grant stage must have a researcher / partner collaboration in place.

Only successful applicants funded through Phase 1 will be eligible to apply for Phase 2.

Phase 2 – Accelerator Phase (anticipated launch fall 2017)

Phase 2 will have as its centerpiece a Partnership Grant with a co-leadership model that involves researchers and partners (e.g. industry, employers, workers, regulators, service providers, policy makers and other stakeholders). Only successful applicants from Phase 1 will be eligible to apply for funding in Phase 2. Applicants will be expected to show that the planned program of research will have a significant impact on enabling the health and productivity of Canada’s diverse workforce.

The Healthy and Productive Work Call for Applications will be posted on the CIHR and SSHRC websites summer 2015. Webinar sessions will be organized to communicate details of the Initiative.

Facilitating Linkages

Funded partnerships must enable reciprocal flow and uptake of research knowledge between researchers and stakeholders – both within and beyond academia – by integrating stakeholders throughout the entire research process. Researchers and stakeholders will collaborate to develop the research questions, decide on methodology, collect data, interpret the findings, and disseminate the research results. This collaboration should increase the likelihood of adoption and uptake of research results.

To express your interest in collaborating, please access the online partner linkage tool. The information collected through this tool will be posted in a sortable table and updated on a weekly basis. The table can be accessed by interested parties only through the Results of the Partner Linkage Tool. The unedited information provided is only accessible via the link and will not be searchable through the Internet.

This is not the only mechanism through which researcher-partner linkages can be facilitated; it is simply a tool initiated by CIHR and SSHRC to help connect interested parties.

Other available resources to facilitate linkages include but are not limited to:

For more information, please contact us: spw-spt@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.