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Linkage International Selection Report
Materials World Network Proposals submitted in 2005
Overview
Objectives
Selection process
Selection criteria
National research priorities
Duration of funding
Summary of outcomes
Outcomes by organisation
Research training and postdoctoral researchers
Funding assistance by calendar year
Scheme budget by financial year
This report outlines the selection process for Materials World Network (MWN) proposals submitted in 2005.
The ARC collaborates with overseas funding agencies to fund internationally coordinated collaborative Awards. Under the 'Materials World Network: Cooperative Activity in Material Research between Australian and US Investigators' initiative, the ARC and the US National Science Foundation (NSF) established a cooperative initiative to stimulate enhanced collaborations among materials science researchers and create networks linking individuals and centres in Australia with those in the USA. MWN proposals submitted to the ARC are considered under the Linkage International scheme.
The ARC received seven MWN proposals submitted in 2005 for funding commencing in 2006. One proposal was subsequently withdrawn prior to the assessment process.
Linkage International aims to:
- build strong ongoing collaborations among researchers, research teams or centres of excellence in Australia and overseas;
- strengthen international research experience for early career researchers and generate opportunities for postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers to link into leading-edge international research networks;
- build Australian research capability by enhancing existing, and developing new, collaborations among experienced and senior researchers; and
- develop innovative modes of international collaboration and links into global innovation networks.
The application period for MWN proposals closed on 14 October 2005. Assessment of proposals was undertaken by a Selection Advisory Committee drawn from members of the ARC College of Experts. The Selection Advisory Committee:
- ranked each MWN proposal relative to the others on the basis of the MWN proposals; and
- assessed and recommended budgets.
The US counterpart MWN proposals were submitted to, and assessed by, the NSF. The ARC liaised with the NSF regarding the outcomes of the paired counterpart proposals.
Assessment of Linkage International Awards proposals submitted in 2005, including MWN proposals, was based on the following criteria and weightings:
- strength and benefits of the collaboration (as evidenced, for example, by ongoing research collaboration, reciprocal and matching funding contributions and/or the participation of early career researchers) 40%
- Chief Investigator, including, track record and research management skills 20%
- Overseas Investigator, including track record and research management skills 20%
- research proposed, in particular its aims, significance, research plan and methodology 20%
- Research Priority 1: An Environmentally Sustainable Australia
- Research Priority 2: Promoting and Maintaining Good Health
- Research Priority 3: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries
- Research Priority 4: Safeguarding Australia
All six of the Linkage International MWN proposals assessed identified their research as addressing a national research priority. All three MWN proposals approved for funding identified their research as falling within the Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries priority area.
National research priorities identified in MWN proposals assessed and proposals approved for funding are shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Numbers and success rates for Linkage International MWN proposals by national research priority
| Priority | Proposals assessed | Proposals approved | Success rate (%) | Approved funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| An Environmentally Sustainable Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Promoting and Maintaining Good Health | 0 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries | 5 | 3 | 60 | $525,000 |
| Safeguarding Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| None identified | 0 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Total | 6 | 3 | 50 | $525,000 |
Linkage International MWN proposals may be awarded funding for up to three years subject to parliamentary appropriation and the provisions of the ARC Act. The three approved MWN proposals requested, and under the recommendations would receive, support for three years.
Six Linkage International MWN proposals were assessed by the ARC seeking a total of $1,321,847 in funding. Three proposals are approved for funding, representing a total commitment of $525,000 over the financial years 2005-06 to 2008-09. Three MWN proposals were not recommended for funding. On the basis of these approved proposals, the overall success rate is 50%. This is slightly higher than the success rate for MWN proposals submitted in 2004 (40%).
The MWN proposals submitted in 2005 fell within the disciplines of engineering and environmental science (2 of 6) and physics, chemistry and geoscience (4 of 6).
The number of MWN proposals assessed and approved, and funding requested and approved, by organisation, is shown in Table 2 below.
Table 2: MWN proposals by organisation
| Organisation | Funding requested | Funding approved over project life | Proposals assessed | Proposals approved | Success rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griffith University | $263,918 | $0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| The Flinders University of South Australia | $13,500 | $0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| The University of Melbourne | $408,193 | $375,000 | 2 | 2 | 100 |
| The University of Sydney | $399,678 | $0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| The University of Western Australia | $236,558 | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 100 |
| TOTAL | $1,321,847 | $525,000 | 6 | 3 | 50 |
Research training and postdoctoral researchers
A total of 17 postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers will be supported in developing international research experience and networks under the approved projects, as shown in Table 3 below. The three proposals approved for funding will, in total, involve six postgraduate students and three postdoctoral researchers in Australia-based organisations, and six postgraduate students and two postdoctoral researchers in overseas organisations.
Table 3: Research training and postdoctoral researchers
| Australian organisations | Overseas organisations | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of researchers: all proposals |
Number of researchers: approved proposals | Number of researchers: all proposals |
Number of researchers: approved proposals |
Number of researchers: all proposals |
Number of researchers: approved proposals |
|
Postgraduates |
10 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 12 |
Postdoctoral researchers |
7 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 5 |
Total |
17 | 9 | 15 | 8 | 32 | 17 |
Funding assistance by calendar year
The allocations from the Linkage International budget approved for MWN projects to commence in 2006 are shown in Table 4 below.
Table 4: Funding assistance for approved Linkage International MWN proposals
| Number of MWN proposals approved | Amount requested for approved proposals | Amount approved | Average project funding approved (2006-2008) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $644,751 | 2006 = $175,000 2007 = $175,000 2008 = $175,000 Total = $525,000 |
$175,000 |
Scheme budget by financial year
The financial year allocations from the Linkage International budget approved for MWN proposals to commence in 2006 are shown in Table 5 below.
Table 5: Allocations for MWNs, by financial year
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | $87,500 |
$175,000 |
$175,000 |
$87,500 |
$525,000 |
