Selection Report: Future Fellowships 2016
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Overview
The Future Fellowships scheme provides funding for outstanding mid-career researchers. It supports research in areas of critical national importance by enabling outstanding Australian and international mid-career researchers to conduct their research in Australia.
The objectives of Future Fellowships scheme are to:
- ensure that outstanding mid-career researchers are recruited and retained, by Administering Organisations in continuing academic positions;
- build collaboration across industry and/or research organisations and/or disciplines;
- support research in national priorities that will result in economic, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia; and
- strengthen Australia’s research capacity by supporting innovative, internationally competitive research
Selection Process
Proposals for funding commencing in 2016 opened on 15 March 2016, and closed on 10 May 2016. Proposals were submitted through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Management System (RMS). This report outlines approved recommendations from the selection process for that round.
Funding recommendations have been prepared for submission to the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The recommendations are based on advice from the ARC College of Experts which:
- assigned independent assessors to review the proposals
- assessed proposals and reviewed assessments made by independent assessors
- reviewed Applicants’ comments on assessors’ reports
- ranked each proposal relative to the others on the basis of the proposal, the assessors’ reports and Applicants’ responses to those assessments
- assessed and recommended budgets;
and, advice from the ARC Eligibility Committee which:
- considered eligibility issues identified by ARC staff, the ARC College of Experts or independent assessors
- where required, sought clarification from Administering Organisations with respect to issues raised
- made recommendations to the Acting CEO in respect of ineligible proposals.
This report reflects the approved recommendations by the Minister. Unless otherwise specified, figures presented in this report exclude withdrawn proposals.
Selection Criteria
Selection criteria and corresponding weightings for Future Fellowships 2016 proposals are:
- Future Fellowships Candidate (40%)
- Project Quality (35%)
- Strategic Alignment (15%)
- Collaboration/Outreach (10%)
The ARC assessment process for Future Fellowships 2016 used 29 College of Experts members across three discipline panels and was managed in the Research Management System (RMS). A total of 1036 independent assessors’ reports were submitted to the ARC for Future Fellowships 2016.
Funding levels and duration
Future Fellowships are funded for four consecutive years on a full-time basis. The annual salary contribution may be awarded at one of three salary levels, either $147,862 or $178,992 or $210,120, (2015$) including 30 per cent on-costs. In addition, the ARC may provide up to $50,000 in project costs per annum.
Summary of Outcomes
The ARC received a total of 324 Future Fellowships proposals for funding commencing in 2016, of which one proposal was withdrawn. Of the unsuccessful proposals, seven were found to not meet eligibility requirements.
The overall success rate for Future Fellowships for funding commencing in 2016 is 30.9 per cent.
Table 1. Proposal numbers, success rates, requested and allocated funds for approved Future Fellowships proposals 2016
Salary Level |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate |
Approved funds over project life (all proposals) |
Requested funds over project life (approved proposals) |
Approved funds over project life (approved proposals) |
Approved funds as % of requested funds |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1 |
115 |
40 |
34.8% |
$88,088,573 |
$30,601,643 |
$26,443,400 |
86.4% |
Level 2 |
114 |
36 |
31.6% |
$101,632,524 |
$32,299,675 |
$28,691,613 |
88.8% |
Level 3 |
95 |
24 |
25.3% |
$96,171,493 |
$24,343,380 |
$21,888,650 |
89.9% |
Total |
324 |
100 |
30.9% |
$285,892,590 |
$87,244,698 |
$77,023,663 |
88.3% |
Outcomes by discipline panels
Table 2. Comparison of proposal numbers, success rates and requested and allocated funds for approved Future Fellowships 2016 proposals by discipline panel
Panel † |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate |
Requested funds over project life for all proposals considered |
Requested funds over project life for approved proposals |
Approved funds over project |
Approved funds as % of requested funds |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BEM |
90 |
28 |
31.1% |
$79,186,879 |
$24,412,518 |
$21,542,875 |
88.2% |
HSE |
98 |
29 |
29.6% |
$88,910,700 |
$26,306,038 |
$23,636,194 |
89.9% |
PME |
136 |
43 |
31.6% |
$117,795,011 |
$36,526,142 |
$31,844,594 |
87.2% |
Total |
324 |
100 |
30.9% |
$285,892,590 |
$87,244,698 |
$77,023,663 |
88.3% |
† BEM—Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Environmental, Medical and Health Sciences; HSE—Humanities and Creative Arts, Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences; PME—Physical, Mathematical and Information Sciences and Engineering
Outcomes by Science and Research Priorities
Table 3. Approved funding and success rate for Future Fellowships 2016 proposals by Science and Research Priorities
Science and Research Priorities |
Proposals considered |
Proposals |
Success |
Approved funds (over project life) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Advanced manufacturing |
44 |
12 |
27.3% |
$9,395,108 |
Cybersecurity |
9 |
2 |
22.2% |
$1,304,000 |
Energy |
18 |
7 |
38.9% |
$4,951,500 |
Environmental change |
43 |
20 |
46.5% |
$16,291,342 |
Food |
9 |
3 |
33.3% |
$2,175,881 |
Health |
49 |
8 |
16.3% |
$6,405,684 |
Resources |
8 |
1 |
12.5% |
$880,480 |
Soil and water |
10 |
2 |
20.0% |
$1,428,000 |
Transport |
3 |
1 |
33.3% |
$776,000 |
Unspecified |
131 |
44 |
33.6% |
$33,415,668 |
Total |
324 |
100 |
30.9% |
$77,023,663 |
Total within Science and Research Priorities |
193 |
56 |
29 |
$43,607,995 |
Percentage within Science and Research Priorities (%) |
59.6% |
56.0% |
|
56.6% |
Outcomes by Administering Organisation
Table 4. Numbers of proposals and success rates for approved Future Fellowships 2016 proposals by Administering Organisation
Administering Organisation |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate (%) |
Approved funds over project life ($) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Capital Territory |
41 |
15 |
36.6% |
$11,637,782 |
The Australian National University |
39 |
15 |
38.5% |
$11,637,782 |
University of Canberra |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
$0 |
New South Wales |
87 |
25 |
28.7% |
$19,307,859 |
Macquarie University |
12 |
2 |
16.7% |
$1,457,054 |
The University of New England |
1 |
1 |
100.0% |
$719,313 |
The University of New South Wales |
22 |
8 |
36.4% |
$5,847,386 |
The University of Newcastle |
8 |
1 |
12.5% |
$930,000 |
The University of Sydney |
18 |
7 |
38.9% |
$5,916,706 |
University of Technology, Sydney |
8 |
3 |
37.5% |
$2,027,400 |
University of Wollongong |
11 |
2 |
18.2% |
$1,515,000 |
Western Sydney University |
7 |
1 |
14.3% |
$895,000 |
Northern Territory |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
$0 |
Charles Darwin University |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
$0 |
Queensland |
47 |
13 |
27.7% |
$10,244,250 |
Griffith University |
9 |
4 |
44.4% |
$3,200,168 |
James Cook University |
2 |
1 |
50.0% |
$940,000 |
Queensland University of Technology |
6 |
1 |
16.7% |
$652,000 |
The University of Queensland |
27 |
7 |
25.9% |
$5,452,082 |
University of Southern Queensland |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
$0 |
University of the Sunshine Coast |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
$0 |
South Australia |
24 |
6 |
25.0% |
$5,334,576 |
The Flinders University of South Australia |
5 |
0 |
0.0% |
$0 |
The University of Adelaide |
12 |
3 |
25.0% |
$2,730,464 |
University of South Australia |
7 |
3 |
42.9% |
$2,604,112 |
Tasmania |
7 |
2 |
28.6% |
$1,332,540 |
University of Tasmania |
7 |
2 |
28.6% |
$1,332,540 |
Victoria |
100 |
35 |
35.0% |
$26,406,136 |
Deakin University |
7 |
3 |
42.9% |
$2,654,992 |
La Trobe University |
9 |
3 |
33.3% |
$2,061,054 |
Monash University |
40 |
18 |
45.0% |
$12,978,216 |
RMIT University |
10 |
3 |
30.0% |
$2,579,108 |
Swinburne University of Technology |
7 |
1 |
14.3% |
$652,000 |
The University of Melbourne |
27 |
7 |
25.9% |
$5,480,766 |
Western Australia |
17 |
4 |
23.5% |
$2,760,520 |
Curtin University of Technology |
6 |
1 |
16.7% |
$652,000 |
Murdoch University |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
$0 |
The University of Western Australia |
9 |
3 |
33.3% |
$2,108,520 |
Total |
324 |
100 |
30.9% |
$77,023,663 |
Career age and gender
A total of 324 Future Fellowships Candidates were named on all proposals considered in this round. Of these, 97 were female and 226 were male. One Candidate did not provide gender information. The success rate for female and male Candidates is 26.8 per cent and 32.7 per cent respectively (Figure 1).
At the closing time of submission of proposals, of the 324 Candidates, 304 were between five to 15 years of the award of their PhD and 20 were beyond 15 years of the award of their PhD. To be eligible to apply for Future Fellowships, the latter group of researchers evidenced their significant career interruptions on the ARC Eligibility Exemption Request that was consequently scrutinised by the ARC Eligibility Committee and approved by the ARC CEO.
Of the approved Future Fellowships, 93 Candidates were within five to 15 years of the award of their PhD and seven Candidates were beyond 15 years of the award of their PhD.
Success rates of Future Fellowships Candidates by career age and gender in the current round are represented in Figure 1 below. Future Fellowships Candidates who did not provide gender information (0.3 per cent) are not represented in the figure below.
Figure 1. Participation and success rate of Future Fellowships 2016 Candidates by gender and career age*
* Career age is calculated as years since PhD.
Attracting and retaining outstanding researchers
Proposals were open to Eligible Organisations to nominate Candidates who are outstanding mid-career researchers of international repute, resident either within Australia or overseas.
Table 5. Citizenship/residency status of Future Fellowships 2016 Candidates and approved Awardees
Citizenship/residency status |
Proposals considered |
% of Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Foreign Nationals |
51 |
15.7% |
15 |
29.4% |
Resident Australians |
252 |
77.8% |
79 |
31.3% |
Returning Australians |
21 |
6.5% |
6 |
28.6% |
Total |
324 |
100% |
100 |
30.9% |
International Collaboration
Applicants foreshadowed 846 instances of collaboration with researchers in 64 overseas locations on 298 proposals. Of the proposals approved for funding, 97 foreshadowed 316 instances of collaboration with researchers in 42 overseas locations.
Figure 2. International collaborations by location in approved Future Fellowships 2016 proposals