Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology

IRCSET EMPOWER: Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science, Engineering and Technology

GUIDE FOR APPLICANTS 2011/2012

Contents 0. Key Dates ...... 3 1. Description of Scheme ...... 3 1.1 Scheme Objective ...... 3 1.2 Research Mobility ...... 3 1.3 Enterprise Partnership Scheme ...... 4 1.4 Who can apply? ...... 4 1.5 Value of the Fellowship ...... 5 1.6 How to apply ...... 5 1.7 Number of Fellowships to be awarded ...... 6 1.8 Queries? ...... 6 1.9 Guide for Applicants ...... 6 2. Profile of a Competitive Applicant ...... 7 3. Eligibility Criteria ...... 7 3.1 Eligible Applicants ...... 7 3.2 Eligible Irish Research Bodies ...... 8 3.3 Applying with two host institutions or two Mentors ...... 9 4. How to apply ...... 9 4.1 Prior to Application ...... 9 4.2 Online Application System ...... 9 4.3 Mentors ...... 10 4.4 Referees ...... 11 4.5 Research Officer Endorsement ...... 12

4.6 Application Workflow ...... 13 4.6. Applicant Form ...... 14 4.7. Choosing a Primary and Sub-discipline ...... 15 4.8. Guidelines for writing the PDF upload ...... 15 4.9 Enterprise Partnership Scheme ...... 17 4.10 Submitting the Applicant Form ...... 17 4.11 Helpdesk ...... 17 5. What happens next? ...... 18 5.1 Eligibility Checks ...... 19 6. Assessment Procedures ...... 19 6.1 Assessment Panels ...... 19 6.2 Assessment Criteria ...... 20 6.3 Good Practice and Conflicts of Interest ...... 24 Appendix 1: IRCSET Postdoctoral Research Disciplines ...... 26 Appendix 2: Screenshots from Online Application System ...... 35

0. Key Dates

Call Opens 26th October 2011 Call Closes for Applicants 7th December 2011 Ca ll Closes for Mentors and Referees 14 th December 2011 Deadline for Research Office Endorsement 20 th December 2011 Announcement of Results April 2012 Earliest Fellowship Start Date 2 1st July 2012 Latest Fell owship Start Date 2 31 st December 2012

1. Description of Scheme

1.1 Scheme Objective

The objective of the IRCSET EMPOWER Scheme is to provide top-quality early-stage researchers with the opportunity to avail of a career development fellowship at an Irish Host Institution. The scheme is designed to encourage excellence in research by funding those at an early stage of their postdoctoral career to associate with established research teams who have achieved international recognition for their work. The duration of a fellowship is 2 years.

The general subject areas that will be funded under the IRCSET EMPOWER Scheme are: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth/Environmental Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics. Interdisciplinary applications will also be supported.

The applicant will identify a host Irish Research Body and Research Mentor within the Republic of Ireland. This mentor will provide advice and support to the fellow during their fellowship. The successful applicant will hold a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship in Science, Engineering and Technology .

1.2 Research Mobility

IRCSET strongly advocates a variety of experience within the postdoctoral phase of career development. To encourage this, applicants with no postdoctoral research experience must choose a host Irish Research Body and Research Mentor for their EMPOWER fellowship which is different than that at which they completed their PhD. Some exceptional circumstances can be foreseen but these will require complete scientific justification . A section has been provided on the application form for this purpose.

For applicants with postdoctoral research experience; applicants must choose a host Irish Research Body and Research Mentor for their EMPOWER fellowship which is different than that where they are currently employed. Some exceptional circumstances can be foreseen but these will require complete scientific justification . A section has been provided on the application form for this purpose.

Note that proposing a fellowship with your current Research Mentor at a new Irish Research Body because this Mentor is relocating to this new Irish Research Body does not constitute research mobility under the terms of this scheme. Scientific justification must be provided.

The Assessors chosen to evaluate applications to the EMPOWER scheme will evaluate the justification. If it is not convincing, they will deem the application as ineligible for funding.

1.3 Enterprise Partnership Scheme

IRCSET also offers additional Postdoctoral Fellowships each year through the Enterprise Partnership Scheme , whereby awards are co-funded by IRCSET and an eligible Enterprise Partner. Enterprise Partnership Scheme award holders receive the same financial support as an EMPOWER Fellow but also gain valuable industry-related research experience. There are two methods of applying for an Enterprise Partnership Scheme Fellowship:

1. Where an Enterprise Partner has been identified and has agreed to co-fund a fellowship, applicants should only apply directly to the Enterprise Partnership Scheme. Details may be found here . 2. Where an Enterprise Partner has not been identified, EMPOWER applicants can indicate their interest in also being considered for an Enterprise Partnership Scheme fellowship by completing the appropriate section of the EMPOWER online application form. By completing this section of the form, the applicant authorises IRCSET to discuss their EMPOWER application with potential Enterprise Partners with a view to possible co-funding of a Fellowship.1 This process will not begin until after the results of the EMPOWER Call have been announced.

1.4 Who can apply?

The eligibility criteria are (in brief): • Currently hold or about to receive a doctoral degree, awarded by any institution worldwide. 2,3 • Have not yet been employed in a postdoctoral research position for more than 36 months at the closing date of the call. Career breaks or periods in industry will not be included in the calculation of 36 months. • Have co-authored at least one peer-reviewed research publication or demonstrable equivalent intellectual property output. • Ensure that their research proposal subject falls into one of the subject areas described above, or is interdisciplinary within those areas.

More specific details about these criteria can be found in Section 3 of this document.

1 Only the applicant’s profile (education, work experience, publications) and research abstract will be shared with the Enterprise Partners. The full text of the research proposal will not be shared. Enterprise Partners must sign a confidentiality agreement prior to IRCSET allowing them to view an application. 2 If successful in the competition and offered a fellowship, before they begin the fellowship , applicants must provide offical confirmation that they either hold a PhD, or have passed their viva voce or equivalent and will shortly be awarded the PhD. The latest permissable date for starting the fellowship is 31 st December 2011. 3 The doctoral degree should have been awarded based on a substantial piece of original research. 4

There are no restrictions as to nationality or citizenship. Applicants currently resident outside of Ireland are eligible to apply, as are those currently resident in Ireland. Applicants who currently hold or have held an IRCSET Postdoctoral Fellowship are not eligible to apply.

1.5 Value of the Fellowship

The Fellowship award will be valued at €39,640 per annum including: • €31,275 maintenance • €3,365 for employers contribution to Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) 4 • €5,000 additional costs to cover expenses directly associated with the research work of the Fellow; eligible costs include travel, conference participation, publication expenses and consumable items necessary for the research work. If deemed necessary to the research work, a Fellow may purchase a computer using these funds.

For a Fellow who will be a member of a public sector pension scheme, provision will also be made for an employer’s pension contribution charge, representing the estimated contribution required from IRCSET, in addition to the Fellow’s own personal pension contribution, to cover the deferred cost to the Exchequer associated with the future pension entitlements of the Fellow.

The average net salary for the Fellow will be €31,275 per annum, prior to income tax and social deductions . For information on taxation in Ireland as it relates to researchers, please visit http://www.euraxess.ie/page.aspx?SP=155 .

1.6 How to apply

a) Find a Host Laboratory and Research Mentor An applicant should always begin by identifying a Host Laboratory at an eligible Irish Research Body (c.f. Section 3b). The applicant should have prior agreement with the Principal Investigator (P.I.) of the Host Laboratory to host them for the duration of the fellowship, should their application be successful. They should also have identified a research Mentor at the Laboratory. This person does not have to be the P.I. of the laboratory but should be a person with enough seniority and experience in a research environment to provide high-quality mentoring. b) Prepare for the application The applicant should work with their mentor to develop a research plan and a training and career development plan. c) Register with the IRCSET Online Application System Both the applicant and their mentor should register with the IRCSET online system when the Call is open. Details will be provided on the IRCSET website at http://www.ircset.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=79 . d) Complete the online Applicant Form. e) Submit the form prior to the specified deadline of 7th December 2011.

4 In accordance with the policy of the Irish Host Institution, normally 10.75% for employers PRSI. 5

f) Ensure that the Mentor and Referees submit their forms prior to the specified deadline of 14 th December 2011.

1. Applicants cannot submit more than one application per Call. 2. Please note that speculative applications where the applicant has not been in contact with the host laboratory/institution will not be assessed.

1.7 Number of Fellowships to be awarded

The number of fellowships to be awarded via the 2011/2012 Call for EMPOWER Fellowships shall amount to approximately 20.

Due to the small number of awards available, the Council has decided that a Principal Investigator is only permitted to support only one applicant to apply to the 2011/2012 Call.

Principal Investigators should critically evaluate potential applicants using the information in Section 1.5 above, and based on their evaluation, choose to support one applicant who is most likely to succeed in the competition.

The allocation of awards under this competition will be subject to the availability of funding from the Department of Education and Skills.

1.8 Queries?

For queries relating to the scheme, please visit the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page for applicants at http://www.ircset.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=80 .

If the answer to the query cannot be found on the FAQ page, please contact the IRCSET team by email at [email protected] .

1.9 Guide for Applicants

A detailed Guide for Applicants will be published at http://www.ircset.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=78 approximately three weeks before the Call opens for applications. Please read the Guide carefully before applying.

2. Profile of a Competitive Applicant

A competitive applicant is expected to have shown the potential to be a research leader in the future, and an ability to think and act independently in carrying out their research. They should be able to demonstrate a promising track-record of early achievements appropriate to their research field and career stage, such as publications (as co-author) in highly-ranked international peer-reviewed journals of their respective field. Other research outputs which would evidence a promising track record are, for example, a record of peer-reviewed conference proceedings, contributions to books, presentations at international conferences, or industrial outputs such as patents or copyrights. The applicant may also have some level of management and/or teaching/mentoring and/or outreach/science communication experience, and could have displayed some international and/or inter-sectoral mobility. A competitive applicant would be ranked as “Outstanding” when compared to researchers with an equivalent number of years of research experience.

Potential applicants are encouraged to evaluate their track record and leadership potential against the above-mentioned benchmarks, in order to decide for themselves their likelihood for success, thus avoiding investing effort in proposals that are very unlikely to succeed.

A competitive applicant should also submit a competitive application, which would include the following elements: • A high-quality research proposal, clearly written and planned, which significantly advances the state-of-the-art in its field, and has the potential to result in considerable scientific or technological advancement. • A focused, achievable Training & Career Development plan, with clear objectives for scientific and transferable skills training. • A clear statement from their proposed Research Mentor which supports the application by outlining, for example, the reason why this applicant would be an addition to their research team, the impact of the research team on their area of research, the career development opportunities on offer to the applicant. • Two statements from Referees which support the applicant by describing, for example, the applicant's leadership potential, scientific maturity, their ability to think and act independently in carrying out research. 3. Eligibility Criteria

3.1 Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

• Currently hold or about to receive a doctoral degree, awarded by any institution worldwide. 5,6

5 If successful in the competition and offered a fellowship, before they begin the fellowship , applicants must provide offical confirmation that they either hold a PhD, or have passed their viva voce or equivalent and will shortly be awarded the PhD. The latest permissable date for starting the fellowship is 31 st December 2011. 7

• Have not yet been employed in a postdoctoral research position for more than 36 months at the closing date of the call. Career breaks or periods in industry will not be included in the calculation of 36 months. Applicable career breaks include parental leave, maternity leave, caring leave, periods working in an industrial setting where the applicant was not able to publish peer-reviewed publications, or periods spent working in a purely teaching position where the applicant was unable to continue their research. • Have co-authored at least one peer-reviewed research publication 7 or demonstrable equivalent intellectual property output.8 • Ensure that their research proposal subject falls into one of the subject areas described in Section 1.1, or is interdisciplinary within those areas.

3.2 Eligible Irish Research Bodies The eligible Irish Research Bodies for the Postdoctoral Fellowships Scheme are listed below:

Eligible Host Institutions Athlone Institute of Technology Cork Institute of Technology Dublin City University [DCU] Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies [DIAS] Dublin Institute of Tec hnology Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology Dundalk IT Galway -Mayo Institute of Technology Institute of Technology Blanchardstown Institute of Technology Carlow Institute of Technology Sligo Institute of Technology Tallaght Instit ute of Technology Tralee Letterkenny Institute of Technology Limerick Institute of Technology National College of Art and Design National College of Ireland Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland [RCSI] St. Patrick's College Drumcondra Teagasc The Na tional University of Ireland, Galway [NUIG] The National University of Ireland, Maynooth [NUIM] The University of Dublin, Trinity College [TCD] The University of Limerick [UL] University College Cork [UCC] University College Dublin [UCD] Waterford In stitute of Technology

6 The doctoral degree should have been awarded based on a substantial piece of original research. 7 E.g., a journal article in an international journal, or a peer-reviewed conference proceedings paper. For theoreticians, an article lodged at http://arxiv.org/ is acceptable. 8 E.g, a filed patent application, a granted patent, a trademark, a copyright, an industrial design, a utility model, an integrated circuit. For software engineers who have chosen to freely distribute their software rather than IP- protecting it, verifiable evidence of significant downloads of open-source distribution of said software is acceptable. 8

3.3 Applying with two host institutions or two Mentors

Applicants may apply for a fellowship which is co-hosted by two institutions (with two Mentors), as long as those institutions are chosen from the list of Irish Research Bodies above. However, the online application system will only permit one Irish Research Body to be selected. The applicant should specify in the online system the Irish Research Body where they will spend the majority of their time, and provide details of the Mentor at that institution. The details of the second institution and Mentor can be detailed as part of the uploaded research proposal.

If applying to work with two host institutions, the applicant should choose the primary institution as the Irish Research Body in the online application system.

Similarly, an applicant may apply for a fellowship which is co-mentored by two Mentors. The online application system will only permit the details of one Mentor to be submitted. The applicant should specify in the online system the details of their primary Mentor only. The details of the second Mentor can be detailed as part of the uploaded research proposal. 4. How to apply

4.1 Prior to Application

Before applying via the Online Application System (OLS), applicants must carefully read this document and the Terms & Conditions document for the EMPOWER programme. These documents are available on our website at http://www.ircset.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=78 . Please pay particular attention to the eligibility criteria.

For queries, please visit the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page for applicants at http://www.ircset.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=80 . This page will be updated regularly during the Call.

If the answer to the query cannot be found on the FAQ page, please contact the IRCSET team by email at [email protected] .

4.2 Online Application System

All applications must be received via the IRCSET Online Application System. Hard-copy or email submission of applications is not acceptable. The online system will automatically shut off at 5pm GMT/UTC on the closing date of the Call and will not be able to accept applications after this time.

To obtain access to the OLS, visit our website at http://www.ircset.ie/tabid/64/default.aspx and follow the link to the OLS web portal entry page:

1. If an applicant has previously applied for an IRCSET Postdoctoral Fellowship, there is no need to register again. If the applicant has forgotten their password, use the link to request a new PIN. 2. If an applicant has not previously applied for an IRCSET Postdoctoral Fellowship, follow the instructions to register.

• The username and PIN will be emailed. The email address it will come from is [email protected]. • If the email does not arrive, the applicant should check their spam folder. If they are using an institutional/work email address, the email may be blocked by the firewall at their institution. Please contact the IT department at the institution/place of work to ask them to release the email. • Login to the OLS to begin the application. Please note that the application can be accessed for almost 6 weeks before submission is required. It takes time to fully and satisfactorily complete the form, so applicants should not leave it until late in this 6-week period to begin completing it. • Applicants should in all sections of the Applicant Form in detail, following the instructions provided within the form text. • The Applicant Form can be submitted any time up to the deadline. • After the Applicant Form has been submitted, the applicant will be sent a confirmation email. • The workflow for the application procedure is summarised in Section 4.7.

4.3 Mentors

Mentora must be registered with the OLS before the applicant can select them on the application form. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their mentor is registered.

The IRCSET OLS has two Roles for Investigators at Host Institutions: 1. ‘Mentor in Ireland ’ (for EMPOWER Postdoctoral Applications) If the Mentor has already registered with IRCSET’s OLS as a ‘Mentor in Ireland’, then they do not need to register again. If they have forgotten their login details they can follow the link on the IRCSET website to the OLS and request a new PIN. 2. ‘Supervisor ’ (for EMBARK Postgraduate Applications) If the Mentor has registered with IRCSET’s OLS as a ‘Supervisor’, but has not yet registered as a ‘Mentor’, they should contact the Research Office at their Host Institution to be registered a ‘Mentor’.

• After the application has been submitted, the Mentor receives an automatic email from the online system, requesting that they login to the system and complete a Host Laboratory form. • This form asks for the following information:

1. The size of their research team 2. Laboratory Statement (1000 words maximum), to include: • How long you have known the applicant; you should provide details as to why you conceded to work with this particular applicant. • An assessment of the candidate as a new addition to the research team. • Describe the impact of the team on the area of research. • What training and career development opportunities will be provided to the applicant in your host laboratory and/or institution e.g. training courses in research and 'soft' skills, postdoctoral career development programmes etc.? Your statements under this heading should agree with the plans outlined by the applicant in their Training & Career Development Plan. • Please affirm that any necessary equipment and other resources are available to progress the work. • What assistance will the applicant receive to help them integrate into their new environment (if applicable)? For example, assistance with setting up tax and social security arrangements, language courses etc. 3. A list of labo ratory publications for the past two years

4.4 Referees

As part of the application process, the details of two Referees, including an email address, are entered into the online application form. • After the application has been submitted, the Referees receive an automatic email from the online system, requesting that they login to the system and complete a Referee Form.

Please be careful when entering the email address of a Referee. If an incorrect email

address is entered, the Referee will not receive the automated email requesting them

to complete a Reference Form.

• This form asks for the following information:

Question Answer / Requested Details How well do you know the applicant? Well / Sl ightly / I do not know the applicant How long have you known them? Date From – Date To Were you their? Advisor / Professor / Lecturer / Tutor / Colleague / Other (please specify) Would you recommend that this candidate be Yes / No supported to pursue their postdoctoral work as proposed? How does this applicant compare to other Outstanding / Above Average / Average / Poor researchers at this academic level that you have interacted with over the past 5 years? Please provide your observations on the Please ensure you comment on the following characteristics and achievements of the applicant aspects, in addition to any additional in support of your recommendation (Maximum observations: the applicant's track record; 1500 Words). leadership potential; scientific maturity; ability to think and act independently.

It is very important to note that a Referee cannot be a person who is also named as a Mentor in the application.

• Applicants must gain prior agreement from their Referees to provide a reference. • Applicants should ensure that their referees will be able to complete it by the specified deadline.

1. A Referee cannot be a person who is also named as a Mentor in the application. 2. Applicants must gain prior agreement from their Referees to provide a reference. th 3. Applicants should ensure that their referees will be able to complete it by the 14 December deadline.

Applicants should be selective in their choice of Referees. Ideally one of them should be the applicant’s PhD supervisor. For applicants with postdoctoral experience, their most recent Principal Investigator would be a suitable choice. The Referee should be someone who has recent experience of working with the applicant, knows them well, and can speak authoritatively about the applicant’s track record, leadership potential, scientific maturity, ability to think and act independently, in addition to any other views that they wish to express in relation to the applicant.

4.5 Research Officer Endorsement

After the application has been submitted a Research Officer from the Research Office at the proposed Irish Research Body will endorse the application via their portal on the online system. All Research Officers are already registered with the online system. IRCSET recommends that applicants contact the Research Office and inform them the intention to submit an application.

4.6 Application Workflow

No Previously applied for an Register with EMPOWER or INSPIRE Online System Fellowship?

Yes Retrieve password using Login to Online System “Forgot Password” facility

Create Application

Mentor No Is your Mentor Registers via registered with Online Research Office System? at Irish Research Yes Body Select Mentor on Applicant Form

Add details of two

Referees to Applicant Form

Complete & Submit Applicant Form

Applicant Receive s Mentor receives email Referees receive email Confirmation Email request request

Mentor Completes Form Referee(s) Completes Form(s)

Irish Research Body endorses application

Application Comp lete 13

4.6. Applicant Form

Important Notes! • Applicants are required to complete and submit the online Applicant Form before the call deadline. • In order to correctly create and save the form, applicants must first complete the ‘Project Title’ and ‘Irish Research Body’ fields, then ‘Save Draft’. Failure to follow this procedure after creating a draft form will result in loss of information entered into the form. • All mandatory fields must be completed. • Only one form per applicant may be submitted. • When the call is open, applicants may save a partially completed Applicant Form and return at a later time to complete and submit it before the closing date. However the Applicant Form cannot be edited once it has been submitted. • Resubmission or editing a submitted Applicant Form is not possible and IRCSET will not make changes to submitted forms. We therefore advise that applicants be fully satisfied with their form and that they print it for their own records prior to submission.

What the Applicant Form asks for:

Main Page Section Details Project Title 100 words maximum Ir ish Research Body The proposed host institution for the fellowship Applicant Details Name, Address etc. Research Mobility Section provided to justify lack of mobility in the proposed fellowship c.f. Section 1.2 Education Details A) Details of Undergradu ate Education Education Details B) Details of Master’s Degree Education Details C) Details of PhD Degree Other Education e.g. training courses Research Achievements Up to 600 words describing research achievements since beginning a career as a researcher (written for a general scientific audience) Referees Name, institution, email address and phone number of two referees Adding a Mentor Choosing their Mentor from the list provided in the online system Participants Lists all participants in the applic ation after their details have been added, i.e., applicant, mentor and referees 1. Work Experience Breaks in Research Career Path This section can be used to explain any ‘gaps’ in education and/or employment record. Unexplained ‘gaps’ will result in the application being deemed ineligible and it will be rejected.

Number sections 1 to 6 Space to detail up to six periods of employment is provided. Do not put any details of education in this section, i.e. PhD or Master’s Degree research. 2. Publications and Other Research Outputs Peer -reviewed Publications Details of up to 15 peer -reviewed publications can be provided, e.g. journal articles, peer-reviewed conference proceedings Other Publications and Research Outputs Details of up to 15 other publicatio ns or research outputs can be provided, e.g. other peer-reviewed articles, articles "in press", books or book chapters, patents, conference presentations (oral or poster), conference proceedings. 3. Project Details Project Title Auto -inserted from the ma in page Abstract of Work Proposed 350 words maximum, summarising the area of the research project Primary Discipline Choose from the eight IRCSET primary disciplines c.f. Appendix 1 Sub -Discipline Choose from a list of sub -disciplines for each primary discipline. See list in Appendix 1 Other Discipline If the research is inter - or cross -disciplinary, use this section to provide the second discipline Key -Words Up to 10 keywords relevant to the research project Upload a PDF docum ent Upload a PDF docume nt. Details are in Section 4.8 Have you commenced the course of research Yes / No for which you are applying for funding? Enterprise Partnership Scheme Use this section to indicate your interest in Enterprise Partnership Scheme funding, c.f. Section 1.3

4.7. Choosing a Primary and Sub-discipline

The list of IRCSET primary and sub-disciplines is detailed in Appendix 1, or is available online at http://www.ircset.ie/Default.aspx?tabid=78 .

Note that the Assessors chosen to assess an individual application will be matched primarily on the basis of the chosen primary and sub-disciplines, so applicants should ensure to read the list and choose the correct primary and sub-disciplines. When making the choice, applicants should mainly consider the methodology/techniques used in the research project, and match them to the correct primary and sub-discipline. The area of application of the research is less important in this consideration.

4.8. Guidelines for writing the PDF upload

On Page 3 of the online application form (Project Details), applicants are required to upload a 3 page PDF document (maximum size 400 kB) describing:

(A) A two page Research Plan and (B) A one page Training & Career Development Plan.

Required formatting: • Times New Roman font size 12, single line spacing, all page margins 2.54 cm. • Maximum 3 pages of text. • Any figures, images, Gantt or other charts, captions or references that may be required should appear in an Appendix at the end of the document. • The Appendix will not be considered to be part of the 3 page text limit.

Uploaded documents which do not conform to the required formatting will not be

accepted by IRCSET: the entire application will be deemed ineligible for funding.

(A) Research Plan (two pages of text): The research plan should be written by the applicant, who should consult with the host research team during writing. This should be written for the non-specialist scientific reader, be concise and should demonstrate the potential impact of the work on the field in question. Any new techniques proposed, innovation or novelty should be given appropriate prominence and the plan should discuss the state-of-the-art in the field, including appropriate references (not included in the two-page limit) The research plan should include the following clearly identifiable and labelled sections:

Section Number Section Title More Information 1 Aims If a hypothesis is being tested, please state so here 2 Background and Preliminary Work Includ ing a description of the state-of-the-art in the field 3 Outline of Project Plan 4 Methodology (Methods/Techniques) 5 Justification for the Planned Approach 6 Milestones, Deliverables (Gantt Chart) 7 Impact of Work • Innovation or novelty compared to state-of-the-art • Scientific/technological advance • Any Socio-economic benefits

(B) Training & Career Development Plan (1 page of text) The plan should clearly outline the applicant’s short and long-term goals for their career and state how the proposed fellowship programme will contribute to these goals e.g. gaining research and transferable complementary skills such as communication skills, management skills etc. The applicant should outline any support they will have from their Mentor and host Irish Research Body in achieving these goals, e.g. names of in-house or external training courses that they will attend, any postdoctoral career development programmes available. If applicable, the applicant should outline any help they will receive from their Irish Research Body in integrating

into their new environment, e.g. assistance with setting up tax and social security arrangements, language courses etc.

Warning! Do not upload encrypted PDF files. They are incompatible with the system. Encrypted files cannot be read by the Assessors.

4.9 Enterprise Partnership Scheme

On Page 3 of the online application form (Project Details), applicants are asked to indicate that they are interested in the Enterprise Partnership Scheme, c.f. Section 1.3. By completing this section of the form, the applicant authorises IRCSET to discuss their application with potential Enterprise Partners with a view to possible co-funding of a Fellowship. Error! Bookmark not defined. This process will begin after the announcement of the main EMPOWER awards and will continue until the Call for EMPOWER Fellowships in 2013 is opened.

4.10 Submitting the Applicant Form

Once an applicant is satisfied that the Applicant Form has been fully completed, and all required details correctly entered into the system, they should submit the form.

Note that the deadline for submission must be strictly adhered to.

The online system will automatically shut off at 5pm GMT/UTC on the closing date of the Call and will not be able to accept applications after this time.

Please note that on the day the call closes there will be heavy traffic on the server, which may slow down the submission of the proposal. 1) If the research proposal PDF document needs to be uploaded or re-uploaded on the closing day, please allow at least 6 hours before the 5pm GMT/UTC deadline to allow the upload to fully complete. 2) To prevent problems with heavy server traffic, do not wait until the final day of the call to submit an application. Complete the application fully during the almost 6 weeks that the call is open, check it carefully for errors and submit it early!

4.11 Helpdesk

If at anytime an applicant requires help with the online application system, they should contact the IRCSET Team on [email protected] . Automated emails from the online application system should not be replied to ( [email protected] is a dummy email address).

5. What happens next?

Applicant Submits Applicant Form

Applicant Receives Mentor receives email Referees receive email Confirmation Email requesting their input requesting their input

Irish Research Body endorses application

Application Complete

Full Application includes • Eligibility Check 1 1 Mentor Form • 2 Referee Forms • Irish Research Body Endorsement Applicant meets EndEndorsemnment the specified Eligibility Check 2 eligibility criteria

• Correct formatting used in PDF upload Eligibility Check 3 • Page limits adhered to • No ‘gaps’ in CV

Assessment Phase (~20 weeks)

Results on www.ircset.ie

Successful Unsuccessful

Lette r of Offer Feedback Letter

5.1 Eligibility Checks

All applications are subject to three eligibility checks: 1. That the application is complete, i.e. an Applicant accompanied by one Mentor Form, two Referee Forms and an Irish Research Body Endorsement. 2. That the applicant meets the eligibility criteria as specified in the Terms & Conditions of the Call. 3. That the correct formatting has been used when preparing the PDF upload, and that the required 3 pages of text has been supplied (2 pages for the Research Plan and 1 page for the Training & Career Development Plan).

An application that fails one or more of the 3 Eligibility Checks will be deemed ineligible, and will be disqualified from the Call.

6. Assessment Procedures

6.1 Assessment Panels

As part of the Application Form, applicants have designated their research proposal as belonging to one of eight primary disciplines:

• Biological Sciences A • Biological Sciences B • Chemistry • Computer science • Earth/Environmental Science • Engineering • Mathematics • Physics.

Applications will be assessed and ranked within their designated primary discipline. This is to ensure that all applications are treated equally. In the case of interdisciplinary research proposals, applications may be assessed within a secondary discipline where deemed necessary by those assessing in the primary discipline, for example, if they do not possess sufficient expertise to assess all aspects of the application.

Assessment Stage 1

In the first stage of the assessment process, each eligible application received by the application deadline will be sent to at least two international ( not based in Ireland ) peers (hereafter referred to as “Assessors”) for review. IRCSET will use all available resources (including the keywords provided by the applicant) to ensure an excellent match between application and

Assessor, but the main focus will be on matching the sub-discipline selected by the applicant with the stated sub-disciplinary expertise of the Assessor. Therefore care should be taken in selecting the sub-discipline and applicants are required to consult the ‘IRCSET Research Disciplines’ document (Appendix 1) before making their choice. The distribution of applications to Assessors is carried out via the online application system (Assessors are issued with details to login, where they will are provided with their assigned applications). Assessors will complete an online assessment form and provide a score for each application, as described later under “Assessment Criteria”.

Assessment Stage 2

The second stage of the assessment process involves convening a series of assessment committee meetings: one for each of the 8 primary disciplines. This will provide an opportunity for all applications to be reviewed and discussed in further detail. The 5 to 10 members of the committee will be selected on the basis of their disciplinary expertise with due regard to gender balance, nationality, and private sector experience. All of these will be Assessors who have assessed applications in the first stage and will be representative of the research areas detailed in the applications received. At the assessment committee meeting, the Assessors will discuss and debate the initial scoring and propose a ranking list of applicants using the assessment criteria (see below). In the case of interdisciplinary proposals, applications may be passed to a second committee for further assessment where deemed necessary by the primary assessment committee, for example if they do not possess sufficient expertise to assess all aspects of the application.

Number of Awards Allocated to Each Primary Discipline

The budget is distributed to the different subject areas according to the number of eligible proposals received in each area, i.e., the percentage success rate is the same for each area, but the absolute number of successful proposals will be higher in panels which receive more eligible applications. For example, if the overall success rate for the Scheme is 20%, and 100 applications in Chemistry and 50 applications in Physics are received; a normal result would be to fund 20 in Chemistry and 10 in Physics.

Whilst each Committee will thus have a base-line for the probable success by subject area, it will be open to each committee chairperson to provide evidence for a proportionally greater or lesser success rate.

6.2 Assessment Criteria

Assessors are asked to provide a score for the application, broken down into the following criteria.

Track Record and Research Potential of the Applicant max 35 marks Quality of the Research Project max 25 marks Training and Career Development Aspects and Impact of the Fellowship max 20 marks Quality of the Host Organisation/Implementation of the Fellowship max 20 marks Total 100 marks

Track Record and Research Potential of the Applicant In line with IRCSET’s mission to develop the careers of the best early-stage researchers, the research potential of the applicant is the most important criterion to be assessed. This potential must be demonstrated by the significant achievements to date such as publications record (peer-reviewed journal articles, patents, books etc.), invited contributions, conference presentations, and participation in other relevant actions within the research area such as research management, teaching, supervision, outreach activities, journal refereeing etc. The following areas will be considered in the allocation of marks to this section:

• Research experience (based on the applicant’s education and work experience record), including trans-national mobility, inter-sectoral mobility, scientific/practical/management experience. • Research results (publication record, invited contributions, patents, teaching, etc.) in relation to the level of research experience. • Evidence of independent thinking and leadership qualities. • Match between the researcher’s profile and the project.

Applicants should be rewarded for any independent steps they have undertaken to advance their research career, e.g. attendance at non-mandatory training and development courses. Any breaks in the applicant’s research career path, e.g. parental leave, periods working in industry, delays in research progress/output due to periods of transnational or trans-sectoral mobility etc. are automatically taken into account and the applicant’s score will not be adversely affected by such breaks.

Quality of the Research Project The assessors will examine the proposed research project to be undertaken during the Fellowship bearing the following factors in mind: • Research/technological quality, including any interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary aspects of the proposal. • Potential of the research to advance fundamental science and/or potential for technological impact and the degree to which the proposal addresses present or future socio-economic needs. • Originality (relationship to the ‘state-of –the-art’) and innovative nature of the project. • Suitability of the proposed methodology and approach for the project, including the clarity of short and long term scientific /technological objectives. • Feasibility of the project.

Training and Career Development Aspects and Impact of the Fellowship Assessors are asked to carefully evaluate the training and career development plan proposed by the applicant. In line with a recent report which emphasised that in the coming years, a majority of Irish-trained and Irish-based researchers will be expected to take up employment outside traditional academic positions, particular attention will be paid to aspects of the proposed Fellowship which allow the Fellow to gain skills relevant to employment in areas outside of academia, for example, working in teams, intellectual property protection and commercialisation, communications etc.

In terms of evaluating the impact of the entire proposed Fellowship on the applicant’s career path, Assessors will be asked to consider whether the proposed research project, chosen host/institution and the fellow’s plan for training and career development will have a significant impact on their career development as a researcher and will open them up to future career opportunities both in academia, enterprise (industry) or in other areas such as RTDI Policy. If an applicant is not proposing to move to a new host institution and research mentor, the justification for this will be evaluated.

The following areas will be considered in the allocation of marks to this section:

• Clarity and quality of objectives in the applicant’s career development and training plan, including the extent to which specific training activities have been scheduled. • Potential acquisition of new scientific and transferable skills. Particular attention will be paid to aspects of the proposed fellowship which allow the fellow to gain skills relevant to employment outside the traditional academic sector. • Potential to acquire new knowledge. • Impact of the proposed fellowship on the applicant’s career path: potential to acquire competencies that improve the prospects of reaching and/or reinforcing a position of professional maturity, diversity and independence.

Quality of the Host Organisation/Implementation of the Fellowship The following areas will be considered in the allocation of marks to this section:

• Suitability and quality of the host organisation: research reputation of the PI and/or Mentor (including publication record, conference participation, innovation outputs or other); equipment and facilities; (inter) national linkages with appropriate partners. • Host expertise in developing experienced researchers in the field; capacity to provide mentoring, and their ability to facilitate the activities specified in the applicant’s career development and training plan. • Ability of the host organisation to allow full implementation of all aspects of the fellowship, such as the provision of all necessary facilities for the fellow to carry out the project. • If applicable, the ability of the host organisation to assist the fellow in integrating in their new research environment (e.g. assistance with tax and social security arrangements, etc.).

The quality of the host organisation/laboratory as the proposed research environment must be fully documented. Considerations may include the research reputation of the chosen mentor, as evidenced by publication record, conference participation or other evidence of impact in the research area, the equipment and facilities available, linkages with appropriate national and international partners, experience and expertise in training researchers, capacity to provide high-quality mentoring to the Fellow etc. If the chosen mentor is not the overall leader (Principal Investigator or P.I.) of the host laboratory, the research achievements of the P.I. will also be taken into account.

The chosen host institution/laboratory will also be evaluated in terms of whether it provides a good environment for the development of the applicant’s career. Consideration will also be

given to the host laboratory’s and host institution’s ability to facilitate the activities specified in the applicant’s career development and training plan.

The proposed host laboratory and host institution will be evaluated on their ability to allow the full implementation of all aspects of the proposed Fellowship. This will include the provision of all necessary facilities for the Fellow to fully carry out their proposed research project e.g. laboratory equipment, office space, laboratory space, IT equipment, and auxiliary facilities e.g. library, online access to research journals etc.

In addition, consideration will be given to the ability of the host institutions to assist the Fellow in integrating into their new environment. This assistance could be in the form of providing access to language courses, help with immigration issues, setting up the Fellow’s tax and social security arrangements.

Assessment Categories

The assessment committees will have the task of allocating each application to one of the following categories:

A1. Outstanding: top priority for funds Typical Score: 90 to 100 marks These are the truly exceptional applicants who are clearly making substantial progress in their chosen area of research. Usually they will have a strong record of research outputs and will have other evidence of having achieved some recognition in the research area. The proposed fellowship programme is of both outstanding scientific quality and contains outstanding training and career development aspects. All applications rated in this category should be funded.

A2. Excellent: could be funded Typical Score: 80 to 89 marks These applicants display evidence of excellent research achievements. The proposed fellowship programme is of very high scientific quality and contains excellent training and career development aspects. Taking all the evidence available into account, these applicants could have an excellent research career. While not in the top priority for funds, these applicants should be short-listed to form a ‘Reserve List’ and funded if financial resources allow.

B. Very Good: slightly above average Typical Score: 70 to 79 marks These applicants display evidence of very good research achievements. The proposed project is of above-average scientific quality and contains good training and career development aspects. Taking all the evidence available into account, these applicants could have a very good research career. The applicants in this category could be funded if financial resources allow.

C. Good: many suitable characteristics Typical Score: 50 to 69 marks The assessors are less confident of the success of these applicants. They appear prepared for a research career, yet are not so clearly in the top cohort of those applying for support. Either or both (a) the scientific quality or (b) the training and career development aspects of the proposed

fellowship are not as well developed as preferred. The applicants in this category are not likely to be funded.

D. Poor: less likely to succeed in research career Typical Score: 49 marks or less The applicants in this category have not provided evidence of a strong track record and research potential, and have prepared an application which is not well developed in terms of a) the scientific quality or (b) the training and career development aspects of the proposed project. These applicants could not be considered for funding.

6.3 Good Practice and Conflicts of Interest

IRCSET has put in place a policy to ensure the avoidance of any conflicts between personal interests of the Assessors and the interests of the applicants. In the context of peer review of research proposals and final report, a conflict of interest might arise, for example, if an Assessor has, or has had in the past, a close working relationship, financial or personal connections with any individual(s) in the academic department(s) or organisation (or any collaborating company or body) from which a proposal originates. Such interests may be indirect and relate to immediate family members or any other persons living in the same household as the reviewer.

Such circumstances may include the following:

• Relatives, personal ties or conflicts; • Close scientific collaboration, e.g., implementation of joint projects or joint publications within the past 5 years; • Direct scientific competition with personal projects or plans; • Close proximity, e.g., member of the same scientific institution or impending • change of the reviewer to the institution of the applicant or vice versa; • Teacher/student relationship, unless independent scientific activity of more • than 10 years exists; • Dependent relationship in employment during the past 5 years; • Participation in on-going or just previously concluded professorial appointment • proceedings; • Current or prior activity in advisory bodies of the applicant's institution, e.g., scientific advisory boards; • Personal economic interests in the funding decision; • Competitive relationship or common economic interests, e.g., common business management.

The acid test is whether a member of the public, knowing the facts of the situation, might reasonably think the judgement could be influenced by the potential conflict of interest.

Each Assessor is required to endorse the declaration below for every application that they assess:

Declaration by Assessor:

• I declare that to my knowledge I do not have any connection with the proposal or any interest in its success or otherwise that could influence my impartiality. • I will not disclose any information concerning this proposal or any matter relating to it.

Do you agree?*

Appendix 1: IRCSET Postdoctoral Research Disciplines

This section details the research disciplines which are suitable for applications to IRCSET’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Schemes. As part of the online application system, applicants are required to select a primary discipline and a sub-discipline for their proposed research programme, from a list provided by IRCSET. It is of vital importance that the proposed research programme is aligned with the correct primary and sub-discipline, and this document will help applicants with the selection process.

Primary Disciplines Applicants are required to select a primary discipline from the following defined list. If your research is interdisciplinary within two or more primary disciplines, please choose the primary discipline that the research is most closely associated with. You will also be able to add a free text ‘other discipline’ of your choice.

Biological Sciences A Biological Sciences B Chemistry Computer Science Earth and Environmental Sciences Engineering Mathematics Physics

Sub-disciplines Within each primary discipline is a list of defined sub-disciplines. These are listed in the tables on the following pages. Please choose one sub-discipline that most closely matches the area of your proposed research programme. In considering the match, please consider the methodology and techiques utitilised in your research project and match these to the correct sub-discipline. The application form will also ask you to provide more detailed information on the proposal, such as relevant keywords. If your research is interdisciplinary within two or more sub-disciplines, please choose the sub-discipline that the research is most closely associated with.

Biological Sciences A Sub-discipline Typical Research Areas including but not limited to: Agricultural Biotechnology Diagnostics (incl. Biosensors); Agricultural Marine Biotechnology; Agricultural Molecular Engineering of Nucleic Acids and Agricultural Biotechnology Proteins; Genetically Modified Technology; Livestock Cloning; Marker Assisted Selection; Biomass Feedstock Production Technologies; Biopharming. including but not limited to: theoretical biology; Biology (Theoretical, Mathematical, Thermal, mathematical biology; themal biology; cryobiology; Cryobiology, Biological Rhythm) biological rhythm. including but not limited to: Biodiscovery; Biological Control; Bioremediation; Environmental Biotechnology Diagnostics (incl. Biosensors); Environmental Biotechnology Environmental Marine Biotechnology; Environmental Molecular Engineering of Nucleic Acids and Proteins. including but not limited to: Animal Systematics and Taxonomy; Biogeography and Phylogeography; Biological Adaptation; Ethology and Sociobiology; Evolution of Developmental Systems; Evolutionary Evolutionary Biology Impacts of Climate Change; Host-Parasite Interactions; Life Histories; Phylogeny and Comparative Analysis; Plant Systematics and Taxonomy; Speciation and Extinction. including but not limited to: ma rine biology, Marine Biology, Freshwater Biology. freshwater biology. including but not limited to: Bacteriology; Microbiology, Mycology and Virology Infectious Agents; Microbial Ecology; Virology; Mycology. Microbial Genetics including but not limited to: Microbial Genetics. including but not limited to: Phycology (incl. Marine Grasses); Plant Cell and Molecular Biology; Plant Plant Sciences, Botany Developmental and Reproductive Biology; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Botany. including but not limited to: Animal Behaviour; Animal Cell and Molecular Biology; Animal Zoology, Ornithology, Entomology, Developmental and Reproductive Biology; Animal Behavioural Sciences Biology Immunology; Animal Neurobiology; Animal Physiological Ecology; Animal Structure and Function; Invertebrate Biology; Vertebrate Biology.

Biological Sciences B Sub-discipline Typical Research Areas including but not limited to: Biochemical Research Biochemical Research Methods Methods including but not limited to: Analytical Biochemistry; Bioinformatics (Bioinformatics Software to be Computer Science); Enzymes; Protein Trafficking; Proteomics and Intermolecular Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Interactions; Receptors and Membrane Biology; Signal Transduction; Structural Biology (incl. Macromolecular Modelling); Synthetic Biology; Systems Biology. including but not limited to: Cell Development, Proliferation and Death; Cell Metabolism; Cell Cell Biology Neurochemistry; Cellular Interactions (incl. Adhesion, Matrix, Cell Wall). Developmental Biology including but not limited to: Developmental Biology including but not limited to: Anthropological Genetics; Cell and Nuclear Division; Developmental Genetics; Epigenetics (incl. Genome Methylation and Epigenomics); Gene Expression (incl. Microarray and other genome-wide approaches); Genetics and Heredity Genetic Immunology; Genome Structure and Regulation; Genomics; Molecular Evolution; Neurogenetics; Population, Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics; Quantitative Genetics (incl. Disease and Trait Mapping Genetics). including but not limited to: Biocatalysis and Enzyme Technology; Bioprocessing, Bioproduction and Bioproducts; Fermentation; Industrial Industrial Biotechnology Biotechnology Diagnostics; Industrial Microbiology (incl. Biofeedstocks); Industrial Molecular Engineering of Nucleic Acids and Proteins. including but not limited to: Gene and Molecular Therapy; Medical Biotechnology Diagnostics; Medical Biotechnology Medical Molecular Engineering of Nucleic Acids and Proteins; Regenerative Medicine (incl. Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering). Reproductive Biology including but not limited to: Reproductive Biology

Chemistry Sub-discipline Typical Research Areas including but not limited to: Analytical Spectrometry; Electroanalytical Chemistry; Flow Analysis; Immunological and Bioassay Methods; Analytical Chemistry Instrumental Methods; Quality Assurance, Chemometrics, Traceability and Metrological Chemistry; Sensor Technology; Separation Science. including but not limited to: Colloid and Surface Colloid and Nanochemistry Chemistry; Nanochemistry; Molecular and Organic Electronics; Nanotoxicology (chemical aspects) including but not limited to: Dry Cells; Batteries; Electrochemistry Fuel cells; Corrosion metals; Electrolysis. including but not limited to: Bioinorganic Chemistry; f-Block Chemistry; Inorganic Green Chemistry; Main Group Metal Chemistry; Non- Inorganic, Organometallic and Nuclear metal Chemistry; Solid State Chemistry; Transition Chemistry Metal Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry; Organometallic Chemistry, Supramolecular Chemistry (inorganic and organometallic aspects); Nuclear Chemistry. including but not limited to: Chemical Characterisation of Materials; Supramolecular Chemistry (materials chemistry aspects); Optical Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry Properties of Materials; Physical Chemistry of Materials; Polymerisation Mechanisms; Synthesis of Materials; Theory and Design of Materials; Molecular and Organic Electronics. including but not limit ed to: Biologically Active Molecules; Biomolecular Modelling and Design; Characterisation of Biological Macromolecules; Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry Cheminformatics and Quantitative Structure- Activity Relationships; Molecular Medicine; Proteins and Peptides. includi ng but not limited to: Free Radical Chemistry; Natural Products Chemistry; Organic Organic Chemistry Chemical Synthesis; Organic Green Chemistry; Physical Organic Chemistry. including but not limited to: Catalysis and Mechanisms of Reactions; Chemical Thermodynamics and Energetics; Solution Physical Chemistry Chemistry; Structural Chemistry and Spectroscopy; Transport Properties and Non-equilibrium Processes. including but not limited to: Quantum Chemistry; Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Radiation and Matter; Reaction Kinetics and Dynamics; Statistical Mechanics in Chemistry.

Computer Science Sub-discipline Typical Research Areas including but not limited to: Adaptive Agents and Intelligent Robotics; Artificial Life; Computer Graphics; Computer Vision; Expert Systems, Image Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing Processing; Natural Language Processing; Neural, Evolutionary and Fuzzy Computation; Pattern Recognition and Data Mining; Simulation and Modelling; Virtual Reality and Related Simulation. including but not limited to: Analysis of Algorithms and Complexity; Applied Discrete Mathematics; Computation Theory and Mathematics Computational Logic and Formal Languages; Mathematical Software; Numerical Computation. including but not limi ted to: Bioinformatics Software; Computer System Architecture; Computer System Security; Concurrent Computer Software Programming; Multimedia Programming; Open Software; Operating Systems; Programming Languages; Software Engineering. including but not limited t o: Coding and Data Format Information Theory; Data Encryption; Data Structures; Markup Languages. including but not limited to: Distributed and Grid Systems; Mobile Technologies; Networking and Distributed Computing Communications; Ubiquitous Computing; Web Technologies. including but not limited to: Computer -Human Interaction; Conceptual Modelling; Database Management; Decision Support and Group Support Systems; Global Information Systems; Information Information Systems Engineering and Theory; Information Systems Development Methodologies; Information Systems Management; Information Systems Organisation; Information Systems Theory; Interorganisational Information Systems and Web Services.

Earth and Environmental Sciences Sub-discipline Typical Research Areas including but not limited to: Conservation and Biodiversity Conservation Biodiversity. including but not limited to: Behavioural Ecology; Community Ecology; Ecological Physiology; Freshwater Ecology; Marine and Estuarine Ecology Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology); Palaeoecology; Population Ecology; Terrestrial Ecology. Ecological Impacts of Climate Change; Ecosystem Function; Invasive Species Ecology. including but not limited to: Environmental Impact Assessment; Environmental Management; Environmental Sciences Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Rehabilitation; Natural Resource Management; Wildlife and Habitat Management. including but not limited to: Exploration Geochemistry Geochemistry; Inorganic Geochemistry; Isotope Geochemistry; Organic Geochemistry; Electrical and Electromagnetic Methods in Geophysics; Geodynamics; Geophysical Fluid Geophysics Dynamics; Geothermics and Radiometrics; Gravimetrics; Magnetism and Palaeomagnetism; Seismology and Seismic Exploration. including but not limited to: Basin Analysis; Extraterrestrial Geology; Geochronology; Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology; Marine Geoscience; Geology Ore Deposit Petrology; Petroleum and Coal Geology; Sedimentology; Stratigraphy (incl. Biostratigraphy and Sequence Stratigraphy); Structural Geology; Tectonics, Volcanology including but not limited to: Atmospheric Aerosols; Atmospheric Dynamics; Atmospheric Radiation; Climate Change Processes; Climatology (excl. Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences Climate Change Processes); Cloud Physics; Meteorology; Tropospheric and Stratospheric Physics, Atmospheric Chemistry including but not limited to: Mineralogy and Mineralogy Crystallography. including but not limited to: Biological Oceanography; Chemical Oceanography; Physical Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources Oceanography, Hydrology: Surfacewater Hydrology, Water Resources. including but not limited to: Palaeontology; Palaeontology Palynology including but not limited to: Geomorphology and Regolith and Landscape Evolution; Glaciology; Physical Geography Hydrogeology; Natural Hazards; Palaeoclimatology; Quaternary Environments; Surface Processes.

Engineering Sub-discipline Typical Research Areas including but not limited to: Chemical engineering Chemical engineering (plants, products); Chemical process engineering. including but not limited to:Civil engineering; Architecture engineering; Construction Civil Engineering engineering, Municipal and structural engineering;Transport engineering; Geotechnics including but not limited to: Electrical and electronic engineering; Robotics and automatic Electrical engineering, Electronic engineering, control; Automation and control systems; Information engineering Communication engineering and systems; telecommunications; Computer hardware and architecture; including, but not limited to: Environmental and geological engineering,; Petroleum engineering Environmental Engineering (fuel, oils); Energy and fuels; Remote sensing; Mining and mineral processing; Marine engineering, sea vessels; Ocean engineering. including but not limited to: Food Engineering; Food and Beverage Engineering Beverage Engineering. including but limited to: Materials engineering; Ceramics; Coating and films; Composites (including laminates, reinforced plastics, cermets, combined Materials Engineering natural and synthetic fibre fabrics; filled composites); Paper and wood; textiles, including synthetic dyes, colours, fibres; Nanoscale materials (engineering aspects only). including but not limited to: Mechanical engineering; Applied mechanics; Thermodynamics; Mechanical Engineering Aerospace engineering; Nuclear related engineering; (nuclear physics to be Physics); Audio engineering, reliability analysis. including but not limited to: Medical engineering; Medical laboratory technology (including Medical and Biomedical Engineering laboratory samples analysis; diagnostic technologies).

Mathematics Sub-discipline Typical Research Areas including but not limited to: Approximat ion Theory and Asymptotic Methods; Biological Mathematics; Calculus of Variations, Systems Theory and Control Theory; Dynamical Systems in Applications; Applied Mathematics Financial Mathematics; Operations Research; Theoretical and Applied Mechanics; Numerical Analysis; Numerical Solution of Differential and Integral Equations; Optimisation. including, but not limited to: Algebraic and Differential Geometry; Category Theory, K Theory, Homological Algebra; Combinatorics and Discrete Mathematics; Group Theory and Generalisations; Lie Groups, Harmonic and Fourier Analysis; Mathematical Logic, Set Theory, Lattices and Pure Mathematics Universal Algebra; Operator Algebras and Functional Analysis; Ordinary Differential Equations; Difference Equations and Dynamical Systems; Partial Differential Equations; Real and Complex Functions (incl. Several Variables); Topology. including but not limited to: Applied Statistics; Biostatistics; Forensic Statistics; Probability Theory; Statistics and Probability Statistical Theory; Stochastic Analysis and Modelling.

Physics Sub-discipline Typical Research Areas including but not limited to: Acoustics and Acoustics Acoustical Devices; Waves. including but not limited to: Astrobiology; Astronomical and Space Instrumentation; Cosmology and Extragalactic Astronomy; Galactic Astronomy; General Relativity and Gravitational Astronomy and Space Science Waves; High Energy Astrophysics; Cosmic Rays; Mesospheric, Ionospheric and Magnetospheric Physics; Planetary Science; Space and Solar Physics; Stellar Astronomy and Planetary Systems. including but not limited to: Magnetic Resonances; Atomic, Molecular and Chemical Physics Moessbauer effect; Atomic and Molecular Physics; Chemical Physics. including but not limited to: B iological Physics; Biophysics Medical Physics. including but not limited to: Condensed Matter Characterisation Technique Development; Condensed Matter Imaging; Condensed Matter Modelling and Density Functional Theory; Condensed Matter Physics Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Condensed Matter; Superconductivity; Soft Condensed Matter; Surfaces and Structural Properties of Condensed Matter. including but not limited to: Surface Physics; Fluids and Plasma Physics Plasma Physics; Fusion Plasmas; Electrical Discharges; Fluid Physics. Nuclear Physics including but not limited to: Nuclear Physics including but not limited to: Laser Optics; Quantum Optics; Classical and Physical Optics; Lasers and Optics Quantum Electronics; Nonlinear Optics and Spectroscopy; Photonics, Optoelectronics and Optical Communications. including but not limited to: Particle Physics; Particles and Fields Physics Degenerate Quantum Gases and Atom Optics; Field Theory and String Theory. including but not limited to: Mathe matical Aspects of Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Information Theory; Mathematical Aspects of General Relativity; Mathematical Aspects of Quantum and Conformal Field Theory, Theoretical Physics Quantum Gravity and String Theory; Statistical Mechanics, Physical Combinatorics and Mathematical Aspects of Condensed Matter; Electrostatics and Electrodynamics; Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics.

Appendix 2: Screenshots from Online Application System

To follow: