Carleton University October 24, 2013 Dave Bowen – Team Leader NSERC NSERC Update

Outline  2013 NSERC News Federal Budget -Updates and New Initiatives  2013 Discovery Grants Competition Results -Geosciences (EG 1506)  Questions

Budget 2013: The Highlights  Austerity budget in 2013: no cuts  $15 million for research partnerships  Discovery Grants and Scholarships and Fellowships programs unaffected

 Economic Action Plan 2013 provided $15 million to NSERC to enhance support of partnerships between businesses and academic researchers.  As part of the Government of Canada's Budget 2012 spending review, NSERC examined all its activities and investments with a view to streamline operations, and ensure maximum efficiencies. We are fully reinvesting the savings from efficiencies identified in last year's budget into priority research areas.  NSERC will continue to ensure that Canada’s best researchers have the resources to succeed, to maximize the value of public investments and to increase Canada's global competitiveness. Budget 2013: The Highlights

 NSERC placed a moratorium on the Major Resources Support (MRS) program; grants from previous competitions that have not yet expired will be honoured. –NSERC understands the importance of maintaining access to research facilities and will work with stakeholders, including the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), to explore ways to move forward in a cohesive manner.  The Government has made significant investments in science, technology, and research to create jobs, grow our economy, and improve the quality of life for Canadians. Budget 2013: The Highlights

6 Research Tools and Instruments  Broad consultation of community  Smaller national competition with quota of applications per university based on: o number of NSERC-funded natural sciences and engineering researchers at institutions o minimum university quota of two applications  Researchers can be on more than one application  Criteria for evaluation will remain the same

Discovery Frontiers  ‘Exploring Big Data’ theme for next call for proposals, with two components –Digging into Data Challenge competition is sponsored by 10 leading funders from four countries. Deadline for LOIs is May 15 th – NSERC, Genome Canada, CIHR and the CFI partnering on Advancing big data science in genomics research. Deadline for LOIs is May 1 st

Climate Change and Atmospheric Research (CCAR) Federal research initiative ($35M over 5yrs) to improve understanding of the climate and the atmosphere Large, integrated projects involving university researchers, Canadian government scientists, and partner organizations Value: $500,000 to $1 million per year for up to five years

CCAR Projects

Northern Research Supplements (NRS)  To augment and promote Canadian university-based research and training by providing extra support to DG-holders conducting research in Canada’s North  To recognise extra logistical costs in the North and to encourage education, outreach, and interaction with Northerners  NSERC has consolidated existing Northern funding within the NRS Program: $1.9 million annual budget in 2014  105 Northern researchers currently supported  Value of supplements between $10k and $25k  Awards at the upper end of the range recognizing researchers whose programs have higher logistical costs and who make outstanding contributions to outreach and interactions with Northerners

 Two themes: Freshwater Security and Costal Vulnerability  NSERC will offer up to 1.5 million euros over 3 years for the Fresh Water Security theme  Canadian researchers interested in the Coastal Vulnerability theme were asked to participate as collaborators using their existing research funds  Full applications were reviewed in March 2013  Results to be announced early summer G8 Research Councils Initiative on Multilateral Research Funding and Belmont Forum – International Opportunities Fund

12 Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) 2013 Competition  To support the training of teams of outstanding students & postdoctoral fellows through innovative training programs –Letters of Intent:103 –Applications invited:50 –Awards made:15  Up to 50 percent of the CREATE grants dedicated to an industrial stream that will include internships for at least 20% duration of the training for each trainee.  NSERC has formal agreements with the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) in Germany and FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) in Brazil. 12

Discovery Grants Program Evaluation  5-years since 2007 DG program evaluation and International Review  Key question: is the program achieving its 3 objectives and outcomes given changes to peer review process?  Multiple lines of evidence: surveys, consultations, interviews, bibliometric data analysis  International Review Committee findings to be released 2014

Allocation of Discovery Grants Budget Among 12 Evaluation Groups  NSERC requested Council of Canadian Academies assessment in fall 2009  CCA expert panel report: Informing Research Choices; Indicators and Judgment (July 2012)  NSERC consultations on findings in CCA report

NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR have been working to develop and implement a harmonized approach to open access  Public consultation on a draft Tri- Agency policy launched October 15

% Female University Enrolment in the Natural Sciences and Engineering in Canada by Degree Level,

% International University Enrolment in the Natural Sciences and Engineering in Canada by Degree Level,

Discovery Grants Program 2013 Results

The Conference Model  The 28 former Grant Selection Committees (GSCs) were replaced by 12 EGs in  Similar to a scientific conference, several sessions occur in parallel streams.  Members are assigned to various sections on the basis of the match between members’ expertise and the subject matter. –Members may participate in reviews in several EGs.  Flexibility allows applications at the interface between EGs to be reviewed by a combination of members with pertinent expertise from relevant groups.

Evaluation Groups  Genes, Cells and Molecules (1501)  Biological Systems and Functions (1502)  Evolution and Ecology (1503)  Chemistry (1504)  Physics (1505)  Geosciences (1506)  Computer Science (1507)  Mathematics and Statistics (1508)  Civil, Industrial and Systems Engineering (1509)  Electrical and Computer Engineering (1510)  Materials and Chemical Engineering (1511)  Mechanical Engineering (1512)

Evaluation Process – Principles  Two-step process separating the evaluation of the application and funding recommendations  Merit assessment based on the DG selection criteria, evaluated according to indicators  Comparable funding for those of comparable quality within a group  Consistency in process between EGs and between competition years

The Discovery Grants Program  Excellence of the Discovery Grants Program validated in two major independent reviews (2008)  Strong support for existing program criteria to measure excellence  Recommendations for enhancement: –New rating principles and measures to allow the peer review system to respond more dynamically to applicants’ performance (as of 2009) –New committee structure to give all applicants a higher quality, more comprehensive review (as of 2010)

Implementation of the Conference Model and the Rating Indicators Chair Program Officer First Internal Reader Second Internal Excellence Outstanding Very Strong Conflicts? Merit Outstanding Very Strong HQP Outstanding Very Strong COR Factor: NN N NN

Two-Step Review Process Merit assessment Funding recommendation

Discovery Grants Overall Results – 2013 Competition Data 1 Success Rate Average Grant Early Career Researchers (ECR) 60%$27,659 Established Researchers (ER) Renewing their grant (ER-R) 76%$36,062 Not Holding a Grant 2 (ER-NHG) 30%$27, Includes Discovery and Subatomic Physics (Individual and Team) Grants, but excludes the Subatomic Physics Projects. 2. Includes returning established unfunded applicants and experienced researchers submitting a first application. Note: Non-official results

Percent change in Grant Levels – 2013 Competition % Change Number of Renewal Applications Note: Non-official results

Success Rate 1 by Category of Individual Applicants – Competitions 1 Includes Discovery Grant Individual only 27 Note: Non-official results

Statistics by University Size – 2013 Competition University Size Category of ApplicantsData LargeMediumSmall Early Career Researchers Success Rate64%58%43% Average Grant$28,477$25,692$24,355 Established Researchers - Renewals Success Rate80%69%57% Average Grant$37,666$31,644$28,771 Established Researchers - Not Holding a Grant Success Rate34%24%21% Average Grant$28,790$24,981$23,905 Note: Non-official results

2013 Geosciences DG Results Competition 2013 Geosciences (EG 1506) Early Career Researchers Established Researcher Overall RenewalsOthers # of Applications # of Awards $ Awarded$338K$3,803K$772K$7,913K Success Rate41%63%30%50% Average Grant$24,143$39,631$30,872$36,390

2012 Geosciences DG Results Competition 2012 Geosciences (EG 1506) Early Career Researchers Established Researcher Overall RenewalsOthers # of Applications # of Awards $ Awarded$580K$3,732K$685K$4997K Success Rate54%66%33%55% Average Grant$30,526$36,240$29,783$33,843

Results and Statistics – Geosciences 2013 DG Competition

Results and Statistics – Geosciences 2012 Discovery Grants Competition

Results and Statistics – Geosciences 2013 Discovery Grants Competition ER- Established Researcher ECR – Early Career Researcher

Results and Statistics – Geosciences 2012 Discovery Grants Competition

35 Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) 2013 Competition OverallGeosciences Number of Applications Amount Requested$101,964,582$1,615,020 Number of Awards29517 Amount Awarded$24,343,810$727,957 Funding Rate24%23%

Discovery Accelerator Supplements (DAS) results  125 DAS were awarded among all EGs  Geosciences EG reviewed all applications and recommended 17 applicants for a DAS supplement  Executive Committee used EG recommendations to reduce the list to the given quota of 15 awards  Nominees who best met the objectives of the program recommended to NSERC President for a DAS award  The Geosciences Evaluation Group recommended its full quota of fifteen awards

Discovery Accelerator Supplements 2013 Competition Note: Non-official results Evaluation Group (EG)DAS awarded Genes, Cells and Molecules (1501)9 Biological Systems and Functions (1502)10 Evolution and Ecology (1503)11 Chemistry (1504)8 Physics (1505)7 Geosciences (1506)15 Computer Science (1507)16 Mathematics and Statistics (1508)8 Civil, Industrial and Systems Engineering (1509)13 Electrical and Computer Engineering (1510)8 Materials and Chemical Engineering (1511)10 Mechanical Engineering (1512)9 Subatomic Physics (19)1 Total125

Life Cycle of a Discovery Grant Application August 1 Submission of Notification of Intent to Apply with CCV November 1 Submission of grant application with CCV Mid-November Applications sent out to external reviewers Early December Evaluation Group members receive applications February Grants competition March to April Announcement of results September to October Initial assignment to EG and contacting of external reviewers

Submitting a Discovery Grant NOI and Application  Changes to the submission process –Research Portal Replaces previous online system submission of forms F180- Notification of Intent to Apply and F101-Application for a Grant for Discovery Grants Program ONLY –CCV Replaces F100-Personal Data Form Needed for both the NOI and the Full Application Applicants are encouraged to allow ample time to familiarize themselves and enter their data in the NSERC CCV as it can be time consuming the first time to populate the fields. 39