2. Future Fellowships: perspective from a SAC member
Fran Baum
Southgate Institute for Health, Society and Equity

3. The objectives of the Future Fellowships scheme are to:
a. attract and retain outstanding mid-career researchers (mid-career researchers are researchers who have between 5 and 15 years research experience since the award of their PhD (or equivalent research qualification) at the closing time of submission of Proposals)
b. build collaboration across industry and/or research institutions and/or disciplines;
c. support research in national priorities across all disciplines that will result in economic, environmental, social, health or cultural benefits for Australia; and
d. strengthen Australia’s research capacity by supporting innovative, internationally competitive research

4. Overview
Up to 200 per year
Three levels:
Level 1 - Salary $98,935 (plus 28% on-costs) 5-9 years post-doc
Level 2 - Salary $119,764 (plus 28% on-costs) 7-11 years post-doc
Level 3 - Salary $140,592 (plus 28% on-costs) years post-doc

5. A Fellow……
Future Fellowship candidates must be outstanding mid-career researchers who conduct high quality, innovative research. They must have a record of high quality research outputs and the capacity to build collaborations across industry and/or research institutions and/or disciplines. They should propose research programs in areas of national priority that will deliver significant economic, environmental, social, health or cultural benefits to Australia.

6. Assessment Investigator 40% Project Quality (25%)
Strategic alignment / collaboration / National Research Priority (35%)
All Future Fellowships Proposals which meet the eligibility criteria will be assessed using the following criteria:
a. Investigator (40%)
(Consideration will be given to the opportunities the candidate has had to attain the level of achievement relative to the nominated salary level)
research opportunity and performance evidence
evidence of sustained capacity to conduct high quality and innovative research
record of high quality research outputs appropriate to the discipline/s
evidence of national and international research standing
b. Project quality (25%)
are the aims, theories, concepts and methods of the Proposal innovative?
how will the anticipated outcomes advance the knowledge base of the project’s discipline/s?
does the research address an important intellectual and/or social problem?
c. Strategic alignment / collaboration / National Research Priority (35%)
how well does the proposed research project and the proposed Future Fellowship candidate align with and/or complement the research strengths or developing research strengths of the Administering Organisation?
will the proposed research project contribute significantly to building and sustaining existing or emerging research strengths of the Administering Organisation?
how will the Future Fellowship candidate build collaboration across industry and/or research institutions and/or with other disciplines?
will the proposed project contribute significantly to the advancement of knowledge in one or more areas of national research priority and/or one or more of the targeted priority areas in subsection 4.3.3?

7. Proposal outline a. Research record relative to opportunities;
b. Project Description;
c. Strategic Statement;
d. Budget Justification;
e. Research Support; and
f. Statements on progress of ARC-funded projects.

8. Budget Salary current or higher
In addition to salary and salary-related (on-cost) support, the ARC will provide Administering Organisations with funding of up to $50,000 per annum infrastructure funding which may be used for infrastructure, equipment, travel and relocation costs directly related to the Future Fellow’s research (see subsection 6.3).
4 years full time (6 years PT can be negotiated for people with family responsibility)

9. Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (1)
Tell a story about your career to date and how you come to be at the point you present in the application
Relative to opportunity
Impression that you have a career track and know you are going
Sense that you are deeply committed to the research you propose and that you feel passionate about it
PhD
Supervision & capacity to lead
Prizes, awards

10. Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence(2)
Current position and contribution to the organisation – evidence that you are a good organisational citizen and contribute to more than just clocking up publications
Summary of your publications in terms of your discipline
Publication metrics – h-index, ERA ranks, IF of journal and citations (graph with citiation distribution by year)
Why you chose each of your ten best publications and how they relate to your profile
Access to research mentoring and research facilities

11. Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence(3)
C4 A statement detailing the evidence of your capacity to conduct high quality, innovative research and evidence of your international research standing
Quality –summary of publications & grants and research leadership
Innovation – claims and evidence
International – invited addresses, consultancies, prizes
C5 A statement on your most significant contributions to the research field of this Proposal – showing how they provide skills to do Fellowship research
C6 A statement detailing the evidence of your capacity to build collaborations across industry and/or research institutions and/or with other disciplines. – examples crucial