e-Research

e-Research Internal Grants 2009

The increased use of modern infrastructure, such as high performance computing, managed, curated and secure data storage, tools for analysis of large data sets and increased collaboration across traditional boundaries, is vital to La Trobe’s research capability.

To help researchers achieve these higher capabilities, an internal grant program has been developed by the e-Research Office and Research and Graduate Studies Office to help research staff advance their use of computing, networking and collaboration. $100,000 has been set aside in 2009 for a minimum of five grants (up to $20,000 each) to aid existing research projects.

Grants awarded in 2008

The grant is aimed toward

• Existing research projects (as noted in central Research Master/RQF lists and/or are published).
• Research projects that do not have existing external funding, or that can be demonstrated clearly that further funding in e-Research techniques will significantly promote the research project and this was not foreseen originally.
• Research projects, so form is filled in by the chief investigator only.
• Projects with e-Research methods and equipment that can be reused and have broad applicability.

The grant can fund

• Training of any project member(s) in e-Research techniques, including high performance computing and analysis of specialised data sets, expenses from visiting another lab to learn new e-Research techniques.
• Consulting towards development of tools and techniques, such as coding of large scale simulation algorithms, programming and software implementation to develop workflows, automate processes, interfacing of equipment to computing and storage, database development and collaboration methods.
• Small items of equipment and/or software, such as specialised computers, interfaces between instruments and computers/data storage, scanning or geo-spatial digitisation, collaboration equipment such as personal access grids.
• Salary for fixed-term technical support to deliver e-Research techniques, such as for data acquisition, data collation and digitisation, analysis, application of metadata descriptors, equipment interfacing, and implementing e-Research methods in laboratories and research groups.
• Enhancement of collaboration amongst multi-disciplinary and cross-departmental and institutional boundaries, such as via access grids and virtual workspaces.

The grant will not fund

• Resources that should be supllied by the Faculty, such as desktop computer, furniture, minor software amd conference travel.
• Specific needs that cannot be used for wider benefit, such as consumables, extremely esoteric  items of little use outside the project, funding for personal gain without wider applicability, such as speculative visits to labs.

Funding criteria

A description of the project and how it can be enhanced by one of the above objectives is required. Please refer to the following criteria, which are also listed in the form you should fill out below:

• Description and impact of e-Research methods/items on the project
• The criticality of the e-Research funding to the completion of the project
• Wider applicability or use of the methods/items?

Funds must be spent on specified items within 12 months of receiving the grant or unspent funds must be returned to the Research and Graduate Studies Office. A brief report will be required no later than 13 months after receiving the grant describing the efficacy of the funding.

Selection of grant

The project application (please fill in form below) should address the criteria identified above. A score will be given from 0-3 against each criterion plus a score for general research impact and alignment of research with University strategic research goals. The applications will be ranked and the top scorers selected that total at or below $100,000. The selection committee has the right to draw the acceptance line at any point. If there is remaining grant money it will be returned to central funds.

Please complete attached form

Please return the form to eresearch@latrobe.edu.au or mail to e-Research office, Research Park, Bundoora campus by 24th July 2009. Late applications will not be accepted.

Queries can be directed to Dr Mark Kosten, Director, e-Research, x5482 or M.Kosten@latrobe.edu.au.