Published on 12 October 2010
NERC Presentation - 13 Oct 2010
NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) will be visiting Cambridge to give a presentation on Pathways to Impact. This will include:
- What is impact?
- Pathways to Impact and the grant application form
- Assessing Pathways to Impact
- Knowledge Exchange Schemes
The presentation will take place on Wednesday 13 October, 12:00pm – 1:30pm at the Tilley Lecture Theatre, Department of Earth Sciences, Downing Site. The talk will be relevant to anyone who has an interest in NERC research funding including academics, facilitators and administrators. You might find it useful to refer to the following notes http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/application/pathwaystoimpact.asp before attending the presentation.
It would be helpful, though not essential, if you could indicate your interest in attending this session by e-mailing croevents@admin.cam.ac.uk.
CLEER programme – changes in applications procedures
Following the Research Grants User Group (RGUG) meeting on 28 September 2010 the enclosed proposals were discussed and agreed http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/research/documents/local/rgug/20100928/rgug_cleer_for_website_28_sep_2010.pdf. This means that from 1 November 2010, Departments will be able to check their own small applications (under £150,000 fEC).
The default position will be that the Research Office will not check any applications under this value, and Departments should ensure applications are with the Research Office 1 working day before the deadline so that we can submit your proposal straight to the funder. The exception to this is if there are any subcontracting costs, ethical issues, collaborations or special insurance requirements, please contact the Research Office so that we can carry out full checks on your application.
If you would still like a small application to be reviewed by the Research Office please let the administrator in your School Team know, allowing the usual required turnaround times of 3 days for specific deadlines and 5 days for open call applications. Any small applications received with less than 3 or 5 days will not be checked.
A brief checklist has been produced to assist Departments review their own small applications which can be found here http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/research/applying/default.aspx.
The benefits of this new procedure are that it will speed up the application process, give Departments the choice of having a small application checked, and will allow the Research Office to provide help and guidance for more complex applications. If you have any queries please contact your School Team at the Research Office.
CLEER programme – changes of procedure in unsuccessful applications
Following the Research Grants User Group (RGUG) meeting on 28 September 2010 the enclosed proposals were discussed and agreed http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/research/documents/local/rgug/20100928/rgug_cleer_for_website_28_sep_2010.pdf.
As of 1 November 2010, the Research Office will no longer return the paperwork of unsuccessful applications to Departments unless we are asked to do so. When an application is submitted to a sponsor, the Research Office will retain the file until either we have been advised that it has been unsuccessful or 12 months has passed. Once an application is deemed unsuccessful the Research Office will:
- Change the pFACT status to Project Rejected
- Send a monthly e-mail to Departments listing the unsuccessful applications which are due to be destroyed
- Retain the paperwork for a further 3 months before destroying unless the Department requests otherwise
Introducing this new procedure means that we are reducing unnecessary paperwork and streamlining the process. If you have any questions please contact your School Team at the Research Office.
RGUG Minutes from 28 September 2010
The minutes and presentations from the RGUG (Research Grants User Group) which took place on Tuesday 28 September are now available on the Research Office website at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/research/rgug/default.aspx.
The next meeting will be Tuesday 30 November, 9:30am at the Clinical School, Addenbrookes.
Addgene plasmid depository
Addgene http://www.addgene.org is a non-profit plasmid repository based in Massachusetts, USA and is dedicated to helping scientists share plasmids. The organisation helps academic laboratories to store, archive and distribute plasmids to scientists worldwide. Furthermore it can manage the appropriate Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) between the depositing and requesting institutions for each plasmid transfer. Addgene also provides a searchable database of useful plasmids that have been partially sequenced to verify key DNA elements.
For life scientists interested in archiving and distributing their plasmids, the Research Office can liaise with Addgene and help set up this arrangement. Please contact your school team http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/research/contact/list.aspx for further details.