Research grants

The UQ Marine Research Station New Project Grant Scheme (NPGS) aims to promote research activities and excellence at Heron Island Research Station (HIRS) and Moreton Bay Research Station (MBRS) by helping to establish new researchers and research groups at the stations by covering accommodation and bench fee costs.

The award will be based on the quality of the research proposed and the potential of the research to positively profile the researcher, research stations, and UQ to the wider community.

Eligibility

The NPGS is open to UQ researchers that are within 10 years of being awarded their PhD (i.e. Early-Mid Career Researchers) and HDR students actively enrolled in MPhil or PhD programs at UQ.

Researchers should not have a current or established history of undertaking research at HIRS and MBRS.

Postdoctoral and HDR applicants cannot be part of research groups with current or established histories of undertaking research at HIRS and MBRS.

Research project proposals from across UQ will be eligible (i.e. from all faculties and institutes) including, but not restricted to, marine and terrestrial research, and socioeconomic and cultural research.

Queries regarding eligibility should be directed to marine@uq.edu.au

What the grant can be used for

The NPGs can be used to cover accommodation, lab fees and site-specific training (e.g. HSW training) at HIRS and MBRS for a maximum period of 8 weeks over the duration of the grant.

For field projects that require research assistance, the assistant’s accommodation and bench fees also can be covered by the grant. In this case, the awardee and their assistant can apply for a maximum of 4 weeks each (8 weeks total).

For Early-Mid Career Researchers, the award can be used by members of their research team.

The grant does not cover travel to and from the stations, meals and additional research costs (e.g. boating).

Grant period and number of grants

NPGs can be used for up to 12 months after being awarded.

Awardees can be awarded maximally 2 NPGS grants.

Awardees can defer commencement of their grant for up to 4 months.

Number of grants awarded per round

A maximum of 4 NPGs can be awarded per round, with a maximum of 8 NPGs being held at any given time. Effort will be made to distribute these evenly between HIRS and MBRS, but will be contingent on the quality of the pool of applicants and interest.

Application process

There will be 2 NPGS rounds per year with submission deadlines being the 1^st of June and 1^st of December, with awards commencing in July and January, respectively.

Grants will be continually advertised on HIRS, MBRS and CMS web pages.

Applications should be brief and relatively simple, but must include:

• which station the research will be conducted at (HIRS or MBRS)
• applicant name and staff or student ID
• applicant’s school or institute
• for HDR students only – the HDR program the applicant is enrolled in, any HDR scholarships held, and the applicant’s supervisory team
• project title
• proposed commencement date, and the number of visitation days to HIRS or MBRS to be supported by the grant
• project summary (no more than 100 words)
• marine station research project proposal (no more than 500 words):
  • research objectives related to field work and use of the station
  • number of days required at HIRS or MBRS to achieve objectives
  • details of station facilities required (e.g. boating hours; microscope types)
  • rationale for field assistance support (if required)
• expected outcomes of the research project and benefits (no more than 200 words)
• applicant’s CV (up to 2 pages).

Email your application to marine@uq.edu.au

Grant selection process and announcement of NPGS awards

NPGS applications will be assessed by a selection committee that is chaired by the Director of CMS and includes the Academic Directors of HIRS and MBRS. A ranking meeting will be held approximately one week after applications close (i.e. early December and June).

A ranked list will be generated by the committee based on the quality of the research proposal. This will include a rationale for the ranking by the committee and feedback to all applicants.

This list of successful and unsuccessful applications will be sent to the Faculty of Science Associate Dean Research (ADR) for approval.

Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email within 5 days of approval by ADR. The Director of CMS will be responsible for notifying and providing feedback to all applicants.

Final reporting and research outputs

UQ NPGS awardees will provide:

• a 30-word summary statement of the project outcomes to be published on HIRS or MBRS web sites
• a one-page final report that outlines outcomes from research activities associated with field work supported by the program, including publications, reports, media and community engagement; report to be submitted within one month of completion of the grant.

The Moreton Bay Research Station Sibelco Student Grants aim to support student research activities at Moreton Bay Research Station (MBRS) that are not funded by other grants by covering accommodation, bench fees and/or boating/ diving costs.

The award will be based on the quality of the research proposed and the potential of the research to positively profile the student, the research station, and UQ to the wider community. These grants are to encourage UQ students to use the facilities at MBRS that would not otherwise do so, so it needs to be clear that this work cannot be covered by larger research grants awarded to either the student or academic supervisor.

Eligibility

The grants are open to UQ-students actively enrolled in undergraduate, honours, Masters or PhD programs at UQ. Students from across UQ are eligible (i.e. from all faculties and institutes) including, but not restricted to, marine and terrestrial research, and socioeconomic and cultural research.

The grant can be used to cover expenses paid directly to the station including: accommodation, daily facility fees (including research and wet lab), vehicle hire and MBRS boating/diving fees, including skipper fees.

A small proportion of the grant (~20%) can be used for equipment and consumables.

Other budget items (< 20%) can be discussed with the Academic Director.

The grant cannot be used for catering/food, or for ferry/ barge fares.

The grant limit and duration of the grants are as follows:

• Semester ‘Special Project’ students (e.g. SCIE3241): up to $250 (1 semester)
• Honours or Masters students: up to $1,000 (1 year)
• PhD students: up to $2,500 (2 years).

Application process

We will consider applications every 3 months (1^st February, June, September, December) until the funding allocation is exhausted. However, you can request that the application be considered urgently, if needed.

Applications should be brief and relatively simple, but must include:

• applicant name and student ID
• applicant’s school or institute
• program the applicant is enrolled in (undergraduate course e.g. SCIE3241, masters, honours, HDR)
• name of applicant’s academic supervisor
• project title
• proposed commencement date.
• project summary (no more than 100 words)
• research project proposal (no more than 500 words):
  • research objectives related to use of the station
  • number of days required at MBRS to achieve objectives
  • details of station facilities required (e.g. boating hours; microscope types)
  • rationale for field assistance support (if required)
• expected outcomes of the research project and benefits (no more than 200 words)
• applicant’s CV (up to 2 pages)
• statement from supervisor why this project cannot be covered by existing funding sources.

Grant selection process

Applications will be assessed by a selection committee that is chaired by the Director of of the Centre for Marine Science. A ranked list will be generated by the committee based on the quality of the research proposal. Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email.

Final reporting and research outputs

Awardees will provide:

• a 30-word summary statement of the project outcomes to be published on MBRS web site.
• a one-page final report that outlines outcomes from research activities associated with field work supported by the program, including publications, reports, media and community engagement; report to be submitted within one month of completion of the grant
• any publications resulting from the project should acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Moreton Bay and its catchments, and the Moreton Bay Research Station.

Please email applications to marine@uq.edu.au

For any queries about this scheme, please email the Director of the Centre for Marine Science Associate Professor Karen Cheney, via: k.cheney@uq.edu.au

These scholarships are supported by Sibelco Australia Pty Ltd as part of a historical community development program.