Internal R&ID closing date for full applications: 9 September 2011

UQ Cash Commitment Proformas due to R&ID: 24 August 2011

The Queensland State Government has recently opened applications under the Smart Futures Fellowships scheme. Smart Futures Fellowships provide funding for fellows to undertake leading research with expected short-to-medium term benefits for Queensland. Fellows must spend at least 50% of their time on the Fellowship research project. They must also be undertaking new research that is not part of an existing project.

Fellowships are offered at two levels:

Early Career Fellowships

Grant size of $60,000 per annum for three years for early career researchers who have up to 5 years postdoctoral experience.

Mid-Career Fellowships

Grant size of $120,000 per annum for three years for mid-career researchers who have 5 to 10 years postdoctoral experience.

All Smart Futures Fellowship funding must be matched by cash contributions from one or more sponsoring organisations, with the principal sponsor being the fellow’s employing organisation. Applicants may also have one or more co-sponsoring organisations that provide cash contributions to the proposed fellowship. The matched funding must be no less than 1:1 (Queensland Government contribution : sponsor/co-sponsor contribution). While co-sponsorship is not mandatory, the State has signalled that it is highly desirable.

Applications for the fellowships will be assessed against three criteria:

• The Person: applicants with proven research and leadership skills (30% weighting).
• Research Outcomes: projects which will deliver short-to-medium term (5 to 10 years) outcomes for Queensland and made tangible contributions to the Towards Q2 targets (30% weighting).
• Research Proposal: research which is well planned, technically sound and achievable (40% weighting).

The internal closing date for full Smart Futures Fellowships is 9 September 2011 in R&ID. Review and checking of applications will take place in R&ID before final versions are submitted to the State.

As Smart Futures Fellowships involve the commitment of UQ cash, UQ applicants are required to submit a UQ Cash Commitment Proforma to Jen Sodziak and Taina Lloyd (fellowshipgrants@research.uq.edu.au) at R&ID no later than 24 August 2011.

Applicants intending to seek industry co-sponsorship should work with their Faculty/Institute Manager of Innovation and Commercial Development (MICD) in terms of the industry linkage component of the Fellowship application.

Further information on the scheme, including the Guidelines for Applicants and Application Form are available from: http://www.business.qld.gov.au/science/smart-futures-fund.html.

Information Session

DEEDI presented an information session on the Smart Futures Funds on Thursday 4 August 2011 at UQ St Lucia. The PowerPoint presentation from that session is now available for download.

• Smart Futures Fund information session

Resources for Applicants

• Tip Sheet on using "cash salaries"