The aim of the awards is to significantly develop Irish energy research capacity.
Following the recent announcement by Mr Noel Dempsey TD, Minister for Communications Marine and Natural Resources of these awards, applications are now sought from energy research groups who wish to further develop their research teams.
Eligibility:
The research groups should be located in Institutions on the Island of Ireland (32 counties) who have the capacity to conduct innovative research and to provide research training. While typically located in Higher Education Institutions, research groups located in other organisations, actively collaborating with Higher Education Institutes, will also be considered.
Objectives and details of Awards:
The overall objective of the initiative is to increase research capacity in priority areas of energy research. A key objective is to stimulate an increase in research carried out by Engineers.
Awards will be made to research groups to fund the following;
• Researchers
Up to seven years funding (subject to mid-term review) for researchers who have obtained a PhD and have usually completed a post doctoral fellowship.
• PhD Studentships
These are 4 year awards to engineering graduates with allowance for the students to carry out part of their PhD training at International centres of excellence.
• Summer student placements
These placements are designed to introduce undergraduate engineering students to the research activities of the groups.
Application and Closing date.
As this is a group award scheme applications must be by research groups rather than individual researchers.
A guide for applicants should be consulted on the Department of Communications Marine and Natural Resources web site www.dcmnr.gov.ie . This guide will include details of the criteria used to evaluate the proposals and the information which must be provided as part of the application. The awards will cover salaries (and stipends), associated employers costs and fixed amounts to cover research costs. Applications should be sent to Catherine Bermingham, Department of Communications Marine and Natural Resources, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2 by signed copy and by email to Catherine.Bermingham@dcmnr.gov.ie by 1700 on 27/10/2006.
Contracts
Contracts will be concluded with the successful research groups through their parent Institution (legal entity) following evaluation by international experts. The research groups will be responsible for the recruitments of the individual researchers and students following standard guidelines.