Elevate Program Guide for Nova Scotia 1. Overview 1.1 Program Information 1.2 Mitacs Elevate Industrial Stream 2. Eligibility Criteria 2.1 PDFs 2.2 Industrial Partners 2.3 Academic Supervisors 2.4 Eligibility criteria for industrial funds 2.5 Not applicable at this time 2.6 Intellectual Property 2.7 Conflict of Interest 3. Application and Adjudication 3.1 Application Process 3.2 Adjudication Process
Mitacs Elevate 2 1. Overview 1.1 Program Overview Mitacs Elevate is a pilot fellowship program for postdoctoral fellows (PDFs) at NS universities to develop collaborations with local industry. The goals of this program are to: Establish and support applied research projects with demonstrated scientific excellence in sectors of provincial importance; Train PDFs with business R&D skills; Provide PDFs with additional skills such as scientific management, scientific evaluation, project management, communication, networking and other business skills; Help PDFs reach out to industry sectors that are strategically important to NS; Help PDFs to identify and secure industrial partners for collaborative research projects; Provide PDFs with opportunities for industrial engagement and interaction; Develop innovative solutions to industrial and societal challenges; Increase retention of PhDs in NS and Canada; Encourage the creation of R&D jobs. Based out of a NS University, each Mitacs Elevate PDF will carry out a research project with industrial relevance. However, Mitacs Elevate is not simply funding for research. This competitive program includes a large training component with the intention of helping PDFs to develop the skills that they will need in their future careers. Participants will spend 20% of their time over the year further developing necessary professional skills for their chosen career path. Training in project management, scientific management, communications, networking, business etiquette, presentation skills, interview skills and industrial engagement are offered to all participants. Elevate fellows who do not currently have an industrial partner to support their research at the time of application are also required to spend a minimum 10% of their time in designing and implementing a plan to engage industry in their particular research area. In addition to the formal training courses provided to Elevate PDFs, all participants will have the opportunity to obtain relevant experience to include on their CVs. This includes the organization of networking events for the industrial and academic communities as well as hands on training in scientific management and scientific evaluation. A Mitacs Elevate PDF award consists of a $55,000 stipend and $10,000 in research funds to support the PDF s research. Of this, at least $30,000 will come from an industrial partner who collaborating with the PDF. All projects for this round of funding must begin no later than April 1 st, 2012. The Mitacs Elevate program is designed as a two-year fellowship program, however renewal for a second year of funding is not guaranteed and is contingent on the degree to which PDFs participate in the program activities over
Mitacs Elevate 3 the year, the outcomes of their efforts at engaging industry, the progress that is made on their research projects, and the continued government funding support for this program. 1.2 Mitacs Elevate Industrial Stream The Mitacs Elevate Industrial Fellowship (IFP) Stream is designed for postdoctoral researchers who have already identified and secured an industrial partner to provide financial support towards this program. In the first year, IFP participants are expected to work collaboratively on a research project of mutual interest with their company partner and spend at least 25% of their time over the year working at the company s facilities. They are also expected to complete the professional development and industrial engagement training programs during this year. In the second year of this fellowship program, participants are expected to increase their interactions with their industrial partners and have an increased flexibility in terms of the activities that are permitted. They may spend time on company-specific training activities, on formal rotation throughout companies departments to learn about the different functions within an organization, on commercialization activities, or on other innovative activities that will help further their education and skills. Funding Scheme: Research grant provided to academic supervisor $65,000; PDF stipend of $55,000 and $10,000 available for research costs Partner contribution towards the Elevate program: $30,000 provided directly to Mitacs by industrial partner (see section 2.2 for eligibility of funds) 2. Eligibility Criteria 2.1 PDFs Elevate PDFs may be in any academic discipline. To be eligible, prospective fellows must: Have postdoctoral status at a Nova Scotia university by start date of the fellowship 2012; Not obtain a stipend from any federal or provincial source during the award; and Not undertake any additional employment for more than 200 hours per annum. All else being equal, preference will be given to applicants who have held a PhD for no more than 5 years and to those proposing fellowships at a different university from where they received their PhD. Please note that your university must consider you to be a postdoc during your fellowship and that individual university regulations can differ on what length of time after PhD completion someone can be considered a postdoc. Funding for the second year will be contingent on receipt and successful evaluation of a midterm report.
Mitacs Elevate 4 2.2 Industrial Partners for IFPs Eligible industrial partners must: Be based in Nova Scotia; Be prepared to work with and host the PDF at their facilities a minimum of 25% of the time; Have a facility outside of a NS university research laboratory; Be committed to assisting the PDF in developing the skills required for their future careers; Be prepared to provide mentorship and guidance to the PDF during their fellowship; Be end users (receptors) of the research; and Provide a minimum of $30,000 financial support towards the Elevate program. Industry funds must be sent directly to Mitacs prior to the commencement of the fellowship. Note that preference will be given to partners that act as for-profit companies including crown corporations. Governmental agencies are not eligible partners, but arms-length organizations such as hospitals are eligible. 2.3 Eligibility criteria for academic supervisors: The academic supervisors must hold a regular tenure-track position at a University in Nova Scotia, and must be eligible to hold Tri-Council funding. 2.4 Eligibility criteria for industrial funds: All industry contributions must be sent directly to Mitacs prior to the commencement of the Elevate fellowship. Industry funds that are currently at a university are eligible, provided that they can be sent to Mitacs. The industrial contributions cannot be leveraged by another provincial or federal organization. 2.5 Not applicable at this time 2.6 Intellectual Property All parties involved are bound by the intellectual property (IP) terms of the academic supervisor s university, either through the university s standard policy or through a separate agreement developed between the university and the industrial organization. Individual universities may have blanket policies that cover these fellowships and these will be listed on our website if applicable. 2.7 Conflict of Interest Please note that neither the postdoctoral researcher nor the academic supervisor can be: an owner or a co-owner of the partner organization; a relative of an owner or co-owner of the partner organization; or a participant in the day-to-day management of the organization
Mitacs Elevate 5 3. Application and Adjudication 3.1 Application Process An open call for proposals was issued November 25 th, 2011 for IFP proposals only. The online application system will open December 9 th, 2011 for proposal submission. All applications should be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 pm PST on January 9 th, 2012. The results of this competition will be announced in February 2012 and all projects must begin no later than April 1 st, 2012. PLEASE NOTE: All reference letters must be sent in to elevatereferences@mitacs.ca or uploaded by the due date, January 9 th, 2012. 3.2 Adjudication Process Mitacs will review all proposals for program eligibility. Eligible proposals will be adjudicated by a committee specifically convened for this program. Mitacs may, at its discretion, convene multiple committees depending on demand for the Elevate programs.