The editors of PLOS Medicine together with guest editors Claudia Denkinger, Richard Chaisson, and Mark Hatherill announce a forthcoming Special Issue focused on new approaches to alleviate the individual and epidemiological burden of tuberculosis. Research submissions are now being invited, with a deadline of November 9, 2018.

Online Link https://blogs.plos.org/speakingofmedicine/2018/08/28/plos-medicine-special-issue-tuberculosis/

Please submit your manuscript at: http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/s/submit-now.

The deadline is November 9th, 2018.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

CSIR NATIONAL LASER CENTRE

2019 RENTAL POOL PROGRAMME (RPP)

UCT Internal closing date: 19 October 2018 at 09:00

Please direct all queries to Mr Thomas du Plooy (nlcrentalpool@csir.co.za; tel: 012 841 3511)

UCT enquiries to Natalie le Roux (natalie.leroux@uct.ac.za)

Applicants are encouraged to approach the CSIR NLC for assistance with completion of the application, specifically with reference to gathering information on equipment availability, pricing and suitability of equipment.

BACKGROUND

The CSIR National Laser Centre’s (CSIR NLC) Rental Pool Program (RPP) is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The purpose of the fund is to stimulate and grow laser-based research programmes within the South African research environment, with the object of increasing capacity in the National System of Innovation and to support the next generation of researchers through supporting laser-based research infrastructure for research applications. The program is focussed on supporting laser-related research in all research fields in the natural, engineering and health sciences fields. The fund allows access to equipment for use at the host institution of the applicant as well as access to equipment housed at the CSIR NLC facilities.

The CSIR NLC would like to take this opportunity to invite researchers employed at public universities and universities of technology to participate and apply for funding to support their laser-related research requirements in the 2019 academic year. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the attached call guide for more detail about the funding programme as well as the proposal assessment criteria (see page 8)”.

ELIGIBILITY

Researchers in all scientific and engineering disciplines using laser technology for the research programs are encouraged to apply. In the laser-based manufacturing field, applications aligned with the NLC’s research programs in Additive Manufacturing and Laser Surface Engineering will receive preference.

The programme considers applications from researchers who are:

• Involved in laser-based research in any field in natural science, engineering and health sciences;

• Employed at South African Higher Education Institutions on a full-time permanent, or full-time contract, basis. If on contract basis, the length of the contract should at least be for the duration of the research project applied for and be clearly indicated in the application (if the applicant’s contract is not valid for the required period then a letter from the Head of Department confirming that the contract is likely to be extended, should the funding be awarded, must be attached to the application).

FUNDING

This call allows researchers the opportunity to submit a multi-year project proposal, with a maximum duration of 3 years starting in 2019.

The fund makes provision for the following activities:

• Upgrading of existing laser equipment in order to ensure suitability for the proposed project;
• Delivery and set-up charges of equipment received on loan from the NLC at the university’s facilities;
• New equipment (including smaller diagnostic equipment) and laser-related consumables to support the proposed research project;
• Insurance costs for equipment while at the HEI
• Maintenance costs of NLC owned equipment placed at the university's facilities;
• Research and technical support provided by CSIR NLC in support of an approved application.
• Travel and accommodation costs limited to traveling to CSIR NLC laboratories or facilities at HEIs where CSIR RPP equipment are hosted to access equipment in approved research projects
• Consumables required for research activities, limited to optics and other laser-based consumables to support the research project proposed
• Each project will be eligible for new ancillary equipment (smaller diagnostic equipment) to a maximum value of R75 000 and laser-related consumables to a maximum value of R75 000, subject to the availability of funding.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications must be submitted online via https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za.

• Register / Login using your ID / passport number and password;
• Go to the menu on top left of the screen and hover over ‘My applications’ to click on ‘Create application’;
• Click on the plus (+) sign next to ‘CSIR Call for Proposals for 2019 Rental Pool Programme (RPP)’;
• Please ensure that you update your student supervision record, research outputs, and other details, as required. This is very important step as the CV is considered during the assessment process, and incomplete or outdated data will disadvantage your application;
• Complete the application (compulsory fields and sections are indicated by a red asterisk *);

Please be advised that the UCT Research Office may not review applications that are submitted after UCT’s internal closing date. Friday, 19 October 2018 at 09h00.

Data Management Plan

Note regarding the ‘Details of Research Section’: The National Research Foundation has adopted and given permission for the DCC Checklist for Data Management Plan to be used as a guide for developing a Data Management Plan (DMP) and is available here: http://www.dcc.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/resource/DMP/DMP_Checklist_2013.pdf)

2018 URC Call for Applications: Conference Travel Grants (Round 2)

http://www.researchsupport.uct.ac.za/conference-travel-grants

Deadline for Round two Applications: Wednesday,19 September 2018

(For queries please contact Jacqueline Sylvester at Jacqueline.Sylvester@uct.ac.za)

Please note: From 2018 on, all applications for URC conference travel grants must be submitted via the electronic Research Administration (eRA) system. For more information about the eRA system, help and support, please visit http://www.eraonline.uct.ac.za.

The purpose of the award is to allow recipients to present the results of their recent research to a relevant audience at a conference or meeting of appropriately high academic standing. Please note: URC Conference travel funds should not be the primary source of funding for applicants as the URC is unable to fund 100% of eligible costs

Eligibility

UCT researchers who are:

• Permanent and T2 contract academic staff;

• Permanent Professional and Administrative Support Services (PASS) staff affiliated to academic departments; 
• Contract staff appointed on academic conditions of service;
• Honorary Research Associates; Emeritus Professors; Emeritus Associate Professors; Honorary Professors; Honorary Associate Professors and Senior Research Scholars who have published in DHET-accredited (subsidy-earning) publications in the past year; or
• Permanent joint academic staff (excluding registrars).
• Applicants may apply for a national conference once every year and an international conference once every two years.  However, subject to this, applicants cannot apply for both a national and an international conference in the same year

Assessment Criteria

These awards are granted on a competitive basis and will take the following into account:

• The research output of the applicant over the last three years. This criterion may not apply to early-stage researchers;
• The status of the conference;
• The quality of interaction and exposure for the applicant; and
• Envisaged research outputs emanating from the conference presentation.

The assessment of these criteria will be based on the information provided by the applicant and the motivation and support from the affiliated faculty/directorate.

Submission process

• All applications must be submitted via the UCT Research Portal on the electronic Research Administration (eRA) system, http://www.eraonline.uct.ac.za/. You can download a step-by-step guide here or see the attached guideline. To learn more about the URC Conference Travel application process please see the video here.
• Applications completed on the eRA system will require input from a Departmental Authority, typically your Head of Department (HoD), who will receive access to your application automatically once you have saved your complete version. Following HoD input, it will move through the system to the UCT Research Office. You will be able to see your completed application on the eRA system as well as what stage it is in.
• No hardcopy submissions will be accepted.

Please note:

• Awards will not be made for conferences retrospective to the application submission deadline unless proof can be provided that the previous conference call was made subsequent to the prior application submission deadline.  If the conference is taking place within 6 weeks following the submission deadline, please indicate this in the applicable field on the application form.
• It is NOT a requirement for the abstract to be accepted for presentation by the conference travel application submission date. Should the acceptance of the paper, including proof of registration, not be available at the time of submission of the application, then a provisional award may be made pending the receipt of the acceptance of paper/poster.
• Awards are not transferable and funding can only be used towards costs associated to the conference applied for.

Award Conditions

Awards are granted for a specific conference. Should the conference be cancelled or the full amount awarded not used for any reason, then the funds must revert to the URC.

For more information, please visit:  http://www.researchsupport.uct.ac.za/conference-travel-grants

HOD How to guide on approval

Researcher How to guide on the the application process

eRA guidelines for URC travel call