2010 TransPacific Fellowships

The Trans-Pacific Fellowships (TPF) is a new initiative between The University of Washington (UW) and The University of Queensland, Australia (UQ) that funds opportunities for study and research exchanges spanning the Pacific Ocean. The Fellowships aim to support high-achieving graduate degree candidates (MS, PhD) and Senior Fellows and Faculty to undertake study and research on an exchange basis between the two universities. The financial support provided by the Trans-Pacific Fellowships will encourage the development of permanent personal and institutional friendships, as well as the pooling of the universities’ expertise and resources to derive better teaching and research results.

****For a copy of the application please email gfis@u.washington.edu or David Eaton deaton@uw.edu*****

The University of Washington expects to fund a minimum of four Trans-Pacific Fellowships for 2010. At least one award is anticipated in each of the UQ Fellowship categories:

• TPF – Graduate Research Fellowships: Open to UW Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master’s of Science (MS) candidates to work in a research group at The University of Queensland for a period of up to three months.

• TPF – Early Career Academic Fellowships: Open to UW early career faculty and staff (Senior Fellows, Assistant Professors) to conduct research and/or lecture at The University of Queensland in academic and professional fields for a period of up to 6 months.

• TPF – Senior Academic Fellowships: Open to UW faculty to conduct research and/or lecture at The University of Queensland in academic and professional fields for a period of up to 6 months.

Application rounds are to be annual, and competitive. These Application Guidelines are specific for TPF Graduate Research, Early Career Academic and Senior Academic Fellowships.

1. Eligibility

TPF Graduate Research Fellowships
• Applicants must be currently enrolled as PhD or MS students at The University of Washington – there are no exceptions;
• Successful applicants must be enrolled on a full-time basis for the duration of their travel;

TPF Early Career Academic Fellowships
• At the time of application and for the grant period, applicants must hold a University of Washington faculty appointment as a Senior Fellow, Assistant Professor or Research Assistant Professor.
• UW appointment must be at least 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE);
• ‘Early career’ is defined as someone who is, at the time of application, within his/her first eight years of academic or research-related employment (since the date of receipt of their most recent advanced degree), allowing for uninterrupted, stable academic development following completion of postgraduate research training.


TPF Senior Academic Fellowships
• At the time of application, and for the grant period, applicants must hold a University of Washington faculty appointment as an Associate Professor, Research Associate Professor, Professor, or Research Professor;
• Faculty appointment at UW must be at least 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE);

2. Assessment Criteria

Through its strategic involvement in the Trans-Pacific Fellowship scheme, The University of Washington and the University of Queensland seek to:

a. support quality research and other collaborations between UW and UQ in targeted areas (see below)
b. support and advance academic excellence;
c. ensure that collaborations funded under the program:
i. have international focus and perspective;
ii. further collaborative and cooperative working relationships;
iii. demonstrate clear added value outcomes (such as ‘to have learned x technique’ or ‘to have accessed y archive’) that could not have been achieved without a dedicated period of study/research in a face-to-face environment. This includes, in the case of PhD and MS candidates, the extent to which this period of research will enhance the quality of the dissertation/thesis and the timeliness of its submission. Outcomes should add value at an institutional and individual level, contributing to the educational needs and goals of both of the participating universities;
iv. are sustainable, encouraging the expansion of ties between UQ and the UW, so that contacts and exchanges of persons and information will continue.
d. award Fellowships where there is the clear support of both UW as the home university and the host department at The University of Queensland.

Applications will be assessed on a competitive basis by the UW Trans-Pacific Fellowships Institutional Selection Committee, operated through the Office of Research.

3. UW Priority Areas for Round 1 Applications
In addition to the eligibility and assessment criteria as outlined above, a number of priority areas will apply to UW applications under round 1 of the Trans-Pacific Fellowships program. Applications for TPF Graduate Research, Early Career Academic and Senior Academic Fellowships must demonstrate a clear alignment with one or more of the following priorities, based on areas of potential collaboration:

• Bio/nanotechnology
• Science education
• Imaging
• Population health
• Bioengineering

4. Tenure

The Fellowship may vary in length, but in order for it to be most productive – for the applicant, UW and for the host UQ School/College/Department – we recommend that a visit should be no shorter than two weeks. Awards made under the Graduate Research Fellowships category have a maximum duration of 12 weeks (three months). Awards made under the Early Career and Senior Academic Fellowships category have a maximum duration of 24 weeks (six months).

If a particularly short visit is proposed, the applicant will need to provide a thorough justification of the time period in their application and explain how they would ensure the visit is productive.

Travel funded under 2010 Trans-Pacific Fellowships must commence no sooner than April 1, 2010, and no later than December 1, 2010.

Written support must be requested from the Chair of your UW Department during the application process (refer application form). This includes information on how any expenses in excess of the Trans-Pacific Fellowship award will be funded.

An outline of the proposed budget should be provided in Section 5 (Budget) of the application form. A justification of the amount requested must be provided in Section 6 (Budget Justification) of the application. Travel is to be budgeted at economy rates.

6. Application Process

Before preparing an application, prospective applicants must discuss their proposal with the Chair of their UW Department to ensure the proposal has their support. If so, an application form is completed, endorsed by the School/College and forwarded to the UW Office of Research for consideration.

Applicants will also need to make contact with the proposed School/Institute/Centre at The University of Queensland to confirm that they are able to host the Fellowships at an agreed time and for an agreed period. Without the support of UW (to release you) and the host institution (to receive you) an application cannot be considered. A list of The University of Queensland’s Schools/Institutes/Centres is available at: http://www.uq.edu.au/departments/. Applicants should have a contact person who has agreed to act as ‘host’ at The University of Queensland. This person must be named within the Trans-Pacific Fellowship application - refer Section 2 (UQ Host Program) of the application form. Please also ensure you have this commitment – subject to funding – in writing to attach to your application.

In support of your application, you are required provide a brief summary of the proposed visit including the anticipated benefits of your Fellowship to you, UW, and to The University of Queensland. Please note that this synopsis should stand alone and allow a decision to be made by the selection panel (of non-experts in your particular discipline or sub-discipline) to judge the merits of your application, both in terms of its intellectual content and the wider benefits of the proposed collaboration. In particular, you should draw attention to why a face-to-face visit is important and why the same benefits could not be achieved by a ‘virtual’ interaction.

The application must contain all the information necessary for assessment without the need for further written or oral explanation, or reference to additional documentation unless requested by the assessors. All details in the application, including employment/study details, must be current at the time of submission.

7. Approvals and Clearances

If you require particular permission to carry out the work at your host university – for example, the UQ equivalent of our IRB or IACUC approval processes – you must ensure these are in place before you commence your Fellowship. You can get guidance on this from your proposed host program at UQ.


8. Appeals

The decision of the selection panel is final. You should incur no expenditure until you have confirmation from the Office of Research, UW that the application for Fellowship has been successful and the release of funds approved.

Unsuccessful applicants have the right of appeal against procedures (but not content) employed in the selection process. Appeals are not heard against the results of assessment. Any appeals will be overseen by the UW Associate Vice Provost Research, and will not involve anyone who has participated in the grant selection process.

9. Successful Applicants

• The award is to be used for the purposes given in the application. Any significant variation is subject to the approval of the UW Associate Vice Provost for Research or delegate, through the Office of Research.
• It is your responsibility to obtain any necessary visas. The cost of the Visa may be funded by the Trans-Pacific Fellowship provided funds are available after other expenses are incurred. International PhD or MS students are reminded to contact the UW International Services Office regarding Australian visa requirements and how these might be affected by an overseas visit funded under the Trans-Pacific Fellowships scheme.
• UW may hold and process personal information in connection with this Fellowship and may use your name and the information relating to this proposed research visit for any publicity purpose that they deem appropriate.
• During the course of your visit, you may be asked to make a presentation on behalf of UW. You may also be asked to provide a presentation about your UQ visit on your return. If either is the case, this will be discussed and agreed with you.
• Within one month of your return you must submit a short report on your Fellowship to UW and the University of Queensland via the UW Office of Research, UW. A template for this report will be provided to successful applicants.

10. Enquiries

David L. Eaton, PhD.
Associate Vice Provost for Research, University of Washington
Ph: +206-685-3785
Email: deaton@uw.edu


****For a copy of the application please email gfis@u.washington.edu or David Eaton deaton@uw.edu*****