Research Facilitation at UBCO for the Natural Sciences and Engineering is principally offered for Natural Sciences and Engineering (NSERC) programs, but as capacity permits, support is available for any competition within the natural sciences and engineering domain. Please contact the RDO below if you would like support for an opportunity not listed.
RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Alliance Grants
Risk Assessment Form
Support
- We strongly recommended you connect with your Research Development Officer (RDO) in advance of writing an Alliance application to confirm accurate cost-sharing calculations, as these determine the length of a proposal.
- If you would like a criteria or editorial review, please provide your RDO with at least two weeks’ notice. Note that reviews are subject to availability, and during peak season (September to October), turnaround times may be longer.
- All Alliance grants receive a technical review prior to submission to NSERC and generally after the RPIF has been signed by ORS. If you would like to receive a technical review before RPIF signatures, please contact your RDO once all documents (including partner forms) have been uploaded on NSERC’s online system.
- For Alliance-Accelerate applications, please reach out to a Mitacs representative in addition to your RDO.
Discovery Grants
Support
- DG Summer School
This suite of workshops walks you through each stage of the DG application. Workshops typically run in July and August.
- Part 1: DG overview, ‘Thinking like a Reviewer”, Top Tips, and NOI prep
- Part 2: Proposal Intensive
- Part 3: Most Significant Contributions, HQP+EDI, Everything Else!
Recordings and materials are available from previous year’s sessions. Please contact denise.maines@ubc.ca for further information.
- NOI reviews are available the week before the NOI deadline (August 1, or the next business day if August 1 falls on a weekend or holiday).
- Full reviews will be offered in the fall. Further information will be shared with anyone who submits and NOI.
resources
- Resources from previous competitions, including a web-based Discovery Grant development guide hosted by SPARC (CWL required)
Research Tools and Instruments
Support
- Support for Research Tools and Instruments applications is limited to administrative questions between September and October.
- Criteria and editorial reviews are available in the spring and summer for previous applicants, as capacity permits.
- Sample Discovery Grant Library (CWL required – click on the SharePoint link at the top of the page)
Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) Program
Support
- UBC is permitted to submit six (6) proposals to the NSERC CREATE LOI competition. There is an internal competition supported by the Support Programs to Advance Research Capacity (SPARC) office to select LOIs.
- LOIs are initially due in mid-to-late February and applicants will receive feedback from the Internal Selection Committee in the first week of March. The RDO can work with you to revise your LOI ahead of a final internal submission in mid-March.
- The RDO will work with UBCO applicants that are selected to submit an LOI in April to submit a final LOI to NSERC in May.
- An individual support schedule will be established for applicants who are selected to submit a full application.
Co-developed and additional resources are available via the Support Programs to Advance Research Capacity (SPARC) office at the UBC-Vancouver Campus.
Note: UBC resources are intended for UBC researchers only. Please do not circulate.
Natural Sciences and Engineering support spans NSERC and industry opportunities, and often involves significant coordination with the University-Industry Liaison Office (UILO), UBC Survive and Thrive Applied Research (STAR) team, and Mitacs representatives.