2017 Graduate Studentship Award Application Instructions

Application Deadline April 21, 2017 at 4:00pm

Research GrantsAdministration,4-081Edmonton ClinicHealth Academy(ECHA)

11405–87Avenue,Universityof Alberta,Edmonton,T6G1C9

Overview of the WCHRI Graduate Studentship Award

The WCHRI Graduate Studentship Program offers competitively funded training support to students currently engaged in a full-time, thesis-based graduate level program of study at the University of Alberta. The Graduate Studentship Award, currently valued at up to $18,000 per annum for up to 24 months, is intended to provide stipend support to awardees engaged in research relevant to women or children’s health. Successful applicants must implement this award September 1 of the award year. Students and supervisors from all departments and disciplines researching issues related to women's and children's health are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for the WCHRI Graduate Studentship Program, the applicant must be:

  • a member of WCHRI;
  • under the primary supervision of a WCHRI academic member;
  • registered in a full-time, thesis-based, graduate program at the University of Alberta in a health-related discipline leading to a master's or doctoral degree at the time of application;

Supervisors may only submit one application per competition; no more than two WCHRI graduate students will be supported simultaneously for any faculty member as either a supervisor or co-supervisor. While all currently supportedWCHRI graduate studentships are requiredto remain compliant with cost-share, WCHRI will no longer require cost-share going forward. The value of the WCHRI Graduate Studentship award is now $18,000 per annum (maximum). See the guidelines for additional information on top-up and incentive funding.

All applicants must evidence their GPA at the time of program admission; admission GPA is provided to WCHRI by the Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research (FGSR). To request release of GPA to WCHRI, FGSR requires the submission of the 2017 WCHRI Graduate Studentship – FGSR Waiver to Disclose GPA. This document can be found on our website and must be submitted directly to FGSR by email at: . The deadline for submission of the waiver to FGSR is April 13, 2017. All applicants are required to submit the waiver directly to FGSR as per the waiver instructions. WCHRI will not submit waivers to FGSR on the applicant’s behalf. All applicants are advised to ensure that they retain evidence of waiver submission.

Acurrent UniversityofAlbertatranscriptmustalsobesubmittedtoWCHRItoevidencethecandidate’s currentGPAstanding,andfull-timeregistrationinahealth-relatedgraduatelevelprogram ofstudies.Thistranscript must be official, but does not need to be received by WCHRI in a sealed envelope. Allcandidatesmust providetwolettersof reference,oneofwhich should befromtheproposedsupervisor. In the event that a co-supervisor is proposed, candidates may wish to consider a joint supervisor letter as only two letters will be accepted by WCHRI. Additional letters will be removed from your application. Each letter of referencemustbeconfidential,signed bytherefereeand received byWCHRIin a signed,sealedenvelope. Letters mustbedatedtowithin six (6)months ofthecompetitiondeadline.See additional details regarding letters of reference on page 3of the INSTRUCTION section and in the following Grading Grid.

Applicationswillberandomly assignedtoapeer-reviewcommittee that is broadly composed; allapplicantsarestronglyencouragedtoensurethatsufficient detailisprovidedforreviewers,whomay notbeexpertsintheareaproposed,to beabletoassessthefeasibility andoverallmeritoftheproposedresearchasa trainingopportunity.

Application Relevance to WCHRI’s Vision, Mission and Strategic Roadmap

All applications submitted through WCHRI Grants must align with WCHRI's vision, mission and strategic roadmap as well as meet our relevance criteria. Applications that do not present with clear alignment and relevance will not be eligible to hold WCHRI funds (other eligibility criteria must also be met).

WCHRI's stated vision, mission and strategic roadmap are included below and can be found on our website.

Vision

To harness the power of research innovation for a healthy future for children and women

Mission

WCHRI will foster the brightest minds to discover, innovate and ultimately transform the health of children and women through supporting research excellence.

WCHRI’s Strategic Roadmap

WCHRI has developed a five-year (2015-2020) strategic roadmap to focus our support for women and children's health research for maximum impact. The roadmap was created after extensive consultation with our members, partners and funders, and builds upon our past successes. The plan focuses on four strategic areas:

  1. Research-integrated hospitals and communities

Improve health outcomes for children and women through research embedded at the point of care.

  1. Children's health and well-being

Identify effective treatments to address the unique health needs of children; improve our understanding of rare and complex childhood diseases.

  1. Healthy development

Optimize maternal and infant health outcomes; develop early intervention and prevention strategies to reduce the risk for lifelong chronic disease.

  1. Lifelong women's health

Support research that addresses mechanisms related to the unique health needs of women; improve reproductive health outcomes.

To establish relevance, all applications must clearly address the following:

  • The primary research question must be directly relevant to women and/or children’s health;
  • The research question should specifically target improving outcomes for women and/or children through health research (i.e. context);
  • If applicable, the animal model must be clearly justified and provide specific details that include rationale for the chosen model, animal age and sex, and relevance/applicability to the research question;
  • Methodology, including details of study design sufficient to demonstrate benefit, impact, and/or potential for improved women and/ or children’s health outcomes.

Applicants should note that the above are some common considerations; alternative or additional factors may need to be included depending upon the proposed research. All applications will be screened for relevance and alignment with our vision, mission and strategic roadmap. Applications with low relevance and alignment will not be considered fundable, regardless of scientific merit.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF APPLICATION FORM

  • Read the complete application and guidelines before you start filling out the application form.
  • Do not exceed the space provided. Additional pages may be provided only where indicated and must be provided in Arial 10 pt font size. All margins are restricted to no less than 2 cm. Additional pages or information may be appended only where indicated and must include the applicant’s name in the header and the page number in the footer (page 7a, 7b, 7c, etc…).
  • Do not submit material that is photo-reduced or stapled. Double-sided information is not accepted.
  • Do not forward or send transcripts, letters of reference or other supporting documentation directly to WCHRI. All supporting documentation must accompany the application.
  • The complete, original, signed application package must be received by WCHRI on, or before, the deadline with all of the information below:
  • Submission of GPA waiver to FGSR no later than April 13, 2017 (please refer to the GPA waiver on our website );
  • A current, official University of Alberta transcript (does not need to be in a sealed envelope);
  • Two confidential letters of reference; each letter received in a sealed envelope from the referee (see below for details);
  • A current and up to date copy of your Supervisor’s WCHRI Biosketch for Graduate Studentship Competition;
  • One current and up to date copy of your Supervisor’s publication list for the last five years, with trainees’ names underlined.
  • A current and up to date copy of your Co-supervisor’s WCHRI Biosketch for Graduate Studentship Competition;
  • A current and up to date copy of your Co-supervisor’s publication list for the last five years with trainees’ names underlined.

Letters of reference should be written taking into consideration the qualities outlined in the grading grid below. Candidate qualities such as motivation, intellectual ability, maturity, future prospects within a research environment and any previous research experiences should be detailed for the committee’s consideration. Examples of the above qualities should be provided to assist the committee in the assessment of the candidate’s motivation and dedication to excel in the graduate program and chosen area of research. In addition to the above, successes that demonstrate excellence in research should be clearly highlighted by the referee. Examples include: track record evidencing research funding, publications and/or research outcomes, and awards, honors and citations.

No photocopies of the grant application are required. All applications submitted for the 2017 competition must use the current application form. Previous application forms will not be accepted. Applications with missing information or documentation will be submitted to the Committee as is. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the application is accurate and complete.Unsolicited documentation will not be forwarded to the review committee.

The candidate is responsible for ensuring that the signed, hard-copy of the application is complete and received by WCHRI Research Grants Administration not later than 4:00 pm on the deadline date. Late applications will not be accepted.

If you have any questions regarding the WCHRI Graduate Studentship Grant Program or application process, please contact WCHRI Grants Administration at .

WCHRI Graduate Studentship Grant Grading Grid

All applications will be reviewed by the WCHRI Graduate Studentship Advisory Committee and ranked according to merit. Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • Student Factors
  • Academic Record: GPA (2 point maximum);
  • Academic Record: Awards and Prizes (2 point maximum);
  • Academic Record: Publications and/or Research Outputs (2 point maximum); and
  • Reference Letters (3 point maximum).

A maximum of 9 points may be awarded in this section.

  • Supervisor Factors
  • Supervisor/ Co-Supervisor Research and Publication Record (3 point maximum);
  • Evaluation of the Training Environment and the role of the Trainee (3 point maximum);
  • Additional point for faculty at the Assistant Professor level (1 point).

A maximum of 7 points may be awarded in this section.

  • Research Project Factors
  • Feasibility and overall quality of the research project (3 point maximum).
  • Evidence of sufficient research resources for this work (2 point maximum)
  • Additional point for peer-reviewed (national, provincial funding) research resources supporting this work (1 point maximum).

A maximum of 6 points may be awarded in this section.

  • Research Relevance with the WCHRI Mandate
  • Research Relevance (must meet acceptable committee standards to be eligible for funding).

A total maximum of 22 points are available.

STUDENT FACTORS

Academic Record (Score of 0 to 2)

Points for GPA / Point Allocation
(maximum)
GPA of less than or equal to 3.59 / 0
GPA between 3.60 and 3.85 / 1
GPA between 3.86 and above / 2

A maximum of 2 points may be allocated for Applicant's GPA

Academic Record: Awards and Prizes (Score of 0 to 2)

Points for Previous Awards and Prizes / Point Allocation
(maximum)
No previously obtained awards and/or prizes / 0
Solid track record of obtaining awards and/or prizes / 1
Excellent track record of obtaining awards and/or prizes / 2

A maximum of 2 points may be allocated to Applicant’s Awards and Prizes

Academic Record: Publications and/or Research Outputs (Score of 0 to 2)

Consider relative productivity in terms of research products, given the candidate’s engagement in research to date. Consider refereed papers, conference abstracts, Research Day participation, etc.) / Point Allocation
(maximum)
Modest publications and research output given the trainee’s level of engagement in research / 0
Solid track record of publications and research outputs. / 1
Excellent track record publications and research outputs. The trainee clearly exceeds expectations in terms of productivity. / 2

A maximum total of 2 points may be allocated to Applicant’s Publications

Letters of Reference (Score of 0 to 3)

Points for Quality of Applicant’s Letters of Reference / Point Allocation
(maximum)
Letters provide general information about the candidate’s personal characteristics and/or academic strengths. / 0
Lettersare supportive of the candidate, and speak in general terms, with few details regarding his/her personal characteristics (motivation, intellectual capacity, maturity, etc.) and academic strengths. / 1
Lettersarevery positive and provide considerable details about the candidate’s relative strengths. Candidate has accumulated some research experience, and the letters comment on the candidate’s competence/abilities in this area. / 2
Lettersarevery positive and strongly supportive of the candidate and communicate an element of excitement about his/her future prospects in conducting research. The letters clearly detail the candidate's research successes and accomplishments and highlights, giving examples, the candidate's strengths, competencies and abilities. The candidate will have had significant experience in research which may have resulted in publication. / 3

A maximum total of 3 points may be allocated for the Quality of the Applicant’s Letters of Reference

SUPERVISOR & CO-SUPERVISOR FACTORS

Supervisor & Co-supervisor Research and Publication Record (Score of 0 to 3)

The supervisor, and where applicable, the co-supervisor's, research track record will be evaluated with reference to faculty level, research productivity and impact, and publication history.

Quality of Supervisor’s/ Co-Supervisor’s Publication Record / Point Allocation
(maximum)
The supervisor’s/co-supervisor’s level of productivity in the recent past is modest. / 0
The supervisor/ co-supervisor has a good/solid record of publications including co-publications with trainees. / 1
The supervisor/ co-supervisor has a very good/strong and consistent track record of publications including co-publications with trainees. / 2
The supervisor’s/ co-supervisor publication record is excellent in terms of research publications (including publications with trainees), and may have received national/international recognition. / 3

A maximum of 3 points may be allocated for the Supervisor Publication Track Record

Overall Impression of the Training Environment and the Role of the Trainee (Score of 0 to 3)

Describe the training research environment, the resources available to support the student and the types and number of trainees the investigator has supervised and published with.

Strength of supervisor (and where applicable co-supervisor). Where there is co-supervision, the role of the co-supervisor must be clearly relevant to fostering the trainee's success in the research environment. / Point Allocation
(maximum)
It is not clear that adequate research resources are available to support the candidate’s work. / 0
The proposed research project will enable the trainee to obtain new methodological expertise. Some research resources support the project. / 1
The proposed research project and the candidate's role are clearly defined. The trainee is expected to make intellectual and methodological contributions. Research resources are clearly available to support the project. / 2
The proposed research has been developed to capitalize on the trainee's abilities and interests. The research 'fit' will clearly result in an excellent trainee experience. Research resources are not a concern. / 3

A maximum of 3 points may be allocated for the Overall Impression of the Training Environment and the Role of the Trainee

Additional Bonus for Assistant Professor (1 point maximum)

If primary supervisor is an Assistant Professor, add one bonus point. / Point Allocation (additive)
If the primary supervisor is at the Assistant Professor faculty level, then an additional point is allocated. / 1

A maximum of 1 point may be allocated

RESEARCH PROJECT FACTORS

Overall Impression of Proposed Research Project and Fit with the WCHRI Mandate

This section must include specific details of the relevance of the proposed research with the WCHRI mandate of providing benefit to women and/or children's research in Alberta, and more broadly, Canada.

Overall Impression of Proposed Research Project (Score of 0 to 3)

Impression of Proposed Research / Point Allocation
(maximum)
The project appears to be commensurate with the level of the candidate's training. / 0
The project is relevant to health and is well written, providing sufficient rationalization and methodological details. / 1
The project is relevant to health and is well written, providing sufficient rationalization and methodological details. In addition, this work will potentially produce an original contribution to existing knowledge in this field. / 2
The project is clearly defined and is well written. The description provides enough methodological details to evoke confidence that the goals of the project will, in all likelihood, be achieved. The project is related to an important area of health research and has the potential to contribute substantially to the knowledge in this field. / 3

A maximum of 3 points may be allocated for the Proposed Research Project

Evidence of Sufficient Research Resources for this work (Score of 0 to 2)

Evidence of Research Funding Support
Reviewers are asked to consider the availability of project funding to support this work for the term of the WCHRI Graduate studentship award (September 2017 - August 2019). / Point Allocation
(maximum)
It is unclear that research funding is in place to support this project. / 0
Some research funding is in place but may not be sufficient to support the project for the full WCHRI GSA award term. / 1
Sufficient details have been provided to evidence that research resources exist to carry out this research. There are no concerns with respect to the level of research funding/ support available during the WCHRI GSA award term to support this work. / 2

A maximum of 2 points may be allocated

Additional Point for Peer-Reviewed (national or provincial agency funding) Research Resources supporting this work (1 point maximum).

Research funding from national or provincial agency, add one bonus point. / Point Allocation
(additive)
If this project is supported at the national or provincial agency level then an additional point may be allocated. / 1

A maximum of 1 point may be allocated

A maximum total of 22 points are available.

WCHRI GSA Application 2017 - Page 1

2017 WCHRI Graduate Studentship Grant Application Form

Application Deadline April 21, 2017 at 4:00pm

Research Grants Administration, 4-081 ECHA, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 1C9

Candidate Name: Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial(s)
University of Alberta E-mail Address:

WCHRI supports the University of Alberta's efforts to ensure the highest standards of research and scholarship practice and behaviour. By signing below, each candidate and their supervisor(s) asserts that this application adheres to all research policies and procedures in place at the University of Alberta. WCHRI reserves the right to request institutional confirmation of assertions contained within this application.