NATIONALUNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
Young Investigator Award
Application Form (YIA – RG1)
The NUS Young Investigator Award (YIA) is funded by Office of Deputy President (Research & Technology) with the objective to support the early career development activities of young faculty who are likely to make significant contributions to the development of research at NUS. It is open to all academic staff at NUS Faculties/Schools who meet the requirements specified.
Interested applicants should submit the duly completed application form through their Department and Faculty/School to the Office of Deputy President (Research & Technology).
1 / TITLE OF RESEARCH PROJECT / Title should be short and concise.Title should be short and concise.
2
/PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Name: / Provide full page CV and list of all research papers published, including, titles and full page numbers.The CV should be a concise list including applicant’s education, positions held, industrial and academic affiliations, honours and awards etc.
Age (as of application deadline):
Date joined NUS:
Appointment:
Employee number:
Department & Faculty:
Contract Type:
Full-time/Part-time: (if Part-time, please indicate appointment ratio)
Telephone number:
Fax number:
Email address:
3 /
ABSTRACT
In about 200 words, describe the project in the context of previous work done or in progress at the University or at other institutions, and explain the significance and uniqueness of this project and why the applicant is especially qualified to undertake it.4 / LISTMAIN OBJECTIVES & DELIVERABLES IN ORDER OF PRIORITY
Describe the objectives clearly and succinctly, and highlight the deliverables upon project completion.
Attach a self-contained Case for Support, consisting of no more than five A4 pages (see Annex A)
Please note:
(i)this application may not be considered if the Case for Support is not enclosed, or its contents do not give sufficient details; and
(ii)additional information should be provided as an appendix.
5 / POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS/EXPLOITATION
In about 200 words, highlight any potential economic benefits for Singapore and any potential commercialization/technology transfer arising from the project and economic impact to industry in Singapore.
Note: The main criterion by which projects will be judged is the quality of the research and of the investigator.
6SUMMARY OF RESEARCH GRANT REQUESTED(GST to be included, where appropriate)
Grant requested must cover the entire project life. Applicants should note that research grant, once approved, will not be increased. Please note that for cash flow management, the PI is advised to plan the expenditure carefully for each year of the project period and commit such expenditures according to the proposed schedules.
Vote / Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / Total ($)1 / Manpower
2 / New equipment/facilities*
3 / Materials/consumables
4 / Misc. costs
4a Overseas Travel**
4b Training/other misc. costs
Grand Total ($)
* maximum of $200,000 for equipment**maximum of $12,000 per year for overseas travel (for PI only)
Please see Notes for Budget Preparation in Annexes B - C2 for assistance in completing items 6.1 to 6.4.
6.1MANPOWER COSTS
Please indicate an “E” against the number if it is a continuation of an existing appointment.
NS increments* - Please tick against staff grade if increments are to be given for National Service (NS).
If the manpower required is a Research Fellow, please provide information on his/her qualifications and experience.
Manpower / Staff / With / Number / Annual Cost ($) / No. of Months / Total Cost($)
Grade / NS* / Full Time / Part Time / Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / on
Project
Research Fellow
Research Assistant
Lab Executive
Lab Technologist
Student Assistant:
a / Undergraduate Student Researcher (wef 1 Jan 03)
Grand Total ($)
6.2 NEW EQUIPMENT/FACILITIES COSTS(GST to be included, where applicable)
Maximum of $200,000may be requested. Please attach vendor’s written quotations.
Item Description / Quotation* No. / Unit Price($) / Quantity / Year 1
($) / Year 2
($) / Year 3 *
($) / Total Cost
($)
Grand Total ($)
* The onus is on the PI to establish that there is no similar equipment available in the department or faculty. If the equipment proposed is already available, PI should provide adequate justification for acquiring a new one.
6.3COSTS OF MATERIALS/CONSUMABLES(GST to be included, where applicable.)
Please attach vendor’s written quotations.
Item Description / Quotation* No.($) / Unit Price
($) / Quantity / Year 1
($) / Year 2
($) / Year 3 *
($) / Total Cost
($)
Grand Total ($)
6.4MISCELLANEOUS COSTS(GST to be included, where applicable)
(A)OVERSEAS TRAVEL
Maximum of $12,000 per year (for travel by PI only). Each trip is capped at $4,000.
Country / No. of days / ($) / ($) / ($) / ($)
Grand Total ($)
(B) TRAINING/OTHER MISCELLANEOUS COSTS
Item Description / Purpose / Year 1($) / Year 2
($) / Year 3 *
($) / Total Cost
($)
Grand Total ($)
7. OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING
(GST to be included for Purchases of Equip, Materials, Consumables and Services)
Please attach letters of financial commitment/support from funding parties, where possible.
Name and address of other funding parties:
Contact name and designation:
Contact number:
Type of organisation:
(eg industry, commerce, research institutes, government, etc)
Details of contribution:
(A) / Cash contribution: / $
(B) / In-Kind Contribution: / Item Description / Value ($)
Equipment/materials:
Staff secondment:
Facilities:
Others:
Total value of A+B ($):
8.PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE (Gantt Chart Format)
Quarters /Research Milestones / Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3
Q1 / Q2 / Q3 / Q4 / Q1 / Q2 / Q3 / Q4 / Q1 / Q2 / Q3 / Q4
Estimated start date: / The start date is defined as the first date on which the project commits or incurs expenditure.
Estimated completion date: / Researchers are reminded that a project, once approved, must start within 60 days of approval.
9.DECLARATION BY APPLICANT
DECLARATION OF OTHER FUNDING SUPPORT (attach additional pages if necessary)List all other grants and funding sources (including start-up grants) which you presently have, or have submitted applications for.
Project Title / Funding Agency / Status (Submitted / Awarded) / Amount applied for / awarded (S$) / Years of support / Expiry date of project
DECLARATION OF RESEARCH COMPLIANCE
Please note that the approval of grant is subject to meeting research compliance. Please indicate if your project involves the following. If yes to any of the section, please submit the necessary application to seek approval from the relevant offices/approving committees.
- Laboratory / Non Laboratory Based Research
Laboratory based research
(the use of chemicals, biological agents, radioactive materials/equipment, heavy machinery or high voltage equipment, etc...)
/ * Yes / No / PLEASE NOTE: If “Yes”:
Risk Assessment for Laboratory Based Research should be prepared and submitted to OSHE for review.
Please visit the OSHE standard operating procedures website further information and application guidelines.
Please note that OSHE’s approval must be obtained before the project can commence. Research may be subjected to additional conditions.
A copy of the outcome of the OSHE review should be attached to this proposal application or provided to the Faculty Dean’s Office and DRA once it is available.
Non Laboratory based research
(e involving the use of computers, surveys etc…) / * Yes / No / PLEASE NOTE: If “Yes”:
Declaration Form for Non Laboratory Based Research should be duly completed and submitted to DRA with a copy to the Faculty Dean’s Office.
Please visit the OSHE standard operating procedures website further information and application guidelines.
- Human Participants
1. Direct Human Biomedical Research
(E.g. Clinical trials, physiological research or research with risk of physical or mental injury, etc.) / * Yes / No / PLEASE NOTE: If “Yes” to any of the items:
An application should be prepared and submitted to the NUS Institutional Review Board (NUS IRB) for review.
Please visit the IRB Submissions Form website, for further information and application guidelines.
A copy of the outcome of NUS IRB's review should be attached to this proposal application or provided to the Faculty Dean’s Office and DRA once it is available.
2. Indirect Human Biomedical Research
(E.g. Epidemiology, research that uses human biological specimens, medical information, etc) / * Yes / No
3. Other Human Participants Research, please specify: ______
(E.g. Social psychology, economic or behaviouralresearch in the humanities and social sciences) / * Yes / No
4. Has ethics/IRB approval been obtained for this project?
(If yes, please attach a copy of the approval certificate with this form) / * Yes / No
- Animal Ethics
1. Animal experimentation involving euthanasia of animals for tissue harvest / * Yes / No / PLEASE NOTE: If “Yes”:
An application should be prepared and submitted to the NUS Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) for review.
Please visit the IACUC application forms website, to download the application.
Please note that IACUC’s approval must be obtained before animal experiments/use of animals can proceed.
A copy of the outcome of the NUS IACUC’s review should be provided to the Faculty Dean’s Office and DRA once it is available.
2. Use of commercially available animal tissues or cells / * Yes / No
3. Obtained previous IACUC approval for project?
If yes, please provide the following information:
IACUC Protocol Number: ______
Expiry Date: ______ / * Yes / No
- Collaborators
1. Does your project involve collaborators? / * Yes / No / If your project involves External Collaboration and/or External Funding, please forward the completedSchedule 1 Formto ILO directly .
I declare that the facts stated in the application are true and complete.
______ / ______Signature of Applicant / Date
10 EVALUATION/ ENDORSEMENT BY HEAD OF DEPARTMENT / CHAIRMAN, FACULTY RESEARCH COMMITTEE
This section is to be completed by the Head of Department and endorsed by the Chairman of the Faculty Research Committee.
Please provide a 1 page evaluation of this application. The evaluation should include but is not limited to the following points:- Track record of PI – why is this person exceptional etc
- Intellectual/Innovative merit of proposal
- Career development at NUS – how is the department/faculty supporting the applicant (eg by start-up funding, relief of teaching etc)
Ranking of proposal in relation to others in the Department in the same round: ____ of ____.
Signature of HOD (nominee): / ______Date of Assessment: / ______
Ranking of proposal in relation to others in the Faculty/School in the same round: ____ of ____.
Signature of Chairman, FRC (nominee): / ______Date of Assessment: / ______
ANNEX A
CASE FOR SUPPORT - PROJECT DETAILS
The application form should be accompanied by a self-contained case for support of no more than 5 A4-sized pages, including but not limited to the following details. Additional information should be provided as an appendix.
(1)BACKGROUND FOR PROJECT
(i)Previous work - Relation to earlier or current work of applicant and/or collaborating agency and relevant work elsewhere;
(ii) Preliminary studies – 1-2 page report on anypreliminary studies undertaken and results to support proposed research
(2)OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE
(3)PROJECT DESCRIPTION
(i)Description of methodology, showing what alternatives have been considered and why chosen methods are preferred; originality of approach and relationship with other work in this area
(ii)Innovation content, timeliness of research, interdisciplinary nature of the research, technical features and specifications
(iii)State of the art technology
(iv)Project schedule - Whether investigation is to occur in stages; any known constraints
(4)PROJECT DELIVERABLES
(i)New technologies introduced
(ii)New products and/or services developed
(5)PROJECT RISK (IF ANY)
(6)PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
(i)Competitive/comparative advantage of PI - Indicate competitive/comparative advantage the PI has in proposed area of research
(7)RESOURCES
Present detailed case for resources required, in particular, provide justification for following:
(i)Manpower Costs
(a)Type and level of all staff appointments and duration of employment;
(b) If applicant already has assistants employed for his other research projects, provide explanation why existing assistants cannot be used for new project
(ii)New Equipment/Facilities Costs
(a)Need to purchase equipment/facilities;
(b)Choice of equipment - Show that equipment chosen will give best value for money and attach vendors’ quotations;
(c)Explain why it is not possible or cost effective to meet demand from University’s existing stock of equipment;
(d)Where use of major equipment/expensive instrument (budget forequipment constitutes 50% of total project value) is proposed, please provide:
(i)Explicit statements on existence of similar equipment elsewhere and its availability;
(ii)Commitment from other potential users;
(iii)Justification of usage level;
(iv)Provision for maintenance;
(v)Details of other intended uses upon project completion
(e)Attach list of existing equipment (if any) that project will be using [equipment description, cost and location must be provided]
(iii)Materials and Consumables Costs
Need for consumables - Consumables requested must be items that can be uniquely andunambiguously identified with research project
(iv)Cost of Overseas Travel
(a)Need for travel - All travel requests made should be evaluated against IT alternatives,
such as e-mail and video conferencing;
(b)Places and/or countries to be visited; purpose, duration and persontraveling.
Note: Budget is capped at $12,000 per year, $4,000 per trip (for travel by PI only) except in exceptional cases. Any further expenditure proposed must be justified in detail.
(iv)Training and Other Miscellaneous Costs
(a)Need for and type of training required;
(b)Need for and details of other costs that will be incurred.
ANNEX B
NOTES FOR BUDGET PREPARATION
1.Applicants are expected to make an accurate assessment of their requirements so that the approving committee is fully aware of the cost implications when deciding whether proposals are worth funding. Expenditures should be budgeted inclusive of any Goods & Services Tax payable. Please take note that variations to the approved budget such as buying new equipment or adding manpower, have to be considered afresh by the relevant approving authority even if funds are available. Research grants, once approved, cannot be increased and hence researchers are advised to prepare their budgets carefully.
2.Although necessary efforts have been made to ensure accuracy of information in all annexes contained in this document, guidelines are subject to change. PIs must thus check with the relevant HR/Finance offices for updates.
3.Manpower Costs
Please refer to ANNEX – C1 (Manpower – Full time) ANNEX – C2 (Manpower – Part time) for notes on manpower budget preparation. You are advised to contact the Faculty’s Human Resources Officer or Office of Human Resources for further clarification/information.
Part-Time Appointment Scheme for NUS Undergraduate & Graduate Students (wef 1 Jan 2003)
Undergraduate Student Researcher
An NUS undergraduate student may be appointed to assist the PI in specific research duties.
PIs are advised to refer to Registrar’s Office website for relevant Terms and Conditions under the Part-Time Appointment Scheme for Undergraduate & Graduate Students (wef 1 Jan 2003):
4.New Equipment/Facilities
Applicants may budget up to $200,000 for equipment costs. This covers research equipment, computer hardware, equipment delivery and installation. It also covers the renovation of premises (eg. installation of clean rooms, extension of air-conditioning), if such works are essential to the success of the project. Only equipment properly justified for the research project (not presently available in the University) and required for dedicated applications should be included.
Applicants must check the availability of the requested equipment in the University including Research Institutes/Research Centres. This is available online in the SAP Assets Management (AM) System. For major equipment items costing $10,000 and above, specific reference to their availability should be made.
Applicants should be able to produce quotations when called upon to back up the cost of the budgeted items.
You are advised to budget for future cost increases over the entire lifespan of the project.
5.Materials and Consumables
This includes resources that are specifically required for the project such as:-
a)Cost of data gathering/questionnaires/surveys
b)Cost of stationery, postage, photocopying and computer software
c)Use of animals and laboratory supplies
d)Cost of chemicals
e)Page charges, publication costs, submission fees and typing costs (up to a total of $1,000)
f)Cost of foundry services etc.
Only resources specifically required for the project should be included.
Examples of items not allowed in the budget are miscellaneous, contingency, reprints, books, laboratory manuals, tokens and reference materials. Requests for books, laboratory manuals and reference materials should be made through the Central Library.
You are advised to budget for future cost increases over the entire lifespan of the project.
6.Overseas Travel
Where there is a need for the PI to travel overseas for research purposes, applicants should arrange to coincide this with travel for their conference/sabbatical/study attachment. All overseas travel should be arranged with the University’s panel of approved travel agents. Only economy class airfare is allowed.
Prevailing leave and financial assistance guidelines are available from You are advised to budget for future cost increases over the entire lifespan of the project. Note: Budget is usually capped at $12,000 per year, $4,000 per trip (for travel by PI only).
7.Training and Other Miscellaneous Costs
Includes cost of local travel, conference registration fees, maintenance of equipment, patentcost and publicity cost.
You are advised to budget for future cost increases over the entire lifespan of the project.
Apr 2009Page 1Form YIA – RG1
ANNEX – C1
NOTES FOR MANPOWER (FULL TIME) BUDGET PREPARATION
- The estimated costs shown in the attached tables are based on the salary scales of the respective manpower grade known at the time of this circular, and are subjected to changes. PIs are advised to check with the Faculty’s Human Resources Officer or Office of Human Resources for the latest rates. The 1st year’s monthly salary is the entry point of each scale. If a PI wishes to pay the appointed staff at a higher salary point, he can adjust the budget but must justify the need in his Case for Support.
- The estimated costs shown in the attached tables are intended to assist the PIs in their budgetary preparations. PIs are ultimately responsible for their own budgeted figures. They are advised to make adjustments for any announcements or changes in any component of the manpower costs as may be made from time to time.
- Cost of recruitment advertisement is not provided in the estimated annual manpower cost. If there is such a need, another $1,000 should be added to the first year’s manpower cost.
- Please refer to Annexes D and E for guidelines on research appointments.
- NUS YIA funding excludes Visiting and Research Attachment costs.
Guidelines for Salary Recommendations: