SSTI Grand Challenge development

Step 3: call for Grand Challenge Notices of Intent

Deadline: Jan 20, 2017

About the Sustainability Science and Technologies Initiative

The McGill Sustainability Sciences and Technologies Initiative (SSTI) creates a centre of expertise and excellence at McGill in the field of sustainability sciences and technologies. It will provide support and seed funding for transdisciplinary teams to address some of the most complex problems facing humanity as we strive to create a world that ensures the prosperity of people today without endangering the well-being of our neighbours or our future generations. Theseproblems, which are far too complex and too wide in scope and scale to be addressed by existing discipline-based research structures, are sustainability’s ‘Grand Challenges’. Answering these questions required working across disciplines in new institutional configurations.

Following the Lightning Talk events, the SSTI is now soliciting suggestions forSSTI Grand Challenges. The current document describes the Grand Challenge NOI submission process and ends with a synopsis of the revised schedule for the full Grand Challenge developmentprocess.

Grand Challenges in the SSTI context

McGill SSTI Grand Challenges are those in which McGill expertise, grounded in science and technology, can make a tangible and significant impact. The SSTI will provide funding for unique and original research carried out by trans-disciplinary research teams under each Grand Challenge research theme. This research is expected tobe eligible for significant long-term funding and to place McGill at the forefront of sustainability research on the Canadian and international stage.

Areas of strength in science and technology at McGill include the development of innovative materials and technologies to replace those whose production or use is unsustainable, redesign of existing technologies to eliminate negative impacts on Earth’s natural capital, and research on ways to increase food production while maintaining or restoring ecosystem services. Advances in areas of science and technology are, however, insufficient unless they are framed within a societal context, and consider aspects such as human and environmental health, social and economic wellbeing, and legal and geopolitical implications. Only by taking into consideration the interrelated yet often poorly understood and shifting relationships between the many aspectsof development willthe implementation of complex scientific and technological advances succeed. The aim of the McGill SSTI Grand Challenges is to provide support for McGill researchers from both the sciences and humanities to work together to develop significant, impactful and socially acceptable advances that move society towards a more sustainable model of existence.

Grand Challenge solicitation

The SSTI is seeking notices of intent (NOI) that proposesustainability Grand Challenges that aregrounded in areas of science and technology in which McGill has strong existing expertise.These Grand Challengeswill provide the overarching themes for the main SSTI research effort and should have the potential to generate long-term fundable research that will elevate McGill into a position of national and international prominence in sustainability research.

NOIs should be pitched at a high level. They will, if selected,be further developed by teams of McGill researchers into Grand Challenge proposals and, potentially, research program components that address the Grand Challenge.

NOI format

The NOIshould bea short (maximum 1.5 pages) high-level outline of theGrand Challenge.It should include the following information:

  • A short (1/4 page) description of a recognised sustainability Grand Challenge in the area of sciences and technologies;
  • A short (1/4 page) description of the long-term vision for this Grand Challenge, the overall research goals and why addressing this Grand Challenge requires a trans-disciplinary approach;
  • Description of unique avenues of research that will contribute to tackling the Grand Challenge. High level suggestions rather than specific project descriptions are sought at this stage. The NOIshould briefly demonstrate that these research avenues:
  • Are feasible and addressable within the McGill research context;
  • Are within the SSTIfunding capacity (circa $400K per annum for 3 years);
  • Require a trans-disciplinary team effort;
  • Are likely to attract significant external funding.
  • A short and non-exhaustive list of McGill researchers or departments that can contribute to addressing this Grand Challenge. For reference, it might be useful to refer to the attached list ofresearchers who presented during the SSTI Lightning Talks. Abstracts and recordings of their presentations can be found on the SSTI website that some abstracts and videos are still to be loaded).

SSTI assistance during NOI development

The SSTI can provide a small budget to cover meeting costs (e.g., space, coffee) during the NOI and Grand Challenge development stage. It can also circulate NOI descriptions to other members of the McGill community and assist in connecting NOI teams with researchers with specific interests.Requests (in advance for assistance with meetings) can be sent by email to .

Next steps

The SSTI Executive Committee willevaluate theNOIs and select those with the potential to become Grand Challenges. The NOI leads will form teams to develop the NOIs into Grand Challenge proposals which will be presented to the McGill community. The strongest proposals will be selected for development into full Grand Challenges.

Grand Challenge and project proposaldevelopment schedule

Step / Activity / Description/purpose / Responsible / Dates / Elapsed time
(weeks)
1 / SSTI opening cocktail / Launch of the McGill SSTI Grand Challenge determination process, foster trans-disciplinary connections. / 27 Sep 2016 / -
2 / Lightning talks / Opportunity for researchers to share their work in areas relevant to sustainability sciences and technologies (SST) with the McGill community. / 3 – 28 Nov / 4
3 / Call for SSTI Grand Challenge NOIs / Solicit the research community to provide suggestions for overarching sustainability challenges that can be robustly addressed in the McGill context through connected trans-disciplinary SST-based projects. / SSTI Executive Committee / 22 Dec / -
4 / Grand Challenge NOI development and submission / The Notice of Intent(NOI) is a short document that proposes a well-established issue in sustainability to become an SSTI Grand Challenge. Grand Challenges must have the potential to generate long-term supported research involvinginterconnected trans-disciplinary projects in areas of McGill expertise. The NOI should include suggestions for potential areas of research but not descriptions of specific projects. / NOI leads (individuals or teams) / 22 Dec - 20 Jan / 4 (2 vac)
5 / NOI review / Evaluation of NOIs. This process may include suggestions to revise or amalgamate proposals. / SSTI Executive committee
NOI leads / 20 Jan – 3 Feb / 2
6 / NOI final selection / Selection of NOIs to progress to Grand Challenge proposal stage. / SSTI Executive committee / 3 – 10 Feb / 1
7 / Grand Challenge proposal development / Individual or team development of selected NOIs into 20 min proposal presentations. The proposals will describe the Grand Challenge, its potential areas of long-term supportable research (not specific projects) and the McGill strengths in these areas. / Leads of selected NOIs / 10 Feb – 3 Mar / 3
Step / Activity / Description/purpose / Responsible / Dates / Elapsed time
(weeks)
8 / Grand Challenge proposal presentations to the McGill community. Selection of Grand Challenges to go forward / The20-minute presentations provide an opportunity for McGill research community to learn about and discuss the proposals and to express interest in participating in specific Grand Challenges.
The SSTI Executive Committee will select the most promising proposals as the initial SSTI Grand Challenges. Proposals which demonstrate potentialmay receive support for further development activities. / Leads of selected NOIs
SSTI Executive committee / 6 – 10 Mar / 1
9 / Grand Challenge and associated project development (workshops etc.) / Facilitated sessions to develop Grand Challenge proposals into research pillars and integrated research programs/frameworks. / Grand Challenge teams / 10 Mar – 7 Apr / 4
10 / Project proposal submission and review / Review and approval by the Executive Committee of the program/framework plans developed in Step 9. / SSTI Executive committee / By 21 Apr / -

SSTI Grand Challenge solicitation Dec 22 2016.docx

Timeline GC development V4Dec 222016.docx