Changes to ARC applications may affect junior researchers
By Shelly Simonds Changes to applications for the Australian Research Council (ARC) Large Research Grants 1999 could affect junior ANU researchers with less permanent jobs. The provision for full-time ARC salary support for chief investigators has been removed. This means that applicants can no longer ask for their salary if they list themselves as chief investigator on a grant proposal. This could affect post graduates or post-doctoral researchers with fixed appointments who seek to extend their stay at the ANU by obtaining a large ARC grant and then paying their salaries out of that grant. Another change involves the Early Career Researchers (ECR) category. In order for a grant application to be considered for the ECR scheme, all chief investigators must meet the Early Career Researchers criteria. This means that if an early career researcher applies as co-chief investigator with an established career researcher, the application won't be considered in the ECR category. However, the ECR criteria only has a secondary effect on the success of an application. ARC thematic priorities for 1999 applications include: exploration geophysics; food science and technology; and marine geoscience. A complete list of changes to large research grant applications is available from the ANU's Research Services Office, at its Web site: http://www.anu.edu.au/rso/awards/