Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at the University of Alberta Competition

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1 Context for AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Introducing the University of Alberta s Graduate Professional Development Program TEC Edmonton, the Office of the Vice-President (Research), and the Postdoctoral Fellows Office with input from the School of Business, have developed a collaborative model to launch a Graduate Professional Development Program (University of Alberta s Graduate Professional Development Program - UAGPD) which commenced in the fall of Managed by TEC Edmonton, the program aggregates a number of initiatives assisting postdoctoral fellows as well as PhD, and other graduate students seeking entrepreneurship and leadership training under one umbrella program. UAGPD provides a framework to integrate local communities of start-up and mature companies, entrepreneurs, innovators, mentors and early-stage investors that are needed to bring university technologies and start-ups from the lab to the marketplace. UAGPD leverages the following on-campus activities: Existing student-led entrepreneurship programs within the university. Postdoctoral funding from Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF). The organizational momentum and continuity provided by the university. UAGPD also offers applied education and training to help graduate students and postdoctoral fellows adopt in-demand skills that complement their existing expertise. It is the goal of UAGPD to optimally prepare graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to successfully enter the academic, industrial, and not-for-profit sectors in leadership and/or entrepreneurial positions. AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Specifics of the Program: As a component of the UAGPD, the AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is an unique program that provides a small number of high value fellowships that support excellent translational research in the areas of Information and Communication Technology, Nanotechnology or Omics (e.g. Genomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics, Transcriptomics and Regulomics) to develop leadership and entrepreneurship skills to support the transition and success of university postdoctoral fellows into industrial settings. The primary criteria for the awards are research excellence and research ability. As part of this Fellowship Program, AITF Fellows are required to attend both the Strategic Management of Innovation and Entrepreneurship course and the Technology Commercialization (Science to Business) course offered by the School of Business. These courses, once successfully completed, may be applied to the School of Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate Program. The cost of tuition for these courses is the responsibility of the AITF Fellow. Fellowships offered by the University of Alberta (U of A) are tenable only at the U of A. Fellows are expected to make the U of A their base while holding the fellowship, apart from necessary research trips (no more than three months in each year of the fellowship). Fellowships awarded in the competition may begin no later than October 1, Value: Maximum stipend of $70,000 per year for two years; or a maximum stipend of $75,000 per year for two years, if successful in securing an external fellowship(s) Page 1

2 Number of Awards: At least 5 AITF Postdoctoral Fellowships will be awarded at the U of A for the competition Timeline for Competition January 5, 2015 Deadline for receipt of applications in department (or in the faculty office of a nondepartmentalized faculty) where the fellowship would be held January 16, 2015 Deadline for receipt of applications by the PDF Office - maximum of three ranked applications submitted from each faculty January 21- February 6, 2015 Review and ranking of submissions from faculties by adjudication committee members in preparation for the adjudication meeting February 11, 2015 Adjudication meeting APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY Applicants must be doing research in the areas of Information and Communication Technology, Nanotechnology or Omics (e.g. Genomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics, Transcriptomics and Regulomics) these are the only areas eligible for AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship awards. Applicants must not hold a tenure-track or tenured faculty position, nor can they be on leave from such a position. Applicants can submit only one application per competition year to the AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Applicants for the AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship Program must fulfill or have fulfilled all degree requirements for a PhD, PhD-equivalent or health professional degree: On a date within the eligibility window of October 23, 2011 through December 31, Applicants who have not fulfilled all requirements for their degree at the time of application must do so no later than December 31, 2014 and submit confirmation of degree requirements no later than January 15, Applicants who do not submit such confirmation of degree requirements will be automatically withdrawn from the competition. OR No earlier than October 23, 2009 if they have had their career interrupted or delayed because of childrearing, illness, or health-related family responsibilities or, for health professionals only, if they have engaged in postdegree non-research related clinical training (residency, etc). The interruption(s)/delay(s) in career must have occurred after all the requirements for the degree have been fulfilled. Justification for the extension must be provided in a Special Circumstances attachment as part of the application. "Fulfilled all requirements of the degree" refers to the date that the applicant completed all the steps required for obtaining their degree. Although these requirements may vary by institution and degree type, they normally include thesis defence corrections and thesis deposition. It is not the convocation date. Page 2

3 Applicants who currently hold or have held agency-specific awards at the postdoctoral level are eligible to apply to the AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Applicants can apply for both the AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and other agency-specific postdoctoral fellowship programs at the same time. If applicants are successful in obtaining both an AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship and an external postdoctoral fellowship, they are expected to accept the external funding. The external fellowship will then be topped-up to cover the difference between the external award and an augmented AITF stipend totaling a maximum of $75,000 per annum, provided that this protocol is in keeping with the regulations of the agency granting the external fellowship(s). Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada and foreign citizens are eligible to apply to the AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship program. AITF Postdoctoral Fellows are permitted to teach 1 three-credit course per term to a maximum of six credits over the two years of the Fellowship at the U of A. Teaching arrangements must be made with the department or faculty concerned and remunerated by the department or faculty as appropriate. Exceptions will not be allowed for these eligibility criteria. SUPERVISOR ELIGIBILITY The proposed supervisor must be a continuing faculty member with a tenure-track appointment at the U of A. A letter from the proposed supervisor must be submitted as part of the application package (see Application Procedures below). PROCEDURES 1) Application Procedure - the following information is required for a complete application: i. Application form. Applicant must complete an application form and submit all required documents to the U of A department or faculty (in the case of non-departmentalized faculties) in which the applicant proposes to undertake his/her research. ii. iii. A description of the research project. A maximum two-page (single-spaced in 12 font) description of the research project (e.g., rationale, objectives, hypotheses, feasibility, suitability of location, proposed supervisor, and facilities). An account of previous relevant experience. A maximum one-page (single-spaced in 12 font) narrative conveying the relevance of past research experience to the proposed research to be funded by the AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. It is recommended that applicants highlight the specific skills they possess to ensure the desired research outcomes are achieved. Page 3

4 iv. A letter of support from the proposed supervisor. A maximum two-page (single-spaced in 12 font) letter that must contain the following information: Description of how the proposed research of the applicant contributes to the current research efforts of a larger group (i.e. work currently undertaken or in the near future by a team of Masters, PhD students and/or postdoctoral fellows) or a continuation of a current project. Alternatively, if a new project is created the supervisor must express a commitment to fund at least one Masters or PhD student to complement the efforts of the prospective AITF Postdoctoral Fellow. An explanation of how the candidate s work is exceptional, describing the candidate s potential for making a substantial contribution to both their field of research and industry. Confirmation that the proposed supervisor agrees to allow the AITF Postdoctoral Fellow to participate in the entrepreneurial activities expected of him/her in this program. A list of the proposed supervisor s grant support, publications, and trainees in the past five years. v. A letter of support from the Associate Chair (Research) of the department or the Associate/Vice Dean of Research of the faculty (in the case of non-departmentalized faculties). A maximum one-page (single-spaced in 12 font) letter endorsing and expressing departmental/faculty support for the proposed research and endorsement of the skills and abilities of the applicant. vi. A current Curriculum Vitae. The CV will include refereed publications or conference proceedings, beginning with the most recent, and publications of which you are author or co-author that are published, in press, and/or accepted for publication in refereed journals. For papers in press, indicate the date of acceptance by the editor. Begin each entry on a new line and state the full authorship, the year, the title, the name and volume of the journal, and the first and last page numbers. The authorship should be identical to that of the original publication. Any previous prizes or awards should also be included. 2) Nomination Procedure for Faculties: A maximum of three (3) ranked applications (including all supporting documents) from each faculty must be submitted to the Postdoctoral Fellows Office no later than 4:00pm on January 16, 2015 for consideration by the adjudication committee. EVALUATION CRITERIA TO BE USED IN ADJUDICATION OF APPLICATIONS Applications are judged on the basis of the candidate's demonstrated excellence in scholarly work and independent research and his/her potential for making substantial contributions to their field of endeavor. The award is intended for Page 4

5 candidates whose research work is convincingly innovative and groundbreaking. It is crucial to assert distinctiveness and to demonstrate how the candidate's work is exceptional and also show how the research translates into industry. The adjudication committee also will consider the following: quality of the research project (e.g., rationale, objectives, hypotheses, feasibility, suitability of location, proposed supervisor, and facilities) description of experience contributing to the success of the research project letters of support fit of the proposed research to the host department or faculty how relevant the proposed research is to industry ADJUDICATION COMMITTEE The committee consists of individuals from a cross-section of disciplines appointed by their respective departments or faculties, as well as industry representatives. The industry members are individuals who are associated with the U of A and understand the University and commercialization. Committee members will use a four-point scale to rank each applicant based on the following criteria: description of the proposed research project (and its relevance to industry) 25%; relevant experience of the applicant 25%; letters of support 25%; and fit of the proposed research with the host department of faculty 25% The U of A, through its Postdoctoral Fellows Office, will offer the AITF Postdoctoral Fellowship appointments to at least 5 candidates. Those candidates deemed worthy of the fellowship, but ranked lower in the competition, will be informed of their wait-listed status and may be presented with an offer if a higher-ranked candidate is unable to accept the fellowship. Unsuccessful nominees and their U of A nominators will also be notified of the status of their nomination. Page 5