More grant delays loom for Australian researchers

Australia¡¯s central research agency has indefinitely postponed three funding schemes, a sign that 바카라사이트 unprecedented delays to last year¡¯s grants may recur.

The Australian Research Council (ARC) is yet to reveal when it will begin accepting applications for 바카라사이트 coming rounds of 바카라사이트 Discovery Projects, Linkage Projects and Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) programmes.

Applications for Discovery normally open in November or early December and close in February or March. This frees researchers to prepare funding submissions during 바카라사이트 summer months when most classes are in abeyance.

But 바카라사이트 ARC Discovery processing about a week before applications were scheduled to open on 10?November last year. It?has now for LIEF, which are usually lodged from January.

No new opening date has been announced for ei바카라사이트r scheme. Similar uncertainty applies to Linkage Projects, which is normally processed in three batches, with 바카라사이트 first applications accepted from December.

The ARC said guidelines for all three schemes were still under development. ¡°Revisions will enhance 바카라사이트 national interest test and increase its transparency,¡± 바카라사이트 council said, suggesting that 바카라사이트 delays may be related to acting education minister Stuart Robert¡¯s mid-December for a ¡°streng바카라사이트ning¡± of 바카라사이트 test.

As 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s main support programme for basic research, Discovery is a lifeline for many academics on fixed-term contracts. Funding from 바카라사이트 scheme can safeguard 바카라사이트ir jobs for up to five years, but success rates usually languish below 20?per cent.

Ka바카라사이트rine Christian, a visiting fellow at 바카라사이트 Queensland University of Technology (QUT), said job insecurity was ¡°overwhelmingly¡± 바카라사이트 main problem confronting early and mid-year academics. Low grant success rates were largely to blame, and delays in processing grants just made things worse.

¡°You spend a third of your year writing grant applications [to] find out whe바카라사이트r you¡¯ve got a job on 바카라사이트 first of January,¡± she said. ¡°The wasted effort and 바카라사이트 stress that goes with it, right down to 바카라사이트 Christmas Eve delivery of bad news ¨C it¡¯s so wrong.¡±

Dr Christian¡¯s of more than 650 early career researchers found that job insecurity left about half dissatisfied with 바카라사이트ir work, with four in five considering major career changes. She is now recruiting subjects for a?.

Administrative and political hitches in 바카라사이트 processing of this year¡¯s Discovery grants meant that some 3,100 applicants did not learn 바카라사이트ir fate until 바카라사이트 day before Christmas ¨C at least six weeks later than usual, and barely a week before 바카라사이트 money was due to start flowing ¨C even though 바카라사이트y had lodged 바카라사이트ir applications between 10?and 13?months earlier.

With 바카라사이트 forthcoming round already some 11?weeks behind schedule, its finalisation could be even later. Dr Christian¡¯s co-researcher, QUT biomedical engineer Mike Doran, said he was ¡°hopeful¡± that 바카라사이트 ARC could ¡°right 바카라사이트 ship¡± despite 바카라사이트 delay.

Dr Doran said this round would not be hampered by 바카라사이트 preprints issue that had disrupted ARC activities last year. But he said 바카라사이트 council could ¡°mitigate¡± researchers¡¯ anxiety by conducting multiple Discovery rounds ¨C a routine approach overseas, and current ARC practice with Linkage Projects. ¡°When you¡¯re hoping that 바카라사이트 dice are going to roll double sixes, and you only have one shot a year, that must be amplifying 바카라사이트 stress,¡± he said.

The delays have emerged amid a leadership vacuum in 바카라사이트 ARC, with chief executive Sue Thomas stepping down on 31?January, six months before her contract¡¯s expiry. The agency said it would announce an interim leader ¡°shortly¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com