Aim of the QuakeCoRE Proposal Development Panel
The aim of this standing panel is to provide development and review input to increase the competitiveness of 'external' funding proposals submitted by QuakeCoRE researchers. This is to recognise the fact that the realisation of QuakeCoREs vision and mission will require a growth of the total funding in that is directed toward earthquake resilience research. Because a significant portion of the current ring-fenced earthquake resilience funding is already aligned to QuakeCoRE (see 'Background' section below), then the principal focus of the development panel is to grow the external funding that QuakeCoRE researchers receive from 'general' funding sources (such as MBIEs Smart Ideas, Endeavor, Catalyst funds; and Royal Society of NZs Marsden and Rutherford funds). The development panel, however, is also able to assist in the formation of ad-hoc groups to assist in the development of proposals targeted to end-users (e.g. large utility/asset owners) or international entities.
Personnel
The following personal are standing members within the panel (with their roles/expertise noted). Additional personnel are intended to be added on an ad-hoc basis based on: those who have had a good success record for specific funding sources; the domains of specific project proposals that approach the development panel; and suggested personnel from PIs of proposal.
Susie Meade (Co-ordinator)
Brendon Bradley (Earthquake science + engineering)
Ken Elwood (Engineering)
David Johnson (Social Science)
Background: Current external, QuakeCoRE-aligned, research funding
QuakeCoRE receives baseline funding from the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), which provides the underpinning support for its core activities. However, as a national CoRE, QuakeCoRE aims to provide a focal point and coordination for all earthquake resilience-related research activities of relevance to New Zealand.
There are several 'external' (i.e non TEC-CoRE funding) contestable funding sources that QuakeCoRE is strongly aligned with. The three principal ones are:
(1) The Resilience to Nature's Challenges National Science Challenge ('Resilience NSC'): For example, the 'Infrastructure' toolbox of the Resilience NSC is directly linked with Flagship 6 of QuakeCoRE
(2) The Natural Hazards Research Platform (NHRP): For example, the project 'Research-informed advancements in guidelines and standards of engineering practice for natural hazards' provides a direct implementation-focused connection of research within several QuakeCoRE flagships.
(3) The New Zealand Earthquake Commission (EQC): QuakeCoRE has several synerginistic activities with EQC, including, partnership support of the QuakeCoRE Annual Meeting, aligned postgraduate student support, capability funding of various university-led earthquake resilience research activities which align with QuakeCoREs vision and mission
Specific funding sources and timelines
Its critical to understand that the majority of these funding sources are highly competitive, and therefore require appropriate planning in advance of the proposal deadline. We encourage project applicants to contact the Proposal Development Panel at least 3 months prior to the due dates for the proposal deadlines to reflect that PIs that do not begin to prepare adequately by the suggested date are unlikely to be able to receive constructive feedback from the Panel and incorporate it into their revised proposal.
Fellowships for individual researchers:
Postdoc: Rutherford Foundation Trust Postdoctoral Fellowships (website)
Early Career (3-8yr post-PhD): Rutherford Discovery Fellowships (website)
Senior: James Cook Fellowships (website)
Senior: Fulbright New Zealand Scholar Awards (website)
Funding for specific research projects:
Marsden Fund: Investigator-led research (website):
Catalyst Fund: International Relationships (RSNC website; MBIE website):
Endeavour Round (website):
- MBIE Smart Ideas:
- MBIE Research Programmes (call for proposals):