News

The Office of Research Services is pleased to announce the launch of the NSE Grant pilot program. These awards are specific for projects in the areas of Natural Sciences and Engineering. CUE-NSE Grants are funded by CUE and, if successful, will become of the Internal Research Grant program.

The CUE-NSE Grants provide funding for eligible faculty in the Natural Sciences and Engineering for research projects aimed at supporting the preparation of applications for NSERC Grants in the Discovery and Alliance Programs. Grants awarded through this stream serve as seed funding to carry out essential developmental work that will be used to generate research required for an application, including:

• Proof-of-concept experiments to support the project hypothesis
• Employment of Research Assistants
• Purchase of reagents, non-CUE-provided equipment, fees for services for equipment use (i.e., flow cytometry, DNA sequencing, etc.), or other expenses directly related to the project and for which the Department does not provide direct funding
• Purchase of software not provided by CUE
• Computer upgrades not provided by CUE (specialized video cards, hard drives, specialized computer screens) as needed for the research
• Research article publication costs, when required to enhance CV for application
• Employment of Research Assistants to help the Faculty Member in the preparation of the application, including literature searches, experimental design and execution, or other
• Other expenses directly related to an application

NSE Grants are intended to strengthen a vibrant research culture in the Natural Sciences and Engineering at Concordia University of Edmonton and to develop and support research and innovation, enhancing competitiveness in Tri- Agency and other external funding opportunities.

Special considerations for NSE Grants

Due to the nature of these awards, the proposed research project must meet NSERC’s subject matter eligibility requirements. Successful recipients must agree to submit an application to the NSERC Discovery Grant or to the Alliance Grant within two years of the award start date.

Knowledge dissemination activities (i.e. conference travel) are not eligible. However, networking activities (e.g., research travel, workshops) related to the preparation of a grant application to NSERC are eligible, and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants are encouraged to read the details of the NSERC Discovery Grant and Alliance Programs. Funds from these awards cannot be used as cash or in-kind contributions for Alliance grant applications.

Application deadline

Applications will be received until May 15th, 2020 at midnight. No extensions will be provided.

Value and Duration

The grant start date is the deadline of the application. Once awarded, grant funds remain active for one year from the deadline of the application submission. After completion, funds will expire, and unused funds will be reclaimed. The maximum level of support is $4,000 for an application. The maximum total of $5000 in combined grants (including NSE, Impact Grants and Seed Grants) per year applies. As the demand for funds normally far exceeds the funds available, not all meritorious proposals can be adequately supported

How to apply

Please, contact the Office of Research Services (research@concordia.ab.ca) to request a copy of the CUE-NSE grant guidelines and application form. Applications will be received by email as a single PDF document.

The ORS is operating as a virtual office until further notice, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.