2023 Guidelines for Applicants

Application Forms

Background

The Te Ara Paerangi - Future Pathways White Paper describes the desired future of our research, science and innovation system. It is a research system that:

• Embeds Te Tiriti o Waitangi;
• Helps to improve the wealth and resilience of Māori and Pacific Peoples communities by being more responsive to Māori and Pacific Peoples;
• Grows workforce representation through dedicated fellowship schemes for Māori, Pacific Peoples and women.

This describes a vibrant research ecosystem that attracts and supports talent from all communities of Aotearoa New Zealand, and a system that creates new futures and career pathways for all.

The current research system needs to strengthen its ability to attract and retain Māori and Pacific talent, particularly in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Building our talent in these areas is key to ensure that Aotearoa's research system has the capacity, diversity and talent it needs to deliver its communities, including Māori and Pacific communities.

To help enable this future, the Government is funding a new short-term Fellowships opportunity, the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships. These Fellowships will help to build and strengthen a diverse STEM research workforce by investing in talented early- and mid-career Māori and Pacific researchers.

Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao refers to the early- and mid-career stage of scientific (Pūtaiao) researchers, when researchers are blooming and demonstrating their talent and potential (Puanga). At the same time, this career stage can be fragile and precarious. The Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships will support researchers to be successful and progress to develop the new seeds for the next generation of STEM researchers.

Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao are to be administered by the Royal Society Te Apārangi on behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

He whakamārama

Ko tā Te Ara Paerangi he whakamārama i te āpōpō e wawatatia ana mō tō tātou pūnaha rangahau, pūtaiao me te auaha. He pūnaha rangahau:

• e tāmau ana i Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• e āwhina ana ki te whakapiki i te whairawa me te manawaroatanga o ngā hapori Māori me ngā Iwi o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa mā te urupare nui ake ki te Māori me ngā iwi o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.
• e whakatipu ana i te whakakanohitanga o te rāngai kaimahi mā ngā kaupapa whakawhiwhinga motuhake mā te Māori me ngā iwi o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, tae atu ki te wahine.

E whakamārama ana tēnei i tētahi pūnaha hauropi rangahau ngangahau e whakamanea ana me te tautoko i ngā pūkenga mai i ngā hapori katoa o Aotearoa, me tētahi pūnaha ka hanga anamata hou, me ngā huarahi aramahi mā te katoa.

Me whakapakari tēnei pūnaha rangahau i te āheinga ki te whakamanea me te pupuri i ngā pūkenga Māori me ngā iwi o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, inakoa i roto i ngā mahi Pūtaiao, Hangarau, Pūhanga me te Pāngarau (STEM). Mā te whakapiki i te hunga whai pūkenga i roto i ēnei mahi e whakarite i te raukaha o te pūnaha rangahau o Aotearoa, me te kanorau, me ngā pūkenga hoki hei painga mō ōna hapori, arā tae atu ki te Māori me ngā hapori o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.

Hei āwhina ki te whakamana i tēnei anamata, e tuku pūtea ana te Kāwanatanga ki tētahi arawātea Pūkengatanga hou, wā-poto hoki a Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao. Mā ēnei Pūkengatanga e āwhina ki te whakapiki me te whakapakari i tētahi rāngai kaimahi rangahau STEM kanorau, mā te haumi ki ngā kairangahau whai pūkenga Māori me Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, otirā he kairangahau aramahi-tōmua, aramahi-wawaenga hoki.

E tohu ana a Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao ki ngā wā aramahi-tōmua, aramahi-wawaenga hoki o ngā kairangahau pūtaiao, i te wā e puāwai mai ana ngā kairangahau, otirā e whakaatu ana i ō rātou pūkenga me te puanga. I taua wā hoki, he makuhane, he mōrearea hoki tēnei wā o te aramahi. Ka tautoko ngā Pūkengatanga o Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao i ngā kairangahau kia angitu ai, kia koke whakamua ai hoki ki te whakawhanake i ngā kākano hou mō ngā whakareanga hou o ngā kairangahau STEM.

Ka whakahaeretia a Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao e Te Apārangi, mō Te Manatū.

Objective

The objective of the Fellowship is to invest in Māori and Pacific Peoples to establish careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) research and to grow the network of Māori and Pacific Peoples in the research, science and innovation (RSI) system. The Fellowship will facilitate Māori and Pacific Peoples who are future leaders in STEM research to enter into or progress through the RSI workforce, building a career foundation that enables them to flourish.

Te Whāinga

Ko te whāinga o te Pūkengatanga, he haumi ake ki Ngā Tāngata Māori me Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa ki te whakarite aramahi i roto i te rangahau Pūtaiao, te Hangarau, te Pūhanga me te Pāngarau (STEM) me te whakatipu i te whatunga o Ngā Tāngata Māori me Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa i roto i te pūnaha rangahau, pūtaiao me te auaha (RSI). Mā te Pūkengatanga e whakarite i te urunga, te kokenga rānei o ngā kaiārahi anamata o Ngā Tāngata Māori me Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa ki roto i te rangahau STEM ki te rāngai mahi RSI, te hanga aramahi taketake hoki e tōnui ai rātou.

Scheme operation | Whakahaere o te kaupapa

A total of $19.3 million has been allocated for the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships. Royal Society Te Apārangi must maximise the use of the funding to ensure, as best as possible, $14.8 million is attributed to Māori researchers and $4.5 million is attributed to Pacific researchers for the Fellowships that are awarded during the term.

Fellowships are awarded on 0.8 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) basis, unless otherwise agreed by Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Two types of Fellowship will be awarded, early-career Fellowships (0-6 years post-PhD research experience) and mid-career Fellowships (7-15 years post-PhD research experience), with both Fellowship types having a four-year term. Fellowships will be awarded with an early:mid-career stage ratio of 2:1 where practicable. It is intended the scheme operation will invest in at least 20 Fellows.

Available support for Fellowships is indicated below:

Table: Available support for the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships

Royal Society Te Apārangi will work in partnership with Kanapu and develop supporting activities for Fellows to facilitate connection and knowledge sharing within the cohort. Activities could include an annual hui for Fellows to attend and present their findings and demonstrate the impact of their research. These workshops could provide multi-disciplinary and multi-organisational links across the research, science and innovation sector.

Kanapu is a programme designed by Māori, for Māori to ignite Māori talent and leadership across te ao Māori in research, science and innovation spaces; on marae, within hapū and iwi mahi, and throughout our hapori in the cities.

Eligibility | Māraurautanga

Applicant Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be either Aotearoa New Zealand citizens, or permanent residents, unless otherwise agreed by Royal Society Te Apārangi;
• Whakapapa Māori, declare as identifying as Pacific ethnicity[1], or both;
• Have a PhD conferred on or after 01 January 2008, or have completed all requirements for their degree to be conferred at the time of application. The eligibility period for PhD conferral may be extended under any of the following scenarios at the discretion of Royal Society Te Apārangi:
  • Extended sickness leave;
  • Part-time employment or career interruptions as a result of care giving responsibilities;
  • To account for work or service in the community or an industry;
  • As otherwise agreed by Royal Society Te Apārangi.
• Propose a research project under the Fellowship that relates to a STEM subject. The field(s) of clinical medical research are ineligible (e.g., practising medical, dental, psychological or nurse graduates).
• Commence their programme of research within six months of the award notification, unless otherwise agreed by Royal Society Te Apārangi;
• Be supported by an Aotearoa New Zealand-based research organisation, with a supporting declaration that affirms that:
  • The applicant satisfies the eligibility criteria;
  • The applicant has good potential to develop and progress their career in STEM research.
  • The applicant is not permanently employed in a research position or employed on a fixed-term basis for a period that exceeds the Fellowship term, and the host will employ the applicant for the duration of the Fellowship.
  • The host will facilitate the provision of support and facilities that will enable the applicant to succeed in their Fellowship for the duration of the Fellowship.

Definition of STEM

Māori and Pacific communities have voiced the importance they place on STEM research and that they want to grow the number of Māori and Pacific people working in STEM fields to improve equity, diversity and inclusion and strengthening pathways through the public research system. The Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships respond to this by aiming to strengthen the ability of the RSI system to attract and retain Māori and Pacific talent in STEM fields. For the purpose of Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships, STEM is defined to fall within one or more of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification Fields of Research (excluding clinical sciences):

• 30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
• 31 Biological sciences
• 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences (excluding clinical sciences)
• 34 Chemical sciences
• 37 Earth sciences
• 40 Engineering
• 41 Environmental sciences
• 42 Health sciences
• The following groups of 45 Indigenous studies:
  • 4509 Ngā mātauranga taiao o te Māori (Māori environmental knowledges)
  • 4510 Te hauora me te oranga o te Māori (Māori health and wellbeing)
  • 4512 Ngā pūtaiao Māori (Māori sciences)
  • 4515 Pacific Peoples environmental knowledges
  • 4516 Pacific Peoples health and wellbeing
  • 4517 Pacific Peoples sciences
• 46 Information and computing sciences
• 49 Mathematical sciences
• 51 Physical sciences
• 52 Psychology (excluding clinical and health psychology)

We recognise that STEM exists within Mātauranga Māori and other indigenous knowledge systems, and that these systems provide valuable perspectives toward STEM research. These knowledge systems are also broad and complex, encompassing much more than just the STEM fields that are the focus of the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships.  In addition, there are likely to be subcategories of FOR codes not listed above which could be considered to fall within STEM e.g.  380302  Mathematical economics or other indigenous research categories.  During the suitability assessment the panel may exclude projects they do not consider sufficiently STEM focussed, in alignment with the Ngā Puianga Pūtaiao Fellowship Terms of Reference.  To aid them in this decision ensure that you describe your STEM research in the “How have you contributed to the generation, revitalisation, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge?” section in the Narrative CV template.

At least 50% of the proposed research should fall under one or more of the aforementioned ANZSRC codes.  The other 50% or less of the project can include other ANZSRC codes to facilitate inclusivity of multidisciplinary projects.

Host Eligibility

The host must be an Aotearoa New Zealand-based research organisation which can demonstrate it is capable and willing to provide support and facilities that will enable the applicant to succeed in their Fellowship.

• Eligible hosts are research organisations that meet the following definition: 'An organisation that has sufficient internal capability for carrying out research, science or technology, or related activities.'

Additional eligibility criteria

In accordance with Russia Sanctions Act 2022 and in alignment with the Endeavour Fund 2023 Investment Round Gazette notice, the applicant and their research must not benefit a Russian state institution (including but not limited to support for Russian military or security activity) or an organisation outside government that may be perceived as contributing to Russian war efforts.

Selection process | Ngā paearu

The selection process will comprise an eligibility screening, a suitability assessment of all eligible applicants by the panel and a stratified selection ballot to determine which applicants will be awarded the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship.

Eligibility screening

Applications will be checked against the eligibility criteria set out above and for completeness. All eligible applications will be forwarded to the Selection Panel for consideration.

Panel suitability assessment

The Panel will consider all eligible applications to ensure they are consistent with the background and objectives of the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship Terms of Reference. All applications that meet this condition will enter the stratified selection ballot. When considering whether an application will enter the ballot, the panel will consider the following:

• Does the application demonstrate a potential (relative to opportunity) for the applicant to establish, re-enter, or progress their career in STEM?
• Does the application demonstrate capability of the Host to support the Fellow (including cultural support and commitment to embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi) throughout the Fellowship?
• Does the application articulate a reasonable research plan with high likelihood to deliver research outcomes?

The Panel will reach a consensus on which applications meet these criteria and will go on to be included in the stratified selection ballot.

Stratified ballot for selection

A stratified ballot will be used to select recipients. The Māori researcher ballot will be drawn first, until the funding allocation is exhausted, and ensuring an early-:mid-career stage ratio of 2:1 where practicable. Unselected Māori applicants who also identify as Pacific Peoples will be added to the Pacific researcher ballot.  The Pacific Peoples researcher ballot will be drawn next, until the funding allocation is exhausted, and ensuring an early-:mid-career stage ratio of 2:1 where practicable.

Timetable | Wātaka

Contact us | Whakapā mai

For any enquiries, please first seek clarification from your research office.

Please address enquiries by email to: puanga@royalsociety.org.nz or phone: + 64 4 470 5764

Application process | Tukanga tono

Please read all the application information before you start the process.

Application Format

Proposals must be submitted on the Royal Society Te Apārangi web-based application portal (see “Sign up to portal” below). 

The on-line application consists of information entered directly into the portal in combination with the upload of specific templates and documents. The layout of the entire application on the portal is automatic. The limit on space in all sections of the templates should be adhered to and the typeface should be 11 point, Times or similar type font, single spacing (11 point), with margins of 2 cm on the left and 2 cm on the right sides of the page. Instructions in italic may be removed, but not the margins. No additional pages or attachments will be accepted other than where requested or required.

The following is an overview of all the sections of the application, an explanation for each section, and information on how to enter the information on the online application portal.

Applying in te reo Māori

If applicants wish to complete some, or all, sections of their application in te reo Māori, they are welcome do so. As some panellists assessing their proposal will not be fluent in te reo Māori, an English translation of the section(s) will be necessary. To ensure the application is correctly translated, applicants are encouraged to provide a translation for those sections in addition to their application in te reo Māori. Otherwise, a third party accredited translation service will be engaged to provide the translation, but Royal Society Te Apārangi will not be able to guarantee the accuracy of the translation.  It is acknowledged that expressing something in te reo Māori may require more words than the same text in English.  The stated word/page limit does therefore not apply as rigidly to applications submitted in te reo Māori. In general, the panel will accept an increase in word/page limit of approximately 30% for applications submitted in te reo Māori. Ultimately, it is up to the Panel to decide if the length of an application submitted in te reo Māori is appropriate and what action to take if this is not the case.

Sign up to the portal

Contact your research office in order to receive a link via email to the application portal.  If your link does not arrive as expected, check your “junk” folder.  If you have applied via this portal before (e.g., for the Prime Ministers Science Prize), you will already have a profile.  Please use this exiting Username and Password for your Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship application.

It is preferred that all applicants sign up by adding or creating an ORCID ID, but this is not mandatory.  Alternatively, you can sign up using a number of options using i.e. TUAKIRI; Google or create a new account. 

• To sign up with ORCID click the green “Sign up with ORCID iD” option and add your 16 digit ORCID iD and password.
• To create an ORCID iD click the green “Sign up with ORCID iD” option and follow the link “Don't have an ORCID iD yet? Register now” and follow the instructions.

However you sign up, please do not change from your original sign up email address as this can cause issues further down the track.

Personal Profile

Every person (including applicants and referees) using the portal for the first time must create a create a profile and must input at a minimum of the following (some fields may be auto filled from nomination, please ensure these are accurate):

• Contact email address.
• Primary place of employment or education.
• Agree to the Privacy Statement.
• Provide Protection Pattern settings

Other questions that are asked for making a profile are optional and if you do not wish to answer then please press ‘next’.  Note: it is also possible to import the data for many of these sections from your ORCID profile if available.

Note that Royal Society Te Apārangi must ask to collect the Personal Profile information to be compliant with the New Zealand Research Information System.

Ethnicities

For applicants, supplying profile information is optional. However for the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao fellowship scheme there is an eligibility requirement to whakapapa Māori or identify as being of Pacific ethnicity. For the purposes of this Fellowship, Pacific ethnicity is intended to take into consideration the complex configurations and multiple ethnic identities of Pacific Peoples and cultures. It is intended to be inclusive of people who affirm their identity as indigenous Pacific Peoples and those of Fijian Indian descent. Please ensure that you input ethnicity information to ensure your application can progress. You are also able to indicate any iwi group(s) to which you identify.

You will need to read and agree to the “Privacy Statement” by ticking the check box.

Organisation Affiliations (compulsory)

If you have received access to the portal from your Host research office, your Host will already be registered as your primary your primary organisation. Optionally you can add any other organisations that you are associated with. If it does not auto populate then you can just enter your organisation manually. You are able to enter your position/job title and dates, please add a new entry for each organisation and role.

Career Stages (optional)

Please select the research career stages that apply to you, and when you think they first applied. If not applicable or you do not wish to answer, please leave blank or select Not Applicable.  This information is used for NZRIS reporting purposes only. 

Please note this profile information is separate from the “years of research experience” used to determine whether you are applying for an early- or mid-career Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships.  This information will be collected in the application itself.

External IDs (optional)

Please enter any authenticated ORCID iD, Scopus ID, ResearcherID or other Identifier here.

Curriculum Vitae (optional)

You are welcome to upload a copy of your CV here.  Please note that this is separate from the Narrative CV that is required to be submitted for your application.

Academic Record (optional)

Please enter your qualifications and course of study.

For applicants, Under “Academic records” please enter the details of your PhD Qualification including the date that your PhD was conferred.  If you degree has not yet been conferred, enter the date you expect to graduate in the future (if known). 

Prizes and/or Medals (optional)

Please enter information about any Prizes or Medals you may have won.

Professional Bodies (optional)

You can enter any professional bodies that you belong to.

Protection Pattern (compulsory)

You control how your information can be used by specifying the protection to be applied to your data. By default your demographic details (gender) and birth date are kept private.  For the purposes of the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship, demographics data on ethnicity will be used to fulfil the Fellowships ethnicity requirement as explained under “Objective” and “Selection Process” of the Terms of Reference. The data will additionally be used for statistical purposes to monitor the profile of different groups of applicants and identify funding trends and gaps.

If you are comfortable with sharing other demographic information with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, you may do so by de-selecting the tick box for the protection you wish to relax, or by toggling ‘no protection needed’.

Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship application

Once all of the steps to obtain a profile have been completed, you will then be able to click on ‘Start Application’ to progress to the application for a Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship.  You can also Start or continue applications via the “Home” tab in the portal.

To ensure the application process goes smoothly, we recommend that you click ‘Save’ regularly as you complete the application form.  You will need to click ‘Edit’ after saving to continue your application.

Applicant

Some of the applicant data will be pulled from your profile.  Please ensure that all required fields (marked*) are correct and complete, including Postal address, City and Postcode.

Categories

The collection of this data is for the purpose of our reporting obligations to NZRIS or to allow categorisation of your application during the selection process (i.e. to early- or mid-career fellowship pool).

Type of Activities

The four activities are:

• Pure basic research (default setting): is experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge without looking for long term benefits other than the advancement of knowledge.
• Strategic basic research: is experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge directed into specified broad areas in the expectation of practical discoveries. It provides the broad base of knowledge necessary for the solution of recognised practical problems.
• Applied research: is original work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge with a specific application in view. It is undertaken either to determine possible uses for the findings of basic research or to determine new ways of achieving some specific and predetermined objectives.
• Experimental development: is systematic work, using existing knowledge gained from research or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products, devices, policies, behaviours or outlooks; to installing new processes, systems and services; or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.

Socio-Economic Objectives (SEO)

The Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC) and SEO classification allow research and development (R&D) activity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to be categorised according to the intended purpose or outcome of the research rather than the processes or techniques used in order to achieve this objective. The purpose categories include processes, products, health, education and other social and environmental aspects in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand that R&D activity aims to improve. Please enter up to THREE codes from the drop-down field, using codes that are as specific as possible. For a list of codes, please refer to the Socio-Economic Objectives Calculator at: https://royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/research-practice/socio-economic-objectives-calculator/

As part of our NZRIS obligations, we will be required to report the share of each SEO code to the proposed research. Please indicate the % share of each SEO code to the proposed research. The shares should add up to 100%.

Fields of research (FOR)

The FOR classification allows R&D activity to be categorised according to the field of research. In this respect, it is the methodology used in the R&D that is being considered. Please enter a minimum of THREE and up to FIVE codes from the list of research codes supplied in “Fields of Research Classification Codes” here. For a list of codes, please refer to the Field of Research Calculator at: https://royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/research-practice/field-of-research-calculator/.  Please use codes that are as specific as possible, i.e. 6 digits.

As part of our NZRIS obligations, we will be required to report the share of each FOR code to the proposed research. Please indicate the % share of each FOR code to the proposed research. The shares should add up to 100%.

The combined percentage of FOR codes in one or more of the eligible STEM fields (see Definition of STEM above) of research must be at least 50%. However, up to 50% of FOR code share can be in other fields that are important for the proposed research. This allows for the inclusion of multidisciplinary projects.

Vision Mātauranga Themes

Vision Mātauranga is a policy about innovation, opportunity and the creation of knowledge that highlights the potential contribution of Māori knowledge, resources and people.

Applicants should identify which, if any, of the four Vision Mātauranga themes below are associated with the proposed research. A Vision Mātauranga theme must be included for all research that has relevance for Māori. The panel has an expectation for applicants to address Vision Mātauranga. If this is not applicable to your proposed research, you should tick N/A, and provide a justifiable rationale for your decision.

The four themes are:

• Indigenous Innovation, which involves contributing to economic growth through distinctive research and development;
• Taiao, which is concerned with achieving environmental sustainability through iwi and hapū relationships with land and sea;
• Hauora/Oranga, which centres around improving health and social wellbeing; and
• Mātauranga, which involves exploring indigenous knowledge.

Collection of the % of the research that aligns to each Vision Mātauranga theme will form part of our reporting obligations for NZRIS. If you have identified one or more Vision Mātauranga theme(s), please consider each theme one at a time. Indicate the proportion of the proposed research that aligns with that theme. Note that it is possible for the combined total to be over 100% (for example, if the proposed research is entirely Mātauranga and also has a Hauora/Oranga theme, the contributions could be 100% and 10% respectively).

Please note that the percentages do not form part of the assessment criteria and are solely for NZRIS reporting purposes.

For more information on engagement with the Vision Mātauranga Policy see Appendix I.

Research Experience in years (Post PhD)

Your years of research experience post-PhD is used to determine which category of Fellowship that you are applying for, i.e. the early-career Fellowship (0-6 years) or mid-career Fellowship (7-15 years).

Please enter the number of years of research experience you have attained after conferment of your doctoral degree. This should be a whole number (round where needed) between zero to fifteen years and exclude any agreed career interruptions (e.g. accounting for extended sickness leave, part-time employment or career interruptions as a result of care giving responsibilities, work or service in the community or an industry, see eligibility criteria). Periods of part-time work can be factored in by multiplying the length of time with the FTE component for the period, e.g. 1 year working at 0.5 FTE counts for half a year of research experience etc. Note that applicants should additionally list the same years of research experience in narrative CV template in the field “Total years of relevant experience post PhD” and describe any “Career break events” in the section immediately below in section 1 of the Narrative CV template. This information will aid panellists in assessing your proposal, under the selection criteria, relative to the opportunity you have had. Royal Society Te Apārangi reserves the right to request further documentation supporting your stated years of research experience.  Note this should be the same number entered into the years of research experience (post PhD) in the Narrative CV template.

A career gaps calculator is available on the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao website to assist you in determining your years of research experience post-PhD.

If you are unsure about your eligibility, we recommend you get in touch with Royal Society Te Apārangi prior to making an application.

Summary and Forms

Title of proposed research

Please provide a title that describes the nature of your proposed programme of research. Keep the title brief and to the point. It may be used for reporting and public information.

Summary

Please provide a summary of the planned project suitable for a lay audience with some limited science knowledge, and using a maximum of 300 words. It may be used for reporting and public information.

Curriculum Vitae: Narrative CV

Applicants may use a total page limit of four pages for their Narrative CV.

Please use the template provided which is based on the Endeavor Fund Narrative CV with minor amendments to align the template with the requirements of the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship.  Further information on Narrative CVs including examples and a webinar can be found on the MBIE website. Note that the CV template for Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships uses a smaller 11 point font than the MBIE template to provide a consistent font size across the application.  This accounts for the reduced 4 page limit.

Host support of Fellow

As set out in the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship Terms of Reference, hosts must demonstrate their capability to support the Fellow (including cultural support and commitment to embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi) throughout the Fellowship.  This section has a total page limit of one page to address this requirement. This could include, but is not limited to, information about how the host:

• Will provide appropriate and timely support (including appropriate cultural support) for the fellow, their research programme, and their career development during (and potentially beyond) the fellowship;
• Upholds the principles and values of te Tiriti o Waitangi;
• Provides support structures and/or services for Māori or Pacific peoples more generally. These could include associations, groups, programmes, partnerships, mentorship and dedicated cultural support staff;
• Works to increase the cultural capacity of the host organisation and the RSI workforce as a whole;
• Contributes to the RSI system as a whole, training and supporting Māori and Pacific STEM researchers;
• Is helping to address the serious inequities present in the research system;
• Develops and maintains connections with Māori and Pacific Communities; and,
• Any other relevant information.

This section could include information on how cultural expertise will be recognised as evidence in supporting the Fellow’s career progression (e.g. working with communities, outreach, and service that build the host’s cultural capacity and capability).

It is expected that duly authorised person(s) at the host organisation will complete this section.

Application Form: Proposed Research

The total page limit for this section is four pages (including references), with no set limit for each section within this.

Please describe the proposed research for the Fellowship period. You must include clear objectives of what you aim to achieve and a timeline for when each of the objectives will be achieved. If relevant, proposed research should include a statement on how Vision Mātauranga is relevant to your application.  For more information on this see Appendix I. For Pacific fellowship applicants, please feel free to include details of any Pacific models, methodological frameworks and approaches that may be utilized as part of the proposed Research Plan, also including if applicable e.g., demonstration of consultation, linkages, outcomes or other relevant information.

Budget

Download the appropriate budget spreadsheet template for the early- or mid-career researcher depending on your years of research experience (see section 1- Years of Research Experience Post PhD). There are four components to this budget, each on a separate worksheet: Budget, Direct costs, Sub-contractors, and Other funding. When the Direct costs and sub-contractors worksheets are completed, the front Budget worksheet should automatically update these line items.

Vision Mātauranga costs

If a proposal contains one or more Vision Mātauranga themes, it is essential that any costs associated with Vision Mātauranga capability development and engagement are accounted for in the budget. Examples include (but are not limited to):

• Research assistant time;
• Student stipend support;
• Costs of engagement or consultation (direct expenses; e.g. donation to the organisation or marae committee as a way of recognising expertise and contribution; koha; vouchers; providing resources such as books or research findings to the communities involved;
• Costs of dissemination (direct expenses; e.g. hui)

Salaries

The figures in this category are to cover only the costs of personnel employed on the research proposal in the application. This should include the direct costs (i.e. salary) and salary related costs (for example, superannuation, ACC and fringe benefits). Note that the salary and salary-related costs combined for the Fellow may not exceed the Fellowship’s contribution to the Fellow’s (researcher’s) salary listed in the table “Available support for the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships.” Any subcontracted personnel should not be included in this section but incorporated under the Sub-contractors worksheet.

The FTEs of personnel shown in the budget page should only be those where costs and time are associated with Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship funding. If this funding is not sought for particular individuals (for example, overseas investigators, post-doctoral researchers with stand-alone fellowships, or postgraduate students with other sources of funding) then the individual should still be named on the budget page but with zero FTEs recorded (please note this is different from the FTE table where contribution of researcher time is recorded regardless of whether funding is being requested).

Post-doctoral researchers may be part-time or full-time on your proposal. Please check with your host organisation for more information.

Postgraduate students are awarded scholarships free of income tax and may be supported on your proposal on a fixed-rate basis. This is set at $35,000 stipend per year, plus fees (Aotearoa New Zealand resident rates) for PhD students or $22,000 stipend plus fees (Aotearoa New Zealand resident rates) for Masters students. These figures assume the postgraduate students are assigned to the research on a full-time basis. Fees should be included in the direct costs.

Please note that the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellow must be the primary supervisor for the postgraduate student for the student to be funded from fellowship funding. PhD students funded by Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship funding must begin their studies in the first year of the Fellowship unless otherwise approved by Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Indirect costs

Fellowships are accompanied by an award of either an $80,000 or $110,000 per year contribution to host organisation overheads.  This is represented under indirect costs on the budget spreadsheet. If applicable, indicate the cost of any additional overheads that relate to personnel other than the Fellow. These should be directly proportional to the time spent on the programme of research. Overheads include managerial time not included in the proposal, the cost of support services, the cost of financial and accounting systems, corporate activities, the cost of premises and other indirect costs. Cost of premises may be either the annual rental cost, or the depreciation cost, of premises and should be proportional to the project's use of the organisation's premises for the research proposal.

An example of a budget worksheet appears below (please note the recognised contribution of other funding sources in the first year of the proposed budget).

Direct costs

Expendables, Equipment depreciation/rental and Sub-contractors need to be further explained on the Direct costs worksheet of the spreadsheet.

Expendables

This category should include the general operating expenses associated with the research proposal such as consumables, travel (for conferences, collaboration etc.), costs associated with Vision Mātauranga, student fees (but not stipends), capital purchases under $5,000, and other miscellaneous costs associated with research. This does not mean that equipment, such as a spectrometer, can be divided into separate components all less than $5,000 each. Details of expendables should be given on the Direct costs worksheet. Please give details of major working expenses.

Equipment depreciation/rental

The Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship scheme does not fund the purchase of equipment directly but may allow for an annual depreciation or rental cost. In the case of rental costs, the share of the total cost of the equipment should be proportional to the use of the equipment as outlined in the proposal.

Note that many organisations make a general provision for depreciation in their overhead costs. If this is the case, depreciation costs should be incorporated in “Indirect Costs” as Overheads.

An example of a Direct costs worksheet appears below.

Sub-contractors

Break down the sub-contractors into costs per year for each organisation. If required, please insert more sub-contractors in the sub-contractor worksheet of the spreadsheet.

Any costs, where services are purchased from other organisations, should be included in this section. Where personnel are sub-contractors they should be shown in this section, named, and their time-commitments shown in the FTE column.

Where a sub-contractor is an Aotearoa New Zealand research organisation, please break down costs per year into salary, overheads and direct costs. Other sub-contractors (for example, private individuals) may provide the annual cost as a single figure in the budget, rather than breaking down the costs.

An example of a sub-contractors worksheet appears below.

Other funding

Fellows are permitted, and encouraged, to continue to be involved with existing or new projects where the research projects are aligned with the objectives of their Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship. In these situations, Fellows should use released funds to support others to assist with these projects. After award of a Fellowship, details of the variations are subject to agreement by Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Where other funding for research relevant to the proposal is being provided or sought, it must be detailed here in the Other Funding worksheet of the budget spreadsheet. It is appreciated that the applicant will be involved in applications to other funding sources, or have funding for related work. This is to be encouraged. However, to assist in the assessment of the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships the panel needs to be aware of other funding applied for or received.

Indicate whether non-Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship funding (for example, Marsden Fund, Health Research Council (HRC), Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE), Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), Commercial, Other) has been: (i) received; or, (ii) applied for, for this or for research relevant to this proposal. Include information on the FTEs applied for or received from non-Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship government funding sources.

An example of an applicant’s Other funding worksheet appears below.

Application form: Translation

If you have completed any or all sections of your application in te reo Māori, and wish to submit an English translation, please upload a concatenated document of any translated sections here.

Document: Proof of Citizenship or Permanent Residency

Proof of citizenship or copy of a permanent resident visa must be scanned and uploaded to application portal. Original or certified copies of the documents may be requested by Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Document: PhD Certificate or Completion of Requirements

PhD certificate or other evidence demonstrating the date your PhD was conferred or that you have completed all requirements for your degree to be conferred at the time of application must be scanned and uploaded to application portal. Original or certified copies of the documents may be requested by Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Document: Declaration

A declaration form signed by you, and a duly authorised agent at the host organisation confirming that the proposed host organisation supports the application, and that the applicant is eligible (see Eligibility section).

Referees

To support the panel decision, we ask applicants to solicit two referee reports to support your proposal. If your PhD was conferred less than three years ago, one of your referees must be your PhD supervisor unless otherwise approved by Royal Society Te Apārangi.

At least one of your referees should be able to comment on your capability and/or potential as a STEM researcher. Where relevant, you may choose to have one referee comment on other aspects important for your career as a STEM researcher, e.g. working with communities, stakeholder relationships, demonstration of leadership, research service or any other aspects you see relevant.  Referees are asked comment on your abilities, relative to opportunity, in a series of questions on various aspects of a STEM research career. Referees also have an opportunity to give a free text reference of the applicant to provide other commentary.  Referees are also asked to indicate in what capacity they know you, to take into account any real or perceived conflict of interest.

Referee reports will be treated as confidential by Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Conflicts of Interest

We want to make sure that there is a practically and procedurally fair process to apply to Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao. Therefore, we will aim to take into account real and perceived conflicts of interest between applicants, referees and panel members along the application and assessment process.

Referees should ideally not have a direct conflict of interest with the applicant, i.e. they should not hold a line of management role over the applicant at the proposed host organisation, and they should not be directly involved in the applicant’s proposed research, as funding of the application would be seen to benefit the referee. An exemption to this rule is allowed for the supervisor of an applicant’s PhD programme for applicants with their PhD conferred less than three years ago as discussed above. If possible, it is recommended to use referees you have not co-published within the last 5 years. However, it is recognized that this is inherently more difficult for researchers who recently completed their PhD compared to researchers at a later stage in their career, so this will be assessed flexibly and within context by the assessment panel.

It is expected and acknowledged that each participant in the application and assessment process will have a range of outside interests and obligations. We also imagine you will likely have wide-ranging whakapapa and whanaunga relationships across Aotearoa and the rest of the Pacific due to whānau, iwi, hapū, motu/island, community and research sector ties. We believe that the best approach to deal with potential conflicts of interest is:

• for some relationships to be generally considered conflicted
• to clearly outline, and declare, a perceived conflict as it arises
• for all participants to be flexible in navigating potential conflicts.
• for a clear record of the nature of any perceived conflict and the action taken in accounting for this to be noted/documented

For the purposes of Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao applications, a referee is generally deemed to be conflicted if:

• They are a panel member in the current funding round.
• They are the applicant’s parent, sibling or child.
• They have a low level of comfort assessing the application due to their relationship with the applicant.

Entering referees into the portal

It is recommended that you first ensure your proposed referees are willing to provide the Royal Society Te Apārangi with a referee report for you before the application closing date of Tuesday 31 October, 2023 at 2pm (NZST).

When you have entered your referees’ names and contact details into the portal, you need to click on the “Save and send new invitation(s)” button.  This will send an automatic email to your referee with a URL access link to a web portal, where the referee can complete the referee report.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that your referees complete their report on the portal no later than the closing date for applications. To ensure this happens, it is prudent for you to check that the referee has received the invitation to review your application and the URL link. Occasionally, the email that is automatically generated it is inadvertently identified as spam and ends up in a “junk” folder. If a referee does not receive their URL, please ask them to check their “junk” folder or contact puanga@royalsociety.org.nz

Note that as the invitations for referee reports are sent out before the application closing date, Royal Society Te Apārangi is unable to attach a copy of your project description to the referee invitation. We will therefore ask the referee to contact you should they wish to see more information on your proposed research.

You can check if Royal Society Te Apārangi has received each of the applicant-solicited referee reports by logging in to the application portal and go to the Referee section. An envelope in the Status section indicates an email has been sent, and a tick indicates the referee report has been received.

Adding additional referees

Although past experience has shown that most referees only complete their reports in the last few days, it may be wise for applicants to contact their referees and confirm that a report is still expected.

If an applicant is concerned that one of their referees will not complete a report in time, they do have the option of approaching an alternative referee. However, do note that Royal Society Te Apārangi will only accept the first two reports received.

To add additional referees, applicants can log into the portal and add contact details for additional referees on the online portal system. Once their details are entered in the portal, using the “Save and send new invitation(s)” button at the top of that section will send the referee the appropriate information. Again, it is advised that the applicant check that the referees have received the invitation to review their application after the email request has been sent from the web-based portal.

At the deadline for referee reports, applicants are given a 24-hour period to solicit any missing or new referee reports needed to obtain two referee reports.

Terms and conditions

Please read and tick the check box to confirm you accept the Terms and Conditions.

Submitting your application

Once you are happy with your application, click the “Submit”. This flags to your research office that the proposal has been completed and can be released to Royal Society Te Apārangi. If you need to make changes to your application after you have marked it as completed, you must confer with your research office first.

Appendix I: Vision Mātauranga | Āpitihanga I: Vision Mātauranga

Vision Mātauranga is a policy about innovation, opportunity and the creation of knowledge that highlights the potential contribution of Māori knowledge, resources and people.

The four themes are:

• Indigenous Innovation, which involves contributing to economic growth through distinctive research and development;
• Taiao, which is concerned with achieving environmental sustainability through iwi and hapū relationships with land and sea;
• Hauora/Oranga, which centres around improving health and social wellbeing; and
• Mātauranga, which involves exploring indigenous knowledge.

How do I decide whether Vision Mātauranga applies to my proposed research?

The five ways of conceptualising Vision Mātauranga in your research (see below) may help you decide if this applies to your project. The categories have been adapted from those on the National Science Challenge, Biological Heritage website https://bioheritage.nz/about-us/vision-matauranga/  hosted by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. Please note, however, that these categories are fluid. There may well be overlap between them in terms of the nature and degree of relevance to Māori, and not every point in each category need apply. The original categories were set out by MBIE in information for the Endeavour Fund c. 2015.

Ways of conceptualising Vision Mātauranga in your research

• Research with no specific Māori component
  • No mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) is used.
  • Māori are not associated with the research process (e.g. not on any research management / advisory / governance panels, it is not inclusive of Māori land or institutions, nor the subject of any component of the research).
  • Work is not likely to be of greater direct relevance to Māori than members of any other group.
• Research specifically relevant to Māori
  • There is specific relevance to Māori.
  • Mātauranga Māori may be used in a minor way to guide the work and its relevance to Māori.
  • It includes work that contributes to Māori aspirations and outcomes.
• Research involving Māori
  • Mātauranga Māori may be incorporated in the project, but is not central to the project.
  • Research is specifically and directly relevant to Māori and Māori are involved in the design and/or undertaking of the research.
  • The work typically contributes to Māori (e.g., iwi / hapū, organisations) aspirations and outcomes.
• Māori-centred research
  • The project is Māori led, and where Mātauranga Māori is used alongside other knowledges (e.g. through frameworks, models, methods, tools, etc.).
  • Kaupapa Māori research is a key focus of the project.
  • Research is typically collaborative or consultative, with direct input from Māori stakeholders.
  • There is alignment with and contribution to Māori (e.g., iwi / hapū, organisations) aspirations.
• Kaupapa Māori research
  • Mātauranga Māori is incorporated, used and understood, as a central focus of project and its findings.
  • Research is grounded in te ao Māori and connected to Māori philosophies and principles.
  • Research typically uses kaupapa Māori research methodologies.
  • Te reo Māori may be a central feature to this kaupapa or research activity, and the applicant has medium to high cultural fluency or knowledge of tikanga and reo.
  • The research is generally led by a Māori researcher; non-Indigenous researchers may carry out research under the guidance/mentoring of a Māori researcher.
  • Māori participation (iwi/hapū/marae/individual) is high.
  • The work contributes strongly to Māori (e.g., iwi/hapū, organisations) aspirations and outcomes and is mana enhancing.

Developing a Vision Mātauranga statement

The Vision Mātauranga statement can be integrated into your proposed research or provided as a separate statement.

It is important to keep in mind that there is no single approach or prescription for Vision Mātauranga: one size does not fit all and there are many possible ways of addressing Vision Mātauranga. Vision Mātauranga should not, however, be seen as an add-on, nor should it be treated as separate from the research, methods or people involved in the project. A holistic approach that considers reciprocity and relationships is therefore desirable. It is also essential that any costs associated with Vision Mātauranga capability development and engagement are accounted for in the budget (section 7).

Vision Mātauranga does not begin and end with your Vision Mātauranga statement. You should document how you have considered Vision Mātauranga and demonstrate applicable actions and relationships throughout the research. The following questions may be useful to consider when conceptualising and writing your project:

• Have you co-created the research topic/issue with an iwi or Māori organisation?
• What does working in partnership with iwi mean to you as a researcher?
• To what extent have you discussed the research with Māori stakeholders and agreed on the methodology you will use?
• Was there full disclosure and informed consent to the proposed research with Māori stakeholders? How has that agreement/informed consent been agreed to?
• Has the budget been disclosed and agreed to with Māori partners? Is there provision in that budget for Māori involvement, capability development and consultation?
• What provisions have you made to ensure there is appropriate technology transfer to Māori stakeholders as the research proceeds and as findings become available towards the end of the project?
• Are there benefits to Māori? What are they? And how have these been agreed with Māori partners?
• How is the project an opportunity to build the capacity of Māori researchers or students in your discipline?
• How will you share the research outcomes with Māori?
• Has there been agreement about the intellectual property ownership of research findings with Māori partners? What is the nature of that agreement?
• Is there a need for members of the research team to be proficient in te reo Māori? How has this aspect been addressed?
• Is there a Tiriti o Waitangi component or requirement in your research?
• Is the research mana enhancing?

Vision Mātauranga resources

Below you will find a non-exhaustive list of published resources that describe, discuss, and talk about how researchers have engaged with Vision Mātauranga and kaupapa Māori research. These range from early conceptions of Vision Mātauranga to more recent frameworks. The resources underscore the diverse ways Vision Mātauranga may be approached across disciplines and methodologies.

For a glossary provided to panellists and referees of commonly used Māori concepts, words and phrases commonly seen in Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowship proposals, please see Appendix II: Glossary of te reo Māori terms.

Allen, W., Jamie M. Ataria, J. M., Apgar, J. M., Harmsworth, G., and Tremblay, L. A. (2009). Kia pono te mahi putaiao—doing science in the right spirit. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 39:4, 239-242. DOI: 10.1080/03014220909510588

Crawford, S. (2009). Matauranga Maori and western science: The importance of hypotheses, predictions and protocols, Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 39:4, 163-166. DOI: 10.1080/03014220909510571

Broughton, D. (Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Taranaki, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi), and McBreen, K. (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāi Tahu). (2015). Mātauranga Māori, tino rangatiratanga and the future of New Zealand science. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 45:2, 83-88.DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2015.1011171

Kana, F. and Tamatea, K. (2006). Sharing, listening, learning and developing understandings of Kaupapa Māori research by engaging with two Māori communities involved in education. Waikato Journal of Education, 12, 9-20. https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/6198/Kana%20Sharing.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

Macfarlane, S., Macfarlane, A. and Gillon, G. (2015) Sharing the food baskets of knowledge: Creating space for a blending of streams. In A. Macfarlane, S. Macfarlane, M. Webber, (eds.), Sociocultural realities: Exploring new horizons. Christchurch: Canterbury University Press, 52-67.

Moewaka Barnes, H. (2006). Transforming Science: How our Structures Limit Innovation. Social Policy Journal of New Zealand Te Puna Whakaaro, 29, 1-16. https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/journals-and-magazines/social-policy-journal/spj29/29-pages-1-16.pdf

Pihama, L., Tiakiwai, S.-J., and Southey, K. (eds.). (2015). Kaupapa rangahau: A reader. A collection of readings from the Kaupapa Rangahau workshops series. (2nd ed.). Hamilton, New Zealand: Te Kotahi Research Institute. https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/11738/Kaupapa%20Rangahau%20-%20A%20Reader_2nd%20Edition.pdf?sequence=7&isAllowed=y

Smith, L. T., Maxwell, T. K., Puke, H., and Temara, P. (2016). Indigenous knowledge, methodology and mayhem: What is the role of methodology in producing indigenous insights? A discussion from Mātauranga Māori. Knowledge Cultures, 4(3), 131–156. https://addletonacademicpublishers.com/component/content/article?id=2834:feature-article-indigenous-knowledge-methodology-and-mayhem-what-is-the-role-of-methodology-in-producing-indigenous-insights-a-discussion-from-matauranga-maori

Appendix II: Glossary of te reo Māori terms | Āpitihanga II: Papakupu o ngā kupu reo Māori

Definitions taken from maoridictionary.co.nz

Ka mihi ki a Ahorangi Angus Macfarlane, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha, mō tēnei. With thanks to Professor Angus Macfarlane, University of Canterbury, for his input.

[1] MBIE have deemed, for the purposes of this Fellowship, Pacific ethnicity is intended to take into consideration the complex configurations and multiple ethnic identities of Pacific Peoples and cultures. It is intended to be inclusive of people who affirm their identity as indigenous Pacific Peoples and those of Fijian Indian descent.