2000-3-5Research Innovation Fund

Lambton College wishes to promote applied research and innovation within the institution that is consistent with College strategic priorities and mission statement. Lambton College is committed to the professional development of its employees.

Lambton College encourages and will support applied research initiated by College employees within the bounds of available resources.

Lambton College will directly support applied research and scholarly activity of its employees through the Lambton College Research Innovation Fund (RIF). This Fund will provide financial support to employees who wish to undertake applied research. The support provided through the Fund will build organizational capacity, contribute to the status of the College, and promote employee professional development through the conduct of applied research.

Policy

1. The total amount available for the RIF will be established annually as part of the College budget process.
2. Eligible applicants are:
   1. full-time employees of Lambton College;
   2. associate faculty members who
      1. have a minimum 2 courses of teaching experience at the College, and
      2. are - at the time of the submission of the proposal - teaching a minimum of one course and will be teaching at least one course during the project, and
      3. have a committed external partner, and
      4. have two years of experience in carrying out research, preferably in collaborative research projects;
   3. part-time staff members who
      1. have a minimum one year work experience at the College, and
      2. are - at the time of the submission of the proposal - working a minimum of 20 hours per week and will be working at least the same during the project, and
      3. have a committed external partner, and
      4. have two years of experience in carrying out research, preferably in collaborative research projects.
3. The maximum individual grant from the Lambton College Research Innovation Fund will be established annually by the Applied Research and Innovation Committee. Grants may be provided for the entire proposal or a portion of it.
4. RIF applications, must be submitted three months before the start of the term in which the proposed research project will commence.
5. Research funded through the Research Innovation Fund is subject to all applicable federal and provincial regulations and College policies, the College Intellectual Property policy, and Lambton College Research Ethics Board approval.
6. Proposals will be submitted in two phases: Expression of Interest (EOI) and Full Proposal. If the EOI is approved by the RIF Review Panel, the applicant will be asked to submit the full proposal.
7. Proposals will be reviewed, recommended, or not, and ranked by the RIF Review Panel and forwarded to the Executive Dean of Applied Research and Innovation for consideration and approval. All reviews and considerations will be based on the criteria and priorities established and published annually by the Applied Research and Innovation Department.
8. Funding for projects will be granted on the merits of the proposal.
9. Priority will normally be given to applicants who are not currently receiving and have not previously received College funding for research. (Applicants who have previously received funding, will be considered only if they have demonstrated achievement of their approved deliverables.) Priority will normally be given to full-time employees.
10. RIF support will be provided to a researcher for only one fund-supported research project at a time.
11. The funding may be used to cover research costs in all forms including, but not limited to, release time, equipment and materials, survey development and data analysis.
12. It is recommended that applied research projects be undertaken in collaboration with a business, industry, community or educational partner. Collaborative projects will be given priority over non-collaborative projects.
13. For collaborative projects involving an external partner(s), a letter of understanding about responsibilities, deliverables, and intellectual property rights must be signed by the external partner(s) prior to the commencement of any research work under this partnership.
14. For full-time faculty and staff, the Expression of Interest and full application for funding by the Research Innovation Fund must be reviewed and approved by the applicant's supervisor before submission. Final approval of an application will be dependent upon the supervisor's statement of support, which must include affirmation of discussion and awareness of the proposal, and agreement that approval of the project may result in release time for the applicant. This statement of support will not be unreasonably withheld. Release time is to be mutually agreed upon by the researcher, his/her supervisor and the Dean of Applied Research and Innovation.
15. For full-time faculty and staff, all approved course- and work-release funds from the Research Innovation Fund will be provided to the employee's department, not directly to the researcher.
16. In the case of other than full-time employees, the applicant will receive a contract by the College to work on the project.
17. Complete and proper records of all expenditures associated with a project must be kept by the researcher and provided to the Office of Applied Research and Innovation on request and at the completion of the project.
18. All money or a project must be used exclusively for the project. As long as the funds are used exclusively to support the employee and his/her research in the approved research project, and with the mutual agreement of the employee’s supervisor and the employee, and the approval of the Executive Dean of Applied Research and Innovation, funds may be applied in a manner different than originally indicated in the approved application.
19. All unused funds must be returned to the Office of Applied Research and Innovation.