All full applications will be evaluated by a review panel, which will receive additional input from a separate group of appointed experts.
Role and selection of panel members
Panel members are selected for their broad overview of life sciences. Immediately after the December 31 application deadline, each reviewer/panel member will receive all applications but will be asked to review approximately 10 of them. There will be three evaluations of each application.
There will be a panel meeting in Oslo March 11 and 12 2019, leading to a united grading of all applications with subsequent ranking.
Role and selection of experts
New since the previous convergence environments I process is the introduction of experts. It is unavoidable that panel members will be more intimately familiar with the topics of certain applications compared to others and thus be able to make more qualified and potentially critical assessments of their scientific merits. To minimize the risk that such incidents leads to unwanted bias in the overall evaluation, the applicants can provide the names of impartial experts in their field, with competence to make a fair and proper evaluation of the research project. Each expert will only evaluate a single application, with at least one evaluation of each application.
At the end of January 2019, expert comments will be forwarded to the panel members.
Assessment instructions to experts and panel members
Reviewers will be instructed to use these evaluation criteria (note that expert will review research plans only):
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Evaluation criteria for panel members
Please assess each of the following:
1.Research
- To what extent is the proposed research ambitious with the potential to achieve groundbreaking results?
- To what extent does the proposed research address important research challenges?
- To what extent are the objectives beyond the state-of-the-art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches, development of novel methodology or development across disciplines)?
- To what extent does the proposed research fit with UiO’s strategy for convergence in life sciences?
- To what extent are the outlined scientific approaches feasible?
- To what extent are the proposed research methodologies appropriate to achieve the goals of the convergence environment?
- If relevant, how and to what extent have end users been involved in the project?
- To what extent are the proposed timescales and resources necessary and properly justified?
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Are there plans for attracting additional, external funding?
2.Project leader and team and convergence environment organization
- To what extent is the track record of the project leader and principal investigators characterized by the ability to propose and conduct groundbreaking research that goes beyond the state-of-the art?
- To what extent has the project leader demonstrated good leadership of research groups, including training of early career researchers?
- To what extent do the principal investigators have expertise of essential importance to conduct the proposed research?
- To what extent is successful accomplishment of the main research objectives dependent on the described research collaboration in the proposed convergence environment?
- To what extent is the described research team and expertise optimal for the proposed research?
- To what extent are the structure, organization and size of the convergence environment optimal for the proposed research?
- To what extent is the proposed convergence environment appropriately supported by host and participating UiO departments/institutes?
3.Responsible research and innovation (RRI)
- To what extent do planned RRI activities address probable societal concerns?
- Are the planned investigations sustainable and ethically acceptable
- To what extent may results from the project generate a foundation for new innovations and/or marketable products?
- To what extent do plans for dissemination address key users of the research results?
- If the scientific field is characterized by a gender imbalance, are the plans to support development of research talents of the under-represented gender appropriate?
Overall assessment
The overall view of the application based on the assessment criteria
Assessment procedure
A number scheme from 1-10 will be used for according to the following scale:
9-10: world leading
7-8: world class
5-6: good international Level
1-4: not satisfactory for funding
Each reviewer/panel member will receive all applications but will be asked to review approximately 10 applications. There will be three evaluations of each application. Applications are given one grade each for the three evaluated subheadings:
- Research (50 %)
- Project leader and team and convergence environment organization (33 %)
- Responsible research and innovation (RRI) (17 %)
Additionally, each application is given an overall grade. When determining the overall grade, the percentages given in parentheses above should be used.
Panel members will receive applications around January 10 2019. As an aid in their work, additional input from a separately selected team of experts will be forwarded at the end of January 2019.
Evaluation of applications (4 letter grades and brief written evaluation) should be submitted by February 25th 2019.
Panel meeting and final scientific evaluation of all applications (detailed instructions will be provided in the Meeting)
A one and a half day meeting of the panel will take place in Oslo on March 11th and 12th 2019. Panel members should arrive in the evening on the 10th and will be able to depart after lunch on the 12th.
All applications will be discussed and graded by all panel members.
The discussion of each application will be led by the reviewing panel member who gave the highest overall letter grade for the application, supported by the two other primary reviewers of the application. The UiO:Life Science secretariat will only moderate the discussion. Each application should be discussed for about 15-20 minutes.
Panel members should give their point score to all three criteria for all applications following their discussion during this session. The point scores shall be within a 2 point range (number ± 1) agreed upon during the discussion. Should individual members have a conflict of interest regarding a specific application or if they have other reasons not to grade a specific application, the may opt out.
The total sum score for each application will be the sum of each average score multiplied by a factor
3*Average grade “Research”
+ 2*Average grade “Project leader and team and convergence environment organization”
+ 1*Average grade “Responsible research and innovation (RRI)”
= total score
The total score will give a rank that will be submitted to the board of UiO:Life Science, which will determine which applications are funded.
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Evaluation criteria for experts
Please assess the research plan according to the following:
- To what extent is the proposed research ambitious with the potential to achieve groundbreaking results?
- To what extent does the proposed research address important research challenges?
- To what extent are the objectives beyond the state-of-the-art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches, development of novel methodology or development across disciplines)?
- To what extent does the proposed research fit with UiO’s strategy for convergence in life sciences?
- To what extent are the outlined scientific approaches feasible?
- To what extent are the proposed research methodologies appropriate to achieve the goals of the convergence environment?
- To what extent are the proposed timescales and resources necessary and properly justified?
Provide a total grade for the research plan using the following grading scheme:
9-10: world leading
7-8: world class
5-6: good international level
1-4: lower Levels
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Decision by the UiO:Life Science board
A final decision will be made March 15 2019. Strategic decisions may be grounds for the board to not strictly adhere to the numbered rank of the review panel.