Arts Research Bulletin
Wednesday 27th May 2009Note from the Associate Dean Research
Dear Colleagues,
The Federal Budget contained some good news for university researchers with increases to funding for the indirect costs of research. However, those increases are contingent upon our cooperation in identifying the actual costs of research. To this end, a survey has been sent to ARC grant recipients designed to gauge the time spent on research over a given period. Should you have received a survey, I urge you to take the exercise seriously.
The ERA process trundles on, with the end mercifully coming into view. Could I remind you for the last time that if you wish to be counted as an active Arts researcher, you must check your ERAMIS entry by this Friday 29th May.
The Faculty has had only two applications in the first round of ARC Linkage. Fortunately, there are considerably more projects in development and we are looking forward to at least 6 applications for November (Round 2). I will be making appointments with likely applicants in July to check on progress and to see if the ARO can offer any assistance. However, if you have a Linkage project in mind, which has not been brought to our attention, and with which you would like assistance, please do let us know. Similarly, if you are beginning to think of an ARC Discovery application and would like some help in the early development and framing, please contact us.
Finally, Stephen Sheehan is leaving the ARO after some months filling in for Jeanette Wrench, who has been on LSL. Stephen has done an excellent job, and I would like both to thank him and to wish him well in his new position with the Monash Research Office.
Professor Pauline Nestor
Associate Dean Arts Research
External Research Grants
Grant Successes:
Monash Europe Travel Grant -
Congratualtions to Dr Paul Watt, who has been awarded a Monash Europe
Travel Grant to fund a visiting fellowship to the Institute of Musical
Research, School of Advanced Studies, University of London for June/July
2009. During the fellowship, Paul will be undertaking research for a number
of projects including an article on the 'de-Italianising' of Covent Garden
in the 1890's.
Updates:
Possible collaboration with Monash Sustainability Institute (MSI) Dr Paul McShane, Chief Research Officer at the Monash Sustainability Institute, is currently working on three projects addressing climate change issues in Indonesia. Supported by AusAID, these projects are aimed at developing collaborative relationships with key Indonesian agencies and institutions including: The National Council on Climate Change (DNPI), the Agricultural University of Bogor (IPB), the University of Palangka Raya, the Ministry of Forestry, and the Ministry of National Education. The projects involve staff from most of Monash's Faculties. The outcomes of current project activities will inform a major multi-disciplinary project aimed at developing and applying policies of reduced emissions from deforestation and land degradation (REDD) in Indonesia, particularly in Central Kalimantan.
If you are interested in working with the Monash Sustainability Institute, or for further information about the projects mentioned above, please email Dr Paul McShane - Paul.McShane@msi.monash.edu.au. Paul is interested to meet Arts Researchers working in the area of climate change, particularly in Indonesia.
Faculty Research Grants
Updates
Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)
Excellence in Research for Australia [ERA] is a Senator Kim Carr driven initiative aimed at evaluating Australia' research performance. ERA replaces the Research Quality Framework of the previous Federal government, and has been developed by the Australian Research Council [ARC] in conjunction with the National Health and Medical Research Council [NHMRC].
The primary element of evaluation is the 4-digit Field of Research code under the Australian and New Zealand Standard Research classification System [ANZSRC]. 4-digit FoRs are grouped under twenty two 2-digit FoRs. 2-digit FoRs have been assigned to one of eight Discipline Clusters.
The ARC will collect data from Universities about eligible researchers and a range of indicators of research activity including outputs, income, and applied indicators. All data will be coded at the 4-digit FoR level.
These data shall then be evaluated by Research Evaluation Committees that are informed by metrics, peer evaluation, research background statements, and other indicators of quality. Once evaluation is completed the results are published to inform decision makers concerning institutional and national performance at the 4-digit FoR level.
Faculty of Arts is putting forward submission for ERA under the HCA (Humanities and Creative Arts) Cluster. The eligible researcher data and research output data will be collected using ERAMIS (ERA Management Information System) for submission to the ARC.
You are an eligible researcher if you were at Monash as a teaching& research/research only/sessional/tenured (i.e., had an authcate user ID) as of 31st march 2008
If you are an eligible researcher please use your authcate ID and log into ERAMIS via this website https://tardis.monash.edu.au:3774/pls/htmldb/f?p=145 and check your data by 29th May. This is essential, so that Monash is properly assessed and you are properly represented in the University's records of research activity.
If you are unsure of your eligibility please talk to school research officers or send an email to deepa.balakrishnan@arts.monash.edu.au
Faculty of Arts ECR Award 2009: Nominations invited.
The Arts Faculty is currently calling for nominations for the Dean's Award for Excellence in Research by Early Career Researchers. This award is open to researchers who are within 10 years of the beginning of their research career. The prize for this award is $2000. Unsuccessful candidates from prior rounds who still fall within the scheme guidelines are encouraged to apply again.
Nominations must be emailed to Kane.Simons@arts.monash.edu.au no later than 10 June 2009. Late submissions will not be accepted. Visit Faculty of Arts Dean's Award for Excellence in Research by Early Career Researchers for all the relevant information.
Please contact Kane Simons with any queries.
Arts Postgraduate Researcher - Bryan Parton
Supervisors: Dr Jakob Hohwy & Steven Miller
What are you currently researching?
My Research focuses on the perception of time and how this influences your behaviour and decision making. I am also working on a number of projects looking at the conscious perception of our bodies and how this might be constructed and manipulated. Both of these areas are being pursued in an interdisciplinary manner working with researchers from Psychology, Physiology and Philosophy. Currently I am working on a time perception series of studies with researchers from the Bionics and Cognitive Science Centre at the Gippsland Campus where we are looking at the relationship between different forms of movement and a person's perception of time.
Where has your research taken you?
Recently, work by my supervisor and myself, as part of an ongoing collaboration between ourselves and a researcher at the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute was featured as part of a story on the ABC television show Catalyst (Air Date: 21/05/09). It was a very interesting and revealing experience not just in seeing how this kind of television is made but also for opening up avenues for future research.
Through links with my supervisor I have been invited to conduct research, later this year, at the Centre of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience at Aarhus University in Denmark. There I will be working with a number of prominent researchers from my area and will be pursuing collaborative projects that will form part of my PhD thesis.
What facet of Monash University contributes most to your research?
The two largest contributors to the success and ongoing momentum of my research have been the support and enthusiasm of my supervisors and the interdisciplinary support I have received, both from Arts and Medicine/Neuroscience. This work would not have been possible without the financial and infrastructure support of both faculties.
What have you enjoyed the most about undertaking research in your subject area?
The most enjoyable aspect of my study has been the opportunity to pursue new, interesting and hot topics in the interface between Philosophy and Neuroscience whilst collaborating with researchers from many difference areas both from within Monash and from other institutions.
What has been the greatest challenge?
My PhD research is an interdisciplinary project involving Philosophy and Psychology/Neuroscience. Finding a balance between the theoretical demands of Philosophy and the empirical demands of Neuroscience has been challenging. Working with my supervisor has enabled me to develop a framework for my PhD whereby the Philosophical theories I am pursuing inform my empirical work. Developing this framework has been the greatest challenge so far, it is also, perhaps, the most crucial aspect of my thesis.
Contact Us
Bulletin Coordinator:
Katherine De Zilwa
Arts Research Office
Level 2 West
Building 11
Monash University
Clayton Campus
Telephone: +61 3 990 58547
Email: Katherine.DeZilwa@arts.monash.edu.au