TSSA Safety Education Research Graduate Scholarships

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1 TSSA Safety Education Research Graduate Scholarships The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) has committed $20,000 to support the initiation of a graduate scholarship program, with the first awards to be granted in August The maximum amount of each award will be $5,000 per annum, and renewable for an additional year for a Master s student and up to two additional years for a PhD student subject to satisfactory progress. Funds will be awarded directly to the successful student. Program Objectives The primary objective of the awards program is to advance the knowledge and state of public safety in Ontario, and in particular the industry sectors regulated by TSSA (amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, ski lifts and upholstered and stuffed articles). Secondly, TSSA encourages the development of highly qualified personnel in the public safety field. This is a scholarship program, and not a research grant, but graduate students must include in their program of study a research project pertinent to the sectors for which TSSA has regulatory responsibility. The student s ability to articulate a relevant research project will be an important part of the adjudication criteria. Establishment of knowledge transfer and exchange channels is also an aim: TSSA data or access to site visits may be arranged under appropriate conditions, and TSSA will facilitate dissemination of research results and provide professional exposure for the scholarship recipient. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants are graduate students either already admitted or recommended for admission to a graduate program at the Masters or PhD level at an Ontario university, along with a faculty supervisor who has agreed to the supervisory arrangement. The academic supervisor must be supervising or co-supervising the student in his/her thesis work, although the proposed project does not need to be the thesis topic. The academic supervisor must hold a tenured or tenure track appointment at an Ontario university, although not necessarily the same university as the student. There is no restriction on the applicant s field of study or on the academic discipline of the faculty supervisor, other than relevance to the proposed research project. Eligible Projects While the proposed research may benefit other sectors as well, the proposal must clearly describe how the research will benefit one or more of the sectors for which TSSA has regulatory responsibility. Both basic and applied research proposals are eligible. Basic research to discover underlying principles may be conducted in a controlled laboratory environment. The proposal must clearly describe how the results of the research will benefit TSSA s regulated sectors. Applied research may focus on one sector specifically, or multiple sectors, and may involve the use of data, fieldwork, or other applied methods.

2 TSSA encourages researchers interested in using TSSA data or observations, but to ensure compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and TSSA policies, projects proposing to use TSSA data or which may require access to TSSA or industry personnel must be arranged prior to making the proposal. To discuss tentative projects of this nature, please contact Neena Jyoti, Council Coordinator / ), at least one month before the proposal is due. Eligible proposals must demonstrate an empirical component. The following types of research will not be eligible for consideration: purely technical research (e.g., engineering mechanics, structures, materials); purely theoretical or rhetorical projects; and design, delivery or training and program evaluation of social marketing. The following table illustrates these principles with examples of eligible and ineligible research, issues and designs in three current priority areas: Priority Areas Eligible Ineligible Risk perception and/or risk management, decision making Delivery of safety information/education to the public Experiments and quasiexperiments and surveys to evaluate factors that affect risk perception or risk management of the public, facility owners, staff and inspectors. Experiments and quasiexperiments and surveys to evaluate relative effectiveness of public education and safety decision-making. Conducting a risk assessment of a particular activity or device. Delivering safety education. Development of social marketing material. Technical safety of devices, systems, and/or materials Development and validation of knowledge transfer mechanisms. Development and validation of methods of evaluation and inspection and decision making about technical safety. Methods of incorporating models and other engineering methods into applied use by decision makers in the field, including the public Identification of design features that enhance hazard perception. Measurement or improvement of the strength or reliability of materials, structures, etc. Mathematical models of failure. Funding Applicants who are candidates for a Master s degree may receive $5,000 per annum up to a maximum of two years, and candidates for the PhD may receive $5,000 per annum up to a maximum of three years, provided that: the award recipient is still enrolled in his or her graduate program at the time of renewal;

3 the award recipient is still working on the proposed project at the time of renewal; the academic supervisor agrees at the time of renewal that satisfactory progress is being made on the project; and the award recipient has submitted an interim report on the project by February 15, The Scholarship Application Adjudicating each application requires submission of the following elements. Attachments to the application form are to be formatted with 1-inch margins all around, single sided, single spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font. (As a scholarship program, many sections require more brevity than is typical in a grant application for research.) 1. Application form. Each field in Parts 1 and 2 of the application form must be completed. 2. Student s statement of research interests. This personal statement by the student will briefly relate the proposed project to past experiences and future professional interests. This must not exceed the space provided in Part 1 of the application form. 3. Student s academic record. The student s academic record as demonstrated by the inclusion of official transcript(s) of his/her undergraduate degree(s) and graduate studies completed to the end of Transcripts may be submitted as an attachment to the application, in envelopes sealed by the university. 4. Faculty supervisor s appraisal of student s abilities and undertaking to supervise. In one page, the faculty supervisor will (i) appraise the student s abilities, including his or her likelihood of completing the degree; (ii) undertake to supervise the project if funded; (iii) to ensure that upon completion of the project or conclusion of funding, a report is submitted to TSSA; and (iv) to promote the dissemination of results from the research project. 5. Faculty supervisor s statement of relevance to research program. A short statement (maximum two pages) by the faculty supervisor relating the student s proposed work to the faculty member s research program. 6. Faculty supervisor s curriculum vitae. The faculty supervisor may submit a CV updated within the past four months meeting the format requirements of OCGS, NSERC or SSHRC (e.g., Contributions document). Alternatively, the faculty member may prepare a two-page summary of his or her relevant publications (journals, conferences) and grants held that are pertinent to the student s proposed work. Alternatively, a five page curriculum vitae (Ontario Council of Graduate Studies format) may be appended in lieu of recapping relevant publications within the two page limit. 7. Research project proposal. The research proposal must articulate the research question and research design, describe the work plan, situate the project in the literature and explain its value as a contribution to knowledge and practice in TSSA s regulated areas, and must not exceed two pages excluding bibliography. A maximum of one page is allowed for the bibliography, 8. Student s undertaking. The student applicant must undertake to submit all interim and final reports required and to make one or more research presentations to a TSSA audience subject to mutually convenient scheduling.

4 Submitting the Application Both the student and academic supervisor must contribute parts of the application, and either may prepare the proposal itself. The relative contribution of each person to the proposal itself is to be indicated on the application form. Application Deadline Applications must be received by TSSA by March 15, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. EST. The entire application must be submitted in one envelope and shall not be bound. No attachments or supplements will be accepted whether they arrive before the deadline. The postal mailing address is (same address for couriers): 3300 Bloor Street W., 14 th Floor, Centre Tower Toronto, ON M8X 2X Adjudication of Proposals TSSA s Consumer Advisory Council will convene a Research Advisory Committee and recruit external peer reviewers to evaluate proposals. The evaluation criteria will rate the degree to which: the proposed project is achievable within the normal duration of the students academic program with the resources the student can access; the proposed work contributes to the research evidence and knowledge relevant to public safety; the student can situate the proposed work within a reasonable framework in the literature, recognizing that he or she will elaborate and expand on this literature over the course of his or her studies; the student can communicate what he or she plans to do, and as a result, is likely to be able to communicate the results of his or her work; the student has or will have a suitable faculty advisor who has the background to supervise the proposed project; and the student has the capacity to complete the program of study, based on his/her academic record, and based on GPA and scholarships awarded. Additional Timelines and Deadlines Each complete application package will be reviewed by the TSSA s Research Advisory Committee and external peer reviewers. It is expected that TSSA will announce the successful recipients by August 15, For award holders eligible for and seeking renewal, an interim report must be submitted to TSSA by February 15, Award holders not renewed must submit a final report on their project by June 15, 2008.

5 Dissemination of Results Each award recipient will be expected to participate in an annual research symposium hosted by TSSA to update TSSA s Board members, management, employees, and Industry Council members on advances in public safety research. Presentation may be by oral presentation or research poster. Details will be provided to award recipients during the course of the year. About TSSA TSSA is an innovative, self-funded, non-government organization focused on delivering public safety services. It provides not-for-profit regulatory safety services in industry sectors, such as amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, natural gas, petroleum, propane fuels and equipment, operating engineers, and upholstered and stuffed articles. The organization s vision is to be the world leader in public safety services.

6 Safety Education Graduate Scholarship Application Form Part I. Student Information STUDENT INFORMATION Family name of student Given name Initials of all given names Date STUDENT ACADEMIC BACKGROUND (including current and ongoing post-secondary studies) Degree Discipline University Department Month/Year of Degree Completion (including expected degree completion) At this time, are you presently enrolled in a post-graduate program? If yes, are you enrolled? If no, are you expecting to be enrolled? How many academic terms do you expect to take to complete your graduate program? By Dec. 1/07, how many academic terms do you expect to have completed towards your graduate program? INTEREST/INTENT OF RESEARCH PROJECT Statement of research interests/intent SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER AWARDS RECEIVED (start with most recent) Award University Period held (yyyy/mm - yyyy/mm) OTHER INFORMATION Citizenship Language of correspondence Gender Current address If current address is temporary, indicate expected leaving date Telephone number at current address Permanent mailing address (if different from current address) Telephone number at permanent mailing address address SIGNATURE I hereby agree to abide by the application guidelines for TSSA's Safety Education Research Graduate Scholarship. Student Signature

7 Safety Education Graduate Scholarship Application Form Part II. Faculty Supervisor's Information and Statement of Proposed Research Date FACULTY SUPERVISOR INFORMATION Family name Given name Initials of all given names Title of faculty supervisor Assistant/associate/full professor Tenure Status: (Tenured, Probationary, not eligible for tenure) Year joined that university as tenure-stream or Attach up to 2 pages on faculty supervisor's recent and relevant research tenured faculty member University affiliation Department Faculty supervisor's address at university Telephone Fax STUDENT/FACULTY SUPERVISOR RELATIONSHIP Is the faculty supervisor supervising the student applicant's thesis? Relative contribution to the TSSA research project proposal (% faculty supervisor, % student) RESEARCH TIMELINE Proposed Proposed completion date starting date PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECT Title of proposed research project Outline of proposed research project (attach 2 pages additional research information as stated below) - Indicate the objectives, scientific approach, novelty, and expected significance of the work to the mandate of TSSA. List other funding support that you have/will apply for to support your research program SIGNATURE I herby certify that the above student will participate in and complete the research program outlined in this application and within the timeline defined in this application. Faculty Supervisor's Name: Signature Date: (print) Dean/Head of Department: Signature Date: (print)