ARC Tracker Profile picture
Part human, part bot, 100% UNOFFICIAL. I track Australian Research Council grant outcomes. Bot checks outcomes announcements each min. DMs open. FAQ in profile.
Dec 14, 2023 25 tweets 7 min read
Another big year in ARC land. A better one!

Mainly positive. Some head-scratchers but no major stuff-ups.

Some things bode well for 2024, but research funding remains shockingly low – cue the "waiting for the Universities Accord" mantra.

But first, an “ARC Year in Review”🧵👇 Overall, we’ve moved from Ministers & an ARC that didn’t seem to see researchers or hear anything they said, to a Minister & ARC who's seen the mounting problems, listened to advice, and started to act.

It’s worth reading that again. Not bad.

Not finished, but a welcome change.
Oct 13, 2023 12 tweets 3 min read
#DECRA #DE25 applications were opened yesterday by ARC.

As with the Laureates & Futures, the DECRA app form has been significantly reduced in length & complexity.

IMO, this is a Very Good Thing, *especially* for an early-career researcher scheme.

Short 🧵 on the changes👇 Firstly, like any change in ARC land, it’s not perfect, & will be annoying for re-submitters.

My advice: Don’t try to just squeeze old stuff into the new form. Re-assess what’s really most important for the assessors to see, esp. what differentiates you from other applicants.
Jul 29, 2022 19 tweets 6 min read
"It's another gut-punch to poor early career researchers".

The ARC have again raised extra barriers for ECRs, causing unnecessary delays & anxiety, wasting resources &, yes, …

Wasting. Tax-payer. Money.

Last year was #preprints, now it's #NITpicks.

Long 🧵 but stay with me🙏 The National Interest Test (NIT) was introduced by the previous Coalition Government.

It's a smoke screen for idealogical vetoing of humanities grants they want to parade in front of their supporters and ridicule, e.g.⤵️
smh.com.au/politics/feder…
Apr 27, 2022 7 tweets 2 min read
🚨#DECRA #DE23 applicants❗️

Rejoinders open in RMS tomorrow (28 Apr) – short🧵👇

First: Sooo important to read reviews ASAP. Can be hard. But do it.

Why? #ARC3DayRule. For fun, ARC gives you just 3 days to complain about #BadReviewers via your DVCR!👇
▶️ arc.gov.au/grants/grant-a…
Image No #BadReviewers? Great!

Now, get as much help as you can. Don't go it alone.

Get help *reading* it from senior colleagues & Research Office staff. Sounds weird, but experience really helps.

No strong criticisms? Look for faint praise – can be just as important to address.
Jan 31, 2022 4 tweets 2 min read
Gov announcement of new $ for research commercialisation is welcome. The approach looks sensible to this non-expert.

But the funding scale! $1.6b of new money! (Over 4 years?)

Compare with ARC's budget: $0.75b pa.

Must fund research & commercialisation!
news.com.au/finance/econom… The ARC funds the bulk of basic research in Australia.

But it's funding has been cut by 30% since 2014 – see 🧵👇
Jan 31, 2022 12 tweets 3 min read
"But…but…the Minister *must* have oversight of education spending!"

This 👆 is often the reply when anyone argues to remove veto powers over individual ARC grants.

It really shouldn't need saying, but "oversight" does not equal micro-managerial control.

Want an example? 🧵👇 Imagine the Minister had veto power over individual *PhD scholarships*.

Preposterous! Ridiculous! Massive over-reach! Political interference! Academic freedom!

Yep, absolutely💯

But that's *totally* different to individual ARC grants, right?

Is it?
Aug 18, 2021 17 tweets 5 min read
I promised a thread to explain the huge ARC eligibility issue that's affected #FutureFellowships & #DECRA so far, and will enormously impact #DiscoveryProjects as well.

Honestly, it's possibly @arc_gov_au's lowest point yet.

What's happened? Brace yourself. The @arc_gov_au has ruled *dozens* of fellowship grants ineligible because the applications cited "preprints".

Not just in the applicants' publication list, but *anywhere* in the app.

Not just those co-authored by the applicant, but *any* "preprint".
Aug 16, 2021 4 tweets 3 min read
#DE22 announcement:

Outcomes announced publicly for Discovery Early Career Researcher Award 2022!

See rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/Dow…

/bot Very glad to see #DE22 outcomes published within 9 months of application due date. Not great, but not terribly delayed either.

And good they were announced via RMS, not #ARCSenateOrder list. But Order clearly a motivating factor for Minister's approval, given it's due today👍 Image
May 29, 2020 12 tweets 3 min read
#DiscoveryProjects peer assessments will land in nervous applicants' inboxes in 3 weeks (18Jun).

You've 2 weeks to submit a rejoinder.

BUT you've just *3 days* to call out #BadReviewers!

#ARC3DayRule appears designed to fail, supporting process over applicants.

Thread 👇 #DiscoveryProjects are a chance for researchers to gain more independence, demonstrate their ideas, & make a difference *their* way.

They are prestigious but extremely competitive. So competitive that just one slightly biased reviewer can scupper a project, even a career.