AY2019

Kyushu University Platform of Inter-/Transdisciplinary Energy Research

Support Program for Young Researchers and Doctoral Students

　The Kyushu University Platform of Inter-/Transdisciplinary Energy Research (Q-PIT) was established in accordance with the Kyushu University Action Plan. This platform aims to resolve global energy issues in association with promising researchers from various fields, from humanities and social science to natural sciences. Through the resolution of these issues, Q-PIT also aims to create a one-stop solution for energy research and education, and transdisciplinary projects to realize a future energy society that enables sustainable development. As a gateway to success, this program is targeting identification and support of young researchers and doctoral students who will play major roles in future energy research in society.
 

 

Details of each quota

Ⅰ. Quota for Young Researchers

[Details of application]

Research projects regarding the following four areas

Area 1: Research regarding renewable energy use systems

Area 2: Research regarding future energy management, and integrating energy

management with energy-based technologies

Area 3: Research regarding a future energy society, including bio-energy, energy

economy, and sociology

Area 4: Various fields related to other energy issues
 

^* This program is aimed at the research projects of all fields, from humanities and social

sciences to natural sciences, related to energy. We recommend that you keep an open

mind when deciding whether you will apply for this program, referring to the “List of

academic fields and keywords of specialized fields pertinent to the research areas (1-4),”

on the last pages of these application guidelines.
 

^* For details on relations between the areas above and the research areas of the units in

our platform, refer to the following:

https://q-pit.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/about/vision.php

[Application eligibility and requirements]

Young researchers under 35 years of age as of April 1, 2018. (Faculty members and

post-doctoral fellows and research fellows)

If a researcher has been adopted under this quota (quota for young researchers) before,
he/she can apply for this support up to twice.

^* If the applicant who has been adopted as the principal investigator in the past has the same ranking as the first applicant, the first applicant will be given priority.

[Number of projects for adoption]

Approximately nine research projects

[Maximum amount of request]

Up to 1 million yen

[Expenses that can be supported]

0.5 – 1 million yen per research project

(1) Expenses to be covered

Research expenses that can be applied include facilities/equipment, supplies, travel
expenses, honorariums and other expenses required to carry out research.

* If facilities and equipment expenses for the research plan exceed 50 percent of the

total expenses, the applicant must account for the necessity of such expenses in implementation of the research by specifying it in the research plan. A research plan
aiming to simply purchase facilities and equipment, etc. will not qualify for application.

(2) Expenses not covered

The following expenses will not be covered, even though the expenses may be required

for research.

a. Expenses related to buildings and other facilities.

b. Purchases of facilities/equipment such as desks, chairs, and copying machines that

would be normally purchased by each department.

c. Personnel expenses used to employ staff such as administrative assistants

[Other requirements regarding the application]

When applying for the program, the faculty member (special project) or the
post-doctoral fellow or research fellow are required to obtain the approval of the project leader.
A researcher cannot apply as the principal investigator for several categories at the
same time during the same academic year. However, he/she can participate in a research project as a co-researcher.

[Support period]

Until the end of AY 2018

Ⅱ. Quota for Doctoral Students

[Details of proposals]

Research projects regarding the following four areas

Area 1: Research regarding renewable energy use systems

Area 2: Research regarding future energy management, and integrating energy

management with energy-based technologies

Area-3: Research regarding a future energy society, including bio-energy, energy

economy, and sociology

Area 4: Various fields related to other energy issues

* This program is aimed at the research projects of all fields, from humanities and social

sciences to natural sciences, related to energy.

We recommend that you keep an open mind when deciding whether you will apply for this program, referring to the “List of academic fields and keywords of specialized fields pertinent to the research areas (1-4),” on the last pages of these application guidelines.

* For details on relations between the areas above and the research areas of the units in our platform, refer to the following:

https://q-pit.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/about/vision.php

Regardless of whether it can be realized or not, this research is aimed at developing the concept of a future society energy system configuration to come into existence around the year 2100, one of our platform’s visions. The proposals are expected to be original and ambitious, with an aim to realize a futuristic energy society that enables sustainable development.

[Qualifications for application]

Doctoral students and master’s course students who are expected to proceed to doctoral

programs.

If a doctoral student has been adopted under this quota (quota for doctoral students)

before, he/she can apply for this support up to twice.

* If the applicant who has been adopted as the principal investigator in the past has the same ranking as the first applicant, the first applicant will be given priority.

[Number of awards (approximate)]

Gold awards: 1, Silver awards: 2, Bronze awards: 5

[Expenses for further research and education]

According to the rank of each award, expenses for further research and education are offered to the laboratories to which the students who receive the award belong. (These may include expenses such as travel expenses for corresponding students to participate in a conference of academic society to which they belong.)
(Gold awards: 500,000 yen, Silver awards: 400,000 yen, Bronze awards: 300,000 yen)
* Please note that there is a limit to external support funds for research fellowships for young scientists at the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Any amount of support in this area will be within that limit.

[Support period]

Until the end of AY 2018

Application deadline

The application must be submitted by August 9 (Thu), 2018

The application documents must be submitted through the administrative office of the department.

Application guidelines and forms

▶ Application Guidelines	AY2018 Support Program for Young Researchers and Doctoral Students Application Guidelines (PDF)
▶ Screening Guidelines	Support Program for Young Researchers and Doctoral Students Screening Guidelines (simplified version) (PDF)
▶ Forms	AY2018 Support Program for Young Researchers and Doctoral Students Research Plan (Quota for Young Researchers) (EXCEL) AY2018 Support Program for Young Researchers and Doctoral Students Research Proposal (Quota for Doctoral Students) (EXCEL)
▶ Form1-1	Support Program for Young Researchers and Doctoral Students Statement of Reasons for Change (WORD)
▶ Form1-2	Support Program for Young Researchers and Doctoral Students (Quota for Young Researchers)Application for Approval for Change of Breakdown of Research Expenses (WORD)

Requirements after adoption

(1) Public relations

During the announcement/publication of interim results and for the final outcome of research inside and outside the University, recipient researchers must be active in providing publicity for this program, for instance by openly specifying that the research has received support under this program.

Moreover, recipient researchers and students must actively cooperate with University efforts (such as participating in exhibitions held alongside seminars and symposiums of our platform) to make the research findings publicly available.

When the project is adopted, the recipients must give poster presentations in various events hosted by our platform, such as Energy Week. (Expenses for creating posters can be paid using the support of this program)

(2) Application for competitive funding programs, etc.

The researcher whose program is adopted for the quota of young researchers must apply for Grants-in Aid for Scientific Research (Kakenhi) or other competitive funding programs in the academic year of adoption or in the following academic year.

(This rule does not apply to those researchers who have already acquired funding, such as a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research and will be limited by restrictions on duplicate funds if they newly apply for the program. The rule also does not apply to researchers who have been employed via funding resources and are not allowed to apply for other competitive funding programs.)

The student whose program is adopted for the quota of doctoral students must apply for the research fellowship for young scientists of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. (This rule does not apply to students who have already been adopted for a research fellowship for young scientists.)

(3) Changes in the research plan

Complete the “Statement of reasons for change” and submit it to the Kyushu University Platform of Inter-/Transdisciplinary Energy Research Administrative Office, if any of the following apply.

Ⅰ. If the principal investigator must abandon his/her application for the program due to transfer to another institute, resignation, or other reason, or when the implementation of the research plan has proven too difficult.

Ⅱ. Other than above, when the description in the research plan documentation has been broadly modified.

(4) Reallocation of expenses (quota for young researchers)

When reallocating over 50% of the total allocated expenses from one category to another, submit the “Application for Approval for Change of Breakdown of Research Expenses” to the Kyushu University Platform of Inter-/Transdisciplinary Energy Research Administrative Office in advance.

◇In this program, we welcome applications from various fields.

References

List of academic fields and keywords of specialized fields pertinent to research areas (1-4)

Area 1: Research regarding renewable energy use systems

– Pertinent academic fields: interdisciplinary science and engineering, engineering

– Keywords of specialized fields: advanced research on renewables, water electrolysis hydrogen production, fuel cells, hydrogen storage, hybrid renewable energy system

Area 2: Research regarding future energy management, and integrating energy management with energy-based technologies

– Pertinent academic fields: information technology, systems engineering, control engineering, management engineering, applied mathematics, process system engineering, life cycle engineering, energy system engineering, chemical system engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering

– Keywords of specialized fields: data analysis, modeling, game theory, system integration, energy storage systems, local energy systems, low-carbon society, techno-economic assessment

Area 3: Research regarding a future energy society, including bio-energy, energy economy, and sociology

– Pertinent academic fields: agricultural sciences, environmental science, energy economics, resource economics, environmental economics, sociology, energy policy

– Keywords of specialized fields: smart firm, generation of bio-derived energy, energy issues in developing countries, measures against global warming, energy-saving, energy creation, and energy storage technologies, distributed energy society

Area 4: Various fields related to other energy issues