ARC has given some details of how new Explore scheme will run ▶️ https://www.arc.gov.au/news-and-publications/media/advance-information-about-explore-grant-opportunity-2028
❗️There's a lottery❗️
Peer review yields 3 categories: highly competitive, competitive, uncompetitive. After funding highly competitive apps, competitive ones enter a lottery for remaining $.
Researchers at all career stages can apply. Project funds can be up to $400k per year for 3 years. ECRs can include their salary in the request.
It’s welcome that this scheme is a 3-year scheme, not a 2-year one as many worried would happen, given the early consultations on the new schemes.
And they’ve introduced “Research Points” to replace the “2 slots” system to determine whether or not you’ve got too many other grants to apply for a new one ▶️ https://www.arc.gov.au/researchpoints
@ARC_Tracker "Researchers at all career stages can apply." so presumably some kind of ROPE-adjustments will be applied? Otherwise like DPs were, you just end up giving the grants to the highest-status/qualified people.
In mathematics in recent years, you essentially couldn't get a DP unless you had a level D/E on the application. Forget mid-career researchers working alone.
@highergeometer It’s really not clear at all yet. You’d think that’s the sort of thing they’d be able to give general information about already, even if they can’t give details.