Call for Proposals – Environmental and Conservation Fund (ECF) Environmental Research, Technology Demonstration and Conference Projects (RTDC)

ECF is now inviting applications for 2021 exercise of RTDC projects which should have contributions in a direct and practical way towards environmental improvement and conservation of the local environment and should not be too theoretical in nature.  They include the introduction and development of new technologies, such as technology on waste minimization and recycling under the Priority Research Themes and Topics.  Applications outside the scope of priority research themes would still be considered on individual merits.

Priority Research Themes and Topics

Special Theme: 

Clean Air and Green Transport

Research Topics:

1. Climate Change – Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience
2. Biodiversity and Conservation
3. Waste Management, Reduction and Recycling
4. Air Quality
5. Water Quality and Water Pollution
6. Construction and Traffic Noise - Prevention and Mitigation

Project Duration

Within three years

Funding Limit

Normally up to HK$2.5 million

Eligibility

Academic staff members whose conditions of employment meet all the following requirements:

• have a full-time1 appointment in the institution proper2 of the institution; 
• in Staff Grades equivalent to Academic Staff Grades “A” to “I” (i.e. from “Professor” to “Assistant Lecturer”) under the University Grants Committee scale;
• primarily engaged in and spend at least 80% of their time in degree or higher degree work at the institution proper; and
• their salary is wholly funded3 by the institution.

Visiting staff will only be eligible if they have a full-time appointment in the institution covering the duration of the project. Staff supported by external research grants are not eligible.

1 Part time staff and staff holding honorary appointments are excluded.

2 Excluding schools/ arms of continuing education and professional training and other analogous outfits.

3 Staff who are receiving income from paid appointments outside the institution do not satisfy this requirement.

Quota

In each round of application, any individual person can submit not more than one application for research or technology demonstration project and one application for conference project in the capacity of principal investigator.

Any principal investigator can concurrently hold up to a maximum of two ECF research or technology demonstration projects and one conference project.  

Application Procedure

For details, please refer to the information on the Research Office’s website and application guide. Both paper-based and electronic applications (https://eform.one.gov.hk/form/epd006/en/) are accepted this year. Both types of applications have to be submitted via Research Office to ECF. For electronic application, applicants please complete the application online and download the application form as document in “.gfd” file, and then email such application form together with applicants’ login password to the Research Office for processing. The electronic application has to be finally submitted by Research Office to ECF.

Deadline

2 August 2021 (Monday)

Online Briefing on Application

An online briefing will be conducted to explain the priority research topics and special theme, the assessment requirements, the updated “Guide to Application”, application procedures, in particular the electronic application arrangement.

Date:        7 July 2021 (Wednesday)

Time:        2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (registration to start at 2:20 p.m.)
Venue:      Online briefing via ZOOM
Language: English
Capacity:   300 (on a first-come first-served basis by online registration)

Registration: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpceqsrzgjHNUG3hSXHi5pByK2PNvL55JM