Research Networking Event Grants
Call for Proposals
Overview
McCAIS is excited to announce a new funding program to expand AI-related networking event opportunities for the McGill community, with a special focus on enabling interdisciplinary research related to the use of AI in benefitting Society. This program aims to address the strong demand for increased networking events, as highlighted during the McCAIS Symposium by faculty members and students alike.
Purpose
The goal of this program is to foster research collaboration, knowledge dissemination, and stakeholder engagement within the McGill AI ecosystem by supporting innovative networking events that bring together faculty members and their research teams from different domains. We especially encourage proposals that explore the interdisciplinary intersections of AI with various domains including but not limited to ethics, law, healthcare, education, and art.
Funding and Support
This year, McCAIS has allocated a budget to approve and support multiple half-day networking events. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis. Successful proposals will receive:
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Financial support for event execution.
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Logistical support, including venue arrangements, promotion, and coordination.
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Advisory support from the McCAIS team.
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Opportunity to apply off-cycle to the McCAIS Interdisciplinary Research Development (IRD) Awards program, following the networking event.
Eligibility & Guidelines
We invite proposals from all faculty members of the McGill community.
Proposals should include the following details:
- Event Title and Description: A concise overview of the proposed event and how the event will contribute to interdisciplinary AI networking and research engagement (2-4 paragraphs).
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Target Audience: Who is the targeted population/audience of McGill researchers. The audience/invited participants of the event must include members of at least 2 research disciplines. Applicants are strongly encouraged to emphasize seeding of new communities over maintaining existing.
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Event Format and Structure: Outline of the agenda, speakers, panel discussions, or networking sessions.
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Proposed Date and Venue: Suggested timing and location. Note: Events must be no earlier than 90 days following the date of application, to allow sufficient time for application processing and review.
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Budget Breakdown: Estimated costs for logistics, materials, and any additional requirements. The maximum budget is $1,000. If the planned budget is above the maximum amount, please provide the source for additional funding. You may be able to combine the support from McCAIS with external funding. If you plan to do so, please contact us early for additional details.
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Team and Responsibilities: Contact details of key organizers and their roles.
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Impact and Expected Output: Knowledge dissemination format following the event (e.g., white paper, guideline summary, advisory report, grant writing etc.).
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EDI consideration within research (if applicable) and team members.
Submission Guidelines:
Proposals should be no more than 3-pages in length and sent in PDF format to mccais.science [at] mcgill.ca . Please write in the subject line “Proposal Form - Research Networking Event Grants”.
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
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Relevance to use of AI for benefit of Society– Alignment with the McCAIS mission.
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Interdisciplinary Engagement – Inclusion of diverse academic and societal perspectives.
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Innovation – Creativity and potential for fostering meaningful new connections.
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Feasibility and Execution Plan – Practicality and resource allocation (support up to $1,000).
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Inclusivity and Diversity – Efforts to include underrepresented groups in AI and society discussions.
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Impact and expected outcomes – Extent to which explicit and actionable deliverables will result (e.g., report/white paper within one month of networking event, application to CIHR or SSHRC Impact programs, etc.)
Review Process
A dedicated review committee led by the McCAIS Leadership Group will evaluate submissions on a rolling basis. Successful applicants will be notified within 21 business days.
Contact Information
For inquiries or additional information, please contact us at mccais.science [at] mcgill.ca .
