On 25 October, Kyoto University Research Administration Office (KURA) and the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO), whose executive office is in Strasburg, France, co-hosted a briefing session on the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP). The event was supported by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and held at the University's Research Administration Building. Twenty-eight researchers, including 11 from non-KU organizations in the Kansai region, attended.
HFSPO Deputy Secretary General Hideki Mizuma first gave an overview of the program, including the recent trend among Japanese applicants. Director of Research Grants Geoff Richards then introduced some of the notable features of HFSP, such as a focus on a highly specialized group of applicants with “interdisciplinarity” and “novelty”. He also discussed several points regarding research grant applications, showing examples of “good ideas” and “bad ideas”.
Finally, Professor Yasunori Hayashi of the Graduate School of Medicine, a former HFSP grant awardee, talked about the trials and errors he had undergone in the application and selection process and in his research. Now a reviewer for HFSP, he also explained the screening process in detail.
The Q and A session provided the attendees with an opportunity to learn about the specifics of the application and selection process, including the meaning of the “independent position” as an eligibility requirement.
KURA intends to continue supporting applicants for overseas funding programs, including HFSP, which is considered one of the most competitive.
From left: Deputy Secretary General Mizuma, Director Richards, and Professor Hayashi
Briefing on the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)
