Timelines

The timeline for applications to this theme will differ slightly from the standard award as follows:

• Completed Declaration of Intent forms should be submitted by Monday, 12th January 2026.
• Applications must be completed online, and submitted no later than Monday, 9th February 2026. Late applications will not be considered.

Announcements of shortlisted and successful projects will fall in line with the standard timeline and all other TRDA rules apply.

If you have any questions related to this theme, you are encouraged to direct them to Amanda Mathieson at amanda.mathieson@tcd.ie

Evaluation Scheme for Applications

The purpose of the scheme is fourfold. First, it is aimed at rewarding and encouraging research excellence; second, it strives to foster innovative, cross-disciplinary research partnerships and build capacity; third it is aimed at ensuring that Trinity can attract the very best PhD students; and fourth, it seeks to enhance our local and global social and sustainability ambitions delivering multi-disciplinary solutions. The evaluation scheme for applications, detailed below, reflects these broad policy concerns.

Applicants for a Trinity Research Doctorate Award supporting Group-Based Research Projects will be asked to submit:

i. A detailed statement of the proposal in question (max 1,500 words)

In this section, applicants should outline their proposal in more detail in the style appropriate to their interdisciplinary proposal. They should describe why their proposal fits the chosen theme:  

• • Nature-based Solutions for Climate Challenges

The evaluation panels are particularly concerned with (a) the innovative nature of the proposal and its overall significance in addressing complex questions and challenges requiring multi-/interdisciplinary solutions, and (b) the potential for research outputs and impact arising from the proposal. 

Note: It will be a requirement to evidence consideration has been given to the project’s contribution towards enhancing our local and global social and sustainability ambitions. Due to character restrictions in MS Forms, please upload your proposal in a .pdf format not exceeding 1,500 words. Please include the title of the project proposal and name of the lead PI in the header of the document.

ii. A lay abstract of the proposal in question (max 400 words). 
Applicants should be conscious that it is entirely possible that their proposal will be reviewed at all stages by someone who is not located in their disciplines or familiar with their field of research. If the proposal moves to the second stage of evaluation listed below, it will be reviewed by academics from all three faculties. The lay abstract should ensure that the proposal is comprehensible and accessible to people who have no knowledge of the relevant fields and evidence consideration has been given to the project’s contribution towards enhancing our local and global social and sustainability ambitions.

iii. A statement (max 800 words) of the the multi-/interdisciplinary approaches within the research proposal and how these will interact in a balanced, inclusive way to address the identified research goal including the integration of the gender dimension in the multi-/interdisciplinary R&I content. One of the policy imperatives behind this award scheme is to support and build capacity for interdisciplinary research required to address complex questions and challenges. The ideal is that these awards can facilitate Trinity academic staff to experience multi-/interdisciplinary research and participate in consortia to win further externally secured funding of scale, such as Horizon Europe. Thus, applicants are asked to outline in this section how their proposal aligns with this policy imperative. Due to character restrictions in MS Forms, please upload your response in a .pdf format not exceeding 800 words. Please include the title of the project proposal and name of the lead PI in the header of the document. 

iv. The role of and impact for the students (max 400 words). In this section, applicants should focus on the way students funded under this award will be involved in the multi-/interdisciplinary project and the extent to which such involvement will be of benefit to them beyond merely funding their PhD study. The proposal should also present the plan to address the additional needs for students working in interdisciplinary contexts.

v. A statement of current and future (over the next five years) research funding plans for the project (max 200 words). This information is sought for two reasons. First, reviewers may consider it as one of the many relevant factors in assessing the degree of impact that an award may have on an applicant’s career. Second, some projects will involve significant infrastructural or consumable costs that cannot be covered under the scheme, and it is important, in deciding on such an application, that the evaluation panel is confident that this additional funding is in place.

Evaluation Criteria

The applications will be scored out of a total of 100 marks and allocated across four categories as follows:

1. 30 marks for the quality of research design, methodology and feasibility.
2. 30 marks for research impact including overall significance, degree of innovation of the project, and engagement. It will be a requirement to evidence consideration has been given to the project’s contribution towards enhancing our local and global social and sustainability ambitions, coupled with a considered communication and dissemination strategy (internal and external to TCD) which includes participation by the PhD students.
3. 20 marks for the ability and track-record of the PI/Co-PI team to address the research proposal as presented, noting that a balanced approach to the team construction is expected, and plans to build capacity and interdisciplinarity. There will be a requirement for evidence of the inherent multi-/interdisciplinary approaches within the research proposal and how these will interact in a balanced, inclusive way to address the identified research goal including the integration of the gender dimension in the multi-/interdisciplinary R&I content.
4. 20 marks for evidence related to the impact of an award on each student’s research trajectory and how this will be supported through the interdisciplinary supervision process, showcasing elements of innovation within the doctoral training of the interdisciplinary PhD cohort. Applications should also include a description of the proposed PhD recruitment/joint-supervisory mechanisms, a rationale for suggested supervisory pairings and a supervision development plan where appropriate. Applications that demonstrate a proposed spread of student registrations across Schools and Faculties will be considered favourably in the evaluation process. 

Evaluation Process

The evaluation process operates on two stages:

1. In the first stage, each completed application will be reviewed by at least one external assessor who has a balanced span of expertise relevant to the research proposal and who will advise on applications to be shortlisted to proceed to the second stage. External assessors will be identified based on each Declaration of Intent submitted, in consultation with Heads of School.
2. In the second stage, shortlisted applications will be evaluated by a panel chaired by the Dean of Graduate Studies including the Dean of Research, the Faculty Deans among others and an external assessor appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies. The decisions as to which applications will receive the Trinity Research Doctorate Awards is at the sole discretion of this committee whose decision on the matter is final.

All lead-PI applicants will be contacted by the Dean of Graduate Studies at the end of the evaluation process and will receive written feedback in relation to their application.

Process Following a Successful Application

Successful applicants may, immediately after being notified of their success, start to recruit PhD students to be funded under their grant. PIs are encouraged to advertise as widely as possible.

Responsibility for the recruitment of the PhD students to a particular project lies with the PIs/Co-PIs on the project (subject to the fact that discretion as to whether to admit any student to the PhD register rests with the relevant department/school and ultimately with the Dean of Graduate Studies). Awards may not be split across students. However, where a student who has been recruited to the project is, for whatever reason, unable to continue to be in receipt of such funding, the Lead-PI may seek permission from the Dean of Graduate Studies to recruit another PhD student. If a PI is unable to continue to work with the student (for example if the PI leaves the university), then the funding will remain with the student and the School may transfer them to a new supervisor.

In the highly unlikely event that a successful team of PIs/Co-PIs is unable to recruit all or any of the PhD students to the project in question then the lead-PI may apply to the Dean of Graduate Studies to defer recruitment for one year. The decision as to whether or not to do so rests with the Dean. For the avoidance of doubt, the operation of the Trinity Research Doctorate Award scheme is distinct from and does not affect any other funding schemes within the university (for example Gratton, Hamilton, Kinsella Challenge-based Awards etc).

Obligations of Successful Applicants

Successful applicants will be expected to report annually outlining the progress of the research project and work with Trinity Development & Alumni and Trinity Communications to support interested alumni and support research student developments within the University. Award recipients (student + PI/supervisor) will be required to participate in the pilot Supervisor-Student Agreement protocol, and all named PIs/Co-PIs will be expected to engage with supervision enhancement opportunities over the course of the four years.