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Canadian Student Participation in the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC )

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Key Information

1. Introduction

This year, the CSA will once again award grants to students who will be participating in the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC ) and in the activities organized by the International Space Education Board (ISEB), both to be hosted in Milan, Italy from to .

IAC is the International Astronautical Federation's (IAF) global space event representing an excellent gathering venue for all specialists within the space sector. As part of its commitment to support the development of the next generation of space professionals in Canada, the CSA invites Canadian post-secondary students to apply for a grant to participate in the congress.

In addition to attending IAC and participating in ISEB-coordinated activities, some of the selected applicants may also be invited to participate in the Space Generation Congress (SGC ), which will be hosted in Milan from to . This congress is organized by the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), a non-profit organization developing networks amongst university students, young space professionals, and alumni in the space industry in support of the United Nations Program on Space Applications. The number of students who will be offered the opportunity to participate in the SGC is subject to the number of seats allocated by the SGAC.

Applicants who are selected to receive a grant under this AO may also be offered internships or short-term employment opportunities within the CSA following their participation at IAC .

2. AO Objective

The objective of this AO is to support the development of the next generation of space professionals in Canada by providing Canadian students with the opportunity to learn about and be involved in the latest developments in space science and technology, develop their international networks, and present their research at a well-established and prestigious forum.

3. Eligibility criteria

In this section 3

3.1 Eligible Recipients

To be eligible for a grant under the IAC AO, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  1. Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
  2. Be enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary institution as a full-time student at the time of the event (IAC ); and
  3. Have submitted an abstract to IAF for a presentation (technical or poster) during IAC .

For more information on IAC and how to submit an abstract, consult the following website: IAC  - Call for Papers.

Please note that the applicant's presentation during IAC (subject to IAF acceptance) as well as the participation in all activities organized by ISEB will be mandatory for all students who will be selected by the CSA for a grant under this AO.

3.2 Links to CSA Priorities

The CSA supports the Canadian space sector to remain at the forefront of the new and evolving space environment. A steady pipeline of highly skilled workers is critical to sustaining Canada's leadership in a globally competitive space economy and unlocking the space sector's full potential. The CSA is committed to equipping Canadians with the information and tools they need to take full advantage and to excel in these jobs of the future.

3.3 Links to the Class G&C Program Objectives

Applications submitted under this AO must contribute to fostering the continuing development of a critical mass of highly qualified people in Canada in areas relevant to the priorities of the CSA.

4. How to apply

In this section 4

The applicant must read the following section carefully and follow all the steps indicated in order to ensure their application is completed and submitted successfully.

It is important to note that neither hand-delivered applications nor e-mailed applications will be accepted. Applicants are also asked not to send their application both electronically and by mail or courier service. In the event that an applicant fails to comply with this, only the latest valid version received will be considered.

The onus is on the applicant to ensure that their application is complete and that all documents, including the reference letter (if it is being sent separately), are uploaded or received by the CSA by , at 11:00 a.m. (ET). After the deadline, the CSA has no obligation to proceed with the evaluation and funding process. Incomplete or late applications may be refused.

4.1 Required documentation

A complete application must contain the following:

  • A completed application form (details in section 4.2) signed by the applicant. Electronic or scanned signatures will be accepted, however applicants must keep a hard copy of the original signed application form, as the CSA may require the original documents at a later date;
  • A copy of the applicant's proof of citizenship (such as a Canadian passport) or permanent resident card;
  • Proof of the student's full-time enrolment in a Canadian post-secondary institution at the time they submit the application (e.g. letter of attestation from the post-secondary institution, etc. Please note that the CSA may request additional proof of enrolment at a later date);
  • The applicant's curriculum vitae;
  • A reference letter (maximum of 1,000 words) from a professor that holds a faculty position at the applicant's post-secondary institution and who supervised the applicant and/or their research (please refer to Appendix B of this AO or section G of the application form for more detailed information);
  • A copy of the applicant's abstract submitted to IAF for a presentation (technical or poster) during IAC (for more information on how to submit an abstract, please visit IAC  - Call for Papers); and
  • A copy of IAF's response confirming the acceptance or refusal of the applicant's abstract.

4.2 Submitting an application electronically

In order to submit your application electronically, please follow these steps:

  1. Request the creation of an account by clicking on the Electronic Proposal Portal, ensuring that this is done at least 4 weeks before the application deadline. Please note that supported browsers are Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. You will then need to follow these steps to create your account:
    1. In the "Proposal title" field, please use the following naming convention: IAC  - APPLICANT LAST NAME - APPLICANT FIRST NAME.
    2. In the "Organization" section, under "Type", please ensure to select "I don't represent an organization (individual)".
    3. Allow up to 48 hours for the CSA to send you an email confirming your account creation as well as instructions (User Guides) and the appropriate links, including the link to the online application form.
  2. Using the password assigned to you by the CSA, access and complete the online application form. Please note that you may save the information entered and return at a later date, if required, but that you must finish the entire application process by the application deadline date, which is , at 11:00 a.m. (ET).
  3. Once you have completed the electronic application form, be sure to print a PDF before you click "submit".
  4. Sign the copy of your application form (electronic signature accepted) and combine it with the other required documentation into a single PDF-formatted file (searchable PDF (PDF/A-1a or PDF/A-2a formats preferred), with all security features disabled) and in the same order as listed in section 4.1 , with the only exception being the reference letter, which may be e-mailed separately by the professor (please see Appendix B of this AO for more detailed information). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that their submitted PDF file is accessible.
  5. Submit the completed application package electronically by logging into the secured portal to upload protected documents, using the password assigned to you by the CSA. Please refer to the User Guide for instructions on how to securely upload your documents.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Applicants are encouraged to create their account as soon as possible, as technical issues may arise. If technical issues cannot be resolved, applicants can submit their application by mail (refer to section 4.3). Applicants are strongly encouraged to upload their complete application well before the submission deadline. Please also see general instructions in section 4 regarding the application process.

The applicant must keep a copy of all the original application documents except for the reference letter.

4.3 Submitting an application by mail or using a recognized courier service

The applicant is encouraged to submit their application electronically following the instructions provided in section 4.2 of the AO. However, if the applicant is unable to submit their application electronically, please communicate with stim-stem@asc-csa.gc.ca no later than to obtain instructions on how to submit a paper application by mail or using a recognized courier service.

Applications by mail or using a recognized courier service must be received at the CSA no later than , at 11:00 a.m. (ET).

The onus is on the applicant to ensure that their application is complete and that all documents are received by the CSA within the prescribed deadline. The CSA is not responsible for any delays under any circumstances and may refuse applications that are received after the stipulated deadline.

5. Evaluation process

In this section 5

5.1 Eligibility

Applications will first be submitted to an eligibility assessment by the CSA to verify whether they comply with the eligibility criteria listed in Section 3 of the AO. Only applications that have passed the eligibility assessment will be given further consideration.

5.2 Evaluation by the CSA

Once the eligibility criteria are confirmed, the CSA's evaluators will assess the screened applications according to the criteria presented in Table 1 below. Applicants shall provide the appropriate documents, as indicated in the "Evidence" column and requested in Section 4.1 of the AO to demonstrate how each evaluation criterion is met. Only applications that obtain a total minimum score of 70% will be given further consideration.

Table 1. Definition and breakdown of evaluation criteria
Criteria
(weighting %)		 Indicators Evidence
Relevance of the applicant's experience and education to the Canadian space sector
(35%)
  • Professional and academic background of the applicant as well as achievements and other extracurricular activities that bear relevance to the Canadian space sector;
  • Experience in research, publication writing and/or professional experience that bears relevance to the space sector (including internships, work as a research assistant, etc.).
  • Factual examples provided in application form, section D;
  • Factual examples provided in reference letter in clearly identified sections;
  • Curriculum vitae.
Motivation to contribute to the Canadian space sector
(35%)
  • Applicant's expectations for participating in IAC and how their participation will positively impact their future contribution to the Canadian space sector;
  • Applicant's aspirations regarding pursuing studies or a career in Canada in a space-related discipline or in a discipline the space sector could benefit from in the future.
  • Factual examples provided in application form, section E;
  • Factual examples provided in reference letter in clearly identified sections.
Personal characteristics and interpersonal skills
(30%)
  • Professional, academic and/or extracurricular activities that demonstrate the applicant's leadership skills and ability to network;
  • Description of how the applicant's work as a student stands out.
  • Factual examples provided in application form, section F;
  • Factual examples provided in reference letter in clearly identified sections.

Notes:

  • The overall score, which is the total of the scores for each of the criteria, will be used to establish a ranking of applications.
  • The CSA may, at its sole discretion, reject any application that fails the evaluation.

5.3 Final selection

For the final selection, the CSA will first consider the applicants having the highest final scores. Due to limited funding, priority will be given to:

  • Students whose abstract has been selected by IAC and who have not previously been funded directly by the CSA to attend a conference. If an insufficient number of applications meet this prerequisite, then the CSA will also consider:
  • Students whose abstract has been selected by IAC and who have previously been funded directly by the CSA to attend a conference. If an insufficient number of applications meet this prerequisite, then the CSA will also consider:
  • Students whose abstract has not been selected by IAC and who have not previously been funded directly by the CSA to attend a conference.

Students may submit co-authored abstracts to receive a grant; however, the CSA will offer just one grant per abstract.

The CSA could also take factors such as a balanced grant distribution across Canada as well as a diversified representativeness among the four designated groups (women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visibility minorities) into consideration. The CSA encourages applicants to indicate, on a voluntary basis, if they belong to one or more of the designated groups. Please visit this site for a complete definition of each group.

Some of the selected students may have the opportunity to participate in SGC . The selection of these students will be based on the number of seats offered by SGAC and the highest-ranking score among selected and interested applicants. Applicants who are interested in participating in SGC must indicate so on their application form (section C).

Please note that the results from the IAC AO evaluation committee are final.

6. Service standards

Applicants will be notified by e-mail of decisions regarding their application. The CSA has set the following service standards for application processing times, including acknowledgements of receipt, funding decisions and payment procedures (see key dates).

Meeting these service standards is a shared responsibility. Applicants must provide all required documents at the right time.

7. Financing and eligible costs

In this section 7

7.1 Available Funding

The maximum amount for each grant is $4,200 for in-person attendance at IAC and activities organized by ISEB.

An additional $950 may be awarded to those who will also be selected to participate in SGC . While applicants are not obligated to indicate an interest in participating in SGC , it is deemed a prime opportunity for students to develop their networks with other students and young professionals. Applicants who are interested in participating in SGC must indicate so on their application form (section C).

The total budget for this AO should be sufficient to support the participation of approximately fourteen (14) students.

The CSA reserves the right to reject applications or to reduce the amount of a grant at its sole discretion.

7.2 Eligible Costs

The recipient must use the awarded grant to cover (partially or totally) the costs associated with the candidate's participation in IAC and, if applicable, in SGC . The funding should be used to cover the following expenses:

  • Accommodation and meal allowances;
  • Registration fees; and
  • Travel.

All other costs exceeding the CSA grant amount are entirely the recipient's responsibility. Applications with budgets considered to be inadequate or unreasonable will be rejected.

8. Grants agreement

In this section 8

8.1 Payment

The CSA and each successful applicant will sign a grant agreement. This condition must be met for the CSA to issue a payment.

Payment will be made in the form of a single payment, as indicated in the grant agreement that will be signed. Recipients undertake to inform the CSA in writing of any change in the conditions used to establish their eligibility for the grant.

8.2 Final report

The CSA will require that each recipient submit a report within 30 days following the end of IAC , using a template the CSA will make available in advance. Students who fail to submit their report in a timely manner may no longer be offered the possibility of obtaining an internship at the CSA.

9. Confidentiality

The CSA will manage and protect information provided by applicants under the  Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act. By submitting personal information, the applicant consents to its collection, use and disclosure in accordance with the following Confidentiality Statement, which explains how information on applicants is handled.

By submitting an application, the applicant authorizes the CSA to undertake any consultation or verification, in particular but not exclusively with other government departments, agencies and organizations in order to obtain any useful information in assessing the application, and it agrees to have the contacted parties disclose any requested information.

This information is collected under the authority of the CSA Class G&C Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology - Awareness and Learning Component (ASC PPU 040). This information will be used for administrative purposes and for the evaluation of applications. Personal information (such as name, contact information and biographical information) will be stored for six years, then destroyed. Under the Privacy Act, any individual, upon request, may

  1. be given access to his/her/their data; and
  2. have incorrect information corrected or add a note.

Applicants shall also note that information relative to the funding agreement will be publicly disclosed under Government of Canada legislation, policies and directives.

For additional information on privacy matters prior to submitting an application, please contact:

Office of Access to Information and Privacy
Canadian Space Agency
Tel.: (514) 378-6174
Email: aiprp-atip@asc-csa.gc.ca

10. Additional information

Recipients are advised to contact their insurers (travel, medical, and others) in order to verify their coverage with respect to foreign travel and participation in IAC . The CSA provides no protection in this regard.

Recipients are also advised to ensure that they have in their possession all the documents needed (valid passport or visa, if applicable) and that their documents meet the country's entry/exit requirements. For more details, go to the Government of Canada Travel website.

It is the sole responsibility of the recipient to plan and book their travel arrangements, both internationally and locally. Please visit the IAC official website for more detailed information regarding accommodation and the IAC program.

11. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Should the need arise, it is up to applicants to obtain clarification regarding the requirements contained in this opportunity before applying.

For all questions, applicants must use this generic e-mail address: stim-stem@asc-csa.gc.ca. Questions and their answers will be posted on the CSA website under the "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)" section of this AO. The CSA will not answer questions received after .

  • Question 1: I am currently participating in another selection process (CSA AO) that may require me to participate in an event at the same time as IAC . If I were to be selected for both of the AOs in question, could I take a temporary leave of absence from the other initiative to attend IAC ?

    Answer 1: The CSA expects that applicants who are selected and supported financially through a grant participate fully in the initiative for which they were selected.

    Given that your participation in either event is not yet confirmed, we encourage you to apply for an IAC grant. In the event that you are selected under both AOs, the CSA may ask you to choose between the two opportunities.

  • Question 2: My research partner and I are both interested in applying for a grant under this AO. Since we collaborated on the same paper, are we allowed to submit the same abstract in our applications?

    Answer 2: As stipulated in section 5.3 of the AO, students may submit co-authored abstracts to receive a grant; however, the CSA will offer just one grant per abstract.

  • Question 3: Section 5.3 of the AO mentions that students may submit co-authored abstracts to receive a grant; however the CSA will offer just one grant per abstract. If my research partner and I co-authored our abstract, we were wondering if the CSA grant can be split between both co-authors?

    Answer 3: No. In the event that either you or your research partner are awarded a CSA grant, the grant cannot be shared with any other individual.

  • Question 4: I recently obtained my bachelor's degree (during which I was studying full-time) and I will begin my master's degree in fall (where I will also be studying full-time). Would it be possible to consider my application even if I am not enrolled in a Canadian university as a full-time student at the time I submit my application?

    Answer 4: As stated in section 3.1 of this AO, applicants must be enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary institution as a full-time student at the time of the event (IAC ). You will therefore need to provide proof that you will be enrolled full-time at a Canadian institution at the time of the event.

  • Question 5: The AO states that the applicant must provide A copy of IAF's response confirming the acceptance or refusal of the applicant's abstract. Since the IAF has not yet made a decision regarding my abstract, may I submit a screen capture from the IAF website showing that the abstract is currently under review?

    Answer 5: No. As outlined in section 4.1 of the AO, you must provide a copy of IAF's response confirming the acceptance or refusal of your abstract in order to be deemed eligible under this AO. The IAF does not typically send their response before the end of April. We therefore recommend that you wait to receive a response from the IAF before submitting an application under this AO.

  • Question 6: I am concurrently completing two Ph.D. at two different universities, one in Canada and one in US The one in U.S. is more linked to space domain and it is where the research presented in the abstract submitted to IAC has been carried out. Should the reference letter be written by the Canadian faculty or a letter from a U.S. faculty will also be taken into consideration?

    Answer 6: The CSA expects to receive a reference letter from a professor who holds a faculty position in a university where the applicant is registered full time (supporting evidence required). Additionally, the content of the reference letter should clearly demonstrate how the student meets, amongst others, the following evaluation criteria:

    1. Relevance of the applicant's experience and education to the Canadian space sector,
    2. Motivation to contribute to the Canadian space sector, and
    3. Personal characteristics and interpersonal skills.
  • Question 7: Under this AO, will acceptance by SGAC in place of IAF be accepted for students selected to present their results as part of the ACHIEVED Competition?

    Answer 7: As stipulated in section 3 of this AO, to be eligible, students must have submitted an abstract to IAF for a presentation (technical or poster) during IAC . In addition, the required documentation in section 4.1 must be provided as part of a complete application package.

Appendix A: Symposium E2

Symposium E2 is an international student competition hosted at IAC in which undergraduate and graduate level students (no more than 28 years of age at the time of the competition) present technical papers on any project in space sciences, industry or technology.

For more information on the Symposium E2 and how to apply for this and other sessions at IAC, please review the information provided on the IAF website.

Appendix B: Reference Letter Format

The reference letter must not be longer than 1,000 words and must be written by a professor that holds a faculty position at the applicant's post-secondary institution and who supervised the applicant and/or their research. It should include factual examples that demonstrate how the applicant meets the evaluation criteria presented in section 5.2 of the AO. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the professor clearly identifies the following three (3) section in their letter:

  1. Relevance of the applicant's experience and education to the Canadian space sector
    • Description, with clear examples, of the applicant's work experience (including research experience and experience in publication writing), awards, and/or achievements and how they bear relevance to the Canadian space sector
  2. Motivation to contribute to the Canadian space sector
    • Description, with clear examples, of how the applicant's participation in the event will positively impact their future contribution to the Canadian space sector.
  3. Personal characteristics and interpersonal skills
    • Description, with clear examples, of how the applicant's work as a student stands out and surpasses expectations.
    • Clear examples of situations (professional, academic and/or extracurricular activities) in which the applicant's leadership skills and ability to network were demonstrated.

The reference letter must either be included in the PDF file that the candidate will submit, or be sent separately and electronically by the professor to the CSA at stim-stem@asc-csa.gc.ca (the email subject must respect the following naming convention: IAC -APPLICANT LAST NAME-APPLICANT FIRST NAME) before the application deadline date.

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