early career fellowships february 2010 paula gurteen sue hopcroft humanities & social sciences...

Early Career Fellowships

February 2010

Paula GurteenSue Hopcroft

Humanities & Social Sciences Research Centre

Humanities & Social Sciences Research Centre

The HSSRC facilitates interdisciplinary research across the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, encouraging and enhancing research synergy among scholars both

within the University and in the wider academic community.

www.nottingham.ac.uk/hssrc

HSSRC key functions• To provide support and advice on building individual

research profiles and research planning.• To provide specialised support for the development of

research projects. • To open up research to a wider arena of institutes,

agencies and business and facilitate external partnerships and knowledge transfer activities.

• To foster large scale, collaborative and interdisciplinary research networks and programmes. To provide intelligence on shifts in the regional, national and international research landscape.

• To provide knowledge and guidance on the University’s research strategy.

• To support and promote conferences, colloquia and lectures.

HSSRC staff

• Research & Business Development Staff

Support the development of research applications, as well as collaborations within and beyond academia

• Funding Staff

Provide costing advice, administrative support and guidance in submitting research grant applications

Research and Business Development Officers

Faculty of Social SciencesRosamund Aubrey: (rosamund.aubrey@nottingham.ac.uk, ext: 14881)

Paula Gurteen: (paula.gurteen@nottingham.ac.uk, ext: 13074)

Faculty of ArtsSue Hopcroft: (sue.hopcroft@nottingham.ac.uk, ext 16039)Lisa McCabe: (lisa.mccabe@nottingham.ac.uk, ext 68345)

HSSRC funding office

Research Funding Officer - Laura Pearson

(laura.pearson@nottingham.ac.uk, ext: 14832)

Early Career Fellowships

• What are Early Career Fellowships? – Consolidation and building of research track record– Usually 1-3 years in duration– Often require involvement of a mentor to support the

transition to an academic career– Cover the costs of your salary and some (modest)

research expenses• General Considerations:

– When to apply – Whether to apply– The importance of finding the right mentor– Which scheme to apply to?

Early Career Fellowships

Key Funding Schemes in the Arts & Social Sciences:

• Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

• AHRC Fellowships (Early Career)

• ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships

• British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

• Career development for researchers with proven record of research

• To assist those at a relatively early stage in academic careers

• Hoped to lead to a more permanent position

• To undertake a significant piece of publishable research. Project should not be a reworking or extension of the candidate’s doctoral research project

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Subject areas:

Leverhulme covers all disciplines, but places special weight on:

• Originality of projects• Judging and taking of appropriate risk in research• The removal of barriers between traditional disciplines

If you plan to apply to the Leverhulme, go to them first

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Eligibility – candidates must:

• Normally under 35 years of age

• Not yet held a full-time established academic post

• Hold a doctorate or equivalent research experience

• Normally hold a degree from a UK HEI

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

• Duration: 24 or 36 months (part-time possible, if appropriate)

• Must commence between 1 September 2010 and 1 May 2011

• Requests for a 3-year post should give explicit justification for why this is necessary in the detailed statement of their proposed research

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Considerations:

• Slightly broader scheme that encompasses a wider definition of ‘early career’ – if just finishing PhD, may be competing against post-docs with some experience

• Very competitive scheme

• Whether to move Institution

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Considerations:

• Need to demonstrate support from the host department, including a commitment to 50% match fund (UoN automatically provides half of this)

• May be internal sifting process at the HEI

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Putting an application together:

• Give yourself several months to develop and hone your application, and seek advice from others

• Discuss your application with the proposed department

• Read scheme leaflet (http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/grants_awards/grants/early_career_fellowships/Leaflet2010)

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Putting an application together:

• Read Director’s note (http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/about/note_from_director/note_from_director.pdf)

• Abstract must be understood by non-specialist

• Detailed account of proposed research required

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Application procedure:

• Leverhulme electronic on-line application system via www.leverhulme.ac.uk

• Applications must be approved and submitted to the Trust by the University by 4.00pm, 11 March 2010

• Institutional approval is required both from the head of the host department and from an administrative officer on behalf of the host institution

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Application procedure:

• Nominated referees to provide references via the on-line system

• Results by end of May 2010

• 70 Fellowships likely in this round

• Trust recommends submission to HEI at least 5 working days before deadline

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Internal procedure:

• Check specific requirements of proposed host department

• To enable HSSRC support with content – drafts by 15 February, if possible

• To all plenty of time for finalisation of costs – completed applications to laura.pearson@nottingham.ac.uk by 1 March, if possible

AHRC Fellowship (Early Career)

• Route for ECRs, which provides mentoring and career development support

• To take forward new avenues of research developed since completion of PhD or to pursue new research directions which have evolved from PhD research

• New scheme – rolling open deadline.

• 50% - 100% time funded, over periods of up to 9 months

AHRC Fellowship (Early Career)

Eligibility:• At the time of application, applicants must have either a

contract of employment with the HEI in place for the duration of the award or an assurance from the submitting institution that, if the proposal is successful, a contract of employment will be given that covers the period of the award.

• Applicants on full-time or part-time contracts may apply.

• Applicants should be actively engaged in research and be of postdoctoral standing.

AHRC Fellowship (Early Career)

In addition you must at the point of application be either:

•within eight years of the award of your PhD or equivalent professional training or•within six years of your first academic appointment

and:

•have at least a year of post-doctoral experience in an academic/research environment or to have an equivalent level of professional/practice experience of direct relevance to the proposed research

AHRC Fellowship (Early Career)

How to apply:• Applications are made via the online Je-S system

https://je-s.rcuk.ac.uk/

• Scheme operates with open deadlines

• Statements of support are required from proposed mentor and the Head of Department

• Alert your School and HSSRC as soon as possible if you plan to apply

UoN Early Career Research & Knowledge Transfer scheme

• Provides pump-priming funding for high quality research, leading to an external grant application

• Targeted at those within 6 years of completion of PhD and who have not previously been PI on a research award

• Up to 12 months funding

• Must generate high impact publications or other significant outcomes

CAS Post-Doctoral Bursaries

• For early career researchers whose work complements any area of Arts and Social Sciences research

• About career development and positioning for success

• Next deadline will be announced in March for bursaries during 2010/2011

• Duration likely to be up to 12 months

ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Open Call (but expect a gap of up to 6 months between applying and the start date)

• Subject Areas: ESRC covers all areas of economic and social sciences. – Crossover with the AHRC.

• The focus of the ESRC PDF (unlike other schemes) is not on conducting new research. – Consolidating PhD work– Training and career development– Improving publications record– Developing funding applications for future work

ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships

Key information:• Fellowship duration is 1 year (2 years in priority subjects)• You should have an identified mentor who will support the

Fellowship throughout. – Should not be your PhD supervisor.

• You need to demonstrate support from the host department.• You will need to justify staying at the same institution where

you conducted your PhD.• Think about impact and dissemination in planning your

application. • Cut down on complex terminology wherever possible!• Give yourself several months to develop and hone your

application, and seek advice from others.

ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Success rate 2008-09 13% (12 awards)• Previous successful application titles:

An investigation into approach/avoid responses in confabulatory patientsFlexibility of Personal Space and the Body Schema - Role of Haptic Feedback on Body Representation  Blood,biobanks and mutuality Sonic culture: Geographies of sound, technology and society TRIPS network, public health and developing states Household finances and housing wealth

How to apply• Applications are made via the online JeS system

https://je-s.rcuk.ac.uk/• Both applicant and mentor should have access

to the form.• The application must be approved by Head of

School and RIS before they can be submitted onwards to the ESRC.

• Alert your School and HSSRC as soon as possible if you plan to apply and leave plenty of time before the closing date to allow for administrative procedures to be completed.

British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Next deadline is likely to be in November 2010.• Subject Areas: The British Academy funds all

areas within the Humanities and Social Sciences.– Note: there is a crossover between BA and Royal

Society on the more scientific end of the spectrum (e.g., Psychology); contact the BA before applying if in doubt.

• Funds around 45 Fellowships per year, with a 6% success rate (around 700 applications)

British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships

Key information:• Fellowship duration is 3 years.• Applications are a two-stage process, with the outline

submitted in November and then selected applications taken to full application stage & submitted in March.

• For applications submitted in November 2010, Fellowships will start from September 2011, so bear that in mind when considering when to apply.

• Expects that you identify a mentor to support you throughout the Fellowship (to devote 1 hour per month to this).

• Expects you to carry out a significant piece of research.• You need to demonstrate support from the host department,• Give yourself several months to develop and hone your

application, and seek advice from others.

British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Previous successful application titles:The Genetic and Environmental Underpinnings of Over- and Under-Achievement among UK School Children; Preparing the UK for the Offshored Economy: Facts, Theory and Policy; An Anthropological Study of Public and Private Morality and Moral Authority among Muslim Communities in Lebanon; The Glass Industry of Mycenaean Greece: Technology, Production and Economy at Palatial Thebes and Beyond, c.1400–1200BC ; The Impact of Negative Life Events on Children’s Antisocial Behaviour ; Evaluation of Paradigms for Assessing Individual Differences in, and Validating Trait Measures of, Reward-Reactivity

How to apply• Applications are made via the BA’s new electronic

system, e-GAP, accessed via the website:

www.britac.ac.uk• Your application will need to be approved by the

University’s research office (RIS) before it goes to the British Academy, so ensure you allow time for this process.

• Alert your School and HSSRC as soon as possible if you plan to apply and leave plenty of time before the closing date to allow for administrative procedures to be completed.

Developing a Fellowship Application• Talk to your School

– It is crucial that you gain support from your School in putting in your application.

• Send your proposal to others: your supervisor, other academics (esp. those who have previously gained similar funding) and peers, for feedback on:– Clarity of language and terms– Academic content– Whether the proposal fits the scheme (i.e., timescale,

realistic timetable, research outputs etc.)

Support in developing your application• At the HSSRC, we can support you in:

– Advising on the best funding schemes to apply for

– Reading proposal drafts and providing feedback (please provide us with drafts well in advance of deadlines for this purpose)

– Answering queries on specific aspects of the scheme

– Providing examples of previous successful applications

– Providing support in costing proposals and gaining institutional approvals and signatures

– N.B. The above applies for fellowship proposals to be held at Nottingham.

Alternatives• Think carefully before applying:

– Is the time right? Might you be better off applying next year (esp. if you have publications in the pipeline or if there is doubt about your PhD award date)?

– Is the project right? Is the work you propose a fit with your track record and with the funders’ priorities?

– Does the amount of time and resources you need to complete your proposed work fit your chosen funder and scheme?

– Have you got access to the appropriate academic support? Is the research environment optimal for the project and for your career development?

Other Types of Funding

For discrete research projects:

• The BA offers a small grants scheme: up to £7.5k for discrete research projects.

• The ESRC offers a small grants scheme in responsive mode which is open to post-doctoral researchers. Up to £100k FEC.

Other types of Funding

• The ESRC offers a first grants scheme with an annual deadline for a significant piece of research. Up to £400k FEC.

• The AHRC offers a project grant with a specific early career route. Up to £200k, FEC.

• Consider carefully what you want the next step in your research career to be.