SPUR 5 Bidding for Success: Early Career Funding Opportunities 24 th January 2014 Mandy Donoghue Research Development Manager (RBI) RBI - Research, Business and Innovation

Funding sources Research Councils AHRC – Arts and Humanities Research Council BBSRC – Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council EPSRC – Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council ESRC – Economic and Social Research Council MRC – Medical Research Council NERC – Natural Environment Research Council

Funding sources Some examples of other funders British Academy (Humanities and Social Sciences) Innovation Vouchers – TSB (for business to gain knowledge from academics to innovate and grow) Leverhulme Trust (all subject areas except Education and Medicine) Nuffield Foundation (education and social policy) Wellcome Trust (Health and Medical, but have particular themes/strands such as Medical Ethics etc.)

Types of Early Career Funding Fellowships: Post-doc and Early Career New Investigator Future Research Leaders Awards Grants: Including early career routes (higher success rates)

Fellowships AHRC Fellowship Scheme – Early Career Route equip those with outstanding potential to lead future research agendas at least 2 years post-doc experience Fellowships enables the production of high-quality innovative research that moves significantly beyond doctoral projects Enables the development of research management skills Can include a range of activities including Knowledge Exchange Covers mentoring and training and development costs Should also have a track record of research publications and/or other research outputs as appropriate 6-24 months, £50k-£250k, no fixed deadline BBSRC Returners to Research Fellowship For STEM scientists to return to work after a career break of 2 or more years for family, caring or health reasons P/T fellowship over 2 years with tailored training programme designed to update skills and knowledge 2 application routes – either identify a research area and uni host, or apply for an advertised sponsored fellowship (posted on DJT website) No fixed deadline date More info via Daphne Jackson Trust website

Fellowships cont. … British Academy Post-doc Fellowship strengthen experience of research and teaching in a university environment to develop CV/improve prospects of permanent post by the end of the Fellowship primary emphasis is on completion of a significant piece of publishable research within 3 years of PhD award two-stage selection process – first deadline usually in October EPSRC Fellowships PhD or equivalent research experience no eligibility rules based on years of post-doc experience or holding permanent academic position no fixed deadline

Fellowships cont. … Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships Offers 50% match-funded salary costs for three-years, up to max of £23k pa – also annual sum of £6k for research activity enables early career researchers to undertake a significant piece of publishable work Must hold PhD or equivalent experience by award take-up Should be no more than 5 years from PhD award (to scheme closing date) should not have held an established academic appointment Priority given to applicants who show evidence of mobility in academic career to date Up to 3 yrs, deadline 6 March 2014 NERC Independent Research Fellowships Enables outstanding environmental scientists to develop research, build research group and develop international standing Should not hold a permanent academic position Should expect to submit PhD thesis before the fellowship interview (April after closing date) Fellowship award can only be taken up on institutional confirmation that PhD award will be made Maximum 8 years F/T post-doc experience from PhD certificate date to closing date of competition PIs only, no Co-Is to be included Up to 2 years of the fellowship can be spent at a collaborative institution in UK or overseas 5 years, no maximum amount dictated, October deadline

Awards BBSRC New Investigator Scheme newly employed staff (lecturer level) - help to secure first major funds No more than 3 years F/T employment (or equivalent with career breaks) at lecturer/equivalent level to application date not previously a PI no fixed deadline ESRC Future Research Leaders Outstanding early career researchers max. 4yrs academic research experience after PhD submission (or equivalent) not previously a PI £312,500, max 3yrs October deadline

Research Grants AHRC Research Grant – early career well-defined research projects enabling individual researchers to collaborate with, and bring benefits to, other individuals and organisations through research must include a PI and at least one Co-I jointly involved in the development of the proposal, leadership and management, leading to significant jointly authored research outputs Can’t have held a PI role previously £50,000 - £250,000, up to 60 months at the point of application you must either be:  within 8 years of PhD award, or equivalent professional training, or  within 6 years of first academic appointment EPSRC First Grant Scheme appointed to first academic lecturing post in a UK university within the previous 36 months or, still be within probation period completion of PhD or equivalent professional qualification within last 10 years ineligible if holding a purely research-based appointment or employed wholly by a research council £125,000, up to 2 years, open deadline NERC New Investigator Grants PI must be employed by a UK institution Within 3 years of Lectureship appointment and should not have held PI position before Can include Co-Is January and July closing dates

Criteria overview CriteriaFellowshipsAwardsGrants Career stageUsually between 2-8yrs post-doc experience/PhD award Usually between 3-5 years experience at post-doc level/in post Usually between 3-10 years experience post doc level/in post Employment statusExpectation that you do not/have not held an established academic position Usually for newly employed academic staff Usually within 18 months – 3 years of academic appointment Project experienceShould not have held a PI position on a project More of a team/collaborative project (inclusion of Co-Is) Funding lengthUsually between 2-5years but shorter term fellowships (6-24 months) available Usually around 3-5 years Usually around 2-5 years Funding amountUsually based on salary scale Range between £50k-£250k

Bidding Process Finance Business Systems (FBS) Finance Business Systems (FBS) Joint Electronic Submission System (JeS) Joint Electronic Submission System (JeS) Project Approval System (PASS) Project Approval System (PASS) Internal Peer Review Process (RC bids only) Faculty Research Office – Contacts: ACE/FET – HAS/FBL – Finance Team (bidding) FBS – RBI – (ACE and wider support for arts/hums/ss applications) (HAS) (FET) (FBL)