IAS Workshop:
European Funding &
Application Development
Agenda
11am
11:15am
11:40am
12pm
Tea & Coffee
Introduction to EU Funding – Nikki Muckle
Preparing and ERC application – John Burden
ERC Case Study – Dr Theo Karavasilis
12:30- 1:20pm
LUNCH
1:20pm
1:50pm
2:40pm
Leverhume Fellowship Case Study – Dr Wehling Giorgi
Track Record analysis
Lay Summary review
3:15 – 3:30pm
Tea & Coffee
3:30pm
4pm
What makes a good proposal?
Career Development Plan
Making the Most of a Good Idea
Here’s all the
minute details
I’m not
sure….
.
Blah,
blah
Ramble, ramble
I was thinking,
this may be a
good idea, but
don’t worry if
it’s not your cup
of tea
Possibly
this might
work
Maybe I
could…
Have I told
you what
my
colleague is
doing
GOOD IDEA
Track Record – Part 1
Read through the handout and in pairs
write down responses to each of the
following questions:
1. What do you like about this track
record?
2. What would you do differently?
3. What is this person’s key strength?
4. On a scale of 1-10 how confident are
you that this person is a top early
career researcher? Why/Why not?
Track Record – Part 2
In pairs discuss and prepare responses
to the following:
1. Compared to the first track record,
which format do you prefer and why?
2. How helpful is Version B in determining
whether the candidate is a successful
researcher? Why?
3. What would you want to see in this
document to help your assessment of
the candidate?
Track Record – Part 3
1. Go through the text and highlight the
wording that helps convey the
candidate’s credibility regarding his
achievements.
2. Which of the 3 documents is the most
helpful in helping you to assess the
candidate’s capability to successfully
lead a research project?
Making the Most of Your Past
1 applicant, 3 versions of the truth!
•
•
•
•
Substantiate your claims
Provide evidence of achievements
Convey progression and diversity
Don’t make the reviewer work hard
Lay Summary
Read the Lay Summary A and mark it with a score
from 1-5 for each of the following criteria.
Repeat for Summary B:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Clarity of the research aim
Novelty of the work
Justification for the research
Expected benefit of the work
Your confidence in the researcher to achieve
the proposed outcomes
Reel in the Reviewer!
• Statements often ‘tell’ the reader what they
are going to do, rather than ‘sell’ the idea.
• Be careful to avoid statement of uncertainty or
bold but unsubstantiated claims.
• Be careful of putting too much detail in the
wrong place.
• Personal opinion or conviction is not a valid
reason for doing the work – aim to bench mark
your concept against current practice
Reel in the Reviewer
Don’t
• Tell your idea
• Go into too much detail in
the wrong place
• Be negative – if you’re not
convinced of your own idea,
a stranger won’t support it
• Make bold, empty
statements
• Don’t rely on personal
belief “I think it’s a
winner”
Do
• Sell your idea
• Set the scene and provide
the ‘headlines’
• Bench mark against current
practice
• Substantiate your claims
• Be clear about the impact of
your work and it’s added
value compared to
current/standard practice
Writing to Impress
• Go through the attached document and
highlight each phrase you think helps to
‘sell’ the researcher and/or their
research idea
It’s not just about what is said but how it
is said.
Achieving the Goal
• Having a Career Development Plan can
help keep you on track in the face of
many competing demands on your time.
• Identifying what your most pressing
needs are to strengthen your track
record and prepare your research idea
will help you prioritise the many tasks a
researcher has to juggle.
Any questions?