Research Fellowships
Dr John Burden
Research and Impact Services
What is a Fellowship?
• A research based training role
• Personal award aimed at developing an academic career
• Available at all stages of career
• PhD
• New post-docs
• Experienced post-docs
• Special circumstances – Career breaks etc
• Limits on eligibility – 10 years postdoc cut off is normal
• Extremely competitive – 10% success rate common
• It is not a research grant
A fellowship is about more than the research you will do
It is about how this research allows you to make the
transition from researcher to academic
A bigger picture than just research;
•Where will you be in 5 – 10 years time
•How will this Fellowship take you there?
It is about the Person, Place & Project (in that order)
What are funders looking for?
You need to show evidence of
•Independence
•Academic leading research group in 5-10 years
•Commitment to academic career
•Outstanding research ideas
•Leadership potential
Person - What is in a Track Record?
• Publications – quantity / quality / citations
• Independence – your ideas, not working for someone else
• Funding – collaborations, small amounts, fellowships, prizes
• Managing staff – postdoc, student, research assistant
• Teaching – developing & delivering content
• Get yourself known
• Talks, presentations, workshops, visits, networking, letter of
support
• Make a plan now!
• address any gaps, training, colleagues
Person - Impact
•What is the outcome of your research?
•Who will benefit from it?
•How will they get to know about it?
•Academic:
papers, publications, conferences, books, workshops,
methods, theory & application
•Societal:
policy, public engagement, enhancing quality of life,
health and creative output, environmental sustainability,
social cohesion
•Economic:
Economic competitiveness, wealth creation,
commercialisation, R&D Investment
Place
Why have you chosen Warwick?
Research Environment - Support necessary for project and developing
research skills
Training Environment – What development opportunities, courses etc
are available to support ECR development?
Dept. commitment
Lab space, equipment, support staff, office
space, finance, contract, future plans
Mentors
Ability to support research and development,
previous record, independence – not a free
post-doc
Project
• Internationally leading
• Pushing the boundaries of research in your area
• New direction
• Independent
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It is yours – not supervisors
Based on experience and previous research record
Part of the “Big Picture” – where does it lead?
Provide research training
Successful outcome – realistic & deliverable
What gets Funded?
Writing a successful proposal
General Guidelines
• Funder Documentation – Read guidelines and rules and stick to them
• Match to funder mission & strategic priorities
• Well written, detailed & clear
• Allow sufficient time – Rushed proposals show
• Eligibility criteria vs readiness
• Use input from others – Academics, Fellows, Peers, RSS, non-specialists
• Excellent research, value for money, high impact, well presented
What is in a proposal?
• On-line or paper application form - many “pages” with specific word
limits, etc
• Case for Support
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Background, Aims, Methodology
Costing – from Research Support Services or host institution
Justification of Resources
Track Record / CV
Management & Risk
Research Environment
Impact
Impact Plan
Supporting letters
What’s in a proposal
• In addition you will also need:
• Referees/ Mentors – careful selection
• Institutional Support/ Departmental sign off
• Future developments
• Gantt chart, equipment quotes, letters of support etc
• Training Programme
Training plans
PhD
Post Doc
Research
Academic
Management
Where do you want to be in 5/10 years time?
What will you need to be able to do that job?
Where are you now and what skills do you need to bridge the gap?
Research skills, Management Skills, Teaching Experience
Courses, Masters modules, University training & Development schemes
Adding value
Collaborators and mentors
Strengthen your application with support from external collaborators &
mentors, either as a mentor, part of an advisory committee or through
letter of support.
•Experts in field
•Relevant to proposed project
•Outcomes & Impact
•Outside Warwick/Other Departments
•Letters of support
Plan ahead and build your network – conferences, invited speakers,
direct contact.
It all takes time!
Proposal Development
Internal Peer Review
University Sign-Off
Procedures
Submission
The more time you can spend
developing and refining your
proposal, the better it will be.
Allow time to complete formal
submission processes such as
internal peer review and university
sign-off before submission
Minimum of 3 months – don’t leave it
until the last minute
6-9 months before final decision, 1
year until start
Sources of Funding
Research Councils BBSRC, MRC, NERC, (ESRC), AHRC
Royal Society
Personal Fellowships, very competitive (<10%).
URF (3-8 Years Post Doc), Dorothy Hodgkin (flexible work)
Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship, very prestigious/competitive. Up to 5
years Post Doc.
European Union
Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellowships, ERC
Wellcome Trust
Major funder of biomedical research, all aspects of biomedical
science, clinical & non-clinical, range of awards for all career
stages
British Academy
Arts & humanities
Other Charities
Many charities fund research – specific, problem solving, partial
funding
In summary……
• Start early;
• Build track record
• Establish collaborations
• Develop proposal with input from others
• Offer what the Funder wants;
• Fit research to funder criteria
• Understand the form & fill in correctly
• Excellent research, value for money, high impact, well presented
• Remember the bigger picture
• Career Development
• Training award
• Future Academic leader