ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
EPSRC Fellowships: a new
fellowship framework
Slide detailsEngineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council
EPSRC slides (our emphasis)
Our three Strategic Plan goals
Delivering Impact
Embedding impact throughout our portfolio by creating an environment in
which it arises naturally, in whatever form, from the knowledge base;
Shaping Capability
Ensuring we have the right people, with the right resource, in the right places
to deliver the highest quality long-term research in areas where the UK leads
internationally and where there is current or future national need;
Developing Leaders
Nurturing the visionary leaders who set research agendas and inspirational
team leaders who act as role models;
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Developing Leaders
We will support and promote leadership role models who can inspire others
and can integrate the efforts of their peers to deliver greater impact from our
investment. In this delivery plan we will:
Increase focus on developing a cohort of both current and future leaders;
Identify and invest preferentially in current leaders;
Develop our future leaders;
Provide tailored support for individuals with leadership potential across
all career stages;
Provide an increased proportion of support to individuals not projects;
Ensure that early career researchers with the greatest potential are wellsupported.
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Who are the leaders?
Spectrum of leadership behaviours:
• from the visionary thinker who can set and drive research agendas and
lead research communities
• to the inspirational team leader who can nurture and build the cross-disciplinary
teams required to tackle the major global challenges we face
Leaders will need to demonstrate:
Research excellence and international standing
Setting the research agenda
Strategic vision
Profile and influence
Ability to lead and inspire
Excellent communication and engagement skills
EPSRC Fellowships: a new framework for Fellowships
Merge existing schemes, including Challenging
Engineering
Focus on areas where growth is required and on
developing leaders able to integrate their work into the
wider research landscape.
Not open in all areas, at all career stages at all times
Support to start in 2012 but through a faster, more
streamlined and flexible process
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The new framework: Principles
Linked to strategic priorities and shaping
http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/fellows/Pages/default.aspx
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The new framework: Principles
Linked to strategic priorities and shaping
Specify desired qualities, experience, achievements or
attributes and provide flexible support.
Mechanisms to refocus our support on those who have the
most potential
Partnership with universities and business to both identify
candidates and enhance the research environment
Encouraging ambition, mobility and exposure to creative
techniques
Development of leadership cohorts
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The new framework: What will be different?
Allow for variations of career paths across the EPS disciplines:
No eligibility rules based on years of post-doc experience, instead have
a person specification
Remove the pre/post-appointment distinction
Two fellowship rounds per year operated through an open call
More flexible on the amount of time a fellow dedicates to their fellowship,
giving them the option of staying active within their department.
Suite of resource packages to facilitate linkage with the best, creativity,
while allowing them to build a group.
applicants can apply for a package that best suits them
Exploring the option to ‘top-up’ a fellowship
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Expectations (of host institution)
Universities take ownership for pre-selecting candidates against
the specification
Accord fellows equivalent status to academic staff
Adequate office and lab space
A mentor where appropriate
Suitable career development procedures to support
transitioning to next career stage
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EPSRC Fellowships
EPSRC Fellowships
Postdoctoral
Early Career
Established
Career
EPSRC Fellowship is a new single scheme that can support
three career stages (postdoctoral, early and established).
EPSRC’s Capability and Challenge Themes are going through
an initial exercise of prioritising the areas and career stages
in which fellowships will be offered.
Eligibility
A person specification will be used to describe the desired
attributes for each career stage.
Applicants should evaluate their track record and assess
which career stage you should apply against (if open to
applications) and ensure they can demonstrate how each
of the expected attributes is fulfilled.
Person Specification
Attribute
Research Excellence
Post-doctoral
Delivery of outstanding research and an indication
of where the research contributes to delivering
impact. Awareness of the international context of
the research.
Early career
Has a track record of outstanding research and in
delivering impact. Shows a strong awareness of the
international context of the research and starting to
show evidence of recognition in the community on an
international scale.
Established career
Has a track record of outstanding research and
in delivering impact. Evidence of international
standing and influence in the context of the
research and shows evidence of recognition in
the community on an international scale.
Setting the research agenda
Has a clear vision of the contribution the applicant
can make to their research area. Evidence of
independence of (research) ideas.
Evidence of showing leadership within the research
community and evidence of pushing the boundaries of
the research area.
Demonstration of leadership within the
research community and evidence of pushing
the boundaries of the research area.
Strategic Vision
Shows an awareness of different research in
other fields or across technology readiness levels,
an aspiration to work across boundaries and/or to
conduct high risk research and finding a network
of independent contacts so that the applicant is
getting positioned to do this.
Has some experience in identifying, exploring and
developing research opportunities more broadly and
across different interfaces. An awareness of how to
position themselves to take up these opportunities and
an ability to make decisions to deliver this vision.
An aptitude for identifying, exploring and
developing research opportunities more
broadly and across different interfaces. Can
demonstrate where they have positioned
themselves to take up these opportunities and
has the ability to make decisions to deliver this
vision.
Profile and Influence
Not strongly applicable at this career stage.
Shows potential and aptitude to act as an ambassador
and advocate for a research field/theme and for research
in general. Advising and influencing into policy making.
Evidence of acting as an ambassador and
advocate for a research field/theme and for
research in general. Advising and influencing
into policy making.
Inspirational Team leader
Can provide evidence of an aptitude to lead and
inspire for example, through mentoring or self
organisation of peers.
Has ability to lead and inspire their own research team.
Ability to identify and maximise potential in others (i.e.
get the best out of people).
Ability to lead and inspire. Ability to identify
and maximise potential in others (i.e. get the
best out of people).
Communication and engagement
skills
Demonstrates excellent communications and
interpersonal skills and aspires to develop these
across a broad audience.
Demonstrates excellent communications and
interpersonal skills and aspires to develop these further
across a broad audience.
Possesses excellent communications and
interpersonal skills.
What can you apply for?
EPSRC particularly wants to encourage applicants to request resources
which will allow them to:
Build international research collaborations;
Move across disciplines and stimulate innovative approaches to
collaborative research between and across disciplines;
Link with the best, either in an academic or industrial settling, for
example by spending extended periods of time (up to 12 months)
in alternative research environments which are recognised as
centres of excellence or by inviting visiting researchers to come
and visit. (by requesting T&S where appropriate for family and
research team);
Maximise their creative potential;
Engage with the public/media.
Resources
The type of resources available is determined by the career
stage under which you are applying
For early & established career possible extension to 8 years
support
Resource Package
Duration
Salary
Travel & Subsistence
Staff
Visiting Researchers
Equipment
Postdoctoral
Up to 3 years
Up to 100%
Yes
No
Yes
small
equipment
items
Consumables
Public
Communication
Training
Yes
Yes
Early career
Up to 5 years
Up to 100%
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes- in line with
current
EPSRC
guidelines
for
equipment
Yes
Yes
Established career
Up to 5 years
Up to 100%
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes- in line with
current
EPSRC
guidelines
for
equipment
Yes
Yes
Application Process
Documentation
Cover letter
Case for Support (up to a maximum nine sides of A4)
Pathways to Impact (maximum two sides of A4)
Applicant’s CV (maximum two sides of A4)
Host Organisation Statement (maximum two sides of A4)
Work-plan (maximum one side of A4)
Justification of Resources (maximum two sides of A4)
List of Publications (no page limit)
Where applicable:
Statements of Support from any project partners (no page limit)