SSAHRI Research Grants Competition
for 2015/16
Open to early career staff and those new or returning to research
These grants are designed to foster the work of early career researchers and those new
or returning to research. Their purpose is to support high quality research, and provide
experience of the process of applying for peer-reviewed research funding. Applications
may be submitted for up to £4,000.
Grants should result in a demonstrable output, and either lead to a further programme of
work supported by external grant applications, or support the process of applying for
external income. With the exception of conference participation, there are no restrictions
on what the money can be used for (including teaching replacement costs) provided this
has the explicit prior consent of the applicant’s Dean of School.
Grants are available to qualifying academic staff within the Social Sciences, Arts and
Humanities Research Institute (that is, Hertfordshire Business School and the Schools of
Creative Arts, Education, Humanities and Law). At least two thirds of the funding
available will be ring-fenced for applicants who have not previously received an award in
this competition. Staff who have had one previous success in the competition may apply
for support for a new project, but only if they have already submitted applications for
external funding.
The following categories of staff are explicitly excluded from this competition: hourly paid
contract staff; visiting lecturers; members of other Research Institutes within the
University; current holders of a SSAHRI Research Grant; staff who have twice been
successful in the competition. Readers and Professors are excluded from this
competition as Principal Investigators: however, applications in which they play a
mentoring role as a co-investigator are allowed.
Please note that the standard definition of an early career researcher is one who has
been employed by an HEI on a contract whose terms include the conduct of
independent research for less than five years. These awards are NOT intended to
support staff who are engaged in a programme of doctoral study. Applicants should
explain why they are eligible for an award in section 8 of the application form.
The application form is appended to this document, and requires you to describe the
research to be undertaken and its potential impact, or the nature of the external funding
application to be made, and to give approximate costings. Please also append a two
page academic CV (including publications where appropriate) to the application. The
form needs to be signed by both the applicant and their Dean of School (reflecting the
DoS’s support for the research and proposed expenditure). Electronic and email
signatures are acceptable.
SSAHRI
Any sums allocated through this scheme must be spent between
September 2015 and July 2016.
The completed application and two page CV should be submitted to the SSAHRI
administrator, Anna Hammerin, at: ssahri.admin@herts.ac.uk by: Friday 6th March
2015.
All applications will be considered on their research merits and assessed by a panel of
senior research-active staff drawn from the constituent areas of SSAHRI. The
membership of the panel will be agreed by SSAHRI Management Group who will ratify
its recommendations.
The following criteria will be applied:
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


the quality and significance of the proposed research, and/or external
funding application, and its relevance beyond UH
the appropriateness, effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed research
methods, including a clear completion strategy
the impact potential of the project and plans to support this
the creation of a discrete and measurable research outcome(s) (i.e.
published article(s), book, substantial funding application, exhibition, etc.).
Applicants should pay particular attention to the following:


ensure that you stick within the word limit
budgets should be taken seriously and properly defined.
Award winners must submit an end of project report on the approved SSAHRI
template by 1 September 2016. All award holders will be required to make a
presentation to the subsequent SSAHRI research conference about their research
programme. Failure to comply with these requirements, and/or to deliver the
proposed research outcomes, will disbar the award holder from applying for future
SSAHRI-led funding competitions.
As with other funders, support from SSAHRI should be acknowledged in any major
outputs arising from the grant.
Good luck!
Best wishes
Professor Jonathan Morris
Director: Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities Research Institute
SSAHRI
SSAHRI Research Grants 2015/16
1. Name of applicant
Internal Address
Title:
First name:
Surname:
Tel no:
Email:
2. Present appointment
Present appointment and School
3. Details of grant requested
Title of project (not more than 15 words)
Sum requested to the
nearest £
4. Project summary (Maximum 50 words.)
5. Co-applicant(s) if relevant
Title, First name(s), Surname (underlined)
1.
2.
SSAHRI
6. Commitment to the project
Please give details below of the anticipated average number of hours per week that will be devoted to the
project.
Average Hours Per Week
Principal applicant
Co-applicant (1)
Co-applicant (2)
7. Scheme of research
Please describe in no more than 600 words the scheme of research or process of application development
for which you are seeking an award, using the following sub-headings as appropriate: research question(s)
or problem; aims & objectives; research context; research methods and project management. (It is
recognised that not all projects in all subject areas will easily divide under these headings.)
SSAHRI
8. Statement of eligibility
Applicants are asked to explain in no more than 100 words how they meet the eligbility criteria for the
award as described above, and if there is any information relating to their professional career which they
may wish to be taken into account in assessing this application. For example, details of a career break,
or the effect of working on a part-time contract, may be relevant.
9. Is this a re-application? If YES, please explain in 100 words or less how the proposal has been
modified in light of previous feedback.
10. Outputs.
In no more than 250 words, please describe the proposed output(s) from the research: your plans for
publication or other public output(s).
SSAHRI
11. Pathways to Impact
Research Councils UK (RCUK) defines research impact as 'the demonstrable contribution that excellent
research makes to society and the economy'. This section should address two questions: who will benefit
from the research? And how will they benefit from the research? Applicants are asked to consider primarily
those users and beneficiaries of the research who are outside the academic research community
(individuals, specific organisations or groups/sectors). What will be done to ensure that these potential
beneficiaries have the opportunity to engage with this research? Activities in support of impact may be
included in costings. Max 250 words.
SSAHRI
12. Particulars of costs
Give a breakdown of the total costs requested from SSAHRI.
Item of expenditure
Cost
Travel expenses: please itemise each journey
Subsistence whilst away from home: please express costs in terms of x days at y pounds,
bearing in mind University regulations relating to subsistence and travel.
Short-term research, technical or secretarial assistance @ £21.86 per hour (UH6 Bar
27including on costs).
Replacement teaching costs: expressed as number of hours @ £53.76 per hour (Rate A UH7
point 32 including on costs). Please also specify the semester in which replacement teaching is
requested.
Consumable items
Equipment/materials: where applicable, please provide justification for such costs in the box
below
Preparation of research for public output
Impact Activities
Other: please specify and provide justification for such costs in the box below.
Total costs sought from SSAHRI
SSAHRI
13. Signatures and date
Signature of applicant
Date
On behalf of the School
The School confirms that they support this application. Particular attention should be paid to items
of expenditure listed under 11, as the School will be expected to facilitate this expenditure. N.B.
replacement teaching can form a part of this.
Dean of School (or equivalent)
Title
Internal Address:
First Name
Surname
Position
e-mail:
telephone:
Signature
Date
The completed application along with a two page curriculum vitae should be submitted in electronic form to
the SSAHRI administrator Anna Hammerin at: ssahri.admin@herts.ac.uk by Friday 6th March 2015.
SSAHRI
Successful applications to the SSAHRI
Research Grants scheme for the
academic year 2014/15
Dr Ariadne Kapetanaki, Dr Kerrie Bertele & Professor David Ross Brennan
from the Hertfordshire Business School, who received £3,910 for their research
project titled “Young people, social media and alcohol: A heady mixture?” The
panel made the award based on the following findings: There was particular
praise for the structure of the project team – notably the inclusion of another early
career Co-I alongside mentoring from a senior colleague, the structure of the
project design, the clarity and focus of the presentation, the targeted outputs and
the plans for future funding. An exemplary application.
Dr Doros Polydorou from the School of Creative Arts, who received £3,800 for
his research into “Dance, Feel, Touch: An investigation into Tactile
Communication”. The panel commented on this project as follows: The panel
rated this exciting project very highly. It promises strong outputs and impact, and
the proposal is well targeted at generating further funding.
Dr Silvio Carta from the School of Creative Arts, who received £2,100 for his
research titled “Big Data Projects for Design and Architecture”. The panel was of
the view that: This proposal was very well received, and regarded as good value
for money. The panel was particularly impressed by the potential for impact of
the project, and the plans to generate this at an international level.
Dr Paul Cureton from the School of Creative Arts, who received £3,668 for his
research project “Landscape & Architectural Representation of UK New Towns”.
The panel presented the following findings: This promising application provides
excellent value for money …. The funding requested is very clearly detailed and
does not include a request for buy-out.
SSAHRI
Dr Denise Dollimore from the Hertfordshire Business School received £3,392
for her research on the “Habits of thought and behavioural dispositions: Adapting
the mindset of entrepreneurs”. The panel commented on the award-winning
proposal as follows: This is a strong project with clear potential for substantial
impact in both the academic and business worlds. The envisaged pathway to
external impact, notably the training workshop with Wenta, is particularly
praiseworthy.
Dr Jennifer Evans from the School of Humanities, who received £2,236 for her
research project into “Men’s Sexual Health and Masculinity in Early Modern
England”. The panel’s decision was made on the following findings: This very
stimulating project has considerable potential – indeed the view was expressed
that the eventual monograph could prove to be a career defining publication.
The intended outputs for this project – an article and a funding application to the
Wellcome Trust to complete the larger book length project, fit closely with the
intention of these awards.
Dr Kerrie Bertele from the Hertfordshire Business School in collaboration with
Dr Daniel Gurney of the School of Life and Medical Sciences (Psychology
Department) received £3,961 for their research project titled “The Body Never
Lies: An Eye-Tracking Study on the Impact of Front-Line Employee Hand
Gestures”. The panel provided the following feedback as basis for the award:
This is an exciting project featuring a pleasing collaboration with another ECR
from Psychology. The project has the potential to result in high-quality outputs
and the panel were impressed that the impact plan included consideration on the
best ways of recording the impact.
SSAHRI