Catalyst Fund 2015– Call for Applications
Applications are invited from groups of academic staff to organise academic, networking or
public events (to be held no later than July 2016). Early Career Researchers, newly
research-active staff, and new research clusters are particularly encouraged to apply.
1. Academic events include one-day conferences, workshops, seminars and other
events to enable an existing research cluster/group to become more externally visible
and to generate collaborating and publishing opportunities.
2. Public events include public lectures, exhibitions and other events to help establish
links with local businesses and community organisations.
3. Networking events are designed to start collaborative research projects based on the
projects already running at YSJ or at the point of germination.
The maximum amount to be awarded for a conference is £2,500; £1,000 for a workshop or a
networking event.
The event should be seen as a substantial contribution to increasing visibility of research
activity in a particular subject area, or as a starting point for a longer-term collaboration. The
event needs to be linked to a current research area (discipline-specific or pedagogic).
Applicants need to make a compelling case that there will be interest to attend, and ensure
that the event is open to YSJ staff and students. Delegates can be charged a fee to
subsidise the cost.
The organising group is responsible for advertising, inviting speakers, students and
colleagues. Applicants should draw up a publicity plan to increase the numbers of potential
delegates. The money may be spent on catering, speakers’ travel, and publicity (the
organisers are encouraged to engage a student to help promote and organise the event).
Expected outputs for academic conferences should be publications (e.g. a collected volume
or a special issue of a journal). Outputs for other types of events should be specified in the
application. Please provide an anticipated timeline for the production of outputs.
Please fill out the application form (below) and send it, along with the signatures, to Dr
Victoria Carpenter (Head of Research Development, ADD) by 15 September 2015. If you
have any questions about the call or need to discuss your ideas, application or any other
matter please contact Dr Carpenter or your Faculty Head of Research (HOR).
Criteria:
1. Applicants should form a coherent research cluster/group.
2. Their activity should be defined as ‘research’ by YSJ and HEFCE1 and should
correspond with faculty plans for the delivery of the University academic strategy.
1
Within YSJ, research includes: (1) Scholarly, peer-reviewed, research activities, including exhibitions and
productions, and the publications resulting from them (meeting the selection criteria described and
determined by scholarly journals and publishers, research councils and the process of the Research Excellence
Framework); (2) Research activities and publications, where the publications may be peer-reviewed but do not
meet the “scholarly and peer-reviewed” criteria from the previous point (as the REF documentation makes
clear, much high quality research will fall outside its remit); (3) Research activities that have an identifiable
3. A provisional list of speakers and topics of presentations should be provided.
4. Applicants should list expected outcomes and outputs of the event. While it is not
necessary to have a contract with a publisher at the point of the event, it would be
advisable for the group to have an idea of which publishers/journals they might
approach.
5. Applicants need to articulate how the event will contribute to increasing the research
cluster’s/unit’s external visibility.
Timetable:
1. 18 September 2015 – the Catalyst Fund Panel (CFP) receives the applications and
considers them.
2. W/b 21 September 2015 – the Catalyst Fund Panel meets to discuss the outcome of
the applications and decides on awards and mentors.
3. End of w/b 21 September 2015 – applicants are informed of the outcome.
4. W/b 2 November 2015 – grant recipients and mentors meet with Victoria to report on
progress.
5. W/b 1 February 2016 - grant recipients and mentors meet with CFP to report on
progress.
6. Mid-June – end of July 2016 – events are held, reports on events are sent to CFP.
7. End of July 2016 – CFP meets to discuss the outcomes of the project and the
reports.
8. Ongoing – HORs and CFP monitor publication progress.
impact on other activities, including on teaching and learning (for example, textbooks, performances,
productions, reports on pedagogic practice, etc.)’ (Research Degree Awarding Power Application 2014). This
definition is based upon the Frascati Manual, 6th edn, 2002,
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/researchsupport/applying/frascati/ (accessed 3 November 2014), where research
is defined as follows: ‘Research and experimental development (R&D) comprise creative work undertaken on a
systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society,
and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications. The term R&D covers three activities: basic
research, applied research and experimental development. Basic research is experimental or theoretical work
undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomena and observable
facts, without any particular application or use in view. Applied research is also original investigation
undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical
aim or objective. Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from
research and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to
installing new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or
installed. R&D covers both formal R&D in R&D units and informal or occasional R&D in other units.
Catalyst Fund 2015 Application Form
Please complete all sections below and return to Dr Victoria Carpenter, Head of Research
Development (ADD) by 15 September 2015. The maximum amount to be awarded for a
conference is £2,500; £1,000 for a workshop or a networking event.
Names:
Department / Faculty:
Project title:
Project type (tick one):
Academic conference
Research workshop
Public event
Inter-institutional research networking event
Other (please specify below)
Is the event organised in association with/on behalf of a learned/academic society? (tick
one)
________ Yes
________ No
If yes, name of the society
Outline the purpose of the proposed conference/event (maximum 500 words):
Provisional programme (including a provisional list of speakers and/or a provisional number
of participants):
Outline budget (Faculty finance and events teams are available to advise):
Activity
Speakers’ travel expenses
Publicity
Catering
Other expenses (please specify)
Amount
Please indicate if other funding for this project has been sought:
Funding source
Amount requested
Outcome
Proposed outcomes and outputs (with a provisional timetable for their production):
Signatures:
_______________________________ (Applicant – on behalf of a group)
________________________________ (Line Manager)
_________________________________ (Faculty Head of Research)
_________________________________ (Dean)