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News, Information and Events
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The ESRC Festival of Social Science is taking place from 12-21 March 2010 as part of National Science and Engineering Week.
To find out what is in store for this year's festival, visit the what's on page.
In 2009, it was more popular and exciting than ever; consisting of over 110 events in seven regions and 40 different cities in the UK.
The events have provided an insight into some of the country's leading social science research and how it influences our social, economic and political lives - both now and in the future.
Taking place at Aston:
Human capital, innovation and productivity in services
Venue: Aston Business School, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham. B4 7ET.
Thursday 18 March 9:30am - 4:30pm
This event has a limited number of places. In order to register your interest and to avoid disappointment, please fill in the online application form here as soon as possible. If you have any queries regarding this event please contact Agi Witaszczyk, (Events and Meetings Officer, AIM Research) on 020 7862 8519 or agnieszka.witaszczyk@wbs.ac.uk.
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ESRC Grants Writing Proposal - London
AARM will reimburse the cost of attendance at this event. Please contact Jennifer Clerici
Abstract : Following the popularity of BAM grant-writing workshops in recent years and the success of previous workshop participants in gaining grants, a new workshop has been designed for 2010. It will be offered in two locations: London and Strathclyde. The workshop will provide a comprehensive introduction to writing proposals under the ESRC small, first and standard research grant schemes, and ‘walking’ delegates through the process of dealing with this ‘blue chip’ funding body. Those who have been successful in gaining research grants and those who have participated in the grant boards making the funding decisions will be there to offer their advice. We are fortunate to have Professor George Boyne, Management representative on the ESRC Research Grants Board, as just one of our speakers this year. You will be encouraged to work on your own draft proposal by considering how to develop a convincing argument, to demonstrate how your proposal fully meets the assessment criteria, and to incorporate secrets from previous successful applicants.
Date: 06 May 2010
Location : BAM office, 137 Euston Road, ground floor, London, NW1 2AA
Provider : The British Academy of Management
Target Group : Targeted at researchers working in the broad field of business and management studies.
Book By : Thursday 8th April 2010
Contact : nfay@bam.ac.uk , Natasha Fay
http://www.bam.ac.uk/site/cms/contentEventViewEvent.asp?chapter=133&e=1976
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Study days at EPSRC
Study days at EPSRC, and examples of the topics offered in the parallel sessions.
EPSRCEEEEPSRC are running a series of one-day events at EPSRC to give university researchers and administration staff an overview of EPSRC and an introduction to our peer review process.
The day typically involves:
· Presentations – introduction to EPSRC, the peer review process
· Tips on proposal writing – first steps in grantsmanship
· Mock panels – attendees have the chance to practice a prioritisation panel meeting
· Impact planning – a structured session offering information and experience on impact planning
· Marketplace – a showcase of EPSRC activities and opportunities
Examples of the topics offered in the marketplace include: EPSRC delivery plan and programmes, public engagement, better exploitation, transformative research, doctoral training and the international agenda.
Study Day Dates
27 May
26 August
22 November
Places are limited and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis so we’re keen to make sure that the people who attend get as much out of the day as possible.
If you would like to attend, please contact Jane Crier
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Medical Research Council Seminar
Title: Cross-Council Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Programme – Phase 3 Call for Proposals
Speaker: Dr Janet Valentine, Medical Research Council
When: 9th March 2010, 12.00 - 13.00
Where: Room MB 234
Dr Janet Valentine will be giving a seminar on the Phase 3 Research Call from the Cross-Council Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Programme which is due to be announced early May 2010.
Lifelong Health and Wellbeing is a major cross-council initiative involving AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC and MRC in partnership with the UK health departments. LLHW supports multi-disciplinary research addressing factors across the life course that influence healthy ageing and wellbeing in later life.
Janet is the cross-council theme leader for the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Programme. She is also the lead for ageing research at the MRC and chair of the cross-Research Councils Ageing Research Committee.
Please email Maria Podsiadly m.podsiadly@aston.ac.uk if you would like to attend
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The European Commission has published two documents giving details of research funded through Directorate L of the Directorate General for Research, which has responsibility for Science, Economy and Society.
The first publication gives the 2009 highlights of both FP7 programmes funded under Directorate L, the Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH) theme within the FP7 Co-operation Specific Programme and the Science in Society (SiS) Programme within FP7 Capacities. The publication, 'Science, Economy and Society: Highlights', begins with an overview of the Directorate's key achievements in 2009, including an increase in policy focus, the development of a strategic roadmap for the SSH Programme, and the launch of a new approach to public engagement in the SiS programme.
This section also outlines the Directorate's contribution to the progress towards the European Research Area (ERA), through secretariat support to the European Research Area Board (ERAB), forward-looking and foresight activities, work on Open Access, online access to EU funded research results, and the METRIS and MASIS projects, which aim at better mapping research and policy trends in European countries. The bulk of the publication then goes on to look at the highlights of the two programmes, providing details of the 2009 Work Programmes and selected proposals along with examples of projects, events and publications funded through them.
The second publication provides full synopses of all projects funded under the Science in Society programme in 2007 and 2008. Each synopsis gives a summary description of the project along with details of the budget, participants, duration and co-ordinator of the project, as well as the relevant contact within Directorate L.
Further information
Both publications are available to download from the Commission's Science in Society portal.
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Research Councils
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ESRC - ICSSR India-UK Scholar Exchanges 2010
The purpose of the scheme is to strengthen the quality and potential of research in both countries by building greater research interaction. The scheme is aimed at established scholars in either country to undertake clearly specified research collaborations between India and UK. Funding will be available for academic visits of 1-3 months to recognised research organisations, including universities and research institutes.
Exchange Scholars must be ordinarily resident in the appropriate country and employed, with an appointment of at least three years, in a research or academic position in a recognised Research Organisation in that country. They must also hold a PhD or equivalent qualification, and have held this for at least three years by April 2010 (ie since at least April 2007).
The Councils are particularly interested in applicants about to be able to make major contributions in their research area. The Councils are concerned to encourage applicants who have established, begun to establish, or are on the verge of establishing, international recognition in their research field.
The Councils expect to be able to make up to 10 Grants during 2010, with arrangements for the visit to be completed by not later than December 2010, and the visit to be taken up during academic year 2010-11. The Councils expect but do not require that five of the exchange visits will be to the UK and the other five to India.
Proposals should be submitted on the ESRC-ICSSR Scholar Exchanges Application Form (Word). The deadline for proposals is at 4 pm local time on Tuesday 13 April 2010.
Application and all supporting materials (1-2-page CVs of Exchange Scholar and Lead Collaborator, Letter of Invitation from Host Research Organisation) for Indian scholars wishing to visit UK should be sent by the UK Lead Collaborators and host Research Organisation to Records Management, Address: ESRC, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1UJ) in hard copy and to international@esrc.ac.uk and knjehangir@gmail.com as an email attachment.
Application and all supporting materials (1-2-page CVs of Exchange Scholar and Lead Collaborator, Letter of Invitation from Host Research Organisation) for UK scholars wishing to visit India should be sent by Indian Lead Collaborators and host Research Organisation to knjehangir@gmail.com and international@esrc.ac.uk as email attachment.
It is expected that decisions on applications will be available by late August 2010.
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European Collaborative Research Projects (ECRP) for Social Sciences
The European Science Foundation (ESF) has published a call for proposals for the European Collaborative Research Projects (ECRP) scheme in the social sciences. The ECRP is designed to promote research of the highest quality, offering opportunities to test innovative ideas, pool expertise and strengthen research capacity in line with the objectives of the European Research Area.
The scheme offers the opportunity to carry out investigator-driven multilateral projects on any topic in the social sciences, which demonstrates suitability for international research collaboration. ECRP applications must involve research teams in a minimum of three participating countries. Projects need not be exclusively European in their focus, and the combination of countries in any project should be scientifically motivated by the nature of the proposed research.
No upper or lower limits have been set for Collaborative Research Projects as a whole support to cover salaries, equipment, consumables and access to infrastructures
Submission deadline: 10 March 2009, 16.00 Brussels time.
Eligible project partner countries include:
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden (FAS), Sweden (VR) and Switzerland.
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ESRC Follow-on funding scheme
The scheme provides funding to undertake additional knowledge transfer and impact generation activities that can demonstrate the potential for significant economic, social, policy or practice benefits. Awards of up to £100,000 (at 80 per cent of full economic costs) will be made for a maximum of 12 months.
Deadlines: First Call 2010/11: 1 March 2010 - 29 April 2010
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/opportunities/current_funding_opportunities/FoF.aspx
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ESRC/EPSRC Energy and Communities Collaborative Venture
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are delighted to announce the opening of a new, jointly funded £7.5 million investment: the 'Energy and Communities Collaborative Venture'.
This call for proposals forms part of an investment being made by the Research Council’s Energy Research Programme (RCERP). The initiative aims to advance our understanding of issues surrounding energy use within communities with a view to contributing to the Government’s green house gas emissions targets. The call invites applicants to address a broad range of research challenges such as community ownership, energy innovation, policy, governance and social movements. Full details of the research challenges are set out in the call for proposals, available below.
The call for proposals encourages active engagement with community organisations and other community stakeholders. As such applicants are encouraged, where appropriate, to demonstrate how they will engage with relevant organisations and groups.
Ideally, the successful research proposals will begin in mid 2010 with the longest lasting up to five years.
The call closes at 4pm on 11 March 2010.
For further information please contact either Ian Devine (Ian.Devine@esrc.ac.uk) or Ali Noble (Alison.Noble@esrc.ac.uk).
Supporting Information
Energy and Communities Collaborative Venture - call specification (PDF)
Energy and Communities Collaborative Venture - Je-S guidance notes (PDF)
Energy and Communities FAQs (PDF)
Weblink for further information
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ESRC Open Research Area in Europe
An agreement between the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR France), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG Germany), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC UK) and the Nederlands Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO Netherlands).
In order to strengthen European cooperation in the field of social sciences, wishing to fund high quality scientific research within their own countries, and conscious that some of the best research can be delivered by working with the best researchers internationally, ANR, DFG, ESRC and NWO are launching a common call for proposals in order to fund the best joint research projects in social sciences. The scheme will provide for the funding of integrated projects by researchers coming from more than one of the four participating countries - in any combination of two or more countries, except French-German bilateral proposals, which should be submitted to the ANR-DFG scheme in the Social Sciences and Humanities. The partner organisations will conduct a co-ordinated peer review and a single common selection process. Funding will be distributed among the partners according to the place of work of the researchers, and generally according to the funding rules of each individual agency with some exceptions detailed in the guidance.
Please note this scheme replaces existing bilateral schemes between ESRC and ANR, ESRC and DFG and ESRC and NWO. French-German bilateral projects will continue to be funded under the ANR-DFG scheme for Social Sciences and Humanities and are therefore excluded from this call.
Within the framework of this call, the disciplinary coverage may vary according to the involvement of the national agencies. Proposals may be submitted in any area of the social sciences within the remit of the relevant agencies concerned. Applicants who are uncertain of whether their proposal would be eligible should contact the relevant national agencies for clarification.
Deadline for the submission of proposals:
13 April 2010, until 12 p.m. (midday) C.E.T for the electronic version (ANR/NWO applications)
13 April 2010, until 4 p.m. B.S.T for the electronic version (ESRC applications only)
13 April 2010 (date of postmark) for the paper version (DFG applications only)
The call for proposals will also been published on the ANR, DFG (English), DFG (German) and NWO websites.
The call for proposals and the application form are also available here:
ORA call Specification (PDF)
ORA call specific Je-S guidance (PDF)
Further Information
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ESRC Mid-Career Development Fellowships
Designed to enable outstanding researchers to undertake a new direction in their research. They provide the opportunity for substantive skills and/or knowledge development, as part of a programme of work, based on a specific research question, to allow applicants to take their research to a new level or in a new direction.
Mid-Career Development Fellowships are available to individuals with between five (5) and fifteen (15) years of active postdoctoral or equivalent experience at the start of the award. Awards will be made for two years and, in exceptional circumstances, for three years. Applicants can apply for either full- or part-time awards to fit in with other research activity or with more flexible working patterns.
The scheme is open for applications throughout the year
Mid-Career Development Fellowships - Guidance for Applicants (PDF)
Mid-Career Development Fellowships - Guidance Notes for Je-S Submission (PDF)
Weblink for further information
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Leverhulme Trust
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Visiting Professorships
The objective of the awards is to enable distinguished academics based overseas to spend between three and ten months at a UK university, primarily in order to enhance the skills of academic staff or the student body within the host institution. It is recognised that Visiting Professors may also wish to use the opportunity to further their own academic interests. The over-riding criteria for selection are first the academic standing and achievements of the visitor in terms of research and teaching, and second the ability of the receiving institution to benefit from the imported skills and expertise. Priority will be given to new or recent collaborative ventures.
Closing date: 4.00pm on 14 May 2010.
http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/grants_awards/grants/visiting_professorships/
International Networks
These collaborations enable a Principal Investigator based in the UK to lead a research project where its successful completion is dependant on the participation of relevant overseas institutions. Networks should be newly constituted collaborations. The value of an award is normally up to £125,000, and a network grant can last for up to three years.
Outline application can be submitted at anytime. http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/grants_awards/grants/international_networks/
Major Research Fellowships in the Humanities and Social Sciences
These awards enable well-established and distinguished researchers in the disciplines of the Humanities and Social Sciences to devote themselves to a single research project of outstanding originality and significance, capable of completion within two or three years.
The Fellowships fund the salary costs (normally starting at the most junior point of the lecturer scale at the institution concerned) of a full-time individual to undertake the normal duties of the applicant for the duration of the Fellowship.
A Major Research Fellow may be awarded research expenses up to an annual maximum of £5,000. If such funds are required, they must be requested in the budget submitted as part of the application procedure.
Deadline 4.00pm on 7 May 2010.
http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/grants_awards/grants/major_research_fellowships/
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European
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European Science Foundation Research Conferences to be held in 2012
The European Science Foundation invites scientists to submit proposals for high-level research conferences to take place in 2012 within the framework of its Research Conferences Scheme in the following scientific domains:
· Molecular Biology+
· Brain, Technology and Cognition
· Mathematics
· Physics/Biophysics and Environmental Sciences
· Social Sciences and Humanities
Submission deadline: 15 September 2010
The Call for Proposals for 2012 ESF Research Conferences opens: 15 March 2010
Deadline for submitting proposals: 15 September 2010
http://www.esf.org/activities/esf-conferences/call-for-proposals.html
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European Science Foundation Exploratory Workshops
Each year, ESF supports approximately 50 Exploratory Workshops across all scientific domains.
These small, interactive group sessions are aimed at opening up new directions in research to explore new fields with a potential impact on developments in science. The workshops, which usually last 1-3 days, have a wide participation from across Europe and involve mature scientists as well as young, independent researchers and scholars with leadership potential. The relatively small scale (in terms of people involved) provides an ideal platform for focus on the topic and for all participants to contribute to discussions and plan follow-up collaborative work. Interdisciplinary topics are greatly encouraged.
2010 Call for Proposals opens: 8 March 2010
Deadline for submitting proposals: 29 April 2010
http://www.esf.org/activities/exploratory-workshops.html
Funded networks in Social Sciences: http://www.esf.org/activities/exploratory-workshops/social-sciences-scss.html
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ERC Advanced Grant
Support outstanding established research leaders of any nationality with:
· an exceptional scientific leadership profile
· an excellent scientific track-record
· a ground-breaking research proposal, pioneering frontier research in any field of science, engineering and scholarship
Applicants for the prestigious ERC Advanced Grant are expected to be active researchers and to have a track record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years, which must be presented in the application.
Funding per grant up to 3.5 million
Duration up to 5 years
Submission deadlines
25 March 2009 - Physical Sciences and Engineering
15 April 2009 - Social Sciences and Humanities
6 May 2009 - Life Sciences
Further information on the ERC Advanced Investigator scheme
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Register as a Framework Expert - https://cordis.europa.eu/emmfp7/ .
Once in the database you stand a good chance of being called to review FP7 proposals, this is the best way of discovering what makes a successful Framework submission and making contacts. Your Travel & Subsistence costs are covered.
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AXA Research Fund
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Research Projects
Funding available 300.000€ (expected guideline average size) over 3 years. Projects eligible for ARF funding in 2010 must fall within one of the themes listed below:
Call 1 –
Social protection and welfare systems: evolution in the emerging countries. The economic improvements as well as the population changes in a lot of these countries are generating more and more demand for social protection benefits. This project could tackle the following topics:
· analysis of the current situation (type of social protection schemes, what do they cover, are they sustainable, etc….), either in one specific country (China, India…) either within a country comparison.
· what can be expected for the future in terms of public and private coverage and population needs?
Keywords: funding, public and private scheme, health care, long-term care...
Call 2 –
Longevity trends, past (40 years) and future mortality improvement rates in OECD countries and in Asian Emerging Countries. The project could tackle the following topics:
· Analyzing and understanding the differences and the key drivers in terms of past mortality, evolution of longevity, and how they interact.
· Tracking the gender gap and the spread of convergence or divergence in terms of mortality patterns across OECD countries and/or Asian countries.
· Projecting the longevity, assessing the future ageing of these populations
· Analyzing where the main improvements pockets are (causes of deaths analysis), for specific countries (UK, US, etc...)
Keywords: mortality improvements, longevity, life expectancies, projections, epidemiology, causes of death
Deadline for submitting project proposals: 30 March 2010
http://researchfund.axa.com/lib/rc/uploads2/Modus_Operandi_Call_for_projects_2010.pdf
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PhD and Post-Doctoral Fellowships
PhD Fellowships: 120.000€ over 3 years; each institution will be allowed to submit maximum 2 applications per year (only one call expected in 2010) Deadline 27 April 2010
Post doctoral Fellowships: 60.000€ over 1 year; each institution will be allowed to submit maximum 2 applications per year (two calls expected in 2010) Deadline 10 March 2010
Eligible research fields
The AXA Research Fund supports scientists and institutions of excellence worldwide, where research is linked to life, societal and environmental risks.
Environmental risks
· Natural catastrophes
· Risks linked to climate change
Life risks
· Ageing and long-term care
· Addictions and risky behaviors
· Emerging biomedical risks
Societal risks
· Geopolitical risks
· Macro-economic, financial and social risks
· Large corporate risks
Applications should tackle one of the eligible research fields relying on several of the following approaches:
· Risk identification and definition
· Risk assessment and measure
· Risk modelling
· Risk mitigation
· Decision making processes when facing risks
· Risk prevention
http://researchfund.axa.com/en/research-funding/
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British Academy
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Small Research Grants
Grants are offered of up to £7,500 for collaborative or individual projects to facilitate initial project planning and development, to support the direct costs of research, and to enable the advancement of research through workshops or by visits by or to partner scholars.
Two rounds annually
Deadline for submission of applications: 15 March 2010
Results expected: mid-May 2010
Research taking place on or after: 1 June 2010
http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/srg.cfm
Deadline 20th April 2010
Nine awards of up to £10,000 a year for up to three years are available to support the development of ongoing links between research centres or institutions, within the humanities and social sciences in the UK and in Africa, the Middle East or South Asia. The link would be built around a specific research theme of mutual interest. This could be carried forward through visits in both directions; workshops; seminars and lecture programmes; collaborative research; and joint publications. The programme might form part of either institution's training programme and will ideally involve participation from more than one overseas institution, and might involve more than one department/university/group/research centre in the UK.
Aim of the award: The scheme is intended to foster links between the UK and Africa, the Middle East or South Asia, with an emphasis on helping scholars to develop research skills and to produce a joint research outcome. Applicants must have identified an academic partner based in an institution in Africa, the Middle East or South Asia, who will act as the co-applicant on the award.
Scope: Priority will be given to projects with a training element, such as the support and development of staff or postgraduate students (in the UK and overseas). The scheme is intended to benefit early-career scholars from both the UK and overseas, and projects will be highly regarded where they include junior academics from both sides. Visits might be undertaken for staff exchange, supplying teaching elements to courses and developing joint curricula. Workshops and seminars should form an integral part of the programme, and involve both staff and postgraduate students. It is expected that each programme should produce papers or some other joint research outcome designed for publication.
Please note that for the purposes of this scheme South Asia includes the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/intl/ip.cfm
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Deadline 20th April 2010
Three awards of up to £20,000 each are available to support a programme of seminars involving UK and Latin American and Caribbean scholars on a topic of mutual interest within the humanities and social sciences, bringing together key scholars working on a particular topic in order to foster new links and strengthen existing academic links between the regions.. The Academy encourages applications that bring together scholars from a number of distinct institutions within the UK and across Latin America and the Caribbean. The seminar programme should encompass at least two seminars, one in the UK and one in Latin America or the Caribbean.
Scope: The grant is intended to provide a contribution towards the total costs of the seminars (event costs, travel and accommodation expenses for participants on both sides). The seminars are expected to be of relatively small scale: it is envisaged that the grant should cover the costs of about 5 international participants (and perhaps 10 local participants) for each event. The seminars should last approximately two to three days, with 2 or 3 international participants taking part in a one to two week programme around the seminars, intended to provide further teaching or training through additional lectures, seminars or workshops.
Period of award: 2 years. The first seminar would need to take place between April 2010 and March 2011.
http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/intl/lacp.cfm
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CIMA
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Seed corn Funding Initiative
Under this scheme, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants welcomes two types of proposals: applications from inexperienced researchers; applications from researchers with an idea/concept that they wish to develop or feasibility studies. Researchers may apply for funding of up to £5,000. No deadline.
Full details on 2009 Seed corn funding initiative(PDF 169KB) are available.
Please read the Seed corn funding initiative guidance notes (PDF 68KB) before submitting an application and download the standard application form for the Seed corn funding initiative (DOC 81KB).
http://www.cimaglobal.com/cps/rde/xchg/live/root.xsl/1535.htm
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