Hello Everyone,
Welcome to the May 2020 issue of the Sussex Researcher. We hope you all have been keeping well and safe in these times.
In terms of training provision for our research staff during the month of May, there are a number of items on we'd particularly like to draw your attention to:
- An online session where REF Academic and Operational Manager will provide an overview of the background and structure to REF2021, and the key elements of which ECRs need to be aware
- Two webinars (The Healthy Researcher & Productive Researcher) specifically addressed to support you working in times of a pandemic and being isolated
- Prepraring for Leadership webinar aimed at helping you discover the skills required for leadership and how to develop them
In other news, round 1 of the Digit Innovation Fund, designed to support new social science & interdisciplinary projects to a total value of £500,000, is now open for applications and ECRs are encouraged to apply.
Also in this edition, SMaRteN in partnership with Vitae is conducting a survey into the impact of COVID-19 on the working lives of research staff across the UK. If you haven't already, please take the time to contribute your experiences and make your voice heard!
Best wishes,
The Research Staff Office Team (Hayley Cordingley and Alex Aghajanian)
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- Preparing for leadership & management
- Improving your academic writing & communication
- Personal effectiveness
- Research skills development
- Understanding the academic context
- Mental health & wellbeing
- Community events
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Research Staff Office Events
WEBINAR: Introduction to REF2021 - Wednesday 6th May, 13:00-14:30
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Digit Innovation Fund - Round 1 now open for applications The Digit Innovation Fund is designed to support innovative research projects to a total value of £500,000 over the life of the Digit research centre (2020-2024). The fund provides pump-prime support for new projects that complement the core Digit research programme. Ideas for projects should align with the Digit research objectives and can relate to how digital technologies are transforming work at any stage of the policy process from inception to impact, at any level from the global to the local (though must be directly applicable to the UK) and in any setting, for businesses, unions, governments and/or NGOs and the voluntary sector. Key dates:
- Webinar: Monday, 4 May 2020, 10.00 UK time (registration necessary, see website)
- Application closing date: Monday, 15 June 2020 by 17.00 UK time
- Project start date: projects should start no later than 1 September 2020
- Project end dates: projects should aim to end by 31 August 2021 or before
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New wellbeing workshops announced for staff The University’s Organisational Development team has scheduled a series of staff wellbeing workshops over the next few weeks. The workshops are research and evidence based but are full of highly practical tools and exercises, and are focused on enabling real-life changes rather than simply explaining theory. To learn more about mentoring at the University of Sussex and the other ways the University supports professional development please visit the Organisational Development page.
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Survey of impact of Covid-19 on early career researchers in the UK (closes 3rd May) SMaRteN, in partnership with Vitae, is conducting research into the impact of COVID-19 on the working lives of research staff and doctoral researchers. The aim is to provide insights to enable the sector to better support early career researchers. The survey will be live for two weeks from Thursday 16th April – Sunday 3rd May. All early career researchers, usually resident in the UK or currently working / studying in the UK are welcome to participate. The findings could influence how universities respond to ECR needs, so please take time to contribute your experiences and make your voice heard!
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Opportunities / External events
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Freelance Research Associate at Cumberland Lodge - Now recruiting (deadline Monday 18 May 2020) Cumberland Lodge, a charity that empowers people through dialogue and debate to tackle the causes and effects of social division, seeks to appoint a freelance Research Associate to support their forthcoming series of events on Faith & Belief 2040: Fostering Social Cohesion. This role will include researching and writing a briefing document and a report for a public audience, and participating in a residential conference and evening consultation in Windsor Great Park, and a central London report launch. Full details about the conference series, the role and how to apply can be found on Cumberland Lodge's website here.
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Rising star researcher receives prestigious fellowship A researcher has been recognised as a future leader in her field with a prestigious national fellowship Dr Beth Nicholls was recently awarded a £1.3 million UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leader Fellowship for her research into flower choices and pollen foraging in bees. Beth said: “I am thrilled to have been awarded a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship that will enable me to establish my own research group and pursue my passion for understanding the drivers of pollen foraging choices in bees and the implications of these choices for plant-pollinator networks. *Taken from news article by Jessica Gowers
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Research Funding
If applying for funding, remember to check funders' eligibility criteria carefully and discuss the opportunity with your host institution/department prior to preparing any applications.
Do look at Research Development webpages for guidance around applications
For more information about ECR Fellowships, check out our new webpage:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/staff/research/researchstaff/funding/fellowship-opportunities
For Coronavirus information for research grant applicants & grant holders check out:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/staff/research/development/covid-19 |
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The Alliance Hubert Curien Programme
The Alliance Hubert Curien programme allows ECRs working in the eligible fields to apply for a grant to cover reciprocal mobility over a 2 year period with a maximum of £2,240 can be requested each year. The grants are designed to strengthen current research projects and strengthen links for future collaboration between the UK and France.
Deadline for Applications: 4th May 2020
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Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
These fellowships enable early-career scientists to carry out basic, translational or clinical research projects in the field of respiratory science at a host centre in a European state other than their own. Fellowships are worth up to €156,000 each over 24 months.
Deadline for Applications: 1st July 2020
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