SSAHRI Research Grants Competitionfor 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 researchersand 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 toqualifying 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 signedby 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.

Any sums allocated through this scheme must be spent between September 2015 and July 2016.

The completed application and two page CVshould be submitted to the SSAHRI administrator, Anna Hammerin, at: : Friday 6th March 2015.

All applications will be considered on their research merits andassessed 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:

  • 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 Research Grants 2015/16

1. Name of applicantInternal Address

Title:
First name:
Surname:
Tel no:
Email:

2. Present appointment

Present appointment and School

  1. 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.

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.)

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).

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.

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 27includingon 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 fromSSAHRI

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 under11, 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:
e-mail:
telephone:
First Name
Surname
Position
Signature / Date

The completed application along with a two page curriculum vitae should be submitted in electronic form tothe SSAHRI administrator Anna Hammerin at: by Friday 6th March 2015.

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.

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