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Research Professional – all you need to know

Research-Professional-logoEvery BU academic has a Research Professional account which delivers weekly emails detailing funding opportunities in their broad subject area. To really make the most of your Research Professional account, you should tailor it further by establishing additional alerts based on your specific area of expertise. The Funding Development Team Officers can assist you with this, if required.

Research Professional have created several guides to help introduce users to ResearchProfessional. These can be downloaded here.

Quick Start Guide: Explains to users their first steps with the website, from creating an account to searching for content and setting up email alerts, all in the space of a single page.

User Guide: More detailed information covering all the key aspects of using ResearchProfessional.

Administrator Guide: A detailed description of the administrator functionality.

In addition to the above, there are a set of 2-3 minute videos online, designed to take a user through all the key features of ResearchProfessional. To access the videos, please use the following link: http://www.youtube.com/researchprofessional

Research Professional are running a series of online training broadcasts aimed at introducing users to the basics of creating and configuring their accounts on ResearchProfessional. They are holding monthly sessions, covering everything you need to get started with ResearchProfessional. The broadcast sessions will run for no more than 60 minutes, with the opportunity to ask questions via text chat. Each session will cover:

  • Self registration and logging in
  • Building searches
  • Setting personalised alerts
  • Saving and bookmarking items
  • Subscribing to news alerts
  • Configuring your personal profile

Each session will run between 10.00am and 11.00am (UK) on the fourth Tuesday of each month. You can register here for your preferred date:

22nd November 2016

These are free and comprehensive training sessions and so this is a good opportunity to get to grips with how Research Professional can work for you.

DfID Research Review

InternationalMapThe Department for International Development (DfID) has published a review of their research strategy.

This review, developed in consultation with the UK’s scientific community, sets out how DFID will invest an average of £390 million per year over the next 4 years.  Read the review here to find out what DfID’s vision and priority areas are.

 

 

UKRO Visit – Slides now available

UKRO logoRKEO were pleased to welcome UK Research Office’s BU account manager, Maribel Glogowski for our annual subscriber visit, on Tuesday 25th October. Maribel is based in Brussels, along with the rest of the UKRO team, so is BU’s perfect partner for keeping us up to date with funding developments in the EU.

UKRO is the European office of the UK Research Councils. It delivers a subscription-based advisory service for research organisations (in the main UK HEIs) and provides National Contact Point services on behalf of the UK Government. UKRO’s mission is to maximise UK engagement in EU-funded research, innovation and higher education activities. As a BU member of staff, you can sign up to receive email alerts direct to your inbox.

Maribel covered the following topics:

  • Updates on project management including post-referendum statements
  • Creative Europe
  • Erasmus+
  • Accessing the Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges

All the slides from the day are available in the MyBU Community for the Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Framework. Please select the International Pathway to access these slides – more resources are being added over the coming months.  All staff have been pre-enrolled into this community.

If you have any questions about this event or are considering applying to EU funding schemes, please contact Emily Cieciura (RKEO, Research Facilitator: EU & International)

 

Research Professional Fingerprinting – coming to you soon

Research-Professional-logo‘Research Fingerprinting’ is a new development on the Research Professional platform that delivers highly relevant funding opportunities to researchers.

How does it work?

Using advanced, highly-targeted algorithms, in combination with their extensive industry knowledge and refined discipline taxonomy, Research Fingerprinting generates personal funding alerts for the majority of the researchers at our institution, based on publicly available information about your research interests and published work.

Once deployed, fingerprinting will perfectly match our researchers with their research interests and help deliver the most relevant funding opportunities into your inbox every week.  You will be able to edit your fingerprint if you find that the some of the disciplines do not match your research interests.

You will already have alerts set up and so when this is switched on, you will receive two alerts on a Friday.  You can compare these to see which is finding the most relelvant funding opportunities.  This should be the Fingerprint and so you can then remove your previous selected alerts.  The fingerprint will update as your research interests grow.

When will we get it?

This post is to let you know that Research Fingerprints is coming soon.  It is now available for the majority of academics but we have yet to switch it on.  We will be rolling this out shortly and will notify you via another blog post.

 

 

Are you using technology for social good?

Technology in the hands

Digital technologies and the internet are providing new opportunities to address social challenges.  This phenomenon is known as digital social innovation (DSI). To explore what DSI is, who is working on it, and how they can be supported, a website has been launched www.digitalsocial.eu in partnership with the Waag Society and SUPSI, with funding from the European Commission DG Connect. The website features stories and case studies of DSI, along with information on funding and events for DSI. It also helps people and projects working on DSI to showcase their work and find new collaborators.

Two years on, DSI has come a long way. New organisations, projects and collaborations are popping up across Europe. Terms like crowdfunding, making, sharing economy and digital democracy are entering the mainstream. The number of incubators, accelerators and investment funds focused on tech for good has grown. Emerging technologies like blockchain and widely accessible 3D-printing have given DSI new potential.

How can you get involved?

  • Sign up: With over 1,000 organisations and 700 projects signed up,  it’s quick and easy to register and is your access point to the world of www.digitalsocial.eu.
  • Submit funding and events: There are two really simple forms which you can fill in  about funding and events. It doesn’t matter if you’re responsible for them, or if you just came across them on Twitter.
  • Talk to each other: The website allows you to see which organisations work with each other and which projects they work on. Please do reach out to organisations you work with and use the site to find new partners who you think might be able to help you. You never know what might result from a serendipitous conversation on  the website.
  • Spread the word: Please tell other digital social innovators about the website and encourage them to sign up. From Meet-ups to conferences and online communities, this  community is huge.
  • Provide  feedback: about the site.

To find out more about the types of projects showcased on this site and the blog post in full  – click here . A great way to start developing collaborations and identfying ways in which your research could influence policy and generate impact in the future.

Nine Dots Prize – a new prize for creative thinking in the social sciences

nine-dot-prizeFriday saw the launch of the Nine Dots Prize – a new prize for creative thinking in the social sciences. It is sponsored by the Kadas Prize Foundation and supported by CRASSH at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Press.

The Prize will be awarded to the best response to its inaugural question: “Are digital technologies making politics impossible?” Applicants are asked to respond in 3,000 words. The Prize will be judged anonymously by its Board of 12 distinguished academics, journalists, authors and thinkers. The winner will receive $100,000 to support them in writing up a short book based on their response. They have the opportunity to spend a term as Visiting Fellow at CRASSH at the University of Cambridge and the book will be published by Cambridge University Press in an open access format. More details can be found at their website or via twitter @ninedotsprize, including closing and decision dates, and how to submit.

The Guardian have written the following article, which puts the prize in context.

Reminder – Student Research Assistantship – academic applications still open

The Student Research Assistantship (SRA) scheme is still open for academic applications.

Academics are invited to submit applications for the semester-based round of the SRA programme.

The programme is funded by the Fusion Investment Fund and will still have two programme rounds, semester-based and summer programme.  The scheme has been re-focused to support departments in their co-creation targets whilst supporting students to undertake paid work under the guidance of an experienced academic in a research position that is directly related to their career path and/or academic discipline.

Semester-based programme

This placement is for successful students to work for 15 hours a week for a total of eight weeks between 16th January 2017 and 7th April 2017. This programme will have the capacity for approximately 45 placements.

The SRA programme is coordinated via RKEO and the Faculties.

Academics will apply for the funding via an application form. A Faculty based panel will review all staff applications and decide which applications to continue to the student recruitment stage of the scheme.  The application deadline for this round is 24th October 2016.

Each academic application will be marked against the following criteria:

  • Student-centred
  • Co-creation and co-production
  • Fusion
  • External engagement
  • Impact
  • Cross-Faculty

Approved academic applications will be advertised as SRA positions to students with student applications being received, processed and managed centrally within RKEO and distributed to the relevant academics after the closing date. The academics will be responsible for shortlisting, interviewing and providing interview feedback to their own candidates. Successful students will need to complete monthly timesheets, signed by their supervisor for payment.

These SRA vacancies will be available to taught BU students only, where SRA applicants must be able to work in the UK, be enrolled during the time of their assistantship and also have an average grade of over 70%.  Staff can have multiple SRAs.

If you have any queries, please contact Rachel Clarke, KE Adviser (KTP and Student Projects) –  sra@bournemouth.ac.uk

Latest Funding Opportunities

money

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

British Academy

Tackling the UK international challenges

The purpose of each project will be to bring new research ideas and methods to bear on existing international challenges and to deliver specific policy-relevant outputs.

Maximum Award: £50000 for 1 year Deadline: 2 November 2016

Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board

Soft fruits crop sector panel funding

The objectives of the soft fruit sector strategy link are:

  • To improve productivity and cost management (resource management, climate change, soils and water, managing market volatility);
  • To prevent and manage disease (NB: in this context disease covers all crop protection).

Maximum Award: Unknown Deadline: 6 November 2016

EPSRC

Healthcare technologies challenge awards

A future call, planned for mid-late October, designed to create a cohort of the most promising future leaders in Computational, Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences research who will develop new research capabilities across the EPSRC portfolio to address unmet healthcare needs.

Maximum Award: Total budget for call is £10million for 7 – 10 awards Deadline: 31 January 2017

Alzheimer’s Research UK

Dementia consortium

The Dementia Consortium will provide funding, resources and expertise to both increase the number of, and capitalise upon, new drug targets emerging from across the academic sector that hold promise of bringing patient benefit.

Maximum Award: £100000 – £250000 over 2 years Deadline: 15 November 2016

Department of Health, including NIHR

Programme grants for applied research

These support projects that aim to provide evidence to improve health outcomes in England through promotion of health, prevention of ill health and optimal disease management, with particular emphasis on conditions causing significant disease burden.

Maximum Award: Unknown Deadline: 29 November 2016

Wellcome Trust

Seed Awards in Science

Seed Awards in Science help researchers develop new ideas to make them competitive for larger awards (from us or other organisations).

Maximum Award: £100000 over 2 years Deadline: 13 March 2017

AHRC

Leadership Fellow Scheme – Standard route

The AHRC’s Leadership Fellows scheme provides time for research leaders, or potential future research leaders, to undertake focused individual research alongside collaborative activities which have the potential to generate a transformative impact on their subject area and beyond.

Maximum Award: £50000 – £250000 Deadline: Open

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

AHRC & BBC Radio 3 – applications for New Generation Thinkers 2017

Are you an Early Career Researcher? Would you like the opportunity to develop the skills to tell the story of your research to new audiences?

Apply now for the AHRC and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers 2017 Programme.

Sam GoodmanBU’s Dr Sam Goodman is one of AHRC’s New Generation Thinkers, having won the award last year. He features in this film from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), which shines a light on the AHRC/ BBC Radio 3, New Generation Thinkers scheme.

This pioneering scheme aims to develop a new generation of academics who can bring the best of university research and scholarly ideas to a broad audience – through BBC broadcasting. Each year, up to sixty successful applicants have a chance to develop their programme-making ideas with experienced BBC producers at a series of dedicated workshops and, of these up to ten will become Radio 3’s resident New Generation Thinkers. They will benefit from a unique opportunity to develop their own programmes for BBC Radio 3, the chance to regularly appear on air and work closely with the AHRC communications team.

ahrc-ngtBBC Radio 3 and its programmes Free Thinking, the Verb, the Essay and the Sunday Feature have provided a platform for debate and commentary from scholars across the world. You could now join them on air.

Applicants do not have to be funded by the AHRC to apply; the scheme is open to all early career researchers based in a UK Research Organisation (either Higher Education Institution or Independent Research Organisation [IRO]).

They welcome applications from researchers working in all areas of the arts and humanities. This year they are again extending the call for researchers who work in areas of social sciences and medical science whose work intersects with the arts and humanities. Do you know a researcher who could benefit from this opportunity? Why not forward them this email and encourage them to apply or share a link on social media using the hashtag #newgenerationthinkers.

Closing Date: 26/10/2016

Applicants should be available to attend workshops:

  • Wednesday 11th January 2017, Salford
  • Monday 16th January 2017, London
  • Wednesday 18th January 2017, London

If invited to attend the workshops you will be offered a date at one of the three locations. Candidates will be invited to the workshops the week commencing the 12th December 2016.

Applicants that are successful at the workshops should be free to attend:

  • Wednesday 8th March 2017, for media training in London
  • The dates of the Gateshead Free Thinking Festival between Friday 17th March to Sunday 19th March as the winners will be announced during this period.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted using the Research Councils’ Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) System at the latest by 4.00pm Wednesday 26th October 2016, and must go through the host organisation approval process prior to this closing date. Therefore, please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer at least three weeks before applying.

Full details of the call can be found in the New Generation Thinkers 2017 Call Document (PDF, 265KB)

For complete terms and conditions please see the Conditions of Entry for New Generation Thinkers

EPSRC ICT ECR workshops

EPSRC_logoHow many acronyms can you fit in one title?  The EPSRC are holding two two-day workshops for early career researchers in the areas of information and communication technologies:

The workshops will provide an update to EPSRC and ICT Theme strategies and policies, and guidance on applying for grants. The workshops will be attended by a number of EPSRC staff but also by experienced academics from across the ICT portfolio who will provide guidance and mentoring throughout the two days. The events will include a number of facilitated sessions covering topics such as impact from research, career development and a number of new ICT Theme priorities. They will also include opportunities for networking with other ECR colleagues and the previously mentioned mentors.

Target Audience

The event will be of greatest interest to ICT researchers that have completed a PhD (or equivalent qualification) within the previous ten years, are eligible to hold an EPSRC grant and hold few or no grants as Principal Investigator.

However, they do not wish to be prescriptive based on years of post-doctoral experience and welcome applications from prospective participants with a different pattern of academic experience, early career researchers based in industry and postdoctoral research assistants who are hoping to take lectureship positions in the near future. The internal assessment process will take into account the need for a balance of attendees across career stages.

Applying to Attend and Selection Procedure

Those wishing to attend the workshop should complete the short Expression of Interest (EoI) form on this page. This will be used to select participants based on their justification of attendance as described in their EoI submission. In addition, EPSRC will also ensure a balanced representation of organisation, research area, expertise and career stages.

Places are limited and the number of participants from a given organisation may have to be restricted in the event of multiple applications. EPSRC are committed to a policy of equal opportunities. Selection will primarily be based on justification of attendance. However, EPSRC is hoping to improve attendance by underrepresented groups at workshops and will consider this when selecting attendees.

Resources

If you are interested in applying to attend a workshop, please can you let the RKEO Funding Development Team know as we would be interested in receiving feedback on the workshop content.