Category / Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

Parliamentary Knowledge Exchange Opportunity: Thematic Research Leads

Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange

Thematic Research Leads: Climate/Environment; International Affairs/Defence; Parliament, Public Administration and Constitution | 1 August 2022

Some very exciting news from Parliament – the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), POST and Parliament’s Knowledge Exchange Unit have launched new (paid!) roles for researchers keen to be involved in policy. The new Thematic Research Leads (TRLs) are aimed at mid-career university researchers who will work for three days per week (0.6 FTE) to place research evidence at the heart of UK Parliament through a pilot thematic policy hub of parliamentary staff. Colleagues undertake this role whilst retaining their substantive academic post for the remaining two days per week.

Thematic Research Leads will work alongside POST, library and select committee staff at UK Parliament to help ensure the best available research evidence feeds into scrutiny, legislation and debate. They will also strengthen and diversify connections between Parliament and the research community. The roles are funded by ESRC, appointees are expected to commence their role in January 2023. Details:

This webpage contains more information on the Thematic Research Lead Call, the shared ambitions of POST and the ESRC for this activity, and information on how to apply.

POST state: We really encourage applications from everyone regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether or not they have a disability.

Colleagues who would need flexibility or hybrid working are encouraged to apply – POST are a flexible employee, are committed to support diversity and their employees, and will consider a range of requests to support colleagues to take up a post. Deadline: 1 August 2022

BU process for this opportunity

Because this is a funded position, RDS will need to treat your application in the way we normally would for any grant bid. With a submission deadline of 1 August, we look forward to receiving the completed e-ITBs by 4 July (for the costing request please attach an outline of how often you would want to travel, as this attachment is required).

You will need your Head of Department to agree in principle that you are able to commit 0.6FTE of your time if the application is successful and that we can arrange teaching replacement and funding, so please approach them as a first step. Full internal approvals will need to be completed by 26 July.

For guidance on the process please contact Beth Steiner and for any queries relating to the positions please contact Sarah Carter.

Finally the KEU outline why you should apply for this role:

“These roles, if proven, could become highly influential prestigious roles at the heart of Parliament, somewhat akin to the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisers, but shaped for a parliamentary context. The role offers an exciting opportunity for you to see first-hand how research feeds into policy, through shaping parliamentary work with your research expertise and participating in core parliamentary processes. You will be uniquely placed to build connections with parliamentary and government stakeholders to take forward through your career, and participation will provide you with rich and varied experiences to support you on an upward professional trajectory.”

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology publishes all 15 reports based on its Covid-19 Expert Survey

Knowledge Transfer

In March, POST launched the Covid-19 outbreak expert database, inviting anyone who wanted to support Parliament in its work, and had expertise in COVID-19 and/or its impacts to sign up. In April, more than 1,100 experts on this database – including a number of BU researchers – responded to POST’s survey, asking for their immediate, short, medium and long term concerns relating to COVID-19 and its impacts.

All 15 reports arising from this survey have now been published, and you can read them here:

  1. Economy and finance
  2. Business and trade
  3. Work and employment
  4. Virology, immunology and epidemiology
  5. Research and innovation
  6. Health and social care system
  7. Public health
  8. International affairs
  9. Law and human rights
  10. Society and community
  11. Media and communications
  12. Crime, justice and policing
  13. Education
  14. Infrastructure
  15. Environment

POST will also be publishing a report summarising what data or information the experts want to see the UK Government release relating to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The following BU researchers were among those responding to the survey: Professor Katherine Appleton; Dr Emily Arden-Close; Professor Christopher Hartwell; Professor Ann Hemingway; Dr Sarah Hodge; Dr John Oliver; Dr Karen Thompson; Dr John McAlaney; Professor Lee Miles; Dr Andy Pulman and Professor Barry Richards.

POST Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme: latest news

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) has formally launched its Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme, with further details of the application process for expressions of interest and a list of parliamentary offices participating in the scheme.

If you are interested in applying, please follow the guidelines below:

  1. Firstly, inform your Faculty Dean or Deputy Dean of your interest and discuss potential sources of funding.
  2. Identify an idea for a potential project to conduct in a participating Host Office in UK Parliament. A list can be found on p. 10 of the Guidance note for applicants.
  3. Before completing the Expression of Interest Application Form, read the Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme Open Call 2020 – Guidance Note for Applicants. POST strongly recommends applicants also read the Appendix to this document. It contains information about the offices in Parliament participating in the scheme, the kinds of projects you could propose to do with them and any topics they are particularly interested in receiving proposals on.
  4. Complete an Expression of Interest Application Form and send a copy of the completed form, along with a two-page CV, to postfellowships@parliament.uk. You should mark the subject of the email as: “PAFS Open Call: [name of proposed parliamentary Host Office]”. POST also requests that you complete and send them the diversity monitoring questionnaire, although this is voluntary.

If successful, you will be asked to submit a detailed application in September, which will also confirm BU budget approval. Interviews are likely to be conducted in October/November and the Fellowship will commence January 2021, following security clearance.

Please note, the BU Policy team and your faculty impact officer are available for guidance, support and to track your application.

POST Academic Fellowship Scheme: expressions of interest invited

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is inviting expressions of interest for its Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme from Monday 8 June.

Securing a prestigious fellowship with POST provides researchers with unique access to Parliament, policy experience and direct potential for impact. It is open to all employed academics with a PhD, and applicants propose their own project for Parliament to conduct. These projects might include contributing to the work of a parliamentary office, filling gaps in expertise, helping to grow Parliament’s academic networks, informing parliamentary scrutiny, analysing and evaluating parliamentary practices, building staff capacity and skills, providing advice and support to a committee, scrutinising a specific area of government policy, providing briefing material or advice, generating data to facilitate effective scrutiny, writing specific papers for parliamentary teams, studying aspects of the parliamentary process or perceptions of that process, or something else!

There is no external funding associated with these fellowships, and the cost will need to be met either by BU internally or by other research funders. The types of cost the fellowship will entail are: cover arrangements, travel, subsistence and accommodation alongside consideration of your time. Do not let concern over costs or other factors hold you back at this stage. Parliament have a keen diversity agenda and applications from all career stages (from PhD onwards) and other equality characteristics are welcomed – you do not have to be a professor!

The fellowship will usually last for 1 year; there may be flexibility over the start date (and this may help to save or manage costs). Fellows will spend some of their time in Westminster and some aspects will be completed remotely. The amount of time spent in Westminster will be dictated by the nature of your project. It could be one day per week, or a week block every six weeks, or another pattern.

Expression of Interest applications will be invited from Monday 8 June, when more information about the scheme, what to cover in your expression of interest, and a list of the parliamentary offices participating will be released by POST. The closing date is Friday 26 June 2020. We will update this blog with the new details once they are released.

Process

  • Now: Inform your Faculty Dean or Deputy Dean , that you are interested in applying
  • June: Complete the expression of interest and forward before the 26 June deadline, and discuss potential sources of funding with your faculty leadership
  • September: Submit detailed application for the fellowship which will also confirm BU budget approval
  • Oct/Nov: Interview
  • If selected – complete security clearance, complete Fellowship Agreement
  • Jan 2021 – commence Fellowship

The BU Policy team and your faculty impact officer are available for guidance, support and to track your application.

Click here for full details from POST, as well as testimonials from previous fellows.

This is also an informative and useful document – it contains some examples of projects successful Fellows undertook and the evaluation of the whole scheme including what needs improvement.

 

 

Opportunities to engage with the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

COVID-19 Outbreak Expert database

A number of you have already signed up to POST’s database. It aims to provide policymakers and civil servants with information on researchers’ specialisms to help them identify experts across the UK whose work might inform responses to the pandemic. It is also a fantastic opportunity to obtain greater reach with your research and connect with networks that may not have been as accessible previously. The database is live and still accepting entries, so do take a look and see if there is an area you can contribute to. POST has outlined a number of topics but it is not exhaustive – if you think you can provide useful input in a relevant area not listed, you can still sign up. Please remember to notify the policy office and your faculty impact officer if you do so.

Survey on impacts, concerns and issues around COVID-19

If you sign up to the database, you will also have the opportunity to fill in a 15-minute survey sharing expert insights  into the short, medium and long-term concerns and issues you perceive relating to COVID-19 and its impacts. The results will be shared within Parliament and used to help inform POST’s work. POST will publish anonymised responses and/or a public synthesis of these insights with a list of acknowledgements to contributors (not directly attributed to individuals). The first set of responses is due to be analysed Tuesday 14th April and there may be a further round of analysis after this deadline if required.

Learn more about engaging with Parliament to achieve policy impact

POST aims to maximise Parliamentary engagement with academic research and has produced a useful video describing how Parliament uses expert research in its work, whether it’s scrutinising Government, debating important issues, or passing legislation. You can also access general resources, advice and information on how you can work with Parliament as a researcher here.

Free training webinars 

POST will soon be running a series of free 90-minute webinars, Parliament for COVID-19 outbreak experts. They will:

  • provide a brief overview of what Parliament is, does and how it uses research;
  • explore the different ways you might engage with Parliament through your research over the coning months – both in the context of COVID-19 and its impacts, as well as other areas; and
  • share tips about communicating with Parliamentarians and those who support them.

Most of this content is usually only available via paid-for training courses in London, and won’t only be relevant to COVID-19. Please share this opportunity with colleagues and we will let you know when registration is open.