- Wednesday 9th February at 3-5pm in the Bournemouth Gateway Building BGG16
- Wednesday 20th March 2-4pm
- Tuesday 10th May 2-4pm
- Tuesday 5th July 10am-12pm
Category / RKE development framework
Influencing Policy Workshop with Professor Mark Reed
If you would like your research to have an impact on government policy, or would like to influence the policy of large organisations, then this half day workshop by impact expert, Professor Mark Reed, of Fast Track Impact, is for you.
This online half-day workshop is open to all academics and there are limited places, so book via OD now! Once booked, you will be sent a Zoom link to join the session nearer the time.
The workshop is running on 1st March from 13:00-16:30 and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
During this workshop, you will discover quick and easy tools you can use immediately to:
- Prioritise which policy actors to engage with first and how to instantly get their attention.
- Create a powerful impact plan that will guarantee your research makes a difference without wasting your time.
- Learn how to design an effective policy brief.
- Pitch evidence-based policy options powerfully in meetings and seminars.
- Learn how to get your research into policy, wherever you work in the world, by building trust and working with intermediaries.
- Track, evaluate and evidence policy impacts, discovering time-efficient ways to keep track of impacts as they arise, and design an impact evaluation that convincingly attributes impacts to your research.
- Be inspired by primary research and case studies that illustrate each point.
For more information, please contact Amanda Lazar.
Sign up Sign up: British Academy ECR Network Southwest Hub
Are you an ECR who wants to start 2022 with an awesome opportunity??
Online training workshop: Impact and funding applications
Impact and Funding Applications Training: Wednesday 16th February 15:30-16:30 Online
How to write about impact in your funding bids
Writing about impact in a grant application can be challenging. However, a strong description of the benefits you hope your project will have on society and the economy, and the means you will take to get there, can make all the difference between getting funded or not.
Book your place now on the online training session Impact and Funding Bids on 16th February at 3.30pm and we will help you understand what you need to include for the best chance of success, and look at the different ways impact may be considered within each call.
Although the session will include a brief look at definitions of impact, it is advised that you watch the 10-minute introduction to impact video on Brightspace beforehand to get the most out of the training.
Book your place.
ACORN Round 4 Is Closing Soon
Dear ECRs,
this is a reminder that ACORN Round 4 is closing on 10 December 2021 at 5pm.
As advertised earlier, this round slightly differs from previous rounds. Two options for ECRs are available – Standard Grants up to £5,000 that can be delivered before the end of July 2022 and Large Grants up to £10,00 for projects to be completed within 12 months.
Each applicant is allowed to only submit one proposal for Round 4 and should use one of the supplied templates accordingly. The closing date is Friday, 10th December 2021 (5pm); to be considered eligible, all applications must be submitted to the email account acorn@bournemouth.ac.uk before the deadline.
For more details, refer to full text of advertisement.
Calling all Humanities and Social Sciences ECR’s
Do you want to super charge your skills development?
Do you want access to a range of training and mentoring?
Do you want to engage in networking opportunities?
Take a look at this……
THE BRITISH ACADEMY’S ECR NETWORK EXPANDS INTO SOUTH WEST WITH NEW HUB.
The British Academy has expanded its Early-Career Researcher (ECR) Network via a pilot programme aimed at UK-based postdoctoral researchers in the humanities and social sciences – into the Southwest region with a new hub comprising the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Bath Spa, Bournemouth, Gloucestershire, Plymouth and UWE.
This two-year pilot programme aims to establish an inclusive, UK-wide Network for ECRs in the humanities and social sciences, providing opportunities for skills development and networking across the whole country.
As you can imagine we are all very BU Proud to be part of this consortium so please make the most of this opportunity and sign up to super charge your trajectory….
- The link to join the network is here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/BAECRN/
- Information about the network, including FAQs is here: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/early-career-researcher-network/
Sign up soon for training to maximise the impact of your public engagement
Taking place online on Monday 13 December, from national experts the NCCPE.
High Quality Public Engagement
13/12/2021 – 10:00-12:30
Online
Public engagement is an open, two-way process that can reap tremendous benefits for our researchers, the university and society. To find out how it can enrich your research, ensure its relevance to your wider public and build trust with partners and stakeholders, sign up for this session on High Quality Public Engagement.
We have teamed up with the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), who will bring their expertise to this bespoke training session for BU researchers.
In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to examine a series of frameworks and tools that can be used to develop high quality public engagement with research. In applying these tools – through case studies, activities and discussions – delegates will develop a more strategic approach to their public engagement practice.
It is aimed at people with experience of public engagement with research (e.g.: those who are highly experienced in one type of public engagement, those who have tried lots of different types, or those who have done engagement in other contexts) looking to take stock and develop a more strategic approach to their public engagement.
▸ Learning objectives
- Explore frameworks and concepts that deepen thinking about People, Purpose and Process
- Apply those explorations to your own work
- Consider how to take the concepts into your own work in the future
By the end of the session, you will be able to take a more strategic approach to your public engagement activity.
Book your place
Upcoming public engagement training (booking essential) – how to get started and where to focus
Public engagement with research (PER) is important for impact, community engagement, identifying research priorities, among other benefits. It is also increasingly valued as a skill in researchers, and by funders. In these two upcoming training sessions as part of the RKEDF, find out how to get started and how to take your public engagement to the next level – creating a strategy to identify where to focus your energy for the greatest impact
Getting started in public engagement with research
7/12/21 – 10:00-11:30
Online
This workshop aims to get academics from zero or little PER experience to a position where they are confident carrying out activity with awareness of audience, delivery and evaluation. BU benefits from having academics that meet the expectations of the modern research landscape, are able to promote BU research and are engaged with their local community.
This workshop will cover the status of public engagement in the research landscape; why it is important and what it can do for researchers. We’ll cover how to identify audiences and target their needs and expectations by designing public engagement activity around them. In addition, the workshop will go into the logistics of public engagement – from securing funding through planning, developing skills and the support offered at BU. Finally, we’ll discuss how to evaluate engagement activity to provide evidence for impact, insights into improving your activity and to provide further opportunity for engagement.
This 1.5 hour session consists of two parts;
30 minutes | A pre-recorded training video, recorded by BU Engagement Officer Adam Morris, covering all the content above.
You have a choice on when you’d like to watch this session. You can choose to watch it immediately prior to the Q&A, combining both into a single session. Alternatively, you can watch the session at any time prior to the Q&A and allow yourself more time to develop questions, joining this workshop just for the Q&A. Watch the training video on Brightspace at any time. |
1 hour | A live Question and Answer session, hosted by BU Engagement Officer Adam Morris, providing an opportunity for you to ask your questions on public engagement with research and to hear from other attendees.
You can ask your questions during the session or, to allow a more considered response, email your questions to Adam ahead of time. |
▸ Learning objectives
- Understand what is meant by public engagement and why it is an increasingly important part of a research career
- Identify relevant audiences and understand how to target engagement
- Plan public engagement activity that complements and benefits research
- Evaluate public engagement activity and use this to demonstrate impact
- Identify possible funders for public engagement with research
Book your place
High Quality Public Engagement
13/12/2021 – 10:00-12:30
Online
Public engagement is an open, two-way process that can reap tremendous benefits for our researchers, the university and society. To find out how it can enrich your research, ensure its relevance to your wider public and build trust with partners and stakeholders, sign up for this session on High Quality Public Engagement.
We have teamed up with the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), who will bring their expertise to this bespoke training session for BU researchers.
In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to examine a series of frameworks and tools that can be used to develop high quality public engagement with research. In applying these tools – through case studies, activities and discussions – delegates will develop a more strategic approach to their public engagement practice.
It is aimed at people with experience of public engagement with research (e.g.: those who are highly experienced in one type of public engagement, those who have tried lots of different types, or those who have done engagement in other contexts) looking to take stock and develop a more strategic approach to their public engagement.
▸ Learning objectives
- Explore frameworks and concepts that deepen thinking about People, Purpose and Process
- Apply those explorations to your own work
- Consider how to take the concepts into your own work in the future
By the end of the session, you will be able to take a more strategic approach to your public engagement activity.
Book your place
Filling the gap: an ACORN funded project
Back in May 2021, Kimberley Davies (inset ) and Sarah Elliott submitted a bid to BU’s ACORN internal fund, which is focussed on supporting the career development for Early Career Researchers.
The bid was entitled
“Filling the Gap: Investigating past and present socio-ecological resilience to aid future sustainability in the Poole Harbour Catchment”.
Their ACORN project proposal was designed as a steppingstone towards a future UKRI grant application. Kim and Sarah’s project, which would bring together decades of archaeological and ecological research in the Poole Harbour Catchment area, to develop scenarios of future resilience in coastal regions in light of potential large-scale environmental change, is aimed at the AHRC ECR grant.
Broadly the project aimed to characterise key events from the last ~10,000 years in the Poole Harbour area, e.g. sea level rise or agricultural intensification, and evaluate their socio-ecological impacts using historical profiling and theoretical models. The pilot study would also investigate the applicability of using palaeoecological ‘proxies’ and geoarchaeological markers in the sediment horizons to understand the impact of large scale events. This is critical in order to develop a plausible framework for future research, including defining appropriate sampling locations and relevant environmental proxies to signify key changes.
Kim and Sarah had written an excellent application and had complied with all the requirements of the application process.
Sarah commented ‘The application process for the ACORN grant, whilst resembling a small UKRI grant, was straightforward to assemble and submit. The ACORN team provided support with to help those who are unsure about the grant application process. The grant is really beneficial for anyone who wants to test ideas or generate preliminary data as often proof of concept is critical to the success of larger grants but can be difficult to obtain.’
Kim and Sarah were awarded funding and the project was successfully delivered within the time frame for the grant. Like most projects, it wasn’t plain sailing, but all the key aims were achieved and they are now actively working towards the submission of the full UKRI grant.
Kim stated that ‘The provision of a small sum of money has allowed us to generate pilot data that we are using as part of our larger bid. As two ECRs the ACORN grant allowed us to work closely together to develop this project idea as project leads, which is often difficult to do as part of other grants. We are now working together on the larger UKRI bid which makes this part less daunting and more achievable within a specific timeframe.’
These photos were taken during the fieldwork in Poole Harbour:
BU colleague Harry Manley joined Sarah and Kim on fieldwork to learn more about the process of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Sediments were retrieved from as deep as 5m below the surface. Multiple locations are logged in order to establish the best location to take a sediment core from.
During the analysis of the samples back in the lab :
The lab analyses included looking at the geochemistry, organic content, pollen and silica phytolith microscopic plant remains, the magnetic susceptibility, particle size and insects. These analyses helped to understand what has been preserved and what can be looked at in detail in future projects.
The ACORN grant allowed the sediments to be dated and helped to establish that the deepest deposits sampled so far are approximately 5000 years old!
For more information about ACORN funding, see the ACORN intranet page or contact ACORN@bournemouth.ac.uk.
(Photo credits: Kim Davies and Sarah Elliott, Bournemouth University)
How to ensure your research has impact: new online workshop for 2021/22
Planning for impact: Thursday 2nd December: 9:30-11:30 Online
If you want to ensure your research makes a real-world difference, book now onto this RKEDF interactive online workshop. This training is also useful for anyone applying for this year’s call for the Research Impact Fund (closing date: 10th December). Early career researchers are welcome to attend, and the session is suitable for any career stage.
Impact consultant Saskia Gent, director of Insights for Impact, explains: “This is a hands-on, practical workshop with exercises supporting researchers to build a draft impact plan.” You will learn how to create a strategic plan for embedding impact in your research at any stage in the research lifecycle by:
- identifying relevant stakeholders
- developing impact goals
- understanding the different types of impact that can arise from your research
- identifying evidence sources.
Book your place.
Raf Nicholson on the Early Career Researcher Network
I started work at Bournemouth University in April 2018 as Postdoctoral Researcher in Sport, Leisure and Tourism. At BU I have been supported by peers through both the Research Staff Association and the ECR Network. It was at a meeting of the ECR Network on research funding where I learned about the Acorn Fund, a specific BU pot of funding designed for Early Career Researchers.
I applied for an Acorn award in April 2019 and was subsequently awarded £4,444. This gave me the chance to begin work on a new project focused on the underrepresentation of women within sports leadership in the UK, carrying out oral history interviews with women who were involved in sports governance in the 1980s and 1990s. As part of this award I was also able to host an event at BU in December 2019 focused on “Women in Sport Governance”. We had representatives from 15 different National Governing Bodies of Sport attend the event, and I was able to share my research findings and develop my network. I was fully supported in running the event by members of BU’s Research Development & Support team, who assisted with the logistics and with publicising the event.
As a result of all the above support I achieved promotion to Senior Lecturer in April 2020, and I shared my experiences and learning with the ECR network at that month’s meeting.
I would really recommend the ECR network to other researchers. The meetings are always valuable and informative, and everyone is friendly and supportive. Personally, I found it was a lifeline during the UK lockdowns to have a (virtual) space to chat with others at ECRN meetings.
For more information about the Early Career Researcher Network and to book onto any of the monthly sessions, see here.
Michelle Heward; reflections from an ACORN Awardee
How BU ECR ACORN funding has helped my research career
I was awarded BU ECR Acorn funding in 2018 for a study titled ‘Minimising disorientation in care homes: Experiences of care home staff’. The funding enabled me to recruit and manage a student Research Assistant to undertake telephone interviews with care home managers, exploring how they address spatial disorientation and navigation of residents with dementia in such environments.
With guidance and support from my line manager Prof Jan Wiener and colleagues from Brighton and Sussex Medical School, I was able to gain experience of leading the study as Principal Investigator and contributing to the evidence base of current practice by publishing the findings in a journal article.
This experience has proven to be an essential element in building my research profile. It demonstrates my capability to build a multi-disciplinary team and lead a study through the research cycle, from idea to dissemination stage. As such, it has been a catalyst for me to obtain external research funding from the Alzheimer’s Research UK South Coast Network to continue developing my expertise and networks in this area. It has also given me the confidence to take forwards further research interests and ideas with my other line manager Prof Jane Murphy and various internal and external colleagues. I have since applied to funders such as NIHR, EPSRC, and Alzheimer’s Society – with some success and some still awaiting an outcome!
Personally, I feel that the support for ECRs at BU has improved recently with the development of initiatives such as the ECR network, ECR Acorn funding, and training and development courses specifically aiming at ECRS as part of the RKE Development Framework. I have benefited from career planning and development advice and resources from my line managers, those who run the ECR network, the BU MyCareerHub (particularly the networking and Linked in guidance) and having access to health and wellbeing resources such as a coach to discuss career trajectory.
I would encourage all ECRs at BU to take the time to look at what is available and make use of what is appropriate to them. If applying for ECR Acorn funding, start with a small, manageable project and involve more experienced colleagues to ensure you feel supported and able to complete the study.
Introducing the Early Career Researcher Network
Our established network of Early Career Researchers extends across the faculties. It provides support to Early Career Researchers from the experienced academic leaders of the network, Dr. Sam Goodman, and Prof. Ann Hemingway, as well as from peers, and highlights the support available from the Research Development and Support department and other BU teams. It also, as the name suggests, provides a forum for networking and making connections that can be of great benefit to an academic’s research career.
We have monthly networking events. We plan to continue holding them online for the time being, with a view to trialling at least a couple of hybrid events later in this academic year. We have a mix of themed discussions, (on topics like career planning, dealing with imposter syndrome, managing your profile as a researcher), plus open surgeries with more general Q&A.
For a more animated introduction, here is a short video of Sam and Ann talking about the network.
If you are not already a member of the network but would like to be, or if you have any queries, please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk. No restrictions apply, as long as you identify yourself as someone in the early stages of their research career.
To have a look at what sessions are on, and to book onto any of them, please see here.
Introduction to ACORN
What is ACORN fund about?
ACORN funding provides central investment to the most talented Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to support them in gaining experience in managing and leading their own pilot research projects. The name ACORN stands for ACceleration Of Research and Networking. These awards support BU’s commitment to the Concordat to Support to Career Development of Researchers.
It is increasingly common in the sector for universities to provide a central fund for research development activities, with funds allocated via an internal competitive process. The decision-making body is a panel, technical project implementation support, including financial management, is provided by faculties.
ACORN funding is managed by one of the internal funding panels; the ACORN panel consists of ten panel members representing all faculties, Doctoral College and Professional Services. The panel is led by the Chair Professor Jan Wiener, Vice-Chair Professor Julie Turner-Cobb and supported by Secretary and Clerk from RDS.
There is a strong link between the ACORN Fund and the ECR Network (ECRN). Both were launched in 2018, with the ECRN having monthly meetings and a Brightspace community. Award holders are expected to engage with the ECRN and present at an ECRN event. In this way, those who do not benefit directly from the ACORN scheme by receiving funding, benefit indirectly though interaction with those ECRs who receive support via this scheme.
There are some key eligibility requirements applicants have to consider before applying for ACORN funding:
- applicants must have completed their PhD;
- applicants must have a post at BU (established or fixed term) for the full duration of the award;
- applicants should have held a 0.2 or above research contract for no more than six years in total;
- ACORN award holders cannot hold more than one ACORN award concurrently;
- applicants are required to secure at least one mentor to provide support and advice through the application process and beyond.
Funded projects
Since ACORN funding started, 23 grants have been awarded.
Round 1
- Return to Work after Stroke, PI Dr Kathryn Collins (HSS);
- Enhancing Educational Practice Through 3D Pedagogy Workshops, PI Dr Deborah Gabriel (FMC);
- Building BU-Brazil partnerships: self-managed breathing training for falls prevention, PI Dr James Gavin (FMC);
- Training prisoners as hospitality workers: The Clink Charity case, PI Dr Charalampos Giousmpasoglou (FMC);
- Minimising disorientation in care homes: Experiences of care home staff, PI Dr Michelle Heward (HSS);
- Virtual Reality for supporting dementia care, PI Dr Ben Hicks (FST).
Round 2
- The Beach Bots – preliminary study, PI Dr Rashid Bakirov (FST);
- Contemporary Issues in Fertility Control, PI Dr Jeffrey Wale (FMC);
- Women’s Sport Governance: Merger-Takeovers in the 1990s and beyond, PI Dr Rafaelle Nicholson (BUBS);
- Using the power of the creative arts in supporting dementia care, PI Dr Amanda Adams (HSS);
- Equity Based Online Crowdfunding Platforms and Gender Bias in Decision Making, PI Dr Sukanya Ayatakshi-Endow (BUBS);
- Factors affecting access to mental health services in the Nepali and Iranian communities living in UK, PI Dr Bibha Simkhada (HSS);
- Accessible Emoji, PI Dr Benjamin Gorman (FST).
Round 3
- Turning Your Film Into Mine: Filmmaking and the Quotation Exception, PI Dr Claudy Op Den Kamp (FMC);
- Neonate simulators and digital stories: enhancing social work practitioner’s knowledge of problem substance use during pregnancy, PI Dr Humaira Hussain (HSS);
- Drawing Lines across Virtual Spaces: Nigerian Political Cartooning in the Digital Age, PI Dr Malcolm Corrigall (FMC);
- Exploring pathways from suicide ideation to attempts in autism, PI Dr Rachel Moseley (FST);
- Reliability and Development of Normative Data of the Total Faulty Breathing Scale, PI Dr Vikram Mohan (HSS).
Round 3.5
- Using Game-based learning and Gamification to develop reflective practice in social work students and practitioners, PI Dr Louise Oliver (HSS);
- Study into best inpatient ward bed layout at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, PI Dr Nirmal Aryal (HSS);
- ‘Out-of-Commerce: Out-of-Mind’: Finding the Lost Films, PI Dr Melanie Stockton-Brown (FMC);
- Filling the Gap: Investigating past and present socio-ecological resilience to aid future sustainability in the Poole Harbour Catchment, PI Dr Kimberley Davies (FST);
- Smartphone-assisted automated grape disease diagnosis and remedial system, PI Dr Avleen Mahli (FST).
Round 4
The ACORN Fund Round 4 is now open for applications, so your name may be here in the future; all ECRs working at BU are welcome to submit their applications by 5pm on Friday, 10th December 2021.
Two options for ECRs are available – Standard Grants up to £5,000 that can be delivered before the end of July 2022 and Large Grants up to £10,00 for projects to be completed within 12 months.
The Panel and RDS are grateful for grant holders’ commitment and wish success to all Round 4 applicants.
Upcoming public engagement training (booking essential) – better online engagement for the public, and where to focus your PER efforts
Engaging with the public online is here to stay – so join our training to learn how to deliver polished, interactive experiences for your audiences. We’ll also have training on how to take your public engagement to the next level – creating a strategy to identify where to focus your energy for the greatest impact.
Meaningful Online Engagement
22/11/2021 – 09:30-12:00
Online
Public engagement is now often as likely to take place online as it is in person. But how do you tailor your approach to take account of a virtual event? And how can you harness the unique benefits of engaging with your audience online?
We are delighted to be able to team up with the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), who will use their experience and expertise to provide an invaluable guide to running online public engagement events. The training session is aimed at people who are thinking about taking their public engagement online and would like guidance about how to do it well.
This bespoke interactive workshop will provide an opportunity to consider if and how to translate public engagement plans to an online context. Looking at purpose, people and process, the course provides an opportunity to think through how to design engagement, top tips on how to ensure attendees get the most out of the engagement, and ideas for how to evaluate it. Participants will have the opportunity to explore some case studies of practice, before considering how to apply the framework to their own work.
▸ Learning objectives
- To develop confidence in engaging publics online and be inspired by examples of high quality online engagement
- To support delegates to consider if and how their engagement can be adapted for an online context, and what the strengths and opportunities of online engagement are
- To introduce processes and tools for online engagement, and think about how these can be applied to delegate’s own engagement work
- To highlight key considerations to make when planning online content- purpose, people, principles, and evaluation
By the end of the session, you will have an understanding of how to plan an effective public engagement event online.
Book your place
High Quality Public Engagement
13/12/2021 – 10:00-12:30
Online
Public engagement is an open, two-way process that can reap tremendous benefits for our researchers, the university and society. To find out how it can enrich your research, ensure its relevance to your wider public and build trust with partners and stakeholders, sign up for this session on High Quality Public Engagement.
We have teamed up with the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), who will bring their expertise to this bespoke training session for BU researchers.
In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to examine a series of frameworks and tools that can be used to develop high quality public engagement with research. In applying these tools – through case studies, activities and discussions – delegates will develop a more strategic approach to their public engagement practice.
It is aimed at people with experience of public engagement with research (e.g.: those who are highly experienced in one type of public engagement, those who have tried lots of different types, or those who have done engagement in other contexts) looking to take stock and develop a more strategic approach to their public engagement.
▸ Learning objectives
- Explore frameworks and concepts that deepen thinking about People, Purpose and Process
- Apply those explorations to your own work
- Consider how to take the concepts into your own work in the future
By the end of the session, you will be able to take a more strategic approach to your public engagement activity.
Book your place
How to plan for impact from your research: sign up now for new training!
Planning for impact: Thursday 2nd December, 9.30-11.30
Do you want to ensure your research has real-world impact? Would you like to understand how to integrate impact into your project plan to enhance the chance of getting funding? This new online impact training session provides the tools and insights you need.
Impact consultant Saskia Gent, director of Insights for Impact, explores how to plan for impact throughout the research lifecycle. The session addresses the key elements of impact planning by asking five questions: why, who, what, how and how do we know?
This approach enables you to consider your impact goals, identify relevant beneficiaries and stakeholders, plan engagement activities and consider evidence requirements and opportunities.
Sign up here.
This session is useful for you, whichever stage of your research career you are at, and ECRs are welcome to attend. You are also encouraged to attend if you are considering applying for the Research Impact Fund (which closes 10th December).
The ACORN Fund Round 4 is Now Open for Applications!
The ACORN Fund (Acceleration Of Research & Networking) for Early Career Researchers Round 4 is now open for applications.
This round slightly differs from previous rounds. Two options for ECRs are available – Standard Grants up to £5,000 that can be delivered before the end of July 2022 and Large Grants up to £10,00 for projects to be completed within 12 months. For more details, refer to the ACORN Fund Policy Autumn 2021 document.
Each applicant is allowed to only submit one proposal for Round 4 and should use one of the supplied templates accordingly. The closing date is Friday, 10th December 2021 (5pm); to be considered eligible, all applications must be submitted to the email account acorn@bournemouth.ac.uk before the deadline.
This scheme will provide c. five awards, of up to £5,000 each and up to two awards, of up to £10,000 each, to support BU’s ECRs, with the most promising talent, to gain experience of managing and leading their own pilot research projects. These awards support BU’s commitment to the Concordat to Support to Career Development of Researchers and are made possible by BU’s QR (Quality Research) allocation for 2021/22 financial year.
For eligibility, you must be able to comply with the following:
- Applicant must have completed their PhD;
- Applicant must have a post at BU (established or fixed term) for the full duration of the award and the post-award commitments or longer;
- To be considered an early career researcher (ECR), applicant should have held a 0.2 or above research contract for no more than six years in total, excluding periods where the applicant was involved in non-research employment or not at work (e.g. caring responsibilities);
- ACORN award holders cannot hold more than one BU internal award concurrently.
Note that open access publication costs are not eligible, but these can be requested from the BU Open Access Publication Fund (OAPF). Any planned travel expenses are subject to COVID restrictions and, generally, are not recommended.
Following links, you can find ACORN Large Grant and Standard Grant application forms. In addition, to assist with the budget section, please refer to the RKE Internal Funding Sample Costs. As this does not require Full Economic Costing, you should not contact your faculty’s Funding Development Officer to complete the costing for you. Please address any queries as below.
Applications require support from faculty and mentor, so please start your application early and obtain all approvals as soon as possible. Applicants are responsible for obtaining faculty sign-off before submitting the application.
For those interested to find out more, we will be running a workshop led by the ACORN Panel Chair Prof Jan Wiener on Tuesday 23th November 2021 from 2pm to 4pm. Workshop will take place in a face-to-face setting, please come to F106 (Fusion Building) with your questions.
Please address any further queries to RDS via acorn@bournemouth.ac.uk
Putting the ACORN Fund into strategic context, under BU2025, the following funding panels operate to prioritise applications for funding and make recommendations to the Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC):
- HEIF Funding Panel
- Research Impact Funding Panel
- Doctoral Studentship Funding Panel
- ACORN Funding Panel
- Research Fellowships Funding Panel
- Charity Support Funding Panel
- SIA Funding panel
These panels align with the BU2025 focus on research, including BU’s Research Principles. Specifically, but not exclusively, regarding the ACORN Fund, please refer to:
- Principle 5, which sets of the context for such funding panels;
- Principle 6 and Outcome 9, which recognise the need for interdisciplinarity and the importance of social science and humanities (SSH);
- Outcomes 4 and 5, where ECRs are provided with the mechanisms for support such as mentors and, through schemes including the ACORN fund, gain budgetary responsibility experience.
Research Impact, Charity Impact and Public Engagement Funds update
You can now book onto the information session that accompanies the launch of three internal funds:
- Research Impact Fund
- Charity Impact Fund
- Public Engagement Fund
These funds are to support research-based impact and public engagement activities and we have an information session on 18th November, 14:00-15:00, where you can find out more about the funds, who is eligible, which one to apply for and how to apply.
You can book onto the session here:
How to bid for funding for Impact and Public Engagement
Please contact me for more details.