SE Funding News | 5th Feb 2010 | New Leverhulme and International Opportunities | EU insights]

*Sneak Peaks into 2011 EU Funding Calls*

As mentioned in our newsletter on 15th January, we're starting to get indications of what might come up in the 2011 round of Framework Programme (the key source of European research funding) calls. All of the calls will be published in July 2010. Science in Society <http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM4NCwxMjY3MDAwOTU=> is the latest strategy paper from the European Commission. Earlier strategy papers are on our website <http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM4NSwxMjY3MDAwOTU=>.

*International Collaboration *

*COST Actions* http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM4NiwxMjY3MDAwOTU

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) funds European networking activities including conferences, exchanges, publications and training schools. The scheme works on an open deadline basis.

*EUROCORES - Now Open for Applications* http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM4NywxMjY3MDAwOTU=&EUROCORES is a scheme run by the European Science Foundation. It supports collaborative research involving at least three European countries. UK-based researchers can participate in the call Molecular Science for a Conceptual Transition from Fossil to Solar Fuels http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM4OCwxMjY3MDAwOTU= the deadline for which (outlines only) is *26th March 2010.*

*Partnership Development Grants, Prime Minister's Initiative* http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM4OSwxMjY3MDAwOTU=

These are awards of up to £2,000 which can be used to develop new institution-level partnerships between the UK and the Middle East, Asia, Ghana, Nigeria or the United States. Activities can include joint research and teaching. The deadline is *31st March 2010*.

*Funding Opportunities*

*Major Research Fellowships, Leverhulme Trust* http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM5MCwxMjY3MDAwOTU=

These allow distinguished researchers to devote themselves to a 2-3 year project in any discipline save medicine. The fellowship funds a full-time junior replacement for the fellow. The deadline is *7th May 2010*.

*Philip Leverhulme Prizes, Leverhulme Trust* http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM5MSwxMjY3MDAwOTU=

A number of awards - £70,000 each - for outstanding scholars under the age of 36. The University has done well with these before. Nominations must be received by *17th May 2010.*

*ERI Events*

*ERI Learning Lunch CSE Postgraduate Funding*

This Learning Lunch is aimed at prospective PhD supervisors. It will provide a networking opportunity for those involved in postgraduate recruitment, supervision, administration and funding, and will cover:

* Funding streams for supervisors and students, current and future opportunities, sources of information and how to use funding inovatively * How to attract the best students and assist applicants and inquirers

Arrangements are:

* Date: 10th February 2010 * Time: 12:00-14:00 (including lunch at 12:30pm) * Location: Lecture theatre 2, Daniel Rutherford Building, KB * Booking: Using MyEd http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM5MiwxMjY3MDAwOTU=

*An Introduction to Research Funding Engineering and Physics* http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM5MywxMjY3MDAwOTU=

Download a poster http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM5NCwxMjY3MDAwOTU=

This workshop is aimed at researchers who are about to embark on a postdoctoral research career. It provides and overview of funding options, practical guidance on preparing an application and an opportunity to hear from successful researchers.

* Date: 23rd February 2010 * Time: 10:00-14:00 * Venue: Lecture Theatre C, SAC Peter Wilson Building, KB * Booking: email transkills@ed.ac.uk

http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzA0ODM5NSwxMjY3MDAwOTU=

Call for applications: 2010 L'Oreal-UNESCO Fellowships For Women In Science

Applications for the 2010 L'Oreal-UNESCO UK and Ireland For Women In Science fellowships are now open.

L'Oréal UK and Ireland, the UK National Commission for UNESCO, the Royal Institution of Great Britain, and the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, have partnered together to provide a dedicated UK and Ireland For Women In Science Fellowship Programme for women scientists at postdoctoral level to enable and/or facilitate promising scientific research in the life or physical sciences.

Four Fellowships will be awarded in 2010 to outstanding female postdoctoral scientists to assist them with their research. The Fellowships, each worth £15,000 (equivalent € for candidates in Ireland), are tenable at any UK or Irish university or research institute to support a 12-month period of research.

The fellowship money can be spent in any number of innovative ways to enable women scientists to further their careers and facilitate world class research - such as buying equipment, paying for childcare or funding travel costs to an overseas conference.

Visit www.womeninscience.co.uk ; to apply

Closing date for applications is midnight (GMT) 7 April 2010

More information <http://www.womeninscience.co.uk/about.php>

Terms and conditions <http://www.womeninscience.co.uk/terms.php>

Contact us <http://www.womeninscience.co.uk/contact.php>

Media Fellowships for Scottish Researchers

Media Fellowships for Scottish Researchers

Want to know what it's like to be a science journalist? The British Science Association Media Fellowships 2010 let you experience first hand how science is reported by spending 3-8 weeks with a national press, broadcast or internet journalist on a summer placement, working with them to produce accurate, well informed news pieces about developments in science.

Come away better equipped to communicate your research to the public and your colleagues. Learn to work within the constraints of the media and develop writing skills that could make journal articles and funding applications easier and more concise.

You are eligible to apply for the scheme if you:

* are a scientist, clinician, social scientist or engineer * have a minimum of 2 years postgraduate experience in your field * are a resident of the UK * Work at any level in an academic or research institution, industry, civil service or any other similar organisation

Hosts have included: The Scotsman, Nature, BBC News and the Times. For details about the scheme, including an online application form, visit http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/mediafellows Application deadline: 2 March 2010

Important information for applicants to AHRC funding scheme

The Arts and Humanities Research Council [AHRC] supports world-class research that furthers our understanding of human culture and creativity. Important information for applicants to AHRC funding schemes

In 2010 the AHRC, along with the other Research Councils, will be transferring its grants processing activities to the new RCUK Shared Services Centre. This important change is being made in order to harmonise common processes across all Councils and to secure efficiency savings for the research budget which will be channelled into further investment in research. It will also allow for greater consistency across the Councils in the application procedure as well as the operation of peer review.

In addition, the AHRC office will be moving from Bristol to Swindon in June. Together, these changes will impact significantly on the AHRC's planned schedule of activities over the coming nine months or so. While the AHRC will do its utmost to minimise the disruption to applicants and others, normal timescales for assessing grant applications will have to be changed to enable these changes to take place as smoothly as possible and for normal business to resume after the new systems are in place.

In particular, AHRC applicants should be aware of the following changes:

*Research Grants and Fellowships Schemes* – We will not be accepting applications between 19 March 2010 – 31 May 2010. In addition, Fellowship applicants are strongly advised to submit their applications before the end of February as the outcomes of some applications submitted in March are unlikely to be announced until spring 2011. We are also rescheduling our panel meetings during 2010 which may mean that applicants will not receive outcomes when they would have been expecting them.

*Research Networking Scheme*

– We will not be accepting applications between 26 February and 31 May 2010.

*Knowledge Transfer Fellowships*

- The planned closing date in May will not occur. The scheme will re-open later in 2010 on an open deadline basis on a date to be confirmed.

*Knowledge Catalysts*

– We will not be accepting applications between 26 February 2010 and 31 August 2010. This will give time to consider the outcomes of the current review of the scheme due to be completed by end of March and implement any changes in the light of the review.

Applicants are advised to allow as much time as possible between submitting applications and the suggested start date for projects. Applicants should also bear in mind when submitting proposals that award announcements may be delayed by a number of months, and successful applicants may be required to change the start date of their projects to take this into account.

All schemes not mentioned above, including all postgraduate programmes, will continue as planned, and we will be processing all applications already submitted before the dates outlined above. It should also be noted that the overall AHRC budget will not be affected by these changes.

Professor Rick Rylance, Chief Executive of the AHRC, said: "The AHRC has a demanding year ahead with very considerable organisational upheaval. We hope that you will bear with us during this period. We will of course do everything we can to minimise disruption and to ensure everyone in the arts and humanities research community is kept fully up to date with progress in a timely way."

Further measures may need to be taken by the AHRC in the autumn of 2010, but these will be communicated in good time and through the normal channels.

For further information, please go to: www.ahrc.ac.uk http://www.ahrc.ac.uk

If you would like to discuss any issues you might have about these changes or their implications, please contact: p.pothen@ahrc.ac.uk

Research Funding News

EPSRC Regional Meetings 2010

The EPSRC is holding a series of regional meetings during February and March 2010. These are open to the entire engineering and physical sciences community. The aim is to share information about the EPSRC's strategies and encourage constructive discussion to help shape the EPSRC's plans for the future.

Lancaster - 19th February Bath - 26th February Loughborough - 5th March Heriot-Watt - 26th March

*Funding Opportunities*

*Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships* http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzAyMDY0NCwxMjU5Nzg0ODg=

The Leverhulme Trust's annual postdoctoral fellowship competition is now open for applications. Deadline is *11th March 2010*

*2010 Information and Communication Technologies Policy Support Programme, EU http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzAyMDY0NywxMjU5Nzg0ODg=

Themes include low carbon economy and the multilingual web. Deadline is *1st June 2010*

Workshops An Introduction to Research Funding http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzAyMDY1MCwxMjU5Nzg0ODg=

Download a poster for your noticeboard http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzAyMDY1MSwxMjU5Nzg0ODg=

This workshop is aimed at researchers approaching the end of their PhD or just starting out in their postdoctoral career. It provides an overview of funding options, practical guidance on preparing an application and an opportunity to hear from successful researchers.

Workshops are targeted to specific subjects. Dates for 2010 are:

23rd February: Engineering and Physics 22nd April: Informatics 25th May: Geosciences 12th October: Chemistry 25th November: Biology

The first courses are now taking bookings. Please contact transkills http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=MzAyMDY1MiwxMjU5Nzg0ODg= to reserve your place or to be put on a waiting list for later events.

Staff: College Open Forum - 4 February

Event: College Open Forum Time/Date: 1 pm on Thursday 4 February, 2010 Venue: Main Lecture Theatre, Michael Swann Building You are invited to attend the next College Open Forum. The Head of College, Professor Nigel Brown and the Dean of Research Careers, Professor Wyn Williams, will talk about the College strategy and actions in developing research careers. All welcome. Gail Linnett PA to Vice-Principal and Head of College College of Science & Engineering Office Weir Building The King's Buildings

BBSRC Visit to Informatics - 5th February 2010

The BBSRC will be visiting the University on **5th February 2010**. The day offers an opportunity for all researchers intersted in BBSRC funding - including those in the School of Informatics - to find out more about the BBSRC's future funding plans.

We are grateful to the BBSRC's Andy Boyce <http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=Mjk4OTExMSwxMjQ0NzIyMTg=>for his help in arranging this visit.

**Presentations**

King's Buildings, Room 3217 (third floor), JCMB

Please book to attend this morning session using MyEd http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=Mjk4OTExMiwxMjQ0NzIyMTg= (event title "BBSRC Visit - King's Buildings").

10:00-10:20 Registration

10:20-10:30 Introduction - Nigel Brown, Head of CSE

10:30-11:30 BBSRC Priorities, Strategic Plan and Peer Review (Gerald Owenson, BBSRC http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=Mjk4OTExMywxMjQ0NzIyMTg

11:30-11:45 Tea and coffee

11:45-12:30 Business & Innovation Opportunities at the BBSRC (Donald Mair, BBSRC http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=Mjk4OTExNCwxMjQ0NzIyMTg=

12:30-13:30 Lunch

Informatics Forum, Room G.07

Please book to attend this morning session using MyEd http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=Mjk4OTExNSwxMjQ0NzIyMTg= (event title "BBSRC Visit - Informatics").

14:00-14:15 Tea and Coffee

14:15-14:45 Supporting Computing in the Biosciences (David McAllister, BBSRC <http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=Mjk4OTExNiwxMjQ0NzIyMTg=>)

Individual Surgeries

The surgeries are short - 10-15 minute - one to one meetings providing the opportunity to get personalised advice from a member of BBSRC staff. There will be two sessions:

* 13:30-15:00, King's Buildings, Room 3217 (third floor), JCMB * 14:45-15:30, Informatics Forum, Room G.07

To book a surgery slot, please email emma.gliori@ed.ac.uk http://system.newzapp.co.uk/GLink.asp?LID=Mjk4OTExNywxMjQ0NzIyMTg stating:

* One or two sentences on your question(s) * If you have a potential grant application that you wish to discuss, a short abstract for the BBSRC to look at beforehand. * Which site you will attend. (The Informatics Forum session is particularly aimed at informatics researchers.)