The Royal Society International Exchanges Scheme

The Royal Society invites applications for its international exchanges scheme to stimulate new collaborations within the natural sciences between scientists in the UK and overseas. It will support a one-off visit or bilateral travel but is not intended to support any existing or recent research collaborations.

The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering but not clinical medicine.

Both the UK and partner country project leader must have completed a PhD or have experience at an equivalent level, as well as holding a permanent or fixed term contract for the duration of the award at an eligible university or research institute in their country.

Collaborations should be based on a single project and travel can only take place between the UK and the country where the collaborator is based.

The following types of grants are available:

  • up to £3,000 for one-off travel lasting up to three months
  • up to £6,000 for multiple visits to be completed within one year, including a maximum of £1,000 for consumables
  • up to £12,000 for multiple visits to be completed within two years, including a maximum up £2,000 for research expenses

As part of the International Exchanges, the Society now offers additional funding through its Kan Tong Po Fellowships which has been made possible through the generosity of the family of the late Mr Kan Tong Po. The purpose of this scheme is to award Visiting Fellowships to UK or US based scientists to collaborate at the highest level with a Hong Kong based academic, or for Hong Kong based scientists to collaborate with an academic based in either the UK or US.

In addition to the exchange grants, candidates may apply for the Colin Pillinger international exchanges award, which is worth £1,000. This enables the scientists to communicate their research to the general public.

Deadlines on: 17 February 2015, 17 June 2015, 14 October 2015.

For further information go to:

https://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/international-exchanges/

Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Awards

Sir Isaac Wolfson FRS (1897-1991) Sir Isaac Wolfson FRS (1897-1991) was a businessman who distributed most of his fortune to good causes.

The Royal Society, in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, invites nominations for the Wolfson Research Merit Awards. These enable universities to attract or retain researchers of outstanding achievement and potential. The award covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering but excluding medicine.

It provides a salary enhancement for up to five years, usually worth £10,000 to £30,000 per year, in addition to the basic salary.

Awards are made to the university and therefore researchers must remain at the university named on the application. Researchers may be of any nationality but must hold or have received a firm offer for a permanent post at a UK university.

Closing date: 4 November 2014

For further information go to the Wolfson Foundation.

https://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/wolfson-research-merit/

University Research Fellowship

The Royal Society

This scheme is for outstanding scientists in the UK who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field. Approximately 35 fellowships will be awarded each year.

The scheme provides the opportunity to build an independent research career. Those appointed are expected to be strong candidates for permanent posts in universities at the end of their fellowships.
The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine and any researcher addressing a direct biomedical research question.

The applicant must:
  • have a PhD
  • be in the early stages of their research career and must have between 3 to 8 years of research experience since their PhD by the closing date of the round
  • not hold a permanent post in a university or not-for-profit organization in the European Economic Area (EEA)
  • be a citizen of the EEA or a be a Swiss citizen (or have a relevant connection to the EEA or Switzerland)

The EEA consists of the European Union (including the UK), Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

Initially funding is provided for five years with the opportunity to apply for an extension of three additional years. The University Research Fellowship can be held part-time, and allows sabbaticals, secondments or international experience

The basic salary requested should be at a level commensurate with the applicant’s skills, responsibilities, expertise and experience, up to a maximum of £38,759.20 per annum.

Closing date 17 Sep 14 (Forecast)

For further information go to: https://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/university-research/

Industry Fellowship

This scheme is for academic scientists who want to work on a collaborative project with industry and for scientists in industry who want to work on a collaborative project with an academic organisation.

It aims to enhance knowledge transfer in science and technology between those in industry and those in academia in the UK.

The scheme provides a basic salary for the researcher and a contribution towards research costs.

The scheme is funded by the Royal Society, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, Rolls-Royce plc and BP plc.

The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering but excluding clinical medicine.

The applicant must:

  • have a PhD or be of equivalent standing in their profession
  • hold a permanent post in a university, not-for-profit research organisation or industry in the UK
  • be at a stage in their career when they would particularly benefit from establishing or strengthening personal or corporate links between academia and industry as a foundation for long-term collaboration and development

Applications involving spin-offs or small companies are encouraged. Applicants should clearly state how the fellowship will benefit the not-for-profit research organisation, especially in cases where the applicant has financial involvement within the company. Applicants should also state which complementary skills the employees at the company can offer.

Applicants should ensure that they meet all the eligibility requirements, which can be viewed in scheme notes (PDF).

The applicant’s basic salary is provided while on secondment but the employing organisation continues to pay national insurance and pension contributions.

Research expenses may be claimed up to the value of £2,000 per year. Awards can be for any period up to two years full-time or a maximum of four years pro rata. (i.e. an award could be held at 50% part-time for four years enabling fellows to maintain links with their employing institution more easily).

For further information go to https://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/industry-fellowship/

Royal Society Industry Fellowship

The Royal Society

This scheme is for academic scientists who want to work on a collaborative project with industry and for scientists in industry who want to work on a collaborative project with an academic organisation.

The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine.

It aims to enhance knowledge transfer in science and technology between industry and academia in the UK and provides a basic salary for the researcher and a contribution towards research costs.

The scheme is funded by the Royal Society, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, Rolls-Royce plc and BP plc.

 The applicant must:

  • have a PhD or be of equivalent standing in their profession
  • hold a permanent post in a university, not-for-profit research organisation or industry in the UK
  • be at a stage in their career when they would benefit from establishing or strengthening personal or corporate links between academia and industry as a foundation for long-term collaboration and development

Applications involving spin-offs or small companies are encouraged.

Applicants should ensure that they meet all the eligibility requirements, which are explained in the scheme notes (PDF).

The scheme provides the applicant’s basic salary while on secondment. The employing organisation continue to pay national insurance and pension contributions.

Research expenses may be claimed up to the value of £2,000 per year. Awards can be for any period up to two years full-time or a maximum of four years pro rata, i.e. an award could be held at 50% part-time for four years enabling fellows to maintain links with their employing institution more easily.

For further information go to:

http://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/industry-fellowship/

Royal Society/Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowships

 

      Leverhulme Trust

This scheme is for scientists who would benefit from a period of full-time research without teaching and administrative duties.

The scheme reimburses the employing institution with the full salary cost of a teaching replacement.

The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine.

The applicant must

  • have a PhD or equivalent
  • hold a permanent post at a UK university or not-for-profit institution
  • be at a stage in their career when they would particularly benefit from a period of full-time research

The award lasts between one term and one academic year.

The applicant’s employing institution will be reimbursed for the full salary cost of a teaching replacement (up to the equivalent of the minimum point on the lectureship scale as paid by the host university).

Research expenses up to a maximum of £2,500 are available to each fellow to cover the costs of consumables, equipment, travel and communicating science.

Eligibility requirement can be found in the scheme notes.

For further information on how to apply go to http://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/leverhulme-trust-senior-research/

International Exchanges Scheme

The Royal Society

This scheme is for scientists in the UK who want to stimulate new collaborations with leading scientists overseas through either a one-off visit or bilateral travel.

The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine.

The International Exchanges Scheme is available for travel to all countries outside of the UK.

Applicants should ensure that they meet all the eligibility requirements, which are explained in the standard programme scheme notes (PDF).

The funding available is dependent upon the length of the visit.

Closing date 23rd October 2013

For further information go to: http://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/international-exchanges/

L’Oréal UK and Ireland fellowships for women in science

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L’Oréal UK and Ireland invites proposals for its fellowships for women In science. These are tenable at any UK or Irish university or research institute over a 12-month period, and cover research in the life or physical sciences. Computer science, engineering, mathematics, psychology, science education and social sciences are not eligible for this fellowship.

Candidates must: be female postdoctoral researchers with no more than 10 years’ active full-time postdoctoral experience; be a citizen of the EEA or Switzerland, or have permanent residence status in the UK or Ireland; be residing in the UK or Ireland at the time of application.

The value of each fellowship is £15,000. The prize money may cover equipment, childcare or travel costs to an overseas conference. Four awards will be made.

The 2014 Fellowships will open on 1st February 2014 for applications.

Closing date 15 Mar 14 (Forecast)

For futher information go to http://www.womeninscience.co.uk/index.php

 

Academic Health Science Centres competition 2013

The Department of Health has launched a new, open, two-stage competition to designate Academic Health Science Centres (AHSCs) in England.

The role of the newly designated AHSCs will be to increase strategic alignment of NHS providers and their university partner, specifically in world-class research, health education and patient care, in order to improve health and healthcare delivery, including through increased translation of discoveries from basic science into benefits for patients. AHSCs will be able to realise their potential as drivers of economic growth through research partnerships with commercial life science organisations.

The characteristics of the AHSCs will include:

  • strategic alignment of NHS provider and university objectives;
  • the highest volume, critical mass and world-class excellence in basic medical research;
  • the ability to translate findings from basic research into excellent translational, clinical and applied research across a range of interests;
  • ability to translate scientific advances into patient benefit, in order to improve patient care and healthcare delivery;
  • excellence in patient care;
  • excellence in health education;
  • strong partnership governance;
  • strong clinical informatics platform to underpin the delivery of AHSC objectives;
  • strong track record of, and capacity for, productive research collaborations with the life sciences industry and contribution to economic growth;
  • strong patient and public involvement and engagement.

The AHSC designation will be for five years, commencing 1 April 2014.

The NIHR Central Commissioning Facility (CCF) is managing the call and designation process on behalf of the Department of Health.

The closing date for submission of the Pre-qualifying Questionnaire by NHS provider/ university partnerships in England that are interested in being considered for AHSC designation is 31 May 2013 at 1.00pm.

The guidance document is available here.

The AHSC Pre-qualifying Questionnaire Application Form will be available from Wednesday 17th April 2013.