Funding

The British Lichen Society invites applications for its summer vacation scholarship. This enables a student to conduct a summer vacation project in some aspect of lichenology at a British academic or other research institution. This could involve, for example, their ecology, taxonomy, physiology, structure, evolution or chemistry, or an area of particular local interest. Suitable candidates are likely to be higher education or university students. The application is made on behalf of the student by a member of the society, who is likely to be a member of university, or higher education or museum staff. The scholarship is worth £180 per week for up to 10 weeks, plus a small grant towards the cost of materials up to £2,000.

The Gen Foundation invites applications for its grants. Candidates from the biological, chemical, botanical and food sciences, and exceptional candidates from language, music and art are invited to apply. Applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. In order to be eligible to apply, applicants must have at least a conditional offer from an academic institution or have backing from an organisation to pursue a project. Previous grants have ranged from £500 to £5,000.  

Do you wish to study for a PhD in Biochemistry or an allied biomedical science?Alternatively, do you wish to do a postdoctoral fellowship? Are you in the top 5% of PhD candidates?Has your otherwise very promising research career been interrupted for quite extraordinary non-academic reasons totally beyond your control, e.g. outbreak of war, having to flee from country of origin, becoming a refugee?Are you ineligible for an award from public funds? If so, we might be able to help with your funding.   BackgroundAn appeal was launched at the Biochemical Society's meeting in December 1982 to commemorate the life and work of Sir Hans Krebs, FRS, by instituting a postgraduate (PhD) scholarship in biochemistry or an allied biomedical science, tenable at any British university. The generous response of many of Sir Hans' pupils, colleagues and admirers in many countries has provided sufficient funds to allow a scholarship to be awarded in alternate years.The scholarship is primarily intended to be a mark of exceptional academic distinction and recognition of outstanding promise; it is not a means of 'topping up' grants already received from other sources.What does the scholarship cover?There are no restrictions on nationality. It will cover fees at the home and EU student's rate, and maintenance; (non-EU) overseas students will therefore need to find the balance of fees from other sources. Financial contribution from the host university will be looked upon favourably. Currently the scholarship is worth £18,500 per academic year.Length of scholarshipThe scholarship will be awarded for 1 year in the first instance but may be renewed up to a maximum tenure of 3 years. Where the scholarship is renewed to the current holder, it will not become available to new applicants until that tenure has come to an end.University placeApplicants will be expected to have made prior arrangements with the university at which they intend to hold the award. The application should be forwarded through the Head of Department concerned who must be able to place the candidate in the top 5% of PhD candidates.  

BBSRC and Scottish Government co-funding collaboration   The Scottish Government deadline: 27 March 2013 BBSRC deadline: 24 April 2013   Summary BBSRC and the Scottish Government are collaborating to co-fund research into food security and living with environmental change.   It is open to Scottish Government research institutes who do not have Higher Education Institute (HEI) status, namely: -The James Hutton Institute -Moredun Research Institute -Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland Research Institute (BioSS)   Scientific objectives The fund promotes applications for research within 2 areas of our remit: -Food security -Living with environmental change   Eligibility The aforementioned Scottish Government's research institutes can apply alone or collaborate with BBSRC institutes and the HEI sector to submit a joint application. It is only these research institutes that must follow this process.

The Natural Environment Research Council invites applications for its knowledge exchange projects. These support activities between the science community and end users to develop products, models and tools that have the potential to generate significant impact through meeting the needs of users but generate no commercial return. Applicants should be based in UK higher education institutions, NERC research and collaborative centres and NERC-approved independent research organisations that are currently in receipt of NERC research funding. Proposals should include at least one project partner. Private, public or third sector organisations and institutions are eligible as end users. Projects may be of any length. Applications may not exceed £125,000.

The Natural Environment Research Council invites applications for its follow-on fund. This fund helps researchers maximise the societal and economic benefit of their research by extending its impact through commercial means. Applications to this scheme must demonstrate a sound understanding of the market opportunity and a clear and robust linkage between the proposed technology development plan and the strategy proposed for commercialising the project’s outputs. Projects must follow on from previous NERC-funded research activity. Researchers with current or past NERC funding may apply. Funding is worth up to £125,000 with a £100,000 contribution for up to 12 months.

2013 Key Dates Applications Open: Friday 1st February Applications Close: Friday 15th March Shortlist Published: Monday 3rd June Awards Ceremony: Thursday 20th June   What are the L'Oréal UK and Ireland Fellowships For Women In Science? The L'Oréal-UNESCO UK and Ireland Fellowships For Women In Science are awards offered by a partnership between L'Oréal UK & Ireland, the UK National Commission for UNESCO and the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, with the support of the Royal Society, to promote, enhance and encourage the contribution of women pursuing their research careers in the UK or Ireland in the fields of the life and physical sciences.   The National Fellowships are offered under the umbrella of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science Programme, which has promoted women in scientific research on a global scale since 1998.   Four Fellowships will be awarded in 2013 to outstanding women scientists in the early stages of their career to enable and/or facilitate promising scientific research. The Fellowships are tenable at any UK or Irish university or research institute to support a 12-month period of postdoctoral research in any area of the life or physical sciences.   Who is Eligible? Candidates must be female postdoctoral level researchers who have already been awarded their research doctorate in the fields of life or physical science.   Candidates must have no more than 10 years’ active full-time equivalent postdoctoral experience (discounting career breaks, but including teaching experience and/or time spent in industry).   Candidates must not currently hold a permanent academic post, or have ever held a permanent academic post in the past, or have received, before the start date of the award, the promise of a permanent academic post.   Candidates must be undertaking 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 conducting their research at a UK or Irish university or research institute.   Candidates must be a citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA), or a Swiss citizen, or have permanent residence status in the UK or Ireland; and must be residing in the UK or Ireland at the time of application.   Applications are welcomed from candidates who wish to establish/re-establish themselves after a career break or other period of absence from active research or where the candidate is establishing a research career as a mature entrant or after experience in other fields.

The Daphne Jackson Trust is an independent charity which offers flexible, part-time, paid fellowships to scientists, engineers and technologists who have taken a career break of two or more years for family, caring or health reasons.   Its work has been highly praised by Government and it is acknowledged as running the foremost returners scheme in the country.   Fellowships are normally two years in length and based at universities and industrial laboratories throughout the UK. Fellows undertake a challenging research project and a retraining programme.   We have the following opportunities: -University of Glasgow – fully sponsored fellowship in any STEM discipline -University of Edinburgh – half sponsored fellowship within the College of Science and Engineering   To be eligible to apply for a Daphne Jackson Fellowship you must at least meet the following criteria: -A career break of at least two years’ duration taken for family, caring or health reasons -A good first degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) -At least 3 years in research prior to career break and / or PhD qualification -Resident in the UK with the right to remain in the UK indefinitely -Good command of English (spoken and written) -Computer skills   It is also desirable for candidates to have post-doctoral experience and publications.