PUBLIC RESEARCH FUNDING AND THE

RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT OFFICE (RDO)

STEPHEN ISON

THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS TALK

• To briefly explain some benefits of a research career

• To explain the benefits of applying for external (public) research grants

• To explain how the RDO can support in this process

(aside from the benefits of working at a University)

• Intellectual - Opportunity to make an original contribution to knowledge and become an expert in your field

• Career - A route into an academic career

• Skills and experience gained enable you to pursue a very wide variety of careers within and outside of the higher education sector

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF RESEARCH FOLLOWING

A PHD?

WHY BOTHER WITH EXTERNAL (PUBLIC)

RESEARCH FUNDING?

(FOR THOSE CONSIDERING AN ACADEMIC CAREER...)

• Successful research bids bring considerable benefits to researchers and Institution...

• For the individual, the ability to win external research income:

– Provides resources to enable serious research to be done– Can enable you to employ other researchers– Enables you to progress in a research career– Gives valuable transferable skills– Increases recognition and employability

BENEFITS OF EXTERNAL RESEARCH FUNDING

Successful research bids:• Enhance our external credibility as a research active University• Increase our academic (research) focus• Fund our research teams (increasing opportunities for ECRs)• Help build a strong research culture and community• Increases the appeal of the university to external researchers,

organisations and potential students• Improves performance against various research assessments (e.g.

the Research Excellence Framework)– (which in turn leads to increased Quality Related research funding)

BENEFITS TO THE UNIVERSITY

THE SIZE OF THE MARKET

• The public funding ‘market’ is very large:

– UK Research Councils - £2.8 billion (Bn) per annum invested into research, fellowships, postgraduate training and research facilities

– European Commission (EC) framework 7 programme budget €53bn (2007-2013)

– UK Government (Technology Strategy Board) investing around £1Bn over the period 2008-2011

THE DIFFICULTIES IN WINNING RESEARCH FUNDING

• The research environment is more competitive than ever• Grant applications are increasing (competition ↑)• Funding bodies are:

– Increasing the complexity of the application process and raising evaluation thresholds for research proposals

– raising the level of their requirements and expected outcomes

• The funds necessary to carry out research are lean, and growing leaner

Funding opportunities are decreasing

MARKET FORCES

• Few opportunities immediately post PhD – Without a permanent contract you usually need to be a collaborator or

have HEI support for a fellowship

• Lack of experience• Lack of track record

– Funding bodies are often hesitant to award grants to junior researchers without the presence of senior researchers on their teams

• Lack of guidance– Regarding the host of funding instruments available – With experienced researchers often having little time to guide novice peers

• Support, mentoring and guidance are vital

DISADVANTAGES FOREARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS

HOW CAN THE RDO HELP?

THE RDO’S ROLE

• The RDO has been created to provide comprehensive and cohesive support for research and knowledge transfer, working with faculty and institute research offices, the Corporate Development Office and the Graduate School Office

• To facilitate all aspects of research and associated research organisation, functions and operations.

RDO SUPPORT

• Research Management Strategy• Research Funding Support• The Research Excellence Framework (REF)• Knowledge Transfer Support• Information and Communication

RESEARCH FUNDING SUPPORT

• To support the development and growth of research funding across the university

• Strategic– Increase involvement with funding bodies (influencing EC bodies,

review panels, steering committees)– Horizon scanning for new funding streams– Interdisciplinary applications, cross faculty collaborations

• Technical Support and guidance:– Support with bid quality and composition– Guidelines to assist in the bid preparation process– Checklists to help researchers address the admin side– Widespread adoption of best practise– Training of novice/driven academics

RDO OFFICERSDr Stephen Ison

European and International Research Officer

• PhD Physicist with 9 years’ industry experience

• 3 years proposal writing for EC, TSB and regional funding

• 2 years running EC, TSB and commercial projects

• Secured in excess of €3.8m in internationally competitive grants for project funding 06-08

Dr Sarah Lee

Research Councils and Charities Research Officer

• PhD Chemist with12 years post-doctoral experience with inter-disciplinary projects

• Gained at 5 different universities (most recently Oxford)

• Proposal & paper writing; lab & project management etc

• Secured funding from BBSRC, CRUK

Contact Details:

E-mail: sison@dmu.ac.uk

Tel: 0116 2506310