Category: Funding

Public Engagement Funding Opportunities

Designated Collections MUPI Match event (June 14)

Posted by on in Birmingham Museums, Funding, networking events, Upcoming opportunities

MUPI Match Designated Collections, Arts Council England Offices, Birmingham, 14 June (10am-4.30pm)

Are you:

  • A postgraduate, postdoctoral or established researcher, keen to explore the rich possibilities for working with collections that are a vital part of England’s artistic and cultural heritage;
  • An academic whose students would like to research designated collections?

If so, this MUPI National Sandpit could be just what you are looking for! The event is interactive and free to take part in. Bring your ideas, your energy, and your expertise and prepare to be challenged and inspired.

Register for this event

A key element of the Arts Council England Designated Collection scheme is that the collections meet the Research Value criteria – so that the collection is, or has the potential to be, an essential research collection; and the collections makes a major contribution to the public understanding of the subject. One of the major challenges faced by museums developing academic partnerships is networking with academics, and having sufficient resources to plan effective and mutually beneficial projects.

 The ACE funded MUPI project aims to address this by bringing together museums and academics in a series of focused and facilitated networking events; which will help academics explore the research potential of designated collections, meet potential museum partners, and have the opportunity to apply for seed funding grants to help develop project ideas. The MUPI Match event on Wednesday 14 June is dedicated to museums with Designated Collections.

To find out more about the Designated Collections scheme, click here.

There are many benefits to museums and universities working together, from improving audience understanding to developing more effective collections knowledge or interpretation; from inspiring museum audiences with cutting edge research to developing new exhibits and exhibitions; the opportunities are endless; and networking within and between the sectors can help museums and academics realise the research potential of these nationally important collections.

However, finding a partner and having the resources to explore how you might work together can be challenging. This MUPI National Sandpit draws upon a tried and tested methodology, which brings people together to develop new partnerships. Each session involves museum staff, volunteers, and academics working together to find mutually beneficial ideas that they would like to develop together. This event focuses on unlocking the research potential of designated collections.

 A small grants fund of £6000 available; the MUPI Match event includes an opportunity for teams formed at the event to bid for funding (of between £500-£1500) from the MUPI Match fund. This ‘thinking funding’  will enable people to do desk research; have conversations; travel and attend site visits/meetings; test ideas; and work together to plan their potential project. This thinking funding provides a critical part of the process, helping people to work out if and how to work together and refine their ideas. Teams will be supported to develop their partnership, and find effective ways to fund their project in the future.

Please note that booking is essential. You can apply for a place using the registration link above.

MUPI Match events are delivered through the Museum University Partnership Initiative, funded by Arts Council England’s Museum Resilience Fund and developed in partnership with the Share Academy project and Paddy McNulty Associates.

Royal Society of Chemistry’s Inclusion and Diversity Fund

Posted by on in Funding, Upcoming opportunities1 Comment

The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Inclusion and Diversity Fund has grants available for up to £2000 to support projects that promote and improve the accessibility, inclusion and diversity of the STEM community.

The proposal may be relevant to any audience, age groups, careers stage, geographical region or sectors.

Applications can be submitted throughout the year, but funding decisions will only be made twice a year. The next application deadline is 30 April, with a funding decision by 31 May.

For more information or to begin an application, please contact Philippa Matthews at diversity@rsc.org. who ishappy to have informal discussions about your current projects and ideas for new activities even if you are not yet ready to apply for funding.

 

Image: RSC

RCUK Catalyst Seed Fund – continuation funding for 2016-17

Posted by on in Funding, News

We are thrilled to announce University of Birmingham has been successful in securing continuation funding of the Research Council UK Catalyst Seed Fund (CSF). Funding has recently been confirmed for a further 12 month period from August 2016.

The RCUK CSF provides flexible funding directly to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to help create a culture where excellent public engagement with research is better embedded within the HEI and appropriately included within its policies, procedures and practices.

“The institutional-level funding complements the support provided to researchers via the project and grant-based approach of individual Research Councils and RCUK PER programmes, as well as policy mechanisms such as the Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research, the UK Charter for Science and Society and the Manifesto for Public Engagement. The inclusion of public engagement within Research Councils ‘Pathways to Impact’ and the Research Excellence Framework (REF) also provide drivers to encourage HEIs to value, recognise and support public engagement with research.”

We also look forward to working more closely with RCUK and fellow CSF institutions, as well as key players such as the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) to share best practice and collectively champion for PER to be better rewarded, recognized and valued.

To read about our plans for year two visit this page.

Royal Society of Biology Science communication awards 2016 are open for applications

Posted by on in Biomedical Sciences, Biosciences, Biotechnology, Funding, Upcoming opportunities

Deadline – 30th June 2016

The Royal Society of Biology invites nominations for its science communication awards. These recognise biosciences researchers who make an outstanding and consistent contribution to communicating science to the public. There are two award categories:

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Latest public engagement funding, prizes and competitions…

Posted by on in Awards and Prizes, Funding, Upcoming opportunities

Check the blog for regular updates on public engagment funding, prizes and competitions. Also see our funding pages: https://thinkpe.net/funding/

The Physiological Society Public Engagement Grants

Through the grants we hope to fund activities which:

  • Inspire creative public engagement with physiology
  • Stimulate physiologists to share their stories, passion and expertise in innovative ways with wider audiences, particularly those that are traditionally hard to reach
  • Increase dialogue between researchers and the public, in particular on topics such as the relevance of research to health, medicine and performance.
  • Produce materials and resources which can be used for further public engagement and outreach work.

They are keen to receive project applications which fit under our 2016 theme, ‘Elite Performance’. For more information about the grant scheme, including T&Cs, application guidance and past projects please visit our website (http://bit.ly/Physocpegrants) or email me (outrech@physoc.org). Applications should be submitted by 11.59 pm, Sunday 28 February 2016. Funding decisions will be announced at the end of April.

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STFC PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FELLOWSHIPS SCHEME – 2016

The 2016 round of the STFC Public Engagement Fellowships scheme is open for applications. The closing date is Thursday 25th February 2016 at 4.00pm

The  Public Engagement Fellowship scheme aims to support the very best people in STFC’s community to undertake extended programmes of the highest-quality, innovative public engagement as a core part of their job role. The Fellowships purchase a proportion of a researcher’s time to enable them to concentrate more on public engagement activities which will have a significant national or regional impact. For details about the scheme please contact the  STFC Public Engagement Team

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2016 Celebrating Impact Prize

  • Open to all ESRC projects – excluding previously winning projects
  • Previously unsuccessful entrants welcome to resubmit
  • Prior winners may also submit new research impacts
  • Streamlined application process
  • £60,000 total prize money available

Now in its fourth year, the Celebrating Impact Prize is an annual opportunity to recognise and reward ESRC-funded researchers who have achieved, or are currently achieving, outstanding economic and societal impacts. It celebrates outstanding ESRC research and success in collaborative working, partnerships, interdisciplinary projects, engagement and knowledge exchange activities that have led to significant impact.

We particularly welcome interdisciplinary projects, those involving the use of big data resources or infrastructure, and impacts from institutions submitting for the first time.

The 2016 Celebrating Impact Prize has six categories, each representing areas covered by the ESRC; with sole winners in each category receiving £10,000 to further support their research or further impact activities. The call for applicants closes Friday 29th January 2016 at 3pm. Interested parties should read the following information, and submit their work for consideration via the ESRC forms on impact prize page

  • Outstanding Impact in Business
  • Outstanding Impact in Public Policy
  • Outstanding Impact in Society
  • Outstanding International Impact
  • Outstanding Early Career Impact
  • Impact Champion

Information on previous Winners, their research, impact case studies, FAQs and the event may be found here. For further information please contact: ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize team, Email: impact@esrc.ac.uk, Telephone: 01793 414697.

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Biochemical Society 

Are you a talented science communicator?

 If so, then enter our 2016 Science Communication Competition. We are looking for original pieces of writing or videos on a topic of relevance to molecular bioscience. Winners receive a cash prize and professional mentoring session. Mentors include Dr Kat Arney, Dr Steve Cross and the Science Media Centre.

Find out more and enter. Deadline 8 April 2016.

Biochemistry.org/ScienceCommunicationCompetition

 

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British Science Association, Bristol and Bath Branch – FILM FESTIVAL

The Bristol and Bath branch of the British Science Association are organising a science film festival and competition to be held during British Science Week.

We’re looking for amateur film makers, including those with little or no experience, to submit short films of up to 10 minutes on a science theme that interests them.  Deadline for submissions is 1st February 2016. Shortlisted entries will be screened in Bristol at the Cube Microplex on 20th March 2016 and there will be prizes for both local and national entries!

For more information about the competition and how to submit a film visit our website www.bristolsciencefilmfestival.info and see the Facebook event.

 

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British Science Festival: Nominate an Award Lecture

Award Lecture nominations are now open. The deadline is Friday 4 March. To propose a nomination, fill out this form.

Awards are available in seven different areas:

  • Margaret Mead – social sciences
  • Isambard Kingdom Brunel, supported by Siemens – engineering, technology and industry
  • Charles Lyell – environmental sciences
  • Charles Darwin – agricultural, biological and medical sciences
  • Rosalind Franklin, supported by Siemens – physical sciences and mathematics
  • Daphne Oram – digital innovation
  • Jacob Bronowski – science and the arts

The selected lecturers will receive an all expenses paid trip to the British Science Festival, a £250 honorarium and an invitation to the Festival Dinner. There may also be other opportunities to present the Award Lecture at other science festivals in the UK.

If you submit a nomination, we will be in touch with a decision by April. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact Rosie Waldron.

See the full list of Award Lectures since 1990.

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Royal Society of Chemistry’s Outreach Fund

Deadline Friday 29 January 2016. Currently accepting small grant applications, up to £2000. Through the Outreach Fund, we aim to encourage and support the development of projects that:

  • raise awareness of the place of chemistry in people’s everyday lives, especially those not already interested in chemistry, and/or
  • develop the science communication skills of people who are already highly trained in chemistry.

http://www.rsc.org/awards-funding/funding/outreach-fund/

For more information contact

Jenny O’Hare
Outreach Executive
Royal Society of Chemistry
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 432246

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School Science also lists a number of competitions for schools-related activity. Not all of these will be relevant but you can take a look through their list here: http://www.schoolscience.co.uk/competitions

CALLOUT OPEN: LEADING TO ENGAGE (L2E) – All Colleges

Posted by on in Funding, good practice, Upcoming opportunities

RCUK Catalyst Seed Fund:

LEADING TO ENGAGE (L2E)

LEADING TO ENGAGE (L2E) is a pilot programme that will recruit enthusiastic, forward-thinking College representatives with a passion for public engagement with research, civic responsibility and peer-to-peer mentorship. Mid-career candidates are invited to nominate themselves for inclusion in the cohort. Nominations will be reviewed by the Public Engagement with Research Committee (PERC) who will confirm the appropriateness of candidates with Heads of School/College and Directors of Research, who will make final decisions.

Expressions of interest should be sent to Public Engagement with Research Officer, Dr Caroline Gillett c.d.t.gillett@bham.ac.uk  ideally by December 22nd, 2015. Please put ‘L2E’ in the title of your email and provide a brief paragraph explaining your motivation for applying as well as any relevant experience you might already have doing public engagement. [The opportunity is not suitable for PhD/Masters students or Teaching Only staff].

The programme will take a maximum of four candidates per College, therefore candidates are encouraged to get in touch as soon as possible to allow sufficient time to seek approval from DORs etc. The L2E cohort will be announced in early-mid January.

The Programme is designed to catalyse culture change for public engagement with research within the Colleges, using a sustainable model which will enable candidates to take ownership of public engagement with research strategy within their College, helping lead College direction in this area with support from PERC and other relevant parties. The cohort will be invited to join PERC and it is hoped that PERC minutes will feed into Research and Research & Knowledge Transfer Committees.

Candidates are reminded that participation in the Programme will require a definite time commitment which they should be aware of before applying. There will be different phases to the Programme:

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Win a B.I.G bursary & 1 year membership (Deadline Dec 18th)

Posted by on in Awards and Prizes, Competition, Funding, Thinktank, Training Event, Upcoming opportunities

BIG is delighted to able to offer 10 bursaries to attend this year’s Little Event on Wednesday 13th January in Birmingham.

Each bursary worth £100 covers an annual BIG membership, registration fees for the Little Event and £25 towards travel expenses. 

The Little Event is for people who are relatively new to STEM communication, whether they work in a science centre or museum, volunteer for a festival, are involved in university outreach, or do anything else to engage people with sciences. It’s a lot like the BIG Event, but a bit smaller, and all crammed into one busy day. There will be several sessions, each focusing on developing a different skill, delivered by experienced science communicators following our usual hands-on approach.

But of course it isn’t just about the sessions, it’s the people you meet there too. The Little Event presents a great opportunity to meet people from across the UK working in similar roles and sharing similar experiences. The programme for the day will include sessions on Learning & evaluation, Interacting with the public, Managing your engagement project, Presenting and careers. 

If you wish to apply for one of the 10 free places, applying is simple.  Just email admin@big.uk.com by noon on Friday 18th December with the subject line “Bursary application Little Event” to tell us in no more than 200 words why you would like the opportunity to come to the Little Event and how you think it will benefit your personal and professional development. If you have already registered for the Event you can still apply for the bursary and we will refund your registration if you are successful.

Successful applicants will be notified by 23rd December by email.

For more information or to book click here 

Sarah Vining, Administrator

 admin@big.uk.com

Connected Communities Festival 2016: Expressions of Interest to Contribute

Posted by on in Funding, Upcoming opportunities

 

Taking inspiration from the 500th anniversary of the publication in 1516 in Latin of Thomas More’s Utopia, as well as a Connected Communities/ Care for the Future Symposium on ‘Utopias, Futures and Temporalities: Critical Considerations for Social Change’ held in May 2015, the 2016 Connected Communities Research Festival will have a central theme of Community Futures and Utopias.

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are now invited to contribute to the Festival which will run from February 2016 through to June 2016, culminating in a major weekend-long Utopia Fair at Somerset House on 24th-26th June [DEADLINE for EOIs is 16/12/2016]. This call for EOIs will support participatory arts research and research co-production activities through two main strands of the 2016 Festival:

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Wellcome Trust – Engagement Fellowships

Posted by on in Biomedical Sciences, Biosciences, Funding

wellcome_logo

Deadline – 12th February 2016

The Wellcome Trust invites applications for its engagement fellowships. These aim to support and develop upcoming stars in public engagement with science.

Applicants should be based in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, and have at least three years’ experience engaging the public with science. They may be professional science communicators, research scientists, medical historians, clinicians or professionals working in the arts.

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