Money and a Room of One's Own: Funding, Fellowships, and the Transition from PhD to Postdoc
Dr. Charlotte Mathieson, a Research Fellow at the University of Warwick, discusses the importance of funding, fellowships, and having the necessary resources for postdoctoral researchers. Various fellowship schemes, funding opportunities, and essential aspects of postdoctoral life are highlighted, emphasizing the significance of financial support and career development in academia.
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Money and a room of ones own: funding, fellowships, and the transition from PhD to Postdoc Dr Charlotte Mathieson Research Fellow Institute of Advanced Study University of Warwick
a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction (Virginia Woolf) . Money and office space = the 2 essentials of postdoc life
Outline Fellowships & Funding Fellowship schemes Other types of funding Surviving the post-PhD years
Postdoctoral Research Fellowships Research-focused Full-time work on research project Minimal/no teaching component (often optional) Distinct from PhD Topic: new project, not thesis-to-book Academic career preparation Expected ambition towards permanent academic position
Leverhulme: Early Career Fellowships aim to provide career development opportunities for those who are at a relatively early stage of their academic careers, but who have a proven record of research. The expectation is that Fellows should undertake a significant piece of publishable work during their tenure, and that the Fellowships should lead to a more permanent academic position. British Academy: opportunities for outstanding early career researchers to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in a university environment which will develop their curriculum vitae and improve their prospects of obtaining permanent lecturing posts by the end of the Fellowship. The primary emphasis is on completion of a significant piece of publishable research.
Main schemes at a glance Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship (3 years) British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship (3 years) Wellcome Trust (Medical Humanities) Research Fellowship (3 years) Institutional schemes (various 2, 3, 5 years typical)
Postdoctoral fellowships British Academy Leverhulme within 3 yrs of doctorate (date of viva) within 5 yrs & not had FT perm. post UK/ EEA national or PhD in UK HEI PhD from UK HEI apply through a UK host institution apply through UK host institution Salary and research expenses Salary and research expenses Full economic costing from BA NOT FEC: match-funded by HEI Success rate c. 5% ; reapplication Success rate similar; reapplication Deadline in October Deadline in March
Postdoctoral fellowships Wellcome Trust Research Fellowships Medicine funder with medical humanities remit 3 years funding; expectation of leading to career in med hums PhD awarded prior to application; no year limit, but must not have held permanent or established post Salary and expenses; fully-funded by Wellcome Apply through a UK HEI; preliminary followed by full application 2 rounds of applications a year (Jan/April; July/September)
Postdoctoral fellowships Other postdoctoral fellowship schemes Warwick Institute of Advanced Study Nottingham Research Fellowships Birmingham Research Fellowships Sheffield Vice-Chancellor Fellowships
What are funders looking for? Person Place Project
What are funders looking for? Person Track record: publications, funding Outstanding research ideas Commitment to academic career How the fellowship will develop you
What are funders looking for? Place Suitability of research environment for you & project research centres, resources (e.g. archive collections), skills training opportunities, colleagues & mentor Mobility: not required but encouraged the development of an academic career is best served by gaining experience at different institutions (Leverhulme)
What are funders looking for? Project Distinct from previous work It is not advisable to base the research proposal for the three-year Fellowship simply on publishing the PhD thesis in book form. Rather, evidence of progression to a second project will be required (BA) Outstanding, original research contribution value to the field, significance, rigour
Fellowships: general advice Time research options well in advance; check requirements/ eligibility Plan Identify gaps in CV & what you need to work on Weigh-up applying early vs. building up track-record More time Draft, redraft, redraft again. Get feedback from colleagues, peers. Internal review & institutional sign-off
Other positions/schemes Postdoc position on bigger project Individual research contributing to bigger project goal Teaching fellowships Teaching contract, usually less about skills or research development AHRC early career scheme Grant scheme not individual scholarship Up to 8 years post-PhD / 6 years of first academic position 50k - 250k
Other funding Small grants to support research Victorian societies, archives BAVS research funding scheme 500 for PGs/ECRs to support research activity Gladstone library Scholarships & bursaries RSVP Curran fellowships for travel and research in 19thc William Morris Society Joseph R. Dunlap Memorial Fellowship and William Morris Society Award
Public engagement schemes AHRC/ BBC new generation thinkers a new generation of academics who can bring the best of university research and scholarly ideas to a broad audience through BBC broadcasting University schemes for PE/Impact
Surviving the post-PhD years My post-PhD: 1.5 years of hourly-paid teaching, marking, invigilation, academic writing classes and 1-1 tuition, private A-level tuition, research assistant on project bid, library projects on support for ECRs, freelance proofreading, etc etc = HOW NOT TO DO IT Eventually: 0.6 FTE research project fellow at Institute of Advanced Study for 1 year; increased to FT with 40% research time for a further 2.5 years.
A few things I learned Be flexible Jobs that combine teaching/admin/research Benefits: skills development e.g. public engagement Stay affiliated Associate Fellows library card, affiliation title Ask for more Office space, lockers, small travel bursaries Conference fees
A few things I learned Peer support is everything: talk to each other Networks, union groups. Peer support is everything: help each other Applications, interview & presentation practice Plan 5-10 years Best laid plans be flexible, but keep long-term in view
Dr Charlotte Mathieson Institute of Advanced Study University of Warwick @cemathieson http://charlottemathieson.wordpress.com c.e.mathieson@warwick.ac.uk
