Each week this section lists funds available for academic researchers. Items for inclusion should be submitted to research@thes.co.uk
ARA PARSEGHIAN MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Niemann Pick
Type C Disease
The Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation announces an unrestricted request for applications directed toward understanding the cause and/or developing a treatment for Niemann Pick Type C disease. The Foundation will fund meritorious research proposals for up to a two-year period (renewable thereafter), at a maximum of $125,000 per year, excluding salary support for the P.I. Investigators new to this field are encouraged to apply for funding. Deadline: October 1 with funding to begin January 1, 2001.
THE ROYAL SOCIETY/NATO
Postdoctoral
Fellowship Programme
The programme aims to strengthen scientific links between the United Kingdom and Central and Eastern Europe/the former Soviet Union. Recently qualified postdoctoral scientists from Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union may apply for 12-month fixed-term fellowships tenable in a UK laboratory. Fellowship holders receive an award which covers living costs in the UK, together with a contribution towards international return airfare, research consumables expenses, conference and subsidiary visits. Fellows are expected to return to their countries upon completion of the fellowship, and fellowships are aimed at scientists who have not spent significant periods of time abroad. Next deadline: October 1. Hosts must be ordinarily resident in the UK and, if non-EU nationals, must have held a permanent position in the UK for three years. All applicants must be of PhD or equivalent status. Further information online, or contact the International Exchanges Section by email: nato@royalsoc.ac.uk.
NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL
Airborne Remote
Sensing Facility: proposals for use in
the environmental
sciences
From 2001, the ARSF will support marine shelf and atmospheric research, in addition to current terrestrial and freshwater applications. In addition to the usual UK-based operations, overseas deployments are planned for south-east Spain (March-April) and Iceland (April-May).
Applications are now invited for flying by the ARSF in the 2001 season (Feb Nov 2001). Expressions of interest regarding Spanish and Icelandic proposals, prior to the closing date for applications, will assist in planning of the 2001 campaign. The ARSF offers a high-quality, cost-effective means of monitoring terrestrial, freshwater, marine and atmospheric environments at high temporal and spatial resolution. Application forms and associated guidance notes for completing the form can be found on the ARSF website (www.nerc.ac.uk/nss/arsf.htm; /nss/ssfforms/arsf_app; ../nss/ssfforms/arsf_gn).
Deadline: October 10.
NHS EXECUTIVE TRENT RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT GROUP
Developing patient/client-centred services across organisations and care sectors
Aims of the programme:
to demonstrate how partnerships promote delivery of a patient/client-centred service; to evaluate the application of evidence-based change in service in order to demonstrate measurable gain for patients/clients. Proposals should target one or both of these aims. The second aim addresses the issue of testing the application of research findings in organisations. Bids for funding under this programme must involve:
At least two agencies which deliver care to a patient/client group (eg community health service and social services, voluntary sector organisation(s) and primary health care) or two or more sectors within the NHS delivering care to a patient group. Priority will be given to research in the following areas: mental health; cancer; cardiovascular disease and stroke; delivery of children's services; delivery of the care and rehabilitation of older people. Bids must identify links with an academic partner(s).
Bids must be made on the application form, which can be downloaded in Word 6 format or requested from Karen Beck; email: Karen.Beck@doh.gsi.gov.uk; tel: 0114 282 0476.
ENGINEERING &
PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
Collaborative research at the interface between chemistry and materials
Following the call for proposals for interdisciplinary research networks to encourage greater interaction between materials and chemistry, EPSRC would like to continue promoting this interface. The Chemistry and Materials Programmes of EPSRC invite proposals for research projects that depend on chemists and materials scientists working together. Proposals must involve chemists and material scientists working together in a project at the interface between the two disciplines. Proposals may aim to discover new materials or to gain new insights into existing materials. Forms available online. Deadline: October 20. Queries to: Mrs Anne Farrow, Chemistry Programme; tel: 01793 444110; Email: anne.farrow@epsrc.ac.uk; Dr Dominic Semple, Materials Programme; tel: 01793 444260; email: dominic.semple@epsrc.ac.uk.
NUFFIELD
FOUNDATION
Newly Appointed
Lecturers in Science, Engineering and
Mathematics
Grants of up to Pounds 5,000 are offered to new lecturers in science, engineering and mathematics, (but not in biomedical or social sciences) at higher education institutions in the uk to help them develop innovative research projects in the early stages of their independent research careers. New lecturers appointed or taking up their post since March 30, 1999 will be eligible to apply. Information sheets, conditions of award and application forms may be downloaded from the website. Deadline: October 3. Contact: The Nuffield Foundation, 28 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3EG; tel: 020 7631 0566; fax: 020 7323 4877.
THE NATURAL
HISTORY MUSEUM
Through the European Commission's Improving Human Potential Access to Research Infrastructures Programme, funds have been made available to provide access to European Member and Associated State researchers to undertake short visits to utilise the facilities of The Natural History Museum and its associates for research purposes. Average visit duration is four weeks although visits of up to three months will be considered. Researcher's travel costs will be met and a per diem provided to meet living costs whilst in London. The application form is available oto download or can be requested from: Research and Consulting Office, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD; fax: 020 7942 5841. Deadline: October 15.
LEVERHULME TRUST
Research Programmes
The Leverhulme Trustees are prepared to consider awarding a substantial programme grant or grants in one or more of the fields described below. A grant would support a major research programme typically designed to last for five years at a total cost of no more than Pounds 1.25 million. Such a programme would consist of a number of inter-linked projects, undertaken by a team of established researchers. There are three topics: the social and economic impact of information and communication technology; cognition, learning, education and artificial intelligence; long-term settlement in the ancient world. Applications should be made only by groups of senior researchers, or by existing research centres or teams with an established record of publication and scholarly achievement in relevant fields. In the first instance, only brief submissions are necessary. Deadline: 4pm,
November 15. Full details on the web. Any further queries to: Sylvia Herd, tel: 020 7822 6892. email: sherd@
leverhulme.org.uk.
SCIENCE FOUNDATION IRELAND
SFI Principal
Investigators
The government of Ireland has recently launched a major fund of over Pounds 500 million to promote excellence in scientific research in strategic areas relevant to economic development, particularly biotechnology and information & communications Technologies (ICT). Science Foundation Ireland has been set up to manage this fund. The foundation has decided to support a small number of outstanding researchers and their teams. These researchers will be offered SFI Principal Investigator Awards. The SFI principal investigator and their team will function within a research body in Ireland: either in an Irish university, institute of technology or research organisation. International cooperation will be encouraged. Proposals are invited from researchers who have made an outstanding contribution at an international level in basic research fundamental to the advancement of science in biotechnology or information communications technologies. The programme of research proposed must demonstrate the potential to make further major contributions to science in the area selected. Further assistance can be obtained by contacting our infodesk at email: info@sfi.ie; tel: + 353 1 607 3200; fax: + 353 1 607 3201; or write to: Science Foundation Ireland, Call for Proposals, Wilton Park House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. Deadline:
September 26.
GUILLAIN-BARRE
SYNDROME SUPPORT GROUP
Research Fellowship
Funding is offered for a clinical or non-clinical research fellowship lasting up to three years by the Guillain-Barre Syndrome Support Group for research in the UK on any aspect of Guillain-Barre syndrome, of the candidate's choice, or on related diseases including chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, leading to a PhD or MD degree, with salary on the specialist registrar scale.
Candidates should have strong research potential and propose a relevant research project in an appropriate laboratory. Further information and application forms are available from the Hon Secretary of the GBS Support Group, "Foxley", Holdingham, Sleaford, Lincs. NG34 8NR Tel/Fax 01529 300328. An application form in PDF is available online. Deadline: September 15.
ROCHE ORGAN
TRANSPLANTATION RESEARCH
FOUNDATION
Project Grants
The foundation is a registered medical research charity whose mission is to advance the science of organ transplantation by supporting research programs through operating grants directly allocated to research projects. Those eligible for operating grants are established members of academic staff in universities, transplant centres and research institutes. The aim of the research must be to improve the outcomes of recipients of organ transplants. There is a two-stage process for grant applications. In the first instance, applicants submit a letter of intent via the internet. The letter of intent merely asks for an abstract-length description of the proposal along with the size of the grant requested. Applicants whose letters of intent pass the first review process will only then be asked to provide a full application. The full application will have approximately a 50 per cent chance of success. A template of the letter of intent has been set up for applicants at the foundation website. Contact by email: admin@rotrf.org; tel: + 41 41 377 53 35; fax: + 41 41 377 53 34; by post: ROTRF, Postfach 222,6045 Meggen, Switzerland. Next deadline: October 1.
PARTICLE PHYSICS
& ASTRONOMY RESEARCH COUNCIL
Technology Development for Astronomy
Grant applications are now invited for support under this scheme. The astronomy committee currently supports long-term, generic technology studies through a variety of routes, all operating somewhat independently with no clear overview. The committee wants to see this investment more closely coordinated and monitored. Key technological priority topics have been identified, categorised into: space; solar-terrestrial physics; ground-based astronomy. Bids are invited for grants for work on these key topics. The scheme is aimed at encouraging technology of a long-term, generic, underpinning nature, rather than requests for narrowly-focused development work. Deadlines: October 1 and March 1. Proposers are required, however, to seek preliminary approval one round before their formal submissions. Contact for further information: Dr Andrew Le Masurier, Astronomy Division, PPARC, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 1SZ; tel: 01793 442057.
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Research Integrity
The Office of Research Integrity and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke invite applications to support research on research integrity. Research integrity is a vital component of both the trustworthiness of the research record and of the trust that underlies public support for research. Therefore the responsible expenditure of public funds for research must include attention to research integrity. The purpose of the proposed grant programme is to foster empirical research on the institutions, processes, and values that positively and/or negatively influence integrity in research. Enquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Mary Scheetz, Office of Research Integrity, Division of Education & Integrity, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 700, Rockville, MD 20852, USA; tel: (301) 443 5302; email: MScheetz@osophs.dhhs.gov. Letter of intent deadline: November 17. Full details on the web.
UNIVERSITY OF
VALENCIA
www.uv.es/otri/premis/6premiEG/
6awardEG.html
Sixth European
Award of Scientific
Dissemination
Aims to stimulate the creation and distribution of works which get the general public, and pre-university students in particular, interested in scientific and technological breakthroughs, as well as integrating interesting aspects of different disciplines. Original and unpublished essays should be written in Valencian, Spanish, English or French, to a length of 100 to 200 sheets of A4 paper, double-spacing typed and single-sided. The award carries 2,000,000 pesetas, which is equivalent to the intellectual rights of the first 4,000 copies sold. Deadline:
September 18. Further details on the web, or email: otri@uv.es.
PATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
The society sponsors a number of fellowships to enable members of the medical and scientific professions working in the UK or Ireland in experimental and/or pathologically or microbiologically related research to travel to other institutions for periods of up to 12 months to learn techniques of value in their clinical and/or laboratory research. Further details and application forms are available from the society's office. A maximum sum of Pounds 5,000 will be allocated to any one person but applications for smaller sums are welcomed. Contact: The Administrator, Mrs J E Edwards, Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 2 Carlton House Terrace, London SWlY 5AF; tel: 020 7976 1260; fax: 020 7976 1267; Email: administrator@pathsoc.org.uk. Next deadline: October 1.
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
Wain Fellowships:
overseas travel for young researchers
Wain fellowships provide travel and subsistence costs for up to three months for researchers who wish to visit an overseas institution in order to undertake a collaborative research project. Applications are now invited in respect of visits proposed for 2001. Up to six awards are available. Applicants for a Wain fellowship must be UK-based and, at the time of application, be either approaching the end of their PhD studies, or at the start of an academic research career. Applications cannot be accepted from staff of government or government-financed laboratories. Finance for the Wain fellowships is provided by the Wain Fund, the primary aim of which is to support projects that are of benefit to agricultural research within the remit of BBSRC and Wain fellowship proposals must address this area of research. Application forms and further details can be obtained from: Mrs Cath Atkinson, Secretariat and Liaison Branch, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1UH; tel: 01793 413265; fax: 01793 413382; email: cath.atkinson@bbsrc.ac.uk. Deadline: September 30.
INSTITUTION OF
ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERS
IEE Postgraduate
Scholarships or Grants
The IEE offers three postgraduate scholarships or grants to assist postgraduates with advanced study or research in electrical, electronic science or manufacturing engineering at a university in the United Kingdom. The awards are worth a maximum of Pounds 1,200 and are tenable for one year. The scholarships and grants are open to students whose qualifications have been accepted by the Institution as fulfilling the educational requirements for corporate membership of the Institution before the application is submitted. Most engineering postgraduate students are provided for by grants made by the EPSRC. It is not the intention to supplement any such grant, but a scholarship may be given to a candidate who can show that there is some special circumstance which causes hardship. Next deadline: October. For further details and an application form, contact: Scholarships and Prizes, IEE, Savoy Place, London WC2R 0BL; tel: 020 7240 1871; fax: 020 7497 3609; email: scholarships@iee.org.uk.
Compiled by Sarah Knowles. A more comprehensive version of this service is available to subscribers on our research microsite at www.thesis.co.uk