Sources for research funding

Each week this section will list funds available for academic researchers. Details should be submitted to research@thesis.co.uk

BRITISH ACADEMY

http://britac3.britac.ac.

uk/

Research Readerships,Senior Research

Fellowships and Thank-Offering to

Britain Fellowship These schemes are aimed at established scholars in UK universities who are in mid-

career, and are designed to allow the award-holders to undertake or to complete an approved programme of sustained research, while relieved of their normal teaching and administrative commitments. The principal purpose of the awards is to enable the completion of a major piece of research which will not only be an important contribution to knowledge and understanding but also help to enhance the future career and career prospects of the award-holder. Grants are made to cover the costs of replacement teaching. One award is offered as the equivalent of a Senior Research Fellowship to be taken up in October 2000. These schemes are open to scholars in the humanities and social sciences. Applicants are normally expected to be aged 55 or under (as at 1 October 2000) unless they can show that exceptional circumstances have delayed the advancement of their academic career.

The Thank-Offering to Britain Fellowship has an additional restriction in that appropriate subjects for research will be related to 'human studies widely interpreted and their bearing on the well-being of the inhabitants of the United Kingdom'.

Deadline: July 31.

Further details and

application forms are downloadable from the website in Word 2 or Rich Text format or may be requested from the

Academy's Assistant

Secretary (Research Posts) (Tel. 0171 969 5265, email: kene@britac.ac.uk).

HOSPITAL INFECTION SOCIETY

Research Grants

www.his.org.uk

Major Research Grant up to Pounds 20,000 per annum for 1-3 years. This grant would be suitable to support a PhD

studentship, MD or other research worker and related consumables / equipment. Grants for longer than one year will be subject to satisfactory annual reports.

Small Research Grant up to Pounds 5,000. This grant would be suitable to support the purchase of consumables and/or equipment, or possibly the costs associated with the visit of an overseas research fellow. Small grants would normally be considered to be non-recurring awards. Please note that applications for support of travel/meetings attendance alone should not be made using the Research Grants Application Form, but instead via the Travel Award Form. Research Grants are for work to be carried out in the UK or Eire only, and must be focused on the subject of 'hospital infection control'. Further details are available from the Research Grants Secretary: Dr Lisa Ridgway, Consultant Microbiologist, Department of Microbiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2JF.

Deadline: July 31.

THE MATSUMAE INTERNATIONAL

FOUNDATION

www.mars.dti.ne.jp/mif/

2000 Fellowship Announcement

Successful applicants for fellowships will be invited to Japan for a period of from 3 to 12 months during the period of April 2000 through March 2001. Applicants of non-Japanese nationality should consult the general eligibility requirements and application procedures available on the above web site. Fields of study such as natural science, engineering and medicine are given first priority.

Deadline: July 31.

The Foundation only receives applications by mail/postal-service or other delivery service, not fax or email. Please address all correspondence to: The Matsumae International Foundation, Room No. 6-002, New Marunouchi Bldg., 1-5 1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0005 JAPAN

ISAAC NEWTON INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES

www.newton.cam.ac.uk/

Call for proposals

The Newton Institute now invites new proposals for programmes for 2001 onwards. A choice of six-month or four-month programmes is available. In addition, from 2000, short programmes of three weeks duration will be available during July and August each year. These short programmes are intended for more narrowly focussed topics or for subjects that may be at an embryonic stage of development, and for which a longer programme might not be as yet justified.

Proposals should follow the guidlines given in Submission of Proposals and be addressed to The Director, Professor Keith Moffatt, Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, 20 Clarkson Road, Cambridge CB3 0EH, UK; proposers should state whether they would prefer a four-month, six-month or three-week programme. The Institute is pleased to receive proposals at any time. The Scientific Steering Committee meets in April and October each year. Deadline: July 31. The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences is a national research institute in Cambridge. It aims to bring mathematical scientists from UK universities and leading experts from overseas together for concentrated research on specialised topics in all branches of the mathematical sciences from pure mathematics, applied mathematics, and statistics, to engineering, computer science, theoretical physics and mathematical biology. Further information is also available from the Director (email i.newton@newton.cam.ac.uk; Tel 01223 335999), who will answer any enquiries.

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY

http://physiology.cup.cam.ac.uk/

Postgraduate Support Fund A sum of Pounds 5,000 has been allocated to provide support in 1999 for postgraduates in exceptional circumstances such as periods of ill-health, absence of essential facilities, disruption of supervision etc, to assist in the completion of their research projects and to bridge the period between graduation and the availability of full-time posts for especially gifted students. Graduates in physiology, or a related science, engaged in research in the UK in a department of physiology or related science, when their supervisor is a Member of The Physiological Society. Applicants will normally be registered for a PhD, although MPhil and MSc students may apply.

Applications should normally be submitted before July 31 each year, though applications at other times will also be considered. Application forms can be downloaded from the website or obtained from: The Administrator

(Postgraduate Support Fund), The Physiological Society, PO Box 11319,

London WC1E 7JF

THE REGIONAL

STUDIES ASSOCIATION

www.regional-studies-

assoc.ac.uk

Bill Ogden Memorial Prize

The Regional Studies Association is an independent interdisciplinary body concerned with urban and regional planning and development. The focus is upon economic, environmental and social policy issues in a regional context. The Regional Studies

Association is offering publication opportunities for students and the chance to win Pounds 100.00. The publication: the twice-yearly insert in REGIONS: The Newsletter of the Regional Studies Association will

contain written summaries of results of students' original research. These can be interim results. The prize of Pounds 100.00 will be awarded to the entrant, who, in the opinion of the judges, made an important contribution to the area of Regional Studies. The prize will be awarded to the best of the published articles. This will be open to members and non-members of the Association and to both postgraduates and undergraduates. Contributions should be around 1,000 words including

references. Deadlines: December 5 for publication in the February issue of Regions and July 31 for publication in the October issue of Regions. To request further information on the method of submission and an entry form go to the response form on the website or contact: The Regional Studies Association, Wharfdale Projects, 15 Micawber Street,

London N1 7TB Tel: 0171 490 1128 Fax: 0171 253 0095.

THE ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL

SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL

www.epsrc.ac.uk

Collaborative research at the interface between chemistry and chemical

engineering

www.epsrc.ac.uk

The Chemistry and

General Engineering Programmes of EPSRC invite proposals for research projects that depend upon the joint working of chemists and chemical engineers. The focus for the call is the interface between chemistry and chemical engineering, within that research investigating the scaling up of advanced laboratory based synthetic techniques to a manufacturing level is particularly welcome. However, the main thrust must be the active

collaboration between academic or industrial chemists and chemical engineers (defined in broad terms). Proposals must be submitted by and led by an academic partner. The collaborations between chemists and chemical engineers must be appropriate and significant. Refer to the website for details of the assessment criteria. The Call is open to researchers from universities and other institutions, which fulfil EPSRC eligibility criteria for responsive mode applications. Applicants should submit full proposals following normal EPSRC guidelines, EPS(RP) form plus case for support for a batching date of September 17. Proposals received after this date will not go to the prioritisation panel for this call scheduled for December. Any queries about this call should be addressed to EPSRC co-ordinator, Prof. David Whan e-mail d.a.whan@dur.ac.uk (tel:01325 4668)

BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY Awards 2000

www.biochemsoc.org.uk/

These awards recognise excellence in the fields of biochemistry across

different stages of science careers.

The Wellcome Trust Award for Research in Biochemistry Related to Medicine

The award is specifically intended to recognize meritorious research by younger biochemists in the field of biochemistry related to medicine, and the nomination is normally limited to those under the age of 45.

The Colworth Medal

Awarded annually for work of an outstanding nature to a British biochemist, under the age of 35 by 1 January of the year for which the award is made. Those above this age limit, who have lost time early in their career through family commitments, illness, late entry into higher education or other good reasons, will be considered by the Awards

Committee.

Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins Memorial

Lecture This lecture, instituted in 1958, is given every two or three years to coincide with one of the major meetings of the Society. The lecturer is required, as far as is possible, to assess the impact of recent advances in his or her chosen field upon progress in biochemistry. The Novartis Medal and Prize Normally awarded annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to the development of any branch of biochemistry. Nominations for an individual must be supported by: the scientist's current CV; at least two supporting letters from eminent colleagues describing the area of work undertaken and highlighting the nominees' achievements in relation to the criteria.

Deadline: July 30. Please send nominations to: Melissa Kyriacou, The Meetings Department, The Biochemical Society, 59 Portland Place, London W1N 3AJ Tel: 0171-580 5530; Fax: 0171 637 3626; Email: genadmin@biochemistry.org

ROYAL COMMISSION FOR THE EXHIBITION OF 1851

www.royalcommission 1851.org.uk

A single Fellowship is awarded every other year for two years' research in a specified study area. The Commissioners have selected as the subject for this year's competition:

Human Habitation

A broad, holistic approach is encouraged, and entries will accordingly be accepted not only from individuals but also from formal or informal partnerships.

Candidates should be UK or Commonwealth citizens, carrying out research over a 2 year period, culminating in either a personal mark of distinction (eg. PhD) or a milestone or work of significance. Projects which aim to inform the wider community are particularly encouraged. In all cases, candidates are asked to identify a mentor who can contribute to, and make expert and objective commentary on the candidate's work, and who will ensure linkage and promulgation of the work to the appropriate peer group.

The value of the award is Pounds 30,000 pa for each of two years. For this fellowship there are no application forms, but in the first instance candidates are asked to forward four copies of an application of no more than four pages of A4, to include a CV and an outline brief of the subject to be studied. Lavishly produced or illustrated submissions are not required. Based on these applications a short list will be selected and these candidates will be invited to provide a further, more comprehensive written submission before being interviewed. Deadline for initial

applications: July 30.

Short list promulgated mid-September 1999

Closing date for further submissions mid-November 1999. Interviews and final selection late November 1999 For further information: Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, tel: 0171 594 8790 fax: 0171 594 8794 email: royalcom1851@ic.ac.uk

ECONOMIC & SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

www.esrc.ac.uk

1999 Research

Seminars Competition

In recognition of the role played by research seminar groups in the creation of discussion networks and of the value of such networks to the social sciences, ESRC holds an annual Research Seminars Competition. Applications may be made from any field within ESRC's remit.

Seminar Groups are multi-institutional groups of academic researchers and others who meet regularly (usually at least three times each year) to exchange information and ideas with the aim of advancing work within their fields. These meetings will normally be organised on the basis of pre-circulated papers. Where appropriate,

Seminar Groups should involve research users from industry, Government departments, etc.

ESRC funding is available to UK Higher Education Institutions and to independent research institutes approved by ESRC. Successful proposals will be funded for up to two years. Applications should not exceed Pounds 12,000. Proposal forms and guidance notes can be downloaded from the website. If you have any questions about this competition please contact Mohammed Quraishi on 01793 413050 or email: Mohammed.Quraishi@esrc.ac.uk

Deadline: July 19

Funding listings are compiled by Sarah Knowles 0171 782 3225. Email: sarah.knowles@newsint.co.uk