WARWICK INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDY SCHOLARSHIP ? 2010

IAS Early Career Fellowship 2010-11


About:
The Warwick Institute of Advanced Study (IAS), established in 2007, is dedicated to enriching the University’s research environment and forms an integral part of the University Strategy Vision 2015. The main goals of the IAS are to enhance opportunities for international engagement with Warwick, emphasising links with the University’s strategic partners; to promote research and interdisciplinary collaborations across all Warwick faculties; to enrich the research environment for postgraduate students and early career scholars; to develop the University’s impact agenda, and to increase public engagement with Warwick research nationally and internationally. The IAS supports a cluster of funding initiatives which are directed towards achieving these goals.

Eligibility:
The competition is open to Warwick students registered for a research-based doctorate at Warwick (excluding the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology) who have submitted or expect to submit their thesis for examination between 1 April 2010 and 30 September 2010 inclusive. Candidates should not be in full-time employment during the Fellowship, but may hold contracts of up to 50%, either at Warwick or outside the University. Continuation of the Fellowship beyond the doctoral examination is contingent upon successful completion of the viva (ie a recommendation to award the PhD or other doctoral degree with or without minor corrections, but NOT a recommendation to resubmit/referral). Candidates are required to live within a reasonable distance of the University, so as to participate in IAS and Graduate School activities as appropriate. Candidates must be eligible for residence and work in the UK during their award.

Duration of Awards:
Fellowships will be awarded for a period of up to 6 months. Shorter Fellowship periods can be arranged to accommodate non-Home/EU candidates’ visa status.

Value and Number of Awards:
It is expected that there will be a maximum of sixteen (16) Fellowships per academic year.
Fellows will be paid a small bursary for the duration of the Fellowship. This will be calculated using the Research Council stipend (£13,590 per annum full-time in 10/11) as a guide, prorated to take account of the Fellow’s other paid work commitments. So, for example, a Fellow who had a part-time job for approximately 17 hours per week would be eligible for an award at 50% of the Research Council rate which would amount to £566.25 per month. This would be the maximum award available. The maximum total award is £3,397.50 for 6 months. In addition Fellows may claim up to £150 towards research expenses (eg towards costs of attending a conference). The spend must be agreed in advance with the IAS Director.
Fellows will have access to the Warwick Library and Wolfson Research Exchange and to hot-desking, office and seminar room facilities at the IAS.

Application Procedures:
Applications must be made electronically, using the IAS application form. Completed applications will comprise:
1. a completed application form received by the deadline
2. a project statement of up to 1,000 words
3. a statement of up to 150 words on how their research would benefit from/contribute to the IAS
4. the CV of the applicant
5. 2 letters of reference
6. signatures of the applicant’s Head of Department and Departmental Administrator.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete with the academic references and reaches the Institute of Advanced Study by the closing date. Late or incomplete applications submitted will not be considered.

Selection Criteria and Process:
Applicants will provide a narrative statement of up to 1,000 words outlining their proposed use of the time and facilities available to advance their postdoctoral research careers. Additionally, they will provide a statement of up to 150 words describing the relevance of the IAS context for their research development.
Selection will be made on the basis of:
A. Academic Excellence (CV, two academic references, including one from PhD supervisor) – the following will be taken into account:
1. Previous publication record, if any, arising from the doctoral research
2. Conference papers, if any, based on the doctoral research
3. Grants and fellowships awarded during postgraduate career
4. Supervisor’s report
5. Length of time as a doctoral candidate (priority will be given to students who submit their thesis without extensions, excluding approved periods of leave).
B. Quality of proposal, including:
1. Intellectual ambition and scope of proposed programme of activities
2. Ability of the proposed programme of activity to advance the candidate’s postdoctoral research career
3. Supervisory/support arrangements available at Warwick to enhance the applicant’s research
4. Feasibility (ability to accomplish stated goals within the Fellowship period).
C. Applicant’s ability and willingness to situate his/her research project within the broader interdisciplinary research framework of the IAS.
Applications will be considered by a panel of senior Warwick academic staff including the IAS Director and the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies.

Deadline:
The closing date for the next round of applications is 12:00 noon on Monday 5 July 2010. Results of the competition will be announced in mid-August 2010 and successful candidates are expected to take up the award on or after 1 October 2010. Postgraduate doctoral research students who have submitted or expect to submit their thesis between 1 April 2010 and 30 September 2010 inclusive are eligible to apply. Candidates awarded a Fellowship who do not meet this requirement will not be able to take up the Fellowship, although they may re-apply in a subsequent application round.

Conditions of taking up the award:
Bursaries will be continued beyond the doctoral examination date only when the viva is successfully passed (ie has resulted in a recommendation to award the PhD or other doctoral degree with or without minor corrections, but NOT to resubmit/be referred).
Most Fellows will take on additional part-time work; Fellows must normally commit to undertake no more than 20 hours per week of other employment during the tenure of their award. Exceptions must be negotiated in advance, and may result in a reduction in the value of the award.
Fellows should make best use of IAS and University facilities, for example through using the hot-desking and office space available in the IAS, ePortfolios, the Library and careers advice through specialist Careers Consultants. Fellows are expected to attend the IAS on a regular basis (including the Fellows’ fortnightly interdisciplinary seminars) and to maintain systematic contact with the nominated supervisor(s) during the tenure of the award.
International students must ensure that they do not contravene the regulations of their visa and that acceptance of the award does not contravene any contractual obligations to an employer or sponsor.
Fellows undertake to complete a progress report at the end of the first three months, and a final report at the end of the award period.
It is expected that candidates will acknowledge, in their publications, support received from the Institute of Advanced Study Early Career Fellowship.

Contact: IAS@warwick.ac.uk