© Imperial College LondonPage 1 Applying for Fellowships Physics RAs June 2009

© Imperial College LondonPage 2 Applying for Fellowships Planning your career Success rates Application and submission process –Departmental prioritisation –InfoEd, J-eS and e-Gap –Referees –Assessment by Sponsors Other sources of information and assistance

© Imperial College LondonPage 3 Planning your Career – Fellowship? consider…… Timeliness of Fellowship at this point in your career Independent Researcher –Current standing within the national / international community –Referees & their comments Quality, originality and potential impact of proposed research Broader context surrounding the research Ability to plan and manage resources Ability to communicate to a generalist audience

© Imperial College LondonPage 4 Types of Fellowship Annual Calls from most Research Sponsors e.g. EPSRC, STFC, Royal Society, NERC for: Postdoctoral Fellowships (3 years funding) Early career development awards to provide further post-doctoral experience and to support outstanding scientists as they become independent investigators. Advanced / Career Acceleration Fellowships (5 years funding) Awarded to enable outstanding early/mid career researchers to develop into team leaders of international standing. Royal Society University Research Fellowships (5 years funding, with possible renewals ) Other Fellowship schemes (e.g. Dorothy Hodgkin, Imperial Junior Research Fellowships)

© Imperial College LondonPage 5 Number Awarded Annually EPSRC ~ 10 PDF Mathematical Sciences ~ 5 PDF Theoretical Physics ~ 10 PDF Cross-Disciplinary Interfaces (with Life Sci. or Social Sci.) ~ 50 Career Acceleration (and Leadership) * STFC ~ 12 PDF and ~ 12 AF NERC ~ 30 PDF and AF RS ~ 30 URF * * Based on 2008/09 schemes

© Imperial College LondonPage 6 Success Rates Physics Department No. of Applications (Awards) Success Rate PDFAFPDFAF 2007/08 EPSRC12 (4)7 (1)33%14% 2007/08 STFC10 (2)12 (1)20%8% 2007/08 RS URF11 (0)0% 2008/09 EPSRC9 (2) 9 (5 to inter- view stage) 22% 2008/09 STFC8 (1)15 (2)12.5%13% 2008/09 RS URF18 (1 to interview stage)

© Imperial College LondonPage 7 STFC National Success Rates AdvancedPostdoc Financial Year No applied No Awarded Success Rate No applied No Awarded Success Rate 00/ % % 01/ % % 02/ % % 03/ % % 04/ % % 05/ % % 06/ % %

© Imperial College LondonPage 8 Application and Submission Process Departmental prioritisation –Quotas (some set externally) –Applications to be relevant to Group strategy –Departmental panels review applications –(Prioritisation at Faculty level also for some schemes i.e. Imperial JRFs ) Departmental internal deadlines a lot earlier than Sponsor deadlines – Full paperwork not required: CV, publication list plus one-page research proposal

© Imperial College LondonPage 9 Departmental Quotas EPSRC PDF – 7 EPSRC CAF – 15 STFC PDF & AF – 22 NERC – no quota Royal Society – (tbc)

© Imperial College LondonPage 10 Deadlines – EPSRC PDF (CAF dates n/a) Deadline for candidates to contact Groups 22 nd July 2009 Decision made on approvalsby 31 st July 2009 Internal deadline for InfoEd/Jes to be completed and submitted 19 th August 2009 EPSRC deadline26 th August 2009

© Imperial College LondonPage 11 Deadlines – STFC PDF & AF Deadline for candidates to contact Groups 4 th Sept 2009 Decision made on approval16 th Sept 2009 Internal deadline for InfoEd/Jes to be completed and submitted 7 th October 2009 STFC deadline15 th October 2009

© Imperial College LondonPage 12 Deadlines – NERC PDF & AF Deadline for candidates to contact Groups Decision made on approval Internal deadline for InfoEd/Jes to be completed and submitted 23 rd October 2009 NERC deadline3 rd November 2009

© Imperial College LondonPage 13 Sponsor Referee Requirements EPSRC PDF One personal academic e.g. PhD / postdoctoral supervisor Host Head of Department statement of support. EPSRC CAF None at initial outline stage Host Head of Department statement of support if short listed. NERC PDF and AF Three or more scientific referees (not collaborators or based at current or proposed institution) PDF can include one personal referee (not at the host institution). STFC PDF and AF Two personal referees (For PDF one can be from the Host Institution, for AF neither can) No Host Head of Department statement. RS URF Host Head of Department statement of support. No other referees.

© Imperial College LondonPage 14 InfoEd, J-eS and e-Gap InfoEd: College’s internal proposal development tool - host Group takes lead - calculates costs for fellowship application - also attach proposal, CV & publications etc - HoD statement of support - justification of resources In parallel to InfoEd the candidate prepares application on - J-eS (for Research Councils) -e-Gap (for Royal Society) -details of how to register for J-eS and e-Gap available on the respective websites NB Timely submission essential

© Imperial College LondonPage 15 Sponsor Assessment Process: EPSRC PDF EPSRC will endeavour to obtain at least two more reviewers' reports from expert members of the EPSRC College. Sifting panel, drawn from the EPSRC College, draws up an interview list. Interview: 10 minute presentation on proposed research 20 minute question and answer session. The interview panel consists of 4-5 members who might not be expert in your particular field of research. Interviews will be held around January 2010 and results announced February – April 2010

© Imperial College LondonPage 16 Sponsor Assessment Process: EPSRC AF (based on 2008/09 scheme) Application considered by an outline panel. Successful applicants invited to submit a full proposal. Full proposals sent to reviewers for main expert assessment. If reviewers’ comments are sufficiently supportive then candidates invited for interview. Following interview applications are be ranked in priority order and if above a cut-off will be sent to the Final Allocation Panel. The Final Allocation Panel Meeting comprises a representative (usually the Chair) of each of the interview panels, chaired by EPSRC’s CEO. Results this year will be known in July.

© Imperial College LondonPage 17 Sponsor Assessment Process: STFC PDF & AF Application considered by a Panel, covering all of STFC's scientific areas. Successful applicants called for interview. In considering the applications the Panel will use the following criteria: –the excellence of the applicant, including the ability to communicate their science effectively; –the timeliness and quality of the research proposal; –the potential of the individual, including the capability to perform the wider role and responsibilities of an academic career; –in the case of 'returners', the applicant’s track record in research before the break; –the appropriateness of the group with whom the individual intends to work In finalising the awards to be made, the Panel may take account of the distribution in terms of subject and Institution. Results this year were known - PDF in February and AF in April.

© Imperial College LondonPage 18 Sponsor Assessment Process: RS URF (based on 2008/09 scheme) All proposals reviewed and assessed by two members of the Selection Panel who have the most appropriate scientific expertise. A shortlist is drawn up. Shortlisted proposals reviewed by three independent referees who have been suggested by the two Panel members. The Selection Panel considers each shortlisted application, together with its nominated and independent references and draws up a second short list. Applicants that pass this stage are invited for interview in April. Final results are expected in May.

© Imperial College LondonPage 19 Other sources of information and assistance EPSRC llowships/default.htm llowships/default.htm STFC Royal Society NERC Faculty Research Information System

© Imperial College LondonPage 20 Other sources of information and assistance Assistance available from: Physics Head of Department’s Office Faculty Research Services Team Postdoc Development Centre Also talk to current fellowship holders in the department

© Imperial College LondonPage 21 Postdoc Development Centre Fellowship Event Thursday 19th June pm Lecture Theatre G16 SAF Building Representatives from: EPSRC, Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering

© Imperial College LondonPage 22 Top Tips Plan well ahead –Timing in your career –Discuss well in advance with host institution –Allow plenty of time for internal deadlines Research –Importance of topic / issue –What can you contribute to it –Host institution –Support from potential collaborators / project partners Presenting yourself at interview -Panel may not be experts in your field -Justification of host institution and integration with scientific community -Expect to be nervous ! -Be prepared, be confident and be on time