RCUK is sponsoring two awards at the Times Higher Education Awards this year:
the Award for Serendipity and the Award for Outstanding Support for Early Career
Researchers (co-sponsored by Vitae). The deadline to enter is 5 June, so put your
thinking caps on and get those entries flooding in! Further information about each
RCUK-sponsored award is detailed below
As a sign of our commitment to basic research that is both excellent in quality
and high in impact, and in recognition of the unpredictable nature of much great
research (as with Fleming’s discovery of penicillin), RCUK has joined forces with
the THE to sponsor ‘The RCUK Award for Serendipity’ in the THE’s annual awards.
The award will recognise entrepreneurial spirit in universities and reward researchers
who have seen and seized unexpected opportunities for economic and/or societal impact
arising from research. The judges will be looking for:
- the unexpected nature of the research discovery (the research may have taken
place some time in the past);
- the significant positive impacts arising from the research which have manifest
over the last few years and made a demonstrable contribution to society and/or
the economy;
- the contribution of the individual to achieving the impact.
Entrants should summarise in no more than 500 words how their example
meets these three criteria.
In partnership with
Vitae,
RCUK sponsor the THE Award for Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers.
RCUK are delighted to sponsor this award as we see researcher development as
a vital part of sustaining a skilled and motivated workforce for a healthy and vibrant
research sector which can uphold the UK's position as a centre for world-class research.
We strongly support initiatives such as Vitae, our co-sponsors, who champion the
personal, professional and career development of doctoral researchers and research
staff in higher education institutions and research institutes.
The Award provides an opportunity to highlight some of the excellent ways in
which researchers are helped to develop the research, vocational and entrepreneurial
skills that are matched to the demands of their future career paths.
The submission should outline an example of support for the career development
of postgraduate researchers and/or research staff. The judges will be particularly
interested in support which:
- is of an innovative, exemplary or collaborative nature;
- has tangible outcomes (for example, what researchers have done as a result);
- relates to the implementation of the Concordat to support the career development
of researchers.
Entrants should summarise in no more than 500 words what they were trying
to achieve, how they set about achieving it and how the impact of the support is
measured and evaluated.
The deadline for entries is 7pm on 5 June 2009 and entrants should apply
online via
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/theawards