Presentation by Leverhulme Director

At a presentation today (29/3/12) Leverhulme Trust Director Professor Gordon Marshall told us the best way of increasing your chances of a Leverhulme grant was to buy lots of marmite.


A throw away comment perhaps, but with the Leverhulme’s £60M coming directly from Unilever profits it is true. The actual success rates at Leverhulme through their main scheme – basically a responsive mode grant scheme – is roughly 1 in 4, and as such much higher than many other funders. Arguably less painful too, as their two stage process weeds out 50% after just a 2 page application.

Prof Marshall was keen to point out that Leverhulme is resistant to academic fashions, and essentially aims to fund bright people to do great projects, in any discipline except medical science. He noted they preferred ‘not to pick up other funders’ rejects’, and therefore don’t fund medical research (because that is ably funded by the Wellcome Trust) and rarely fund in a Research Council current strategic priority area. Leverhulme is particularly keen on originality, fresh approaches and interdisciplinarity. Their funding mechanism relies heavily on peer review and so selecting your reviewers carefully and asking them first makes sense.

Perhaps from an engagement perspective the most interesting part was that decisions on the applications, based on peer review by experts, are made by their Board which comprises former members of Unilever senior management. These people are very senior and have diverse international backgrounds, but are not experts in the different areas Leverhulme fund. Therefore, describing your research in accessible terms, and being very clear about what you intend to do is even more important than normal.

Engagers’ Digest 28/03/12

In this edition:

University of Bristol engagement

1. Schools' Interaction Survey
2. Discover wrap-up
3. Bristol Festival of Nature – call for stand ideas

Funding

1. The Science in Society Programme Small Awards Scheme: deadline 12 April 2012
2. Applications for ESRC Festival of Social Science: 4 May 2012

Events

1. Science Cafe: How inflammation polices heart disease – 8pm 30 April 2012
2. A road map to involving patients in your research – 25 May 2012
3. New dates for Bright Club Bristol

Other news

1. Volunteers needed for The Times Cheltenham Science Festival: deadline 4 April 2012
2. People and Research South West - looking for examples of public involvement in research: deadline 16 April 2012
3. Communicate 2011 - Nature, People, Economics: conference summary available online

University of Bristol engagement

1. Schools' Interaction Survey
The ways in which the University interacts with schools and colleges is vitally important for our relationship with the city/region, in attracting potential students and also as part of the work of many colleagues. We would like to understand more fully the breadth of engagement activity with schools and colleges in the local area to inform and support any further developments. Please help by completing a short questionnaire (this should take less than ten minutes and you will have the chance to win a new iPad or the cash equivalent towards conference travel expenses. If you have questions about the survey please email wan.yee@bristol.ac.uk (Graduate School of Education, Social Sciences & Law) or maggie.leggett@bristol.ac.uk (Centre for Public Engagement, Communications & Marketing).
The survey can be found at web:
https://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/gsoe/interaction/

2. Discover wrap-up
Thanks very much to everyone who took part in Discover earlier this month - we are making plans for a proper thank-you so watch this space for further details shortly. In the meantime we’d be very grateful if exhibitors and volunteers could provide us with some feedback by completing our online survey
For exhibitors: http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/cpe/discover2012res
For volunteers: http://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/cpe/discover2012vol

We have waved goodbye to Dane Comerford who has moved to take up a new role at the University of Cambridge. Replacing Dane for six months is Becky Jones from the School of Biochemistry. She can be contacted on email: rebecca.jones@bristol.ac.uk tel: 0117 33 18315.

3. Festival of Nature – call for stand ideas
The annual Bristol Festival of Nature is being held 15-17 June this year. We are looking for any new stand ideas from across all departments to go in the University of Bristol tent at the Festival. The stand can be linked to ‘nature’ through any avenue, from atoms and cells, ecology and environment, sustainable engineering, even landscape painting. We want to showcase as much of the University’s research and teaching as possible. In addition, if anyone has previously been involved with the Festival or Discover, and wants to adapt or expand an existing stand then please let us know. If you have any ideas or want to know more, get in touch with Becky Jones by email: rebecca.jones@bristol.ac.uk tel: 0117 33 18315.

Funding

1. The Science in Society Programme Small Awards Scheme: deadline 12 April 2012
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has announced that its Science in Society Programme Small Awards Scheme is now open for applications. The scheme provides grants for small, local or 'pilot' projects promoting STFC science and technology. Anyone can apply, including grant-funded research groups, STFC research facility users, schools, museums, etc. Awards range from £500 to £10,000 and the expenditure can go towards materials, salaries and travel & subsistence.
http://www.stfc.ac.uk/Public+and+Schools/1396.aspx

2. Applications for ESRC Festival of Social Science: 4 May 2012
The call for applications to run events for the tenth annual Economic and Social Research Council's Festival of Social Science is now open. This year the festival will run from 3-10 November. There are two types of application:

• for £2,000 support from the ESRC to run an event - closing date 4 May 2012.
• for an event to be included in the Festival programme but without ESRC funding - closing date 11 May 2012.

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/festival/

If you are from the University of Bristol and considering making an application please could you contact Kate Miller at the Centre for Public Engagement on email: kate.miller@bristol.ac.uk tel: 0117 33 18321

Events

1. Science Cafe: How inflammation polices heart disease – 8pm 30 April 2012
With speaker Dr Jason Johnson of the Bristol Heart Institute
Venue: Tobacco Factory See web: http://bscia-bsba.org.uk/science-cafe/

2. A road map to involving patients in your research – 25 May 2012
This event will provide researchers with an opportunity to gain insight into the importance and benefits of patient and public involvement (PPI) as well as practical information to help you facilitate PPI within your own research. Our patient panel members will also be attending and can help advise. A free event, 9am - 2pm, Bath Hilton Hotel To book contact Sarah Roberts email: s.e.roberts@bath.ac.uk
http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/news/news_0049.html

3. New dates for Bright Club
Bristol Bright Club is the thinking person's variety night - the show that takes folks from the region's top academic institutions and turns them into stand-up comedians for one night only. Organisers of Bright Club are looking for researchers from local universities to perform alongside professional comedians and musicians for three new shows with themes below (although un-themed contributions are also welcome):

• 31 May ‘The Nature of Things’ (training 11 May, 3-5 pm) - biology, zoology, botany, environment (although ‘things’ leaves it open to pretty much whatever you like)
• 23 August ‘Super’ (training date TBC) – anything tenuously involving 'super' as a prefix (supercooling, supernovas, superheroes, supermassive, superpositions...); astronomy, literature or media research involving science fiction or similar
• 6 December ‘Vintage’ (training date TBC) - archaeology, conservation (of textiles, buildings etc), history, food & drink related research, fashion, research involving older people, dinosaurs. Further information from web: http://brightclubbristol.wordpress.com email: Hayley at hayley@soundsofscience.co.uk

Other news

1. Volunteers needed for The Times Cheltenham Science Festival: deadline 4 April 2012
The Festival is taking place from 12-17 June and will need volunteers throughout and for set-up and break-down. This is a great opportunity for students if they would like to meet some of the world's leading scientists, get involved with one of the best public science festivals and gain experience of running events. On offer to volunteers is: accommodation and food; travel expenses; free entry into events. Applications forms are available at web: http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/jobs with a deadline of 4th April. If you have any questions please contact email: volunteers@cheltenhamfestivals.com or call tel: 01242 775206.

The Times Cheltenham Science Festival is a six-day extravaganza of science, engineering, technology and arts, with events for adults, schools and for the whole family. Aimed purely at the general public, the festival covers a range of topics from regenerative medicine and superconductivity to the science of honey and the power of sleep.

2. People and Research South West - looking for examples of public involvement in research: deadline 16 April 2012
People and Research South West is a collaborative initiative to support researchers to involve the public in health and social care research, and to support the public in getting involved. They are currently collating local examples of public involvement in research, top tips for involvement, contact details and links. Do you have an example of public involvement in research you would like to include? The submission form is available at:
http://www.crncc.nihr.ac.uk/about_us/ccrn/western/ppi/prsw/case_studies.htm
Further information from Catrin Richards email: catrin.richards@uwe.ac.uk tel: (0117) 3288809

3. Communicate 2011 - Nature, People, Economics: conference summary available online
This conference summary brings together videos, presentations, and written contributions from an inspirational line up of environmental thinkers and communicators. Visit web: http://communicate2011.bnhc.org.uk/

Engagers' Digest 7/3/12

In this edition:

University of Bristol engagement

1. Discover: 8 – 10 March 2012
2. ‘Multi-Story Water’: student volunteers sought

Funding

1. British Science Association Media Fellowship scheme: deadline 11 March 2012
2. AHRC Connected Communities Leadership Fellows: deadline 23 March 2012
3. Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellowships: deadline 30 March 2012
4. The Naked Scientists MRC Prize Internship: deadline 30 March 2012
5. Research in the Wild 2012: deadline 18 April 2012
6. Society for Applied Microbiology Communications Award: deadline 20 April 2012
7. Institute of Physics Public Engagement Grants: deadline 30 April 2012
8. Heritage Lottery Fund Heritage Grants: various dates

Events

1. INVOLVE 2012 conference: call for presentations: deadline 26 March 2012
2. Working together - how higher education and charities can deliver social impact: 27 March 2012, London
3. People Power: Engaging Audiences: 2 April 2012
4. ‘Going beyond the usual publics: evaluating how to reach new audiences and non-visitors’ event: 27 April 2012
5. Bursaries to attend the 2012 Science Communication Conference: 14 & 15 May 2012

Other news

1. Update on the REF
2. Prove it! Online video competition: deadline 19 March 2012
3. UWE Science Communication Unit courses

Debating a mayor for Bristol

There was a buzz about the Council House on Wednesday night – so much so that one person (a local Councillor, I presume) expressed a wish that Council meetings could be so popular.  But this time people were gathering to debate one particular issue: should Bristol have an elected mayor?  In a couple of months Bristolians will be asked this question in a referendum (albeit in a convoluted way that was the source of much amusement, and possibly bemusement, on the night).  However, there has been limited discussion of what this would entail outside of the political sphere so our aim in organising this public event was to open up the discussion to the community. 

Professor Alex Marsh started the event with a brief history of mayors in Bristol and how this current trend towards elected mayors fits with the Government’s localism agenda – see Alex’s blog for his thoughts on the evening.  Then the four panellists – two for the motion and two against – were allowed a few minutes to briefly outline their positions.  The ‘For’ panellists, Mark Weston and George Ferguson, argued that at present the leader of the Council (the nearest thing we have to a mayor) is chosen by 70 Council members – leaving the remaining 316,930 (or so) citizens of Bristol with no say in the matter.  An elected mayor would be chosen by Bristol and would act as a champion for Bristol.  The ‘Against’ panellists, Barbara Janke and Deborah Hallett, countered that a mayor would not be a panacea for all the problems in Bristol and the city-centric focus would restrict Bristol as an economic and strategic powerhouse.

Engagers' Digest 14/2/12

In this edition:

University of Bristol engagement

1. Volunteering at Discover: 8-10 March
2. Understanding animal research workshop: 21 February
3. Careers talk at City Academy
4. Your Green Future: 13-14 March  
5. Talk at Broadlands School: 6 July

 Funding

1. Community Challenge Fund: deadline 9 March
2. Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellowships: deadline 30 March
3. Wellcome Trust Peoples Awards: deadline 27 April
4. Institute of Physics' Public Engagement Grant Scheme: deadline 30 April

Events

1. Introduction to the News Media: 22 March
2. Getting started: a beginner’s guide to evaluation
3. People Power... the Science of Engaging Audiences: 2 April
4. Evaluation masterclass – making a case
5. Workshop in Animatronics: 5-7 May