Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Overview of Schemes 2009/2010Fiona Davis 11 December 2008

Agenda

Introduction to the IRCHSSOverview of Research SchemesQuestions

About the IRCHSS

An autonomous agency established by the Minister forEducation and Science in 2000.

Funded by the Department of Education and Science, administrative support provided by the Higher Education Authority.

Promotes excellence and the highest standards in research in the humanities, social sciences, business and law.

Facilitates the integration of Irish researchers in the humanities and social sciences within the European Research Area.

Research Council MembersDr. Maurice Bric, Chairman IRCHSS, UCDProfessor John Brewer, University of AberdeenDr. Josephine Browne, IADT Dun Laoghaire Professor Angela Chambers, ULProfessor John Coakley, UCDProfessor Vincent Comerford, NUI, MaynoothProfessor Michael Cronin, DCUProfessor Sheila Green, TCDProfessor Áine Hyland, Vice-Chair IRCHSS, UCCProfessor Rowena Pecchenino, NUI, MaynoothDr. Sean Ryder, NUI, GalwayDr. Anthony Walsh, Institute of Bankers

Activities: National Schemes

Administration of research funding schemes2008: 14m euro budget203 awards in 2007/08 (plus 2.5 GREP awards)6 schemes (plus GREP & Ulysses)

Promotion of HSS research funding opportunitiesContribution to research policy for HSS

IRCHSS Research Schemes

Postgraduate Research ScholarshipPostdoctoral Fellowship

Research FellowshipSenior Research Fellowship

Small Project GrantThematic Project Grant

AnthropologyCeltic StudiesClassics & ArchaeologyCultural StudiesEconomics EducationEnvironmental Studies (applications relevant to the HSS)Film StudiesFolklore StudiesGovernment & Political Science;HistoryInternational DevelopmentIrish Language Studies Languages, Linguistics & LiteraturesLibrary & Information Studies

LawManagement & BusinessMedia & CommunicationsPhilosophyPsychology (applications relevant to the HSS)Religious StudiesSocial & Economic GeographySocial Policy & Social WorkSociologyMusicology & Theatre Studies (excluding applications in composition and performance)Theology

Subject areas

Awards 2003-07Year 2007/2008 2006/2007 2005/2006 2004/2005 2003/2004

Scheme Apps Awards Apps Awards Apps Awards Apps Awards Apps Awards

Postgraduate Scholarship

365 124 378 94 293 91 299 81 320 76

Postdoctoral Fellowship

133 22 116 22 80 23 74 30 76 20

Research Fellowship

47 10 66 9 38 10 35 16 34 10

Senior Research Fellowship

37 9 51 9 49 10 29 12 36 13

Projects 133 38 106 20 89 13 99 21 70 40

Annual Total 715 203 717 154 549 147 536 160 536 159Success Rate 28% 22% 27% 30% 30%

All awardees

All Current Awardees (Sample '05 - '08)

466

11711

55 53 51 60 210

50100150200250300350400450500

Post-GraduateScholarship

Post-DoctoralScholarship

SeniorResearch

Scholarship

ResearchFellow ship

SeniorResearchFellow ship

Minor ProjectsGrants

Major ProjectGrants

ThematicProjectScheme

Post-Graduate Applications by Field of Science 2005

American StudiesAnglo-Irish LiteratureAnthropologyArchaeologyBusiness StudiesCeltic StudiesClassicsDrama and Theatre StudiesEconomicsEducationEnglishFilm StudiesFrench StudiesGeographyGerman StudiesHealthHispanic StudiesHistoryHistory of ArtIrish Language/ LiteratureItalian StudiesLawLinguisticsLiterary Theory and CriticismMedia StudiesMusicologyPhilosophyPolitical PhilosophyPolitical Science/SociologyPolitical SociologyPsychology/ Cognitive ScienceSocial PolicySociologyTheologyWomen’s Studies

AnthropologyArchaeologyBusiness StudiesCeltic StudiesClassics

Drama & Theatre StudiesEconomicsEnglishFrench StudiesGeographyGerman StudiesHispanic StudiesHistory

Irish Language/ LiteratureItalian StudiesLawLinguisticsLiteratureMusicologyPhilosophyPolitical Science

PoliticsPsychology/ Cognitive ScienceSocial PolicySociology

Post-Graduate Successful by Field of Science 2005

Helen Young – ULThe European Union as an actor in the United Nations

Simon McDonnell – UCDEvaluating priority bus corridor performance. A case study of the Dublin Quality Bus Network

Mr Cian O’ Callaghan – UCCCapital and Culture: Urban Regeneration in Cork and Limerick

Ms Nessa Cronin – NUIGMapping the Land: A Cultural History of the Cartography of Ireland

Emma Dillon – TCDA Cost-Benefit Analysis of Animal Disease Eradication Strategies: Foot and

Mouth Disease in Ireland

Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarships Awarded

Ronan Moore – NUIMExtra-parliamentary politics and the printed word in mid eighteenth-century Dublin

Deirdre Nic Mhathúna – UCCFilíocht Phiarais Feiritéir

Christiane Gernet - Dublin City UniversityGlobalisation and Women's Agency in South America - The response of women's activism

Kathleen Moylan - Dublin Institute of TechnologyNew Crossroads: Emerging identities and public spaces in 21st century Dublin

Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarships Awarded

Postgraduate Scholarship

Valued at €16,000 per annum. Fees are also paid.Awarded for up to three years. EU applicants ordinarily resident in Ireland.

Postdoctoral Fellowship

Valued at €31,745 per annum. One or two years duration.Candidates who have completed their PhD not more than five years previously.

Open competition

Only selection criteria is ‘excellence’

Only fund the best research proposals

Assessed by an expert International peer review panel(15 – 30 reviewers from outside the Irish academiccommunity)

Transparent process – feedback from review isprovided

Postdoctoral FellowshipPostgraduate Scholarships Overview

Evaluation Process

Five-phase approach:1. Eligibility and Adherence to Terms and

Conditions2. International Independent Peer Review3. Pre-meeting evaluation by Board

Members4. International Assessment Board meeting5. Post-meeting follow up and feedback

The Board (…a board)Chair: Prof. Arnd Bohm, Carleton University, Canada - Department of German Language and Literature Prof. Robert Aldrich, University of Sydney, Australia - Professor of European HistoryDr. Simon Ball, University of Glasgow, UK - Reader in Modern HistoryProf. Stefan Berger, University of Manchester, UK - Chair of Modern German Historical StudiesProf. Mary Bryden, University of Reading – School of European Studies (English Drama, Literature, French Theatre, Literature and Religion)Dr. James Clackson, Jesus College, Cambridge, UK - The Faculty of ClassicsDr. Claire Connolly, Cardiff University, UK - School of English, Communication and PhilosophyDr. Virginia Crossman, Oxford Brookes University, UK - Modern Irish HistoryProf. John Darby, University of Notre Dame, USA - Comparative Ethnic StudiesProf. Hastings Donnan, Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland - School of Anthropological StudiesProf. Richard English, Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland - Centre for Irish PoliticsDr. Marco Ercolani, University of Birmingham, UK - Economics DepartmentProf. Robin Frame, University of Durham, UK - Centre for Medieval and Renaissance StudiesProf. Patrick Hanafin, Birkbeck College University of London, UK – School of LawProf. Bernadette Hayes, University of Aberdeen, UK - Department of SociologyProf. Brian Ilbery, University of Gloucestershire, UK – Cultural GeographyProf. Josef Jarab, Palacky University, Czech Republic - English and American literatureProf. Evanthia Lyons, Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland - School of PsychologyProf. James Mallory, Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland - School of Geography, Archaeology and PalaeoecologyDr. Ian McBride, King’s College, London - Early Modern HistoryProf. Brian Ó Conchubhair, University of Notre Dame, USA - Dept. of Irish Language & LiteratureDr. Oscar Odena, Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland - School of EducationProf. Michael Power, University of Edinburgh, UK - Clinical & Health PsychologyProf. Shaun Richards, Staffordshire University - Director Research and Enterprise, Faculty of Arts, Media & Design (Comparative Literature)Prof. Jim Samson, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK - Professor of MusicProf. Robert Savage, Boston College, USA - Associate Director Irish StudiesDr. Tanja Staehler, University of Sussex, UK - Centre for Literature and PhilosophyProf. Alan Warde, University of Manchester, UK - SociologyDr. Claire Willsdon, University of Glasgow, UK – History of Art

Peer Review College

Database of Humanities and Social Sciences experts to contribute to national and international evaluation practices.

International discipline experts to participate in national scheme evaluations.

National discipline experts to contribute to the work of the IRCHSS in consultations, reviews of existing awards progress committees, and potential nominations for international assessments (as an when required). www.irchss.ie

Attributes useful for research

CommittedPassion for subject areaSelf motivatorWork on own initiativeIndependentCreative

Postdoctoral FellowshipPostgraduate Scholarships Overview

Applications evaluated under T&C paragraph 15 also see application form part 14

Description of topic (no more than 600 words)Methodology (no more than 600 words)Research plan (no more than 400 words)Relationship of the project to existing research (no more than 600 words)Description of any specialist knowledge/data (e.g. language competence, technical skills, use of specialist software, etc.) required to undertake the project (no more than 400 words)Reason for choosing the institution and supervisor for the project (no more than 400 words)Progress to date (no more than 500 words). <currently registered>

The applicant’s record and academic achievements (as determined by the assessors on the basis of the application material provided)

Postgraduate Scholarships Criteria

Applications evaluated under T&C paragraph 17 also see application form part 15

Description of topic (no more than 600 words)Methodology (no more than 600 words)Research plan (no more than 400 words)Resumé of doctoral thesis (where a proposal is a direct continuation of the doctoral thesis – state how the fellowship will expand and develop it) (no more than 200 words)Relationship of the project to existing research (no more than 600 words)Specialist knowledge/data (e.g. language competence, technical skills, use of specialist software, etc.) required (no more than 400 words)Institution and supervisor for the project (no more than 200 words)Description of modifications made to the proposal if the proposal has been previously submitted (no more than 200 words)Conference papers and publications planned (no more than 200 words).Dissemination plans (no more than 200 words)

The applicant’s record and academic achievements (as determined by the assessors on the basis of the application material provided)

Postdoctoral Fellowships Criteria

PhD AwardDevelop a specialist individual piece of research so as to make a new contribution to the body of knowledge in the area.

Post PhDPostdoctoral AwardPublish: to gain recognition by peers and advance career, present papers at seminars/conferences, develop new research directionResearch or policy track?

Academic career?LecturerProfessional researcher (Academia, Industry)PolicyOpportunities to travel – academic posts/research teams abroadEU collaborative research programmes (2008)Contribute to Ireland’s knowledge-based economy

Postdoctoral FellowshipPostgraduate Scholarships Overview

International Opportunities

NORFACEERA-NET

Challenges & Opportunities

Ambitious targets set for HSS.IRCHSS primary and consistent funder of HSS.Gap in funding of HSS infrastructure.

Advertised Closing

Post Grad Scholars November 2008 30 January 2009

Postdoctoral Fellows November 2008 23 January 2009

Important Dates

Questions?

IRCHSS Contact Points

Tim Conlon – Director (Acting)

National Schemes:Fiona Davis, Programme Manager

EU/International Activities:Sorcha Carthy, European Projects Officer

info@irchss.iewww.irchss.ie