An inclusive call for seed funding in Scotland

By Dr Robyne Calvert, The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network (Scotland Hub) Project Officer

It’s a point of celebration for those of us who are supporting the next generation of research leaders, to see that in launching their Curiosity and Catalyst funds, the AHRC has been rethinking the strict boundaries around what it means to be an ‘Early Career Researcher’, as well as being more inclusive to those significant numbers of Mid-Career Researchers who have been disadvantaged in previous calls due to having non-traditional career pathways. As an active researcher myself, who hovers in the Early-Mid Career liminal space, I found their conclusions very welcome. A flexible approach to supporting research and research career enhancing opportunities also informs and grounds my role in leading the Scotland hub of The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network (BAECRN).

A note here on the use of ‘Early Career Researcher’ (ECR) terminology. As the Research Culture and Researcher Development team at the University of Glasgow, we have chosen to move away from ‘early career’ due to its potential to feel un-inclusive. The definition of ECR can also vary widely across the research landscape, which can be confusing. The British Academy uses the term flexibly to mean approximately 10 years post PhD, and in respect of career breaks, and that is how I apply it here in relation to this network project.

The first project I led for the Scotland Hub of BAECRN was a new Seed Fund Grant, that we intended to facilitate and support the creation of new research partnerships across Scotland, and additionally to support career development for the recipients.

I, along with members of the two lead institutions (Glasgow and Stirling) put considerable care and thought into the design of the call, to maximise inclusivity, good and transparent practice in funding allocation, and to provide developmental feedback as standard. Applicants were encouraged to create projects that are interdisciplinary and/or inter-institutional in nature, building essential perspectives and research networks across the nation.

In building the call criteria and guidelines, and in the development workshops that supported researchers to develop applications, I advocated for the inclusion of researchers outside of Higher Education Institutions, such as independent scholars, and those in Independent Research Organisations like museums. This took some dialogue across the team, drafts being sent back and forth, and discussion of the benefits and challenges. In particular it required the additional support and expertise of colleagues in our finance teams, but we did find a way and we feel justified to do so. There are an increasing number of independent researchers in the UK, and there are defined benefits as well as challenges to pursuing an independent research career, as Helen Kara and Linda Baines (two prolific and highly acclaimed independent scholars) point out in this recent critical challenge to funding barriers.

We are happy to report that once our call was launched, it was a great success. We received 50 high-quality applications and were delighted to award a total of £37,478.65 to 12 projects representing 29 researchers from across Scotland – several of which are independent or from Independent Research Organisations. 

Congratulations to these projects:

Ar Dáimhean is Dualchas –A’ co-chruthachadh le coimhearsnachdan / Our Relationships and Heritage – Co-creating with Communities 

• Ben Thomas, Historic Environment Scotland
• Stephen Collins, University of the West of Scotland
• Catriona Morrison, Historic Environment Scotland
• Iain Craig, Historic Environment Scotland
• Jacob O’Sullivan, Museums Galleries Scotland
• Frank Rennie, University of the Highlands and Islands

Big projects, little community benefit? How low carbon pilot projects help to tackle fuel and transport poverty in island communities.

• Christian Calvillo Munoz, Centre for Energy Policy, University of Strathclyde
• Liliana Maria de Almeida Fonseca, European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde
• Tanja Mueller, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde

Co-designing future implementation research priorities and assistive technology innovations targeted at supporting older caregivers of people with multiple long-term conditions 

• Stella Arakelyan, University of Edinburgh 
• Eleanor Curnow, Queen Margaret University 
• Jenny Robertson, University of Edinburgh

Decoding Democracy: Analysing Public Participation in Constitutional Reform with Deep Learning

• Tarik Olcay, University of Dundee
• Rosa Filgueira, University of St Andrews

Health and Place: Developing a Co-Created Research Design for Inclusive and Sustainable Blue/Green Spaces

• Natalie Dickinson, University of the West of Scotland
• Sacha Hasan, Herriot-Watt University
• Paula Duffy, University of Aberdeen
• Kiri Rodgers, University of the West of Scotland
• Kasia Smith, North Ayrshire Council

Migrants and the Media: Participation and Policy

• Bethia Pearson, University of Glasgow
• Sadie Ryan, University of Glasgow 

Migration and Racialisation: The Psyche and Social

• Akshi Singh, University of Glasgow
• Hannah Proctor, University of Strathclyde

Navigating Digital Ethics for Rural Research

• Diana Valero, The James Hutton Institute 
• Alison Mayne, Independent Scholar
• Christina Noble, The James Hutton Institute (HUTTON)
• Paula Duffy, University of Aberdeen

Scottish Histories of Resistance: Thematic Research Bank for Extra-Mural Education Programme

• Cailean Gallagher, University of St Andrews/University of Edinburgh
• Kevin Gallagher, Independent Researcher

The barriers and enablers to youth activism in Scotland: a pilot study

• Sarah Ward, University of Edinburgh
• Maureen McBride, University of Glasgow

The ecosystem of support organisations during the cost-of-living crisis

• Diarmuid McDonnell, University of the West of Scotland 
• Xihui Chen, Heriot Watt University
• Joao Rafael Cunha, University of St Andrews 

Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children in Scotland: A Scoping Exercise to Understand how Separated Children Access Education and Participate in Leisure 

• Kieran Taylor, Queen Margaret University
• Diana Camps, University of Glasgow.   
• Daria Morozova, Glasgow Caledonian University

The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network is an inclusive, researcher-led membership body accessible to all UK-based early career researchers (ECRs) working in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences – regardless of their funding source or background. Over the last two years the Network has been piloting network hubs in the Midlands, South West and, launched in Autumn 2022, in Scotland. I have also initiated the inclusion of Independent Research Organisations more formally as part of our consortium (Scotland is the first hub to do this) and am delighted that both Historic Environment Scotland and National Museums Scotland now have a seat at our virtual table. The consortium, led by the Universities of Stirling and Glasgow, comprises:

• Abertay University
• Edinburgh Napier University
• Glasgow Caledonian University
• Glasgow School of Art
• Historic Environment Scotland
• Heriot-Watt University
• National Museums Scotland
• Queen Margaret University
• Robert Gordon University
• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
• Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
• Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities
• Scottish Graduate School for Social Sciences
• University of St Andrews
• University of Aberdeen
• University of Dundee
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Strathclyde
• University of the Highlands and Islands
• University of the West of Scotland

As noted above, for the purpose of the Network, The British Academy defines an Early Career Researcher as someone who is within 10 years of active full time post-doctoral experience. However, The British Academy wants to be as flexible and inclusive as possible on this, particularly to those who fall outside of this, for exceptional circumstances. If you are an eligible researcher in the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences, please do join us here.