Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences Overview of Schemes 20092010 Tim Conlo

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Irish Research Council for the Humanities and
Social SciencesOverview of Schemes
2009/2010Tim Conlon - December 2008
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Agenda

• Introduction to the IRCHSS
• Overview of Research Schemes
• Questions

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About the IRCHSS

• An autonomous agency established by the Minister
  for Education 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.

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Research Council Members

• Dr. Maurice Bric, Chairman IRCHSS, UCD
• Professor John Brewer, University of Aberdeen
• Dr. Josephine Browne, IADT Dun Laoghaire
• Professor Angela Chambers, UL
• Professor John Coakley, UCD
• Professor Vincent Comerford, NUI, Maynooth
• Professor Michael Cronin, DCU
• Professor Sheila Green, TCD
• Professor Áine Hyland, Vice-Chair IRCHSS, UCC
• Professor Rowena Pecchenino, NUI, Maynooth
• Dr. Sean Ryder, NUI, Galway
• Dr. Anthony Walsh, Institute of Bankers

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Activities National Schemes

• Administration of research funding schemes
• 2008 14m euro budget
• 203 awards in 2007/08 (plus 2.5 GREP awards)
• 6 schemes (plus GREP Ulysses)
• Promotion of HSS research funding opportunities
• Contribution to research policy for HSS

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IRCHSS Research Schemes
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Subject areas

• Law
• Management Business
• Media Communications
• Philosophy
• Psychology (applications relevant to the HSS)
• Religious Studies
• Social Economic Geography
• Social Policy Social Work
• Sociology
• Musicology Theatre Studies (excluding
  applications in composition and performance)
• Theology

• Anthropology
• Celtic Studies
• Classics Archaeology
• Cultural Studies
• Economics
• Education
• Environmental Studies (applications relevant to
  the HSS)
• Film Studies
• Folklore Studies
• Government Political Science
• History
• International Development
• Irish Language Studies
• Languages, Linguistics Literatures
• Library Information Studies

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Awards 2003-07
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All awardees
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Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarships
Awarded

• Helen Young UL
• The European Union as an actor in the United
  Nations
• Simon McDonnell UCD
• Evaluating priority bus corridor performance. A
  case study of the Dublin Quality Bus Network
• Mr Cian O Callaghan UCC
• Capital and Culture Urban Regeneration in Cork
  and Limerick
• Ms Nessa Cronin NUIG
• Mapping the Land A Cultural History of the
  Cartography of Ireland
• Emma Dillon TCD
• A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Animal Disease
  Eradication Strategies Foot and Mouth Disease in
  Ireland

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Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarships
Awarded

• Ronan Moore NUIM
• Extra-parliamentary politics and the printed
  word in mid eighteenth-century Dublin
• Deirdre Nic Mhathúna UCC
• Filíocht Phiarais Feiritéir
• Christiane Gernet - Dublin City University
• Globalisation and Women's Agency in South
  America - The response of women's activism
• Kathleen Moylan - Dublin Institute of Technology
• New Crossroads Emerging identities and public
  spaces in 21st century Dublin

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Postgraduate Scholarship

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

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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.

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Postdoctoral FellowshipPostgraduate Scholarships
Overview

• 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
  academic community)
• Transparent process feedback from review is
  provided

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Evaluation Process

• Five-phase approach
• Eligibility and Adherence to Terms and Conditions
  
• International Independent Peer Review
• Pre-meeting evaluation by Board Members
• International Assessment Board meeting
• Post-meeting follow up and feedback

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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 History
• Dr. Simon Ball, University of Glasgow, UK -
  Reader in Modern History
• Prof. Stefan Berger, University of Manchester, UK
  - Chair of Modern German Historical Studies
• Prof. 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 Classics
• Dr. Claire Connolly, Cardiff University, UK -
  School of English, Communication and Philosophy
• Dr. Virginia Crossman, Oxford Brookes University,
  UK - Modern Irish History
• Prof. John Darby, University of Notre Dame, USA -
  Comparative Ethnic Studies
• Prof. Hastings Donnan, Queens University,
  Belfast, Northern Ireland - School of
  Anthropological Studies
• Prof. Richard English, Queens University,
  Belfast, Northern Ireland - Centre for Irish
  Politics
• Dr. Marco Ercolani, University of Birmingham, UK
  - Economics Department
• Prof. Robin Frame, University of Durham, UK -
  Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Prof. Patrick Hanafin, Birkbeck College
  University of London, UK School of Law
• Prof. Bernadette Hayes, University of Aberdeen,
  UK - Department of Sociology
• Prof. Brian Ilbery, University of
  Gloucestershire, UK Cultural Geography
• Prof. Josef Jarab, Palacky University, Czech
  Republic - English and American literature
• Prof. Evanthia Lyons, Queens University,
  Belfast, Northern Ireland - School of Psychology
• Prof. James Mallory, Queens University, Belfast,
  Northern Ireland - School of Geography,
  Archaeology and Palaeoecology

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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

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Postdoctoral FellowshipPostgraduate Scholarships
Overview

• Attributes useful for research
• Committed
• Passion for subject area
• Self motivator
• Work on own initiative
• Independent
• Creative

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Postgraduate Scholarships Criteria

• Applications evaluated under TC 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).
  ltcurrently registeredgt
• The applicants record and academic achievements
  (as determined by the assessors on the basis of
  the application material provided)

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Postdoctoral Fellowships Criteria

• Applications evaluated under TC 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 applicants record and academic achievements
  (as determined by the assessors on the basis of
  the application material provided)

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Postdoctoral FellowshipPostgraduate Scholarships
Overview

• PhD Award
• Develop a specialist individual piece of research
  so as to make a new contribution to the body of
  knowledge in the area.
• Post PhD
• Postdoctoral Award
• Publish to gain recognition by peers and advance
  career, present papers at seminars/conferences,
  develop new research direction
• Research or policy track?
• Academic career?
• Lecturer
• Professional researcher (Academia, Industry)
• Policy
• Opportunities to travel academic posts/research
  teams abroad
• EU collaborative research programmes (2008)
• Contribute to Irelands knowledge-based economy

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International Opportunities
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Challenges Opportunities

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

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Important Dates

• Advertised Closing
• Post Grad Scholars November 2008 30 January 2009
• Postdoctoral Fellows November 2008 23 January
  2009

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Questions?
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IRCHSS Contact Points

• Tim Conlon Director (Acting)
• National Schemes
• Fiona Davis, Programme Manager
• EU/International Activities
• Sorcha Carthy, European Projects Officer
• info_at_irchss.ie
• www.irchss.ie