Deans Prize to support career development of outstanding interdisciplinary scientists, clinicians, technologists and methodologists.

The Dean's Prize Award is a Faculty-run programme offering funding for clinical, applied health, pure science, technologists and methodology researchers who are looking to apply for significant external funding, including prestigious individual Fellowships or interdisciplinary team funding awards.

About the Dean's Prize

The goal of the awards is to provide pump-priming funds for outstanding researchers from clinical, applied health, or pure science and technology/methodology backgrounds. We encourage applications from interdisciplinary researchers, technologists and methodologists with cutting-edge research skills. The aim is to appoint researchers who are looking to apply for externally funded, prestigious fellowships (or equivalent significant funding) from UK and international/ national funding bodies such as UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), European Research Council, The Wellcome Trust (WT) or National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

This distinguished award is part of our programme focused on promoting and developing research culture across disciplines and offers pump-prime funding to promote the careers of aspiring researchers by bridging that difficult career gap between excellence as a research associate and research independence. We recognise that outstanding applicants from different fields may have varying background and the diversity of career paths that are required for clinicians, technology and methodology-focussed applicants.

Funding

We are offering salary plus up to £10,000 per annum support costs for two years. Applications for external funding will be expected by the end of the first year, or early in the second year.

Fellows will be expected to secure substantial funding for their research and complete research outputs of international excellence.

Eligibility

The award is available for clinical, applied health, pure science, technologist and methodologist applicants as a stepping stone to intermediate or senior level fellowship. All applicants should already hold a PhD.

While flexible, in broad terms, we anticipate clinical, applied health, pure science, technologist and methodologist applicants will typically have 3-7 years of post-PhD experience.

 

It is likely that successful candidates will have clear intellectual links to current Faculty members in order to benefit from appropriate mentorship, advice and support.

The award is open to internal candidates and those applying from outside the University.

If awarded, we expect your Dean's Prize to commence before 1 January 2025. However, if your proposal falls slightly outside of this, we would potentially consider this on an individual basis, if discussed prior to the submission date.

We are delighted that a total of twelve applicants have been awarded a Dean's Prize fellowship over the past two years. Example summaries of their research (PDF) are available to read.

How to apply

Please read the below guidance and apply by downloading and completing the application form.

Please submit the form by email to FBMHfellowshipacademy@manchester.ac.uk by 3pm on Friday, 24 May 2024.

Dean's Prize Clinics

If you have any questions regarding the Dean's Prize, we will also be running Dean's Prize Clinics in April and May 2024. Please sign up to one of the sessions via the Eventbrite links below:

Dean's Prize launch event

A launch event will also take place via Zoom on Monday 15 April 2024, 12.30pm-1.30pm, where you will have the opportunity to hear about the scheme, see short presentations from successful Dean's Prize Fellows and ask any initial questions you may have.

Details of the Zoom link will be shared before the event to individuals who have registered.

Contact us

If you have any enquiries, please contact Kerrie Webb, Project Support Officer.

Email: FBMHfellowshipacademy@manchester.ac.uk