Research Fellowships

Purpose

This scheme is for individuals not yet in established academic posts, who wish to undertake a period of postdoctoral research.

Due to the multidisciplinary nature of biomedical ethics research, Research Fellowships may provide postdoctoral researchers with support to enable them to obtain research training, either in a new discipline or in a new aspect of their own field, e.g. a humanities scholar who wishes to be trained in social science.

In such cases, the requested training must form a substantial component of the proposed research and should not normally be available via the standard funding routes, e.g. by learning new skills as a postdoctoral researcher on a project grant. The requested training should also include methodologies and skills that are new to the applicant.

Research training provision can include participation in taught courses, and periods spent in other research groups gaining practical, technical or other skills for introduction to the sponsor's or individual's own group.

What's included

The maximum duration is three years.

The awards are full-time but can, in exceptional circumstances, be tenable on a part-time basis if a case can be made that personal circumstances require this.

Fellowships provide a salary, plus appropriate employer's contributions.

Essential research expenses, including travel and fieldwork, are available, as is a set amount for travel to conferences, seminars and other meetings of a scholarly nature.

As a condition of the award, we may stipulate that the grantholder attends specific workshops or summer schools in relevant research methods.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if you are a postdoctoral scholar who is not in a tenured or otherwise long-term established post. Fellowships must be held at a UK, Irish or low- or middle-income country (LMIC) institution.

Strong preference will be given to applicants with a good prospect of achieving a long-term academic career as a specialist in any area related to biomedical ethics. The application must be sponsored by an established (and normally senior) member of the department in which the award is to be held.

Application process

Preliminary applications should be made in writing, and include:

• your name and contact details
• your CV, including publication list
• your sponsor's name and contact details
• the title and a brief outline (one page maximum) of the project
• approximate costs
• a letter of support from the head of department.

Preliminary applications are reviewed for eligibility and full application forms are sent if eligibility criteria are met.

Strong preference will be given to applicants with a good prospect of achieving a long-term academic career as a specialist in any area related to biomedical ethics.

Deadlines

Applications are considered twice a year.

Preliminary application deadlines are:

20 June and 2 December

The full application deadline will be six weeks after the preliminary application deadline.

Contacts

Grants Section (Ethics and Society)
Wellcome Trust
Gibbs Building
215 Euston Road
London NW1 2BE, UK

T +44 (0)20 7611 8893
E es@wellcome.ac.uk