The Mind Senior Research Fellowship in Philosophy
PLEASE NOTE: THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. There will be another round in academic year 2014/15 (deadline to be some time in late Jan 2015).
The particulars for the 2012/13 round, for information:
The Mind Senior Research Fellowship in Philosophy (to be held either in the academic year 2013/14 or 2014/15)
The Fellowship: This is intended for senior academics (Senior Lecturer, Reader, Professor) in post part-time or full-time in a UK institution of higher education, with a proven track record of high quality research in any area of Philosophy. The grant will be paid to the university at which the scholar is employed, and will exactly cover the cost of a one year lectureship on the lowest spinal point of the Lecturer A scale or equivalent as specified by the rules of the institution, plus on costs (National Insurance, pension, and London Allowance where appropriate). Or, in the case of a part-time award, the grant will be proportional.
One of the aims of the senior fellowship scheme is to support sustained research by academics who are substantially burdened with teaching or administrative duties. It will be awarded, however, in recognition of the distinction of the applicant’s work, and above all of the exceptional interest and importance of the project proposed. While there are no restrictions set as to what stage of completion the research should be at by either the start or finish of the fellowship, or what form of publication is envisaged, the proposed project must be such as to clearly require a year long period of sustained work.
Conditions: Award of the Fellowship is conditional on the university’s agreeing by way of a letter from the Head of Department, Dean, or other appropriate university officer that the funds will be wholly used to release the scholar from all administrative and teaching duties (with the optional exception of continuing to supervise no more than their normal number of doctoral students) by recruiting to a replacement one-year lectureship. Please note that since the Association intends the replacement teaching post to represent a new employment opportunity, academics whose time would be freed up for the post by taking unpaid leave from another job are not normally eligible.
It is also a condition that the research fellowship supplement, not substitute for, any institutional leave for which the successful candidate is eligible.
A further condition of this fellowship is that, normally, the fellow’s home institution will arrange and host the Mind Senior Research Fellow Lecture, a public lecture to be given by the fellow some time during the academic year following the tenure of the fellowship.
Reports To be sent as soft copy to the Director, Prof Miranda Fricker, at MindAssoc@gmail.com no more than three months after the term of the fellowship:
1. From the Head, Dean, or other appropriate officer to confirm how the money was spent, and giving the name of the replacement lecturer appointed;
2. From the fellow to summarize the research done during the fellowship.
Applications: To be sent as soft copy by email to the Director at MindAssoc@gmail.com
The deadline for applications is 25th January 2013. Results will be available on 15th March 2013.
Applications should consist of:
- a CV, including the names of two referees (not from the applicant’s home institution);
- a research proposal of not more than 2000 words;
- details (covering the last five years) of administrative and teaching duties, research leaves, and any non-academic commitments curtailing research time, such as career breaks, maternity or paternity leave, prolonged ill-health, or caring for a sick relative;
- a statement of the applicant’s entitlement to research leave under his or her institution’s current policy;
- a statement of what institutional leave, if any, the applicant expects to have during the current academic year and the next academic year;
- a statement of other sources of financial support for which the applicant intends to apply and which would cover terms/semesters consecutive with the period of research that would be covered by the Mind Senior Research Fellowship (the fellowship may be held consecutively with institutional leave, but not with any other funded research fellowship);
- a letter from the scholar’s Head of Department, Dean, or equivalent university officer stating that the funds will be used only to fund a replacement one-year lectureship, with the fellow being wholly released from all teaching and admin duties for the duration of the fellowship (with the optional exception of continuing to supervise no more than their normal number of doctoral students).
Referees: Applicants should arrange for their two referees to send soft copy of their letters directly to Professor Miranda Fricker at MindAssoc@gmail.com by 25th January 2013. Applicants should ask referees to comment, where possible, on both their administrative load and their research proposal. Both referees should be asked to provide a detailed academic assessment of the research proposal and to grade the proposal according to the following scheme:
A+: an application of the highest quality;
A: an application of high quality;
A-: a good application;
B: a good application, but where there are significant reservations
about its feasibility; and
R: an application where there are major reservations about its
worth or feasibility.