British Ecological Society - Connecting ecologists with other disciplines grants

Overview

Objectives

• Interdisciplinary science is fundamental to improving our understanding of the world. Most real-world problems require more than one discipline to make progress.
• Interdisciplinary work is the process of integrating knowledge and ideas from different subjects or fields.
• The essence of this programme is to immerse an ecologist in another professional world where ecology can make a difference. This can include another discipline, NGO/Charity, a public sector organisation, a business etc.
• By providing an immersive experience of interdisciplinary collaboration, this grant aims to demonstrate the value of ecology in solving real-world problems.
• This grant will foster relationships between disciplines and sectors. It offers successful individuals the chance to build key skills and offers the recipient organisation a deeper understanding of what ecological science has to offer.
• This grant is open to those who:
  • Are PhD students, Postdoctoral Fellows, and Early Career Ecologists who would like to develop interdisciplinary skills.
  • Have their employer/supervisor approval to step out of current activities for 3-4 months.
  • Have a willing host organisation/department who will collaborate on the grant application.
• This grant is designed for a secondment. Applicants must demonstrate that this is in addition to any existing employment or studentship.
• Undergraduates and masters students are not eligible to apply.
• Collaborations must identify an output of their work, not necessarily academic. This could be (but not limited to): a scientific paper, a grant proposal or concept note for a future proposal, a film or blog, a think piece, a contribution to an organisation’s delivery plan, and many other possibilities.

Eligibility and conditions

• Must have BES membership.
• These grants are awarded to individuals, not organisations.
• These grants are for ecologists only to work in a distinctly different sector compared to their current one.
• Placements can be full-time or part-time but must be a maximum of 4 months.
• Applicants are responsible for obtaining all relevant permits and permissions required to undertake the proposed work.
• They will not award more than one grant to any applicant in any year and no more than two grants in any five years.
• Failure to submit a satisfactory report at the end of a grant will mean the grantee is ineligible to apply for further grants.

Successful applications will:

• Connect ecologists with other disciplines and professional sectors.
• Require the application of ecological science or ecology as part of an interdisciplinary piece of work. Ensuring an ecological component is key.
• Create A ‘learning/training/development plan’ that will enable the ecologist to expand their skill set.
• Partner organisations should show commitment to the project, either financially or in a contribution in kind.

Value

Grant awards of up to £20,000 can be claimed from the applicant. This grant allows individuals to take a break from their current employment/research.

This grant is not a salary replacement for the applicant or any employee associated with an organisation.

If an applicant has been given permission from their current employer to go on a placement, their employer can not claim any costs or receive any reimbursements.

Costs that can be claimed include:

• Any small pieces of equipment needed to complete the placement.
• Accommodation and travel costs directly related to the placement
• Essential living expenses while completing the placement.
• Expenses that the host organisation might incur, such as training expenses.

Any expenses the host organisation requests to be reimbursed must be agreed upon with the applicant. The BES will not be responsible for ensuring the host organisation receives expense reimbursements. A payment plan must be agreed upon between the applicant and the host organisation; evidence of this will need to be provided.

Your provided budget will be one of the key components of your application that will be scored. Please ensure to provide as much evidence as possible for any expected expenses.