The Royal Society is running a pilot fellowship scheme to support researchers from Black heritage to achieve their full potential, advance in their research career and transition out of studentship into leadership.
To be eligible for the Scheme, applicants must:
- Have received their PhD by the start of funding (between October 2024 and January 2025)
- Have less than 24 months of postdoctoral experience
- Be from a Black heritage background
Up to £690,000 can be applied for to undertake a four-year postdoctoral fellowship, which will pay for the fellow’s basic salary and associated on-costs (80%), directly allocated and indirect costs (80%) and research expenses (100%).
Researchers who are interested in applying to the Scheme are encouraged to discuss their application with their proposed hosting department, and to obtain their department’s approval before an application is submitted.
Hosting departments will appoint an academic sponsor, who will be expected to help the applicant to develop a clearly defined research project proposal and, if the application is successful, commit to supporting and training the fellow during the period of the fellowship. Applicants can be sponsored by their current doctoral supervisor or a research academic who they are currently working with or with whom they have worked in the past.
The scheme will open for applications on 7 November 2023; the funder's application deadline is 24 January 2024.
Applications should be completed on Flexi-grant, and the costing sent to Research Services, at least 5 working days prior to the funder’s deadline.
Information about the application process and assessment criteria can be found on the funder website, in particular the Career Development Scheme Notes.
Queries about the scheme can be directed to the Royal Society on CDF@royalsociety.org. Oxford’s Scheme contact is Catriona Hopton (Catriona.hopton@admin.ox.ac.uk) in Research Services.
