Early Career Progression Grant

Purpose

The purpose of the BSR ECR Progression Grant is to flexibly assist BSR early-career researchers (ECRs) in progressing their careers in academia. This funding award provides a valuable opportunity to evidence the ability to win substantial external funds and to demonstrate that academic community support already exists for the proposed research project.

With the exception of short-term travel (see below); this funding can be used for any well-defined and justified case that stands to assist in progressing the applicant to the next stage of their career in rheology. Example might include funding for proof-of-concept experiments/studies to enhance an ECR’s first grant, fellowship application or key paper as principle investigator. Example costs might include materials, instrument/facility access fees, high performance computing time, short term software licences and collaborator visits. Staff/student time and bench fees are not eligible.

Applications to this scheme can be made once per year per applicant by the submission date indicated below, up to a value of £2000.

This funding scheme is not intended to support industrial operations. Applications solely for short term travel (e.g. network/collaboration building, presenting at conferences, etc. including if as a part of/applicable to a grant/fellowship application) should instead consider applying for the BSR ECR travel award.

Eligibility

Applicants must be a BSR member of 9 months standing. This award is intended to assist advancing those in the “early stage” of their careers; that is, in an academic post-doctorate position or transitioning to an established independent researcher (this includes current fellowship holders). PhD students are not eligible to apply to this scheme. Only UK researchers are eligible to apply.

This funding is intended to step in for funding or access that cannot be gained at institutional level, e.g. through internal pump-prime routes or negotiated no-cost instrument access in the example of exploratory experimental work. Facilities or resources being accessed can be at any location or institution, and travel/accommodation can be factored into an application to this scheme.

Consideration will be given to applicants who have taken a non-standard career path after their primary degree. Applications are also welcomed from candidates who wish to re-establish themselves after a career break or any other period of absence from active research. Priority will be given to those with no previous successful applications to this scheme.

The awards will be transferred to the successful applicant’s institution; it is the responsibility of the applicant to inform their respective administrative departments of the award. We recommend discussing this with your institution before applying. It is the responsibility of the applicant to e.g. arrange payment for external resources/instrument access from this as required. An applicant can, for example, arrange for a grant/fellowship collaborator at another institution to be sent the funds and perform the proof of concept work there on the applicant’s behalf.

If a large number of applications are received in one application window, the BSR reserves the right to prioritise which applications to fund, as well as not fund any applications.

Application

Applications should be made using the form below, with applications closing on the 30th April 2025, with a panel meeting in May and results announced later that month.

Please read the following requirements carefully.

• The applicant must clearly justify and illustrate how the funding awarded will help them to progress in their academic career. 

• If the grant is intended to support a follow-on grant or fellowship application, background information is expected including the target scheme, funding body and a short synopsis of the research that the grant or fellowship application will fund. This should include context, significance, impact and how the grant or fellowship fits into the applicant’s career path. 

• Applicants should specifically justify why they consider themselves an early-career researcher in their submission.

• Applicants must explain the scientific relevance and excellence in the area of rheology of the activities being funded. The activities being funded need not be entirely centred around rheology, but should have a clear tangible connection.

• The application should outline the activity/activities enabled by the BSR progression grant funding with a breakdown of costs provided and give reasons why they are technically valuable to conduct (e.g. in the case of proof-of-concept experiments) – the clarity and legitimacy of this plan will be assessed. 

• A brief supporting letter from the applicant’s head of department or line manager is required. This should outline how the activity will benefit the applicant’s career and confirm that the candidate is an early career researcher.

• Successful applicants to this scheme must write a short article for the BSR Bulletin outlining the activities carried out and how the funding will support their career. Funding will only be made available upon receipt of this article. It need not be overly technically specific and can focus on the applicant’s personal perspectives and career to date/progression if scientific/technical details are sensitive. If a grant/fellowship application enabled by the progression grant is successful, we would warmly welcome a follow up piece that e.g. additionally advertised your new project to the community.

• All applications, irrespective of requested budget, will be assessed equally. 

Early career progression grant form