CLOSING DATE EXTENDED: The Pillar Centre Research Project Fund Summer 2023
Details of this Scheme
- Funding available for 8x Pillar Centre Student Fellowships of €2,500 each to conduct selected research projects
- Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) based projects to be conducted over 8 weeks in Summer 2023 (€2500 to cover student’s salary for their full-time research project)
- Applications for projects invited from all MMUH staff (involving a permanent member of staff) by 5pm on Tuesday December 6th.
This call is open to all MMUH staff across all specialties and disciplines who have a research project which can be conducted by a Summer Student under supervision. A member of the Study Team making the application must be employed in MMUH during the project timeframe and available to provide supervision. Successful project teams may either choose their own Summer Student, or include their project in a combined advertisement and select from applicants.
How to apply
Please complete the 2-page application form detailing your proposed project and submit for panel review by the closing date: 5pm on Tuesday 6th December. All application forms will be reviewed, and applicants will be informed of decisions by December 16th.
Assistance
If you have an idea and would like help developing it out and designing your proposal, please email MMUHresearch@mater.ie to book a consultation slot at a drop-in clinic (which will be held Thurs 24th and Friday 25th November)
Pillar Research Fund Summer 2023 Final
FAQs
What if I am new to research, can I still apply?
Yes, we are open to receiving proposals from people with any research experience. If you feel you would benefit from discussing your project idea with a mentor, please email MMUHresearch@mater.ie to request a time slot. You are also free to add a member with more experience to your Study Team.
Do I need to have a student for the study?
No. You are welcome to have a particular student in mind, perhaps one who has worked on a project with you or reached out to work on research with you previously. But we are also going to share an advertisement listing all available projects and requesting students to submit their CVs and a Motivation Letter for projects they are interested in. Your Study Team can choose from the applicants.
Can the fund be used for something other than the student’s salary?
Unfortunately, the only funding available for this call is the €2500 which will be used to pay the student for their summer research work.
How much detail do I need to include in the project proposal application form?
The reviewers will need to have a clear idea of your project’s objectives and how feasible the work is over the given timeframe. There is scope to have a student spend 8 weeks fulfilling an aspect of a larger research project which already has ethical approval and is generating data for example, but the project proposal should clearly outline which duties the student will perform, and explain the outputs that the student can achieve by the end of their 8 weeks. A timeline (e.g. Gannt chart) would be helpful in explaining the steps which will be involved. Evidence that the project has the necessary information and permissions available so that the student is ready to start on Day 1 is also beneficial.
Do I need research ethics in place before applying?
No. You can either have ethics approval for the project in place already, or commit to submitting the required application forms by the end of January 2023 to ensure the approval is ideally in place prior to the student starting in June 2023. If your project gets approved and you are unable to gain ethical approval to conduct the project in Summer 2023, the reviewers will endeavour to find an alternative project for the student, so they do not miss out on the Fellowship.
What are the reviewers looking for as project deliverables or outputs?
These will change from project to project, but the most common goal will be to produce a research paper for publication in a peer reviewed journal. Additional dissemination goals may include presenting the research findings at a specific conference or to a specific special interest group. Alternative outcomes may include gathering pilot data required to test if a larger study is feasible, or to contribute to a larger collaboration. Ideally the student will have something they can produce at the end of their 8 weeks, and this can include a report or invention disclosure form or grant funding application for additional funding sources.
