Improving Research Community Builder Award

Why this initiative matters

“Helping build a community of local researchers interested in open science and research culture was one of the most rewarding achievements of my PhD. However, the efforts of my ReproducibiliTea Cofounders Sam Parsons, Sophia Crüwell and I were at that time largely unrecognised.

I only began receiving awards for our achievements 5 years after our initial efforts, including a generous MRC Early Career Impact Prize. My research team will be giving away my prize money to help early-career researchers across the UK kick-start their own community-building efforts. The small prize grants awarded will also give early recognition for the largely unpaid efforts to improve the research practices and culture of our academic community”

– Dr Amy Orben, Programme Leader, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge

More details

About

The Improving Research Community Builder Award will support Pre-PhDs, PhDs, and Postdoctoral Researchers who want to host local events focused on improving research practices and culture at their universities. These events can be diverse, and we will consider many different initiative, regardless of whether they are small and preliminary, or already well established. For example, you can apply for the award to pay for snacks during a casual monthly journal club, host coffee get-togethers, or a larger lecture series. 

Funding status

Open for applications

Career stage

Early-career only

  • There will be two deadlines to apply for this award:

    Deadline 1: 10/09/24

    Deadline 2: 14/01/25

    • We intend to fund approximately 20-25 awards.

    • Award winners can apply for between £200-£800 of support.

    • Each award will be announced in the month after the application deadline.

    • We will also award additional £150 beyond the requested amount as a token of appreciation for your time and effort in organising the events.

    • This award is open to applicants from any academic discipline or area of study.

    • Due to the nature of the funding award, applications are only open to researchers based at Higher Education institutions in the United Kingdom.

    • Post-event applications will NOT be considered.

    • The first event hosted should occur in the first 3 months after the award is made.

    • An after-event summary (~500 words) and a photo of the event should be submitted within 30 days of the event’s conclusion to dmh-group@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk.

  • Applications will be evaluated based on:

    • Clarity of objectives

    • Feasibility of the event plan

    • Potential impact on research community building

    • Alignment with the award’s goals

How to apply

To apply for the Improving Research Community Builder Award, please complete the attached application form, detailing why your proposed event will benefit research practices and culture at your university and a detailed plan on how the funds will be utilised. 

For enquiries, email us at dmh-group@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk.