MEDICAL HUMANITIES and PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AT THE WELLCOME

MEDICAL HUMANITIES and PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AT THE WELLCOME TRUST: FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Liz Shaw Ariel Retik

• an independent researchfunding charity • established 1936 • funded from private endowment • managed for long-term stability and growth • interests range from science to history of medicine

“To foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health”

Medical History and Humanities Remit • To encourage applicants to address the important questions that will develop further our understanding of the progress, socioeconomic and cultural impacts of medicine and medical sciences on human and animal health. • Research must be historically grounded, drawing, where appropriate, on wider disciplines, in particular the humanities. • Disciplines: Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences

Eligibility • Any department, as long as the research is ‘historically grounded’ • Main regions of funding: UK and Ireland • Possibility of overseas funding, if deemed of strategic importance • Focus Areas: India, Major Overseas Programmes (MOPS), Developing and Restructuring Countries

Places: Strong track record in global health research Geographic focus Major Overseas Programmes Focus countries Other eligible countries

Programme Grants • Encourage more expansive research on important questions at the interface of science, medicine and the humanities • Long-term funding: up to 5 years support on a focused topic or theme

Pilot Grants • Designed explicitly to develop a competitive Programme Grant application • Test research questions, methodology and collaborations • Should also have its own autonomous outcome (e. g. journal article, large conference, etc) • Can include research leave • Up to 2 years support

University Awards • Allows universities to attract outstanding research staff • The university guarantees a permanent post at the end of the award • Applicants cannot be in an established academic post • Up to 5 years support, providing full salary for three years, 50% in the fourth year and 25% in the fifth year

Fellowship Awards • You CAN apply before you have finished your Ph. D • Only two deadlines: 1 st of August and 1 st of December • Interviews are held within 2 weeks after the FC meeting • Up to 3 years support

Research Leave Awards • Allows researchers to undertake an uninterrupted period of full-time research • Pays for a replacement lecturer • Can be part of a Programme or Pilot Grant • Tenable for up to three years • Also for clinicians and scientists (6 months)

Small Grants • Research Expenses: assistance for modest programme of study (up to 2 years, £ 5, 000) • Conferences, Symposia, Seminar Series: financial support for organising academic meetings of all kinds (up to £ 5, 000) • Applications accepted throughout the year • Fast turnaround: decisions are usually made within 8 weeks • No need for preliminary application

Application Process • Three deadlines per year: – 1 March (FC meets in June) – 1 August (FC meets in November) – 1 December (FC meets in March) • Preliminary applications required 6 weeks before deadline • Programme Grant Prelims go to Funding Committee • Interview within 2 weeks of Funding Committee • How we can help: Grant Outreach and Grant Administration

Other Wellcome Funding

Biomedical Ethics • Ethical issues arising in the development & delivery of healthcare or use of medical techniques in nonhealthcare contexts • Must have some ethical/critical analysis of what ought or ought not to be done, or some analysis of concepts crucial to that ethical analysis • Can have substantial empirical component • Must be research in ethics

Other Arts and Humanities Activities at the Trust Wellcome Library http: //library. wellcome. ac. uk Wellcome Collection http: //www. wellcomecollection. org Wellcome Trust Book Prize http: //www. wellcomebookprize. org

Public Engagement • Dissemination of academic outputs • Opportunities within research projects to reach wider audiences • Public Engagement grants