Overview You are challenged to work together in groups to construct a mini RCUK-style research grant. You are invited to construct a grant that will be finalized and submitted during the CDT Summer School. You will also be invited to review each other’s grants during the Summer School, and submit your summary of their strengths and weaknesses to a mock Grant Panel.
The topic of your grant should address the following fictitious call: Write a proposal to an EPSRC strategic call for using medical technologies, including imaging, to improve the understanding, diagnosis, management or treatment of dementia.’ Maximum budget is £750k (excluding 'allocated' academic staff costs) and you can assume that it costs £40k to employ a post-doctoral research assistant for a year.
Sept 3rd: The programme on the first day runs from 11:20 to 17:15, with arrival from 11:00. Much of the first day will be occupied with student Power Pitch and poster presentations. However, as part of the day there will be a session on “How to Construct a Successful Research Grant”. The evening (from 17:15 onwards) will be your first opportunity to meet face-to-face and begin to discuss and construct your grant proposal. You will be given a list of restaurants and encouraged to go off and have dinner together to further discuss your ideas.
Sept 4th: Mid-afternoon onwards: You will spend the mid-afternoon onwards working in your groups to complete your mini grant application (3 pages, see guidance notes) and a brief slide presentation (3 slides), due by 08:45 on the morning of Sept 5th (both to a provided email address).
Sept 5th: Grants will be made available by 09:15 via a web site for you to download (please ensure that you have a computer/smart phone and an ability to access eduroam). You will each be assigned two grants to review (although you can access any you have time to look at). You should each aim to identify one strength and one weakness for the grants you are given to review (forms will be provided for you to write on). You should also convene in your groups and make a preliminary ranking of the grants (excluding your own). From 11:15, each team will present their grant idea to a mock grant panel (5 minute presentation, 7 minute Q&A). After lunch the mock grant panel will rank the grants and decide on which will be “funded”.
