School of Physics & Astronomy

Physics & Astronomy Summer Research Bursaries 2013

The summer research placement scheme was launched in 2007 and has grown every year. In 2012 we hosted 43 student research placements over the summer, funded through the School, the University’s Research & Leadership Scholarship, the Nuffield Foundation, the Royal Astronomical Society, The Wellcome Trust and EPSRC. Projects last eight weeks, paying around £180 per week and provide an opportunity for our students (all 2nd years and MPhys 3rd years) to work on real research alongside the School’s academics. Please check the website for information and updates. The link is: http://www.physics.leeds.ac.uk/for-our-students/undergraduates/summer-placements/

TIMELINE DATE/ deadlines*2013 project titles list published on School website for the students Friday 23rd November 2012 Project fair, where undergraduates can meet with academics to discuss the projects 4.00pm-5.00pm

Wednesday 28th November 2012, Staff Common Room

Deadline for students to submit online application through the School website to work on a project

Monday 7th January 2013

Internal sifting process and successful candidates will be asked to apply for an externally funded research bursary. The supervisor and student will have to complete the external application by date TBC.

TBC (expected deadline January 2012)

Second round of awards, for placements funded by the School. These will be announced in.

February 2013

External funders will announce bursary winners to supervisors (who will inform the students)

TBC (expected May 2013)

In the event of the scheme being heavily subscribed, it may be necessary to place some people on a reserve list pending the outcome of the external applications. Finalised placements from this will then be announced after external funding is known.

TBC (expected May 2013)

Students and supervisors agree a start date for the 8 week placement (which can include unpaid time off for holidays). Placements can start any time after the student has finished their exams, but must be completed by the 20th September 2012 at the latest

OVERVIEW OF AVAILABLE BURSARIES

Please note that to apply for external and/or internal funding, you must register your interest in a summer placement by applying to the School of Physics & Astronomy’s Summer Research Placement Bursary scheme. The School will then centrally coordinate applications for external bursaries such as the Nuffield Foundation.

School Summer PlacementsThe School of Physics and Astronomy has Undergraduate Summer Research Placement bursaries available for 2nd year BSc & MPhys students and for 3rd year MPhys students for 2012. The School Summer Studentships are worth £180 per week and offer students an opportunity to take part in a defined research project in the summer vacation for 8 weeks. They are an excellent addition to student’s CVs and offer real experience in the research world.Finalised placement awards will be announced in May 2013.http://www.physics.leeds.ac.uk/for-our-students/undergraduates/summer-placements/ Deadline 7th January 2013

Nuffield Foundation Undergraduate Research Bursaries 2012: APPLIED FOR 4, RECEIVED 4The Nuffield Foundation is a charitable trust established in 1943 by William Morris, Lord Nuffield, the founder of Morris Motors. The Foundation works to improve social well-being by funding research and innovation in education and social policy. It is underpinned by a belief in the importance of independent and rigorous research evidence and its power to bring about change.In 2012 bursaries of £180 per week were awarded to help students make the most of their experience, gain an insight into scientific research as a career, and give their CV a distinctive edge. The Nuffield Foundation had 786 applications in 2011 and funded 450. Supervisors are invited to apply on behalf of a named student. Early career researchers/ lecturers are encouraged to apply.In December 2011, Nuffield announced a major change to the Undergraduate Research Bursary scheme:“The Trustees have decided to support the progressive transfer of the Undergraduate scheme to a range of partners. This will allow us to focus our own support on initiatives where the Foundation is playing a distinctive role, in particular the schools scheme [...] Accordingly, for 2012 and 2013, we are partnering with a range of other organisations to give the transition arrangements a strong start. We are in discussion with a number of learned societies and expect to be able to announce the new arrangements early in 2012. An important consequence is that the application process will be different from the past in that each subject area will be dealt with by a different organisation. Details will be announced in due course.”http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/undergraduate-research-bursaries-scienceDetails outlining the 2013 application process are to be updated on the Nuffield Website in November 2013.Deadline TBC

Royal Astronomical Society 2012: APPLIED FOR 1 RECEIVED 1The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. Amongst other activities, it supports education through grants and outreach activities and promotes the study of its sciences.At any time, but particularly for the February R&G round each year, applications are particularly encouraged for undergraduate research bursaries (normally from, or on behalf of, potential supervisors). Such bursaries would provide support to enable motivated undergraduates who are considering research as a career to work in a research environment for part of the summer before their 3rd or 4th year. The Society will fund at most one bursary per supervisor per year.The Society will pay levels of support for bursaries that are based on Nuffield Foundation (whose generous support is acknowledged) rates.  Specific research expenses up to £250 will be considered, but general expenses (e.g., for consumables or travel) will not. The RAS does not pay overheads, and bursaries produce no National Insurance contribution liability. Undergraduate research bursaries for research into meteoritics, are separately funded by the Paneth Trust. Deadline 15th February 2013http://www.ras.org.uk/awards-and-grants/grants-for-studies

EPSRC Undergraduate Vacation Bursary 2012: APPLIED FOR 2 RECEIVED 2The vacation bursary programme should provide funding for undergraduate students to gain first hand positive and practical experience of research in a UK university. The emphasis will be on employing the most able students, but our expectation is that universities will use the funds available to engage students in research that:•Is being carried out by internationally leading groups •Has strong industrial links. In all cases, the programme should be accessible to underrepresented groups, such as women and ethnic minorities. From 2011 onwards, there will no longer be a separate scheme for funding vacation bursaries. We are incorporating funding for our vacation bursaries into the Doctoral Training Grant (DTG) in future. Institutions may choose to use their 2011 DTG to provide funding for vacation bursaries to undergraduate students. Up to 15 vacation bursaries per annum may be funded by each university.EPSRC does not invite individual applications for vacation bursaries, if you have questions about the vacation bursary scheme please contact universities directly. The awarding university is responsible for administering all aspects of the award including selection of a suitable undergraduate student.Deadline January 2013http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/FundingGuide.pdf

Wellcome Trust 2012: APPLIED FOR 2 RECEIVED 2The Wellcome Trust are a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. They support biomedical research and the medical humanities. Their breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. Applications must fall into one of five areas of biomedical research: Molecules, Genes and Cells/ Neuroscience and Mental Health/ Physiological Sciences/ Immunology and Infectious Disease/ Populations and Public Health. Details of the 2013 scheme have yet to be confirmed. Applications must be submitted by the project supervisor (in hard copy), on behalf of the student. The Trust bursaries pays £180 per week.http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Biomedical-science/Funding-schemes/PhD-funding-and-undergraduate-opportunities/WTD004448.htm Details of next year’s competition will be announced in Autumn 2012.Deadline TBC

University of Leeds Research and Leadership Scholarships 2011: APPLIED FOR 3 RECEIVED 2The Research and Leadership Scholarships have been made possible through donations from former students of the University.  The purpose of these scholarships is to enable students to undertake two summer placements; the first at the end of year 2 and the second between years 3 and 4.  These placements are research internships enabling students to participate in cutting edge research and benefit from mentoring by a leading researcher in their field.  In addition students will be provided with training in leadership skills.  Students will also have the opportunity to put their learning into practice and help to inspire others through outreach/schools liaison/open day activities as ambassadors for their School and the MaPS Faculty. Students will receive a two year scholarship totalling £6,000 during the course of their programme: £2,000 during each of their two summer research placements (8 weeks each), and £1,000 during their third and fourth years of study.  Details of how many scholarships are available will be announced early on in 2013. Please check the School website for further information:http://www.physics.leeds.ac.uk/for-our-students/undergraduates/summer-placements/ Deadline TBC

Viv Kendon’s Royal Society FellowshipIn Summer 2012 Viv Kendon generously funded 2 Students to undertake projects using her own Royal Society Fellowship .This support will not continue in to 2013 as the funding is no longer available through her own fellowship but could be made possible if anyone else in the School has funding they would like to use to support a student or students in their 2013 Summer Research Placement.