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UK IODP

Post-cruise support for post-doctoral and post-graduate research assistants

The new guidance below will be applied to grants submitted on or after 1 June 2011.

This scheme provides additional support for Post-Doctoral Research Assistants (PDRAs) and Post-Graduate Research Assistants (PGRAs) who sail with the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) on behalf of the UK. The scheme aims to ensure that more PDRAs and PGRAs can complete up to 6 months post-cruise research. The application procedure is separate from the main UKIODP strategic grant rounds and has specific conditions.

Specific conditions for post-cruise support applications

• As with applications to any other NERC grant scheme, applications must be led by a Principal Investigator from an eligible UK institution. The PDRA or PGRA should be named as the Recognised Researcher for the application. All eligibility criteria are the same as for all other NERC directed programme grant applications.
• Applications must be on behalf of a PDRA or PGRA who has been accepted as (not simply applied to become) a UK shipboard participant on a forthcoming IODP expedition.
• The application must cover a discrete body of work based only on material collected during an IODP cruise. It must not be a continuation of any other unrelated project funded by NERC or other organisations.
• Candidates should notify the UK IODP Science Co-ordinator, Dayton Dove and the NERC UK IODP Programme Administrator, David Roberts, that they intend to submit a post-cruise application before sailing. Applicants will need to give a brief description of the post-cruise work that they intend to perform, and submit their proposal using the Standard Proposal form via the Research Councils' Joint electronic-Submission system (Je-S). See the 'Full Economic Costing guidance for expedition participant' page for more details.
• On return to port, the candidate should notify the NERC UK IODP Programme Administrator, David Roberts, that the necessary samples have been obtained, otherwise funding will not be made available.
• You must apply not longer than 2 months following the return from the expedition (if you think you have exceptional circumstances, please contact UK IODP Science Co-ordinator, Dayton Dove).
• Both PDRA and PGRA applications will be peer reviewed and the final decision will be made by members of the UK IODP Committee. Awards will be limited by the funds available for this scheme.
• At least one first-authored peer-reviewed publication should result from the work.
• All other conditions and eligibility requirements are the same as for other NERC funding and can be found on the forms and handbooks section of this website.

Special criteria for PDRA applications

• Applications for Post Cruise Grants will now need to be costed under FEC requirements. The maximum amounts (at 100%), to include all Directly Incurred and Directly Allocated costs is now £25k to cover up to 6 months of post-cruise research (maximum funding limits will be adjusted for periods under 6 months on a pro rata basis). Extra time will be allowed only if another funding source is procured.
• To be eligible for this funding, a PDRA must hold a recognised PhD. Doctoral students can apply if they are close to submitting their thesis, or have submitted at the time of sailing, but funds will not be released until the student has successfully defended their thesis.

Special criteria for PGRA applications

• Applications for Post Cruise Grants will now need to be costed under FEC requirements. The maximum amounts (at 100%), to include all Directly Incurred and Directly Allocated costs is now £21k to cover up to 6 months of post-cruise research (maximum funding limits will be adjusted for periods under 6 months on a pro rata basis). Extra time will be allowed only if another funding source is procured. This applies to applicants taking a PhD break.
• To be eligible for this funding, a PGRA must be at least 18 months into their PhD before taking up the award.

Full financial guidance is available below.

Proposed FEC of post-cruise grants 2011 (94KB)

Please direct initial queries to David Roberts or Dayton Dove.