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Meetings & Events

*This funding has now been fully committed*

About

The SUPA Graduate School was able to fund events which support the training of our graduate students and to enhance the dissemination of research to and from SUPA. Funding was available for Postgraduate Schools, Workshops, and Technical Meetings held in Scotland and organised by members of SUPA. The maximum amount of funding was £2000. The aim of this fund is to enhance research and advance postgraduate training across SUPA partners, and particularly to enhance the reputation of Scottish physics research at international level. High impact cross-disciplinary engagement is encouraged. Applications are invited from physics researchers at all SUPA partner institutions. 

Previous Meetings & Events

For information and to help you decide if this funding is right for you, these are some of the meetings & events that SUPA has funded or part-funded.

  • SCAM 2017
  • Young Atom Opticians 2018
  • IoP Nuclear Physics Conference 2018
  • Workshop "The Aunatum to Classical Transition”
  • Young Theorists’ Forum 10
  • "Photonics meets real world applications": Joint CDTs careers workshop (Oct 2018)
  • SCOPE - 10th anniversary and Careers Workshop (Nov 2018)

Process

SUPA Central will acknowledge receipt of the application.  All applications and a Scoring Sheet will be sent to GSC members (including the GSC member from the home institution of the applicant) with responses expected within 3 weeks. SUPA Graduate School Coordinators and the SUPA CEO / Graduate School Coordinators will collate responses and decide on funding based on the GSC recommendations and available funding.  Additional advice may be sought from SUPA Theme Leaders.  The aim will be to achieve a decision and respond to the applicant within a month.  Applications are encouraged that promote diversity and that include applicants from multiple SUPA partners.

Eligibility

Applications are invited from physics researchers at all SUPA partner institutions. Funding will usually only be awarded for Events taking place in Scotland, and with participants from more than one SUPA institution.

Guidelines for SUPA Events funding applications (also available as pdf)

The Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA) Graduate School has instigated an Events Support Programme, to enhance the training of physics graduate students within SUPA and to enhance the dissemination of research to and from SUPA. The scheme will fund appropriate Postgraduate Schools, Workshops, and Technical Meetings held in Scotland and organised by members of SUPA.

  • Applications should explicitly state the potential benefits of the event to: 1) SUPA research; and 2) graduate students and researchers in SUPA, specifying the expected attendance of SUPA graduate students, PDRAs and academic staff.
  • Applications should explicitly state the expected impact** of the event.
  • A case for support, additional to the application form, of up to three A4 pages can also be provided. Please provide details of the event including a programme and a list of confirmed speakers.
  • Funding will not normally be granted for costs that should be covered by the travel funding associated with PhD studentships, e.g. for the attendance of students at external conferences or workshops.
  • It is expected that events will have attendees from more than one SUPA institution.
  • SUPA expects event organisers to ensure a diversity of speakers, and to follow any home institution guidelines for accessible events. You should read our Event Checklist as a good practice guide. 
  • Funds will not normally be granted for events that could reasonably be expected to be covered by departmental seminar budgets.
  • Strong commitment from the department(s) is required, demonstrated both by financial and in kind support (eg admin support).
  • The maximum amount of funding available per application is £2000. However, funding will typically be provided for one large scale (>10K) graduate school summer school per year. This would normally be expected to be organised under the auspices of SUSSP.
  • It is expected that events will normally be held in Scotland.
  • Funded events are expected to raise the profile of SUPA, and SUPA exposure should include but not be limited to, the addition of a SUPA logo to all advertising publicity, slides, posters, etc.

Any applications that do not fulfil all the above requirements will not be considered.

A one page summary report of the event should be submitted within one month of the event, confirming the total number of SUPA attendees broken down into the categories of graduate students, PDRAs and academic staff. This summary should also assess the impact of the event** and include a brief breakdown of the financial claim which will be made to SUPA (up to the amount of the total award). Claims will only be reimbursed following receipt of this report.

**Definition of Impact:
Impact is defined as an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life beyond academia. Impact includes but is not limited to, an effect on, change or benefit to:
  • the activity, attitude, awareness, behaviour, capacity, opportunity, performance, policy, practise, process or understanding
  • of an audience, beneficiary, community, constituency, organisation or individuals
  • in any geographic location whether locally, regionally, nationally or internationally.
Impact also includes the reduction or prevention of harm, risk, cost or other negative effects.