Research Access Grant (Student and Established Academics)

The Research Access Grant is awarded by the DHS annually to assist students and established academics who need to travel to conduct essential research for their design history scholarship or to present new research at key academic conferences.

A total of £6000 is awarded annually across two funding rounds for the Research Access Grant. This sum is divided amongst several applications deemed of high merit, at the discretion of a judging panel drawn from the DHS Executive Committee who undertake a blind peer review of anonymous applications. Individual applications should not exceed £1000.

Inter-disciplinary projects are welcomed providing they demonstrate a genuine focus upon design history. Applications involving collaborations across multiple institutions, localities and/or constituencies are especially encouraged.

Overview

The grant may be used towards research travel, including travel and accommodation for archive visits, conference attendance, conducting interviews, library, museum and collection visits, other primary and secondary research activities (such as photocopying and scanning costs at archives or libraries, library memberships) conference registration fees, travel and accommodation costs to present a paper, poster or convene a session at an academic conference.

Unsuitable costs include, but are not limited to: equipment, subsistence (food and drink); higher than standard class travel or accommodation; transcription costs for interviews conducted.

Research, travel or conference attendance must take place within 12 months of the application deadline.

Eligibility

- open to DHS members only
- Open to all researchers working individually or collaboratively anywhere in the world – whether independently or in affiliation with an institution.
- one application per person is considered in each calendar year.

Criteria

Applications are anonymised and judged by at least two members of the Executive Board on the following criteria:

- original and significant contribution of the outlined activity to the discipline of design history and its dissemination.
- the impact the event will have in facilitating collaboration across a global design history community and furtherance of research in our field
- articulated and appropriate objectives, strategies and implementation
- clear demonstration of how the project will be realisable in terms of technology and archival preservation
- suitability of the applicant(s) to achieve the proposed project
- feasibility of timeline, outcomes and efficacy of dissemination by virtual means
- value for money and justification of costs.

Please note: priority will be given to applications which provide sufficient, detailed information of all of the above.

Any grant made by the DHS will only be given towards the activity as described in the application. Any change in the project must be communicated immediately to the DHS and approved.


Dissemination:
- recipients of this grant are asked to provide a report of 500-800 words of their project (with a copy-right free image and caption) to be published on the DHS website, within 6 months of notification of receipt of the award
- alternative means of dissemination will also be considered. To discuss this matter further contact the DHS Senior Administrator, Jenna Allsopp-Douglas at designhistorysociety@gmail.com
- Recipients must acknowledge the contribution of the DHS through the inclusion of the Society’s logo in any published or public presentation. Logos can be obtained from the DHS Senior Administrator.


The Application Process:

The deadline for applications is 11:59pm GMT on 31 January and 30 April each year. No applications submitted after this date will be considered.

Please state clearly in your email and application form if you are applying for the Student or Established Academic category.

Applicants are requested not to send CVs, as these will not be taken into consideration in the judging process.

The application form can be downloaded from this webpage.

Applications should be sent to the DHS Senior Administrator, Jenna Allsopp-Douglas at designhistorysociety@gmail.com

We aim to inform all applicants of the outcome of their submission within three weeks of the submission deadline via email

The DHS Executive reserves all rights to accept or reject any application

Please ensure you read the following statements before submitting your application:

Equity and Inclusion Statement: The DHS is committed to equity and inclusion and believes that engaging with a broad spectrum of voices and perspectives not only enriches the discourse but also uncovers new narratives within design history. In line with this commitment we encourage applications that represent, or whose work foregrounds, diverse perspectives and under-represented narratives within the field of design history.

Environmentally-Conscious Research: The DHS recognises that the climate crisis requires profound changes in the way research is planned, conducted and disseminated. In this light, we ask that grant applicants consider how their project has been shaped with an environmentally-conscious approach in relation to travel, participation and use of resources. This aligns both with the DHS' growing commitment to eco-conscious research and encouragement of research practices grounded in decolonial methodologies that centre the environment.

Travel: Applicants are encouraged to use public transportation such as rail or bus services, or car sharing. To help applicants understand the carbon footprint of their travel, applicants in Europe are encouraged to use the EcoPassenger carbon calculator and, for travel outside of Europe, the Climate Care calculator.

Research Methods and Dissemination: Applicants are encouraged to consider how aspects of their research might be conducted online (such as online interviews, requesting scans of archival material, etc.) and digital means for presenting and disseminating their research (online exhibitions, symposia, conferences, etc.).