Are you a carer balancing research with caring responsibilities? The UTS Jenny Edwards Research Fellowship assists researchers with a strong research track record whose careers have been significantly interrupted or delayed by carer responsibilities to focus intensively on their research.
Supporting researchers with caring responsibilities
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A/Prof Kristine McGrath and Honours and PhD students in her lab group enjoy graduation celebrations
The Fellowships are named after Emeritus Professor Jenny Edwards in honour of her pioneering career in computing and IT at UTS, and her tireless dedication, commitment and mentorship of others.
In supporting this award, Jenny said that the enemy of almost all researchers is time.
“For those with caring responsibilities, caring and day-to-day work consume every available minute,” she explained. “This scholarship provides relief from day-to-day work to give a researcher dedicated blocks of time to renew an active research life.”
This scholarship provides relief from day-to-day work to give a researcher dedicated blocks of time to renew an active research life.
2022 recipient Associate Professor Kristine McGrath described the impact of the Jenny Edwards Fellowship had on her life.
"The Jenny Edwards Research Fellowship played a pivotal role for me at a critical juncture in my career where I was transitioning from a mid-career researcher to a senior academic leader,” she explained.
“In a challenging environment of academia and as a typical female navigating the pressures of self-doubt, I often felt behind due to the demands of caring for my family,” said Kristine.
The opportunity of time
“The Fellowship provided the crucial support, time, and resources I needed to advance and reset my clock. It empowered me to strengthen my research, increase research output, allowed me time to build upon existing partnerships, and further establish my profile in cardiovascular and endocrinology research," said Kristine.
The Fellowship also allowed her to continue building her research team comprised of PhD, Honours and Intern students.
I often felt behind due to the demands of caring for my family.
While caring responsibilities are most often associated with women, there are also men who carry significant and sustained caring responsibilities. Both men and women who have had periods of significant interruption to their research careers due to caring responsibilities are strongly encouraged to consider applying for this opportunity.
About the Fellowship
For UTS academic staff undertaking teaching, the Fellowship offers funding up to $50,000 for one year for teaching relief and a further $10,000 towards costs directly related to a research project.
For research only staff, the Fellowship offers up to $50,000 for one year towards the costs of technical assistance/research support.
How to apply
Applications for the Jenny Edwards Research Fellowship close 5pm, Wednesday 11 September 2024.
- Download the guidelines and the application form.
- For information on the scheme contact equity@uts.edu.au.
More research support opportunities
UTS Centre of Social Justice and Inclusion offers other funding opportunities to researchers including:
- The Research Equity and Access Career Help (REACH) grants scheme – offering support for early- and mid-career researchers whose careers have been impacted by equity considerations.
- The UTS Social Impact Grants offer $10,000 - offering support researchers and practitioners to contribute to positive social change. Applications for 2025 grants open 1 October 2024.
More information about all of these opportunities is available at Staff Connect