Research Title: Developing Impact-Driven Megaregional Research: Northern England after the Northern Way
The RSA Early Career Grant has been invaluable.
The emphasis on big grants obscures precisely how much can be done with a modest sum. The grant has allowed me to employ a talented PhD student on a part-time basis, providing me with my first experience having paid assistance and managing people. His work has been fantastic, bringing skills to the table which I don’t have, a new perspective, and most valuable time. We have done enough to attract a talented undergraduate intern from another university to the project, have great partnerships in place, and have the makings of a great REF2020 Impact study, not to mention good academic pieces.
The grant has also provided the foundation for me to PI an ESRC seminar series bid. The bid includes some of the leading voices in my field, including the directors of four public policy institutes and representatives from 7 different universities and a major think tank. This would not have been possible without the RSA Grant.