Individual Fellowship Case Study 1

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

IPACE Iceland: Physical Anthropology of

Colonization and Evolution

Kimberly A. Plomp, BA, MSc, PhDResearch AssociateDepartment of Archaeology, Classics, and EgyptologyUniversity of Liverpool

IPACE Iceland: Physical Anthropology of Colonization and Evolution

The Team:

Dr. Kimberly Plomp - Department of Archaeology, Classics, and EgyptologyUniversity of Liverpool

Prof Keith Dobney - Department of Archaeology, Classics, and EgyptologyUniversity of Liverpool

Prof Neil Price - Department of Archaeology and Ancient HistoryUniversity of Uppsala

Prof Mark Collard - Department of ArchaeologySimon Fraser University

IPACE Iceland: Physical Anthropology of Colonization and Evolution

Research Questions:

Who were the initial founders of Iceland?

IPACE Iceland: Physical Anthropology of Colonization and Evolution

Research Questions:

Who were the initial founders of Iceland?

How the transition to a new climate, diet, and gene pool influence the cranio-facial variation of Icelanders?

We will attempt to answer these questions by investigating the 3D cranio-facial shape of archaeological populations from Iceland, Scandinavia, and the British Isles

We applied for a Marie Sklodowska- Curie Individual European Fellowship in September, 2016, and were notified that our application was successful in late January, 2017

Read the instructions carefully and repeatedly

Follow the outline provided in each document template

Look at previously successful applications – How did they organize their thoughts and present the

detail needed?

We applied for a Marie Sklodowska- Curie Individual European Fellowship in September, 2016, and were notified that our application was successful in late January, 2017

Detailed and clear research proposal

A good fit between you, the uni, an your supervisor(s)

That this project will add to your skill-set and expertise

That this project will help you reach your career goals

The main things the MSC grant is looking for in the proposal:

1. Excellence

1.1 Quality and credibility of the research/innovation action (level of novelty,appropriate consideration of inter/multidisciplinary and gender aspects)

You should develop your proposal according to the following lines:

• Introduction, state-of-the-art, objectives and overview of the action

• Research methodology and approach

• Originality and innovative aspects of the research programme

• The gender dimension in the research content (if relevant)

• The interdisciplinary aspects of the action (if relevant)

• Explain how the high-quality, novel research is the most likely to open upthe best career possibilities for the experienced researcher and newcollaboration opportunities for the host organisation(s).

What training will you gain from working on this project at the chosen Uni?

Be precise and organized –make it easy for the reviewer to follow you

What can the Uni and supervisor offer you?

What can you offer the Uni?Your Project

1.3 Quality of the supervision and of the integration in theteam/institution

• Qualifications and experience of the supervisor(s)

• Hosting arrangements

The application must show that the experienced researcher will bewell integrated within the team/institution in order that all parties gainthe maximum knowledge and skills from the fellowship. The nature andthe quality of the research group/environment as a whole should beoutlined, together with the measures taken to integrate the researcherin the different areas of expertise, disciplines, and internationalnetworking opportunities that the host could offer.

Sell yourself! - Education, publications, grants, presentations, community involvement

How will your experience and expertise help you finish this project and have it reach its full potential?

How will this project help you reach your career goals?

How will the training and experience you will gain from the Uni and project help make you a leader in the field?

Develop upon what you wrote in Section 1.4

Think in terms of ‘deliverables’

Be specific – provide article titles if possible

Think beyond academic publications

- Data archives?- Community outreach?

How are you going to get this project done?

Organize your project into manageable ‘packages’ that have milestones and/or deliverables

Be realistic about what can be accomplished in your timeline

Bring your training, deliverables, and work plan into the Gannt chart

How are you going to get this project done?

Organize your project into manageable ‘packages’ that have milestones and/or deliverables

Be realistic about what can be accomplished in your timeline

3.2. Appropriateness of the allocation of tasks and resources

Describe how the work planning and the resources mobilised willensure that the research and training objectives will be reached.

Explain why the amount of person-months is appropriate in relation tothe activities proposed.

Need more detail than this!

3.3 Appropriateness of the management structure and procedures, including riskmanagement

Describe the:

• Organisation and management structure, as well as the progress monitoringmechanisms put in place, to ensure that objectives are reached;

• Research and/or administrative risks that might endanger reaching the actionobjectives and the contingency plans to be put in place should risk occur.

3.4 Appropriateness of the institutional environment (infrastructure)

The active contribution of the beneficiary to the research and training activitiesshould be described. For GF also the role of partner organisations in ThirdCountries for the outgoing phase should appear.

• Give a description of the main tasks and commitments of the beneficiary and allpartner organisations (if applicable).

• Describe the infrastructure, logistics, facilities offered in as far they arenecessary for the good implementation of the action.

Research Support Office –organize and administer the finances

How will you stay organized? - regular meetings?

Who is in charge of handling issues that come up?

3.3 Appropriateness of the management structure and procedures, including riskmanagement

Describe the:

• Organisation and management structure, as well as the progress monitoringmechanisms put in place, to ensure that objectives are reached;

• Research and/or administrative risks that might endanger reaching the actionobjectives and the contingency plans to be put in place should risk occur.

3.4 Appropriateness of the institutional environment (infrastructure)

The active contribution of the beneficiary to the research and training activitiesshould be described. For GF also the role of partner organisations in ThirdCountries for the outgoing phase should appear.

• Give a description of the main tasks and commitments of the beneficiary and allpartner organisations (if applicable).

• Describe the infrastructure, logistics, facilities offered in as far they arenecessary for the good implementation of the action.

Risks: - Travel- Equipment- Health

How to overcome them?

- Travel insurance? - Knowing where/how to

fix/replace equipment- Back up data – Dropbox

Does your timeline allow for any issues to be overcome without significantly impacting the project?