Birkbeck research culture award funding: penultimate cohort announced

In October, the Institutional Funding for Research Culture (IFRC) panel met to review the latest round of applications for funding and were delighted to approve a number of exciting projects. This marks the penultimate round of funding: applications closed this month for the final round, which will be reviewed in January. 

Salary Extension Schemes
The current round included the final award for PhD students who have recently completed or close to completing their doctorates. The scheme provides up to six months of salary support to enable recipients to complete publications, grant applications or other activities that help form a professional/academic identity and develop a sense of belonging to academia. This award went to Baye Berihun Asfaw (Psychological Sciences) for his project Advancing Socio-culturally Attuned Mental Healthcare Research.

This scheme also includes awards for postdoctoral researchers at the end of fixed term contracts, offering a further three months’ salaried time to complete work, submit proposals and continue developing their academic profiles. These awards went to:

• Dr Sunanda Williams, from the School of Natural Sciences: Relaxosome Mediated DNA Processing: A Structural Basis for Antibiotic Resistance Spread in Bacteria
• Dr Nazm Berry from the school of Psychological Sciences: Health psychology research through publications: dedicating time to preparing and submitting first-author manuscripts from PhD findings

Nothing About Us Without Us

IFRC also offers seed funding to full-time Birkbeck staff to work collaboratively with communities that have historically been excluded from health research. The scheme addresses a common funding gap: while research funders typically require clearly defined research questions, meaningful engagement with communities is often needed before those questions can be set.  Funding for the October panel went to Dr Olivia Sheringham, from the school of Social Sciences. Dr Sheringham's project 'At the kitchen table' will imagine care-full and healthy urban futures through storytelling and food in Sheffield.

Reflecting on Progress

Alongside awarding grants, the panel also took the opportunity to reflect on the progress and impact of projects already under way and even completed. Emerging outcomes include: 

• Publications, permanent contracts and further funding opportunities secured by PhD and Postdoctoral researchers, for example: Dr Eoin Fullam’s book Chatbot Therapy: A Critical Analysis of AI Mental Health Treatment, to be published by Routledge in 2026
• Successful leadership training delivered to researchers and research support professionals, for example: Dr Alex Murray completed the Calibre Leadership Programme with Imperial College, London
• A range of innovative events and initiatives supporting diversity in research culture, for example: Drs Maheen Siddiqui, Rianne Haartsen and Chiara Bulgarelli have successfully delivered the first events in their Shades of Science series to highlight the experience of ethnic minority researchers

The panel was once again impressed by the high calibre of applicants and projects, reflecting a significant diversity of approaches to health research across Birkbeck. 

Professor Sally Wheeler, Birkbeck Vice-Chancellor and chair of the panel commented:

“As we approach the final round of this award, it is great to see all the progress that has been made and to reflect on the success of funded projects that have contributed to a diverse and inclusive research culture at Birkbeck and beyond. At the same time, we continue to see innovative and exciting ideas from a range of researchers and look forward to celebrating further successes in the months to come.”