Deadline: 31-Aug-23
Apply for funding to undertake innovative research and proof of concept work to transform how digital footprint data (DFD) is created, accessed and used for the public good.
This opportunity is Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) Digital Footprints Accelerator Scheme. Through this opportunity the Council is looking to fund innovative, proof of concept projects that will provide the foundations and knowledge for a transformational shift in how DFD is created, accessed and used.
Proposals can draw from the wider sciences, but the social sciences must represent more than 50% of the research focus and effort.
Foundational aspects which could be developed through this opportunity include, but are not limited to:
-
methodological development: addressing major challenges around the interpretation and status of DFD, and looking at their strengths and weaknesses in the wider repertoire of social science research methods. For example, this could be with regard to:
- representativeness
- uncertainty and provenance
- bias and understanding of latent and proxy measures or causal insights
- innovative and high impact social science research, using DFD that contributes towards a deeper understanding of using these data
- outreach, promotion and policy engagement at a strategic level, working across government and the wider landscape to influence relevant regulation, policy and strategy
- ethics, and legal development and support
- work to deliver findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable DFD
- training and networking, with outcomes that contribute towards the transformational shift in capability
- work to establish a sustained critical mass of interdisciplinary professional and research capacity, and skills in the management, development and analysis of DFD
- activities enabling the exchange of knowledge between stakeholders, with an interest in using DFD for the public good.
Funding Information
- Grants can be up to a total of £500,000 at the full economic cost. ESRC will fund 80% of the full economic cost of projects. The research organisation must agree to cover the remaining balance.
- Funding can be for a period of up to 12 months.
- All projects must start by 1 March 2024 at the latest.
Proposals must
- articulate the challenge that needs to be addressed to contribute towards the transformational shift in the access to, and creation and use of DFD, and how the proposed activities will achieve this
- evidence how the proposed investment builds or sustains the long-term foundations for research using DFD
- demonstrate how the work proposed is relevant, ethical and appropriate, and answers important questions that benefit the public
- where appropriate, articulate how the work aligns with, builds upon and supports broader programmes of work across ESRC and UK Research and Innovation, for example the training and development offered through the National Centre for Research Methods and ESRC’s Doctoral Training Network
- meet the key aims of the ESRC data strategy.
- It is an essential requirement that your primary research area is in the social sciences. The Coucil strongly encourages inter or multidisciplinary working both within and beyond the social sciences, as long as at least 50% of the proposed programme of research is within ESRC’s remit.
Eligibility Criteria
-
Proposals are welcome from individual researchers from eligible research organisations:
- UK higher education institutions
- research council institutes
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)-approved independent research organisations
- eligible public sector research establishments.
-
You must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- are based at an eligible organisation
- have an agreement with an eligible organisation to work there and have access to the appropriate research facilities for the duration of the grant.
For more information, visit ESRC.
For more information, visit https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/deliver-foundations-for-a-transformation-in-digital-footprint-data/