Geography

FACULTY OF Environment

Living with Difference in Europe:

making communities out of strangers in an era of super mobility and super diversity

Professor Gill Valentine: g.valentine@leeds.ac.uk

Geography
FACULTY OF Environment

Outline of Presentation

ERC Advanced Investigator competition The characteristics of my own award Some tips based on my experience My career profile as PI: why my bid was successful

Geography
FACULTY OF Environment

The ERC Advanced Investigator Competition

Parts: B1 & B2
B1: The PI must have a track record of significant research achievement (especially in last 10 years)
international recognition (pubs, translation, invites, prizes) ability to inspire younger researchers/teams establish new interdisciplinary approaches/change fields

Geography
FACULTY OF Environment

The ERC Advanced Investigator Competition

B2: quality of the proposed research promote advances in the frontiers of knowledge new methods and techniques (including unconventional) at the interface of disciplines; high risk; potential impact

Assessment: 2 stages i) quality threshold (B1 -graded by panel); ii) B2 -external evaluation (8 reports), no interview

Project C: Spaces of Conflict

Geography
FACULTY OF Environment

Programme Design
RQ: How do we develop the capacity to live with difference in an age of supermobility and superdiversity? (2.2.M over 4 years)
Project A Mapping Social Diversity Opportunities for encounters
Analysis of census data to identify areas of high, medium and low diversity. International survey to explore opportunities & types of encounter, & experiences of difference.

Project B Lived Experience of Difference Transmission of attitudes

Informants sampled from A.

Project C Spaces of Conflict Competing values and rights claims

Identify examples of existing or emerging tensions and conflicts in research sites. Analyse media reports of tensions & interview key informants. Focus groups & video diaries with members of the conflicting groups.

Project D Meaningful Contact Generating social change

Identify key e.gs of micro-publics.

Project E Spatial Experimentation Creating meaningful contact

To be developed in response to projects A-D.

Multi-method case studies with individuals to explore when, where and how attitudes develop over time.

Multi-method case studies (innovative audio-video). Recommendations tested through focus groups.

Geography
FACULTY OF Environment

Characteristics of my Research Design

All projects are inter-linked to answer one over-arching RQ

Leeds colleagues: early career research; interdisciplinary input New staff: 6 PDRAs; 2 Ph.D. students; administrator Methodological innovation (quantitative & qualitative) Comparative research: West v East Europe Advance theorisation Provide an integrated evidence base to inform European policy Budget/resources

Geography
FACULTY OF Environment

Tips:

Section B1:

Dont count yourself out: science v social science model (h-index)

Do your homework to chose the right panel Recruit an assistant to help with your career archaeology

Impact of work: draw on colleagues advice

Its not too late to develop professional standing Be aware the assessors have a PC to check h-indices

Update your web page

EPSS: On-line submission

Geography
FACULTY OF Environment

Tips:

Section B2:

Focus on a European challenge

Include relevant interdisciplinary literatures You dont need an international co-applicant

Trust the ERC guidelines and take risks with research design
Include methodological detail; show it is thought through Involve ECRs & PhDs to demonstrate capacity building

Research environment: your institution needs to prepare material

Budget issues & start-date

Geography
FACULTY OF Environment

A tale of two professors

Gill Valentine 2.2 million research income 14 grants Professor X Unsuccessful ESRC Centre and LT programme bid 3 unsuccessful applications 08/09

22 PhD students

Has time-consuming international & mature Ph.D. students

Openly talks about rejected paper Spends time being a good citizen in Leeds. Takes multiple holidays

152 publications 24 international visits Record 36 hour day So why was my ERC bid successful?

Geography
FACULTY OF Environment

Build on or learn from failures

Being a successful researcher doesnt mean you cant also be a good citizen of your institution & discipline
If you dont play, you dont win!

So Just Do It! (and good luck!!)