ABSTRACT
Many people working in academic research positions take their expertise for granted. Their background and suitability for the project must, they may think, be self-evident. Winning and losing in research funding applications is not just a matter of luck, of being in the right place at the right time. The chapter explores how to present researchers’ profile, including how they present themselves, their team and their institution. There are several attributes of researchers’ background which the funding agency needs to know and feel reassured about. Of these, two were frequently cited by researchers and funding bodies interviewed: experience and enthusiasm. Many new researchers face a seemingly impossible hurdle: research funding agencies will want to see a track record of research experience from prospective researchers, many of whom will not have the experience. Experience is something which can be gained from numerous sources, apart from external funding bodies. One way is to join initiatives in the university which encourage research.
