URSS Public Engagement application form

Introduction

The URSS is a great opportunity lead your own public engagement project, develop valuable transferable skills, enhance your CV and career prospects, and build your confidence.

If you have an idea for a public engagement initiative, you will need to find a supervisor and discuss the project with them before applying.

Please read through the information below and visit the Warwick Institute of Engagement webpages before applying. The application form is at the bottom of this page.

Support

We recommend attending a workshop with Warwick Institute of Engagement (WIE) to learn more about what a public engagement project could entail. WIE could also help you find a potential supervisor who is interested in public engagement. Find workshop and other information here.

FAQs

What is public engagement?

Public engagement is about talking to people outside of the university about the work that goes on here. That could be something you've learnt on your course, or a piece of research you or someone in your department is working on or has already produced. The idea is to have a two way discussion with the people you choose to engage with, so you make space not only to tell them about the work you're an expert in - but also to give them a platform to share their responses, thoughts and perspectives.

What is the difference between a URSS public engagement project and a URSS research project?

URSS public engagement project:

You would apply to run a public engagement project. This could be a collaborative project with a community partner or an academic in your department, or your own project. You still need to find a supervisor to support you. The project would need to take place over the summer and should be the equivalent workload of undertaking a research project.

Sign up to a workshop to learn more about how to plan a public engagement URSS project. Further ideas, advice and resources can be found here.

URSS research project:

You would apply to run a research project, but this should include some element of public engagement. Your public engagement can happen alongside your project, or take place in the Autumn term if you'd like to complete it after your research project has generated results. We would envisage this being a smaller activity than those running stand alone public engagement projects.

Public engagement could include (but is not limited to):

Participating in an event led by Warwick Institute of Engagement.
Other live public event, e.g., talk, performance, activity
Online engagement, e.g., podcast, social media, blog
Working with partners, e.g., collaborative research, citizen science, working with policy makers

Further ideas, advice and resources can be found here.

Where can I learn more?

Go to the Warwick Institute of Engagement webpage where you can find resources and register to attend a workshop.

Applying

The URSS application should be completed in conjunction with your lead supervisor by the closing date of Sunday 12 February 2023 at 11:59pm. Please note that this is the absolute deadline, and we will not be able to accept any further applications beyond this date.

You will need to prepare the content of the application with your supervisor in advance in order to complete the online application. You could make a copy of the questions on the form below and take them to a meeting with your supervisor.

The URSS application Review Board will meet in March, after the applications have been assessed by the URSS reviewers, and the outcome will be communicated by email to both staff and students in April 2023.

This form is currently closed.

Thank you for your interest.