Deadline extended to 2nd February 2024 due to membership subscription delays

The Research Access Award (Student) is awarded by the DHS bi-annually to encourage and support research activity amongst students in the field of design history. The award is open to all student members of the Society. The Student Research Access Award may be used towards the costs incurred for research trips including travel to conferences, accommodation, travel and other research expenses (e.g. photocopying costs, library membership).


1. Overview

1.a
A total of £3,000 is awarded annually for the Research Access Grant. This sum is divided amongst several applications deemed of high merit, at the discretion of a judging panel drawn from the DHS Executive Committee who undertake a blind peer review of anonymous applications.

1.b
Individual applicant's funding requests should not exceed £500. Applicants are required to give as detailed and evidenced a budget as possible. Grants cannot cover retrospective costs that have already been incurred and paid for prior to the submission of your application.

1.c
Inter-disciplinary projects are welcomed providing they demonstrate a genuine focus upon design history. Applications involving collaborations across multiple institutions, localities and/or constituencies are especially encouraged.

1.d
All outcomes of the grant must acknowledge the Design History Society and must include the DHS logo.


2. The Application Process

2.a The deadline for applications is 11:59pm GMT on 31 January and 30 April 2024. No applications submitted after these dates will be considered. Applications should be sent to the DHS administrator, Jenna Allsopp at: designhistorysociety@gmail.com

2.b
The application form can be downloaded from this webpage or requested via email from the DHS administrator, Jenna Allsopp at: designhistorysociety@gmail.com

2.c Applicants are requested not to send CVs, as these will not be taken into consideration in the judging process.

2.d We aim to inform all applicants of the outcome of their submission within three weeks of the submission deadline via email.


3. Eligibility

3.a This grant is only open to student members of the Society.

3.b Applicants must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or postgraduate student at any institution and undertaking research in the field of design history of any geography and period.

3.c Unsuitable costs include, but are not limited to: equipment, refreshments, subsistence (food and drink); higher than standard class travel or accommodation; transcription costs for interviews conducted.

3.d
The research travel or conference must take place within 12 months of the application deadline.


4. Assessment Criteria

Applications are anonymised and judged on the following criteria:

  • original and significant contribution of the outlined activity to the discipline of design history and its dissemination
  • impact the event will have in facilitating collaboration across a global design history community and furtherance of research in our field
  • articulated and appropriate objectives, strategies and implementation
    clear demonstration of how the project will be realizable in terms of technology and archival preservation
  • contribution to the aims and activities of the Society which aims to support activity that cannot be effectively or entirely funded through other funding avenues
  • suitability of the applicant(s) to achieve the proposed project
  • feasibility of timeline, outcomes and efficacy of dissemination by virtual means
  • value for money and justification of costs

Priority will be given to applications which provide sufficient, detailed information of all of the above.


5. Dissemination

5.a Recipients of this grant are asked to provide a report of 500-800 words of their project (with a copy-right free image and caption) to be published on the DHS website, within 6 months of notification of receipt of the award.

5.b Recipients must acknowledge the contribution of the DHS through the inclusion of the Society’s logo in any published or public presentation. Logos can be obtained from the DHS administrator.


6. We wish to remind our applicants that;

  • the DHS is committed to supporting equalities and therefore invites applicants to reflect on and state clearly how their proposed projects address inequalities.
  • the DHS is also committed to addressing sustainability issues and invites applicants to state how their project has been shaped with an environmentally-conscious approach (in relation to travel, participation and use of resources).