Senior Research Fellowships

Senior Research Fellowships (SRFs) are two-year awards conferred to distinguished retired members of staff in recognition of their continued contribution to the research at the University. Fellows are not employees of the University and the awards carry no financial resources. SRFs are therefore honorary in character and beneficial to senior individuals and their schools if it is formulated around a specific set of research goals.

Please note: in Spring 2024 the decision was taken by the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise to discontinue the Senior Research Fellowships Scheme. This decision was made because a very similar process already exists within Schools and Faculties, and having both processes running concurrently was a duplication of work and process. This is the Academic Honorary Policy which is administered by HR. 

Like the SRFs, the Academic Honorary Policy is an arrangement given to distinguished individuals. Honorary staff, like the previous Senior Research Fellows are not employees of the University and the awards carry no financial resources.

If you have any queries relating to this, the Academic Honorary and Associate Administrators based locally within your school are responsible for supporting the Sponsor and facilitating arrangements, otherwise please contact the Honorary and Associate Enquiries mailbox: honorary-associate-enquiries@bristol.ac.uk

Departments/Schools and Faculties will set their own internal deadlines for the receipt of SRF nominations - please check with your Faculty Office for details.

Faculties must submit their SRF awards for 2023/25 by 5pm, Fri 16 February 2024.

How to apply

Please note that SRF are awarded by Faculties.

  • Nominees should complete sections 1-4 of the ‌SRF Nomination Form 24/26 final (Office document, 37kB)‌ and submit to their Head of School/Department as their Sponsor for completion of section 5.
  • Sponsors should then submit their SRF nominations to their Dean by the Faculty's internal deadline.
  • Decisions on awards are made by the Senior Faculty Leadership teams. 
  • Senior Faculty Leadership teams to submit successful nomination forms electronically to Rosie Rawson (rosie.rawson@bristol.ac.uk) in DREI by the deadline: 5pm, Fri 16 February 2024.
  • Sponsor to request Honorary Academic status for successful candidates by submitting Honorary Academic Status Request Form for SRF/s to their School’s Honorary & Associate Coordinator (see HR website for guidance).
  • The Honorary & Associate Coordinator will issue an Honorary/Visiting Academic Contract and once this has been accepted, arrange for HR to create an honorary record (see HR website for details).
  • Awarded nominations across all Faculties will be collated and reported to the University Research Committee in March 2024.
  • Outcomes will be announced by by end of March 2024.
  • Awards will be posted on the URF/SRF webpages.

Expectations and renewals

Analytical reports (2-3 pages) on the activities carried out during the SRF period are required at the end of the Fellowship period. SRFs are renewable, but not automatically so – a case must be made, by detailed reference to ongoing productive research activity and interaction within the Department/School/Faculty.

Key faculty contacts

Science

Mary Mussett (m.mussett@bristol.ac.uk_

Engineering

Marion Biles (marion.biles@bristol.ac.uk)

Health and Life Sciences

Lindsey Watson (pa-pvc-fhls@bristol.ac.uk)

Arts, Law and Social Sciences

Tamara Pullinger (artf-research@bristol.ac.uk)