Neil Ker Memorial Fund Grant

The Neil Ker Memorial Fund Grant supports research on Western medieval manuscripts, particularly those of British interest. Open to both early career and established scholars globally, the fund emphasizes original research that analyzes the material features of manuscripts. Grants are tenable for 12 months and can cover various research costs, including travel and publication expenses. Notably, applications for purely technical work or literary research visits are ineligible, ensuring a focus on significant scholarly contributions.

Purpose of Grant
The object of this fund, established by the family and friends of Neil R Ker, FBA, is to promote the study of Western medieval manuscripts, in particular those of British interest; that is enabling investigation of their production (including decoration), readership and use in particular. The fund is not intended to support research visits to read manuscripts for their textual/historical or literary purposes.
Applications are invited from both early career and established scholars of any nationality, engaged on original research intended to produce monographs, editions or studies of documents, texts or illustrations, that include the analysis of the material features of original manuscripts.
Applicants should be of postdoctoral status, or have comparable experience. Awards are offered to support any aspect of research, including travel and publication.
Length of award
Grants are tenable for 12 months at a time. Re-applications for subsequent phases of research may be considered.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Grants are available for advanced research, at postdoctoral or equivalent level, in the study of Western Medieval manuscripts.
• Applicants should be of postdoctoral status or have equivalent experience.
• Applicants may be based anywhere in the world.

Awards will not be made retrospectively: this means that the work for which support is requested must not have commenced before the award is announced. Please note the earliest point at which research can commence.
Funds may be sought to cover the direct expenses incurred in planning, conducting, and developing the research, including:

• Project planning and development costs (cost of travel for discussion in the UK and overseas)Travel and maintenance
• Research assistance (based in UK or abroad)
• Consumables
• Specialist software
• Costs of interpreters in the field

Ineligibility

If an application is purely for technical or practical work with no research objective, it is not eligible for funding.The fund is not intended to support research visits to read manuscripts for their textual / historical or literary purposes.The following items are not currently eligible for funding (applicants registered with special needs may consult the Academy about possible exceptions): institutional overheads, or any element that should properly be ascribed to institutional overheads; computer hardware including laptops, electronic notebooks, digital cameras, etc; books and other permanent resources; the preparation of camera-ready copy, copy-editing, proof-reading, indexing, nor any other editorial task; subventions for direct production costs (printing, binding, distribution, marketing etc); costs of publication in electronic media; payment to the principal researcher(s) in lieu of salary, or for personal maintenance at home; replacement teaching costs; travel and maintenance expenses for purposes such as lecture tours or to write up the results of research; attendance at or organisation of conferences either in the UK or abroad to disseminate the results of research.