Get Involved

The Research Centre welcomes expressions of interest from researchers and practitioners across creative arts and media who may be interested in participating in aspects of the School’s core programme. This is an opportunity to engage with the School and to participate in a critically animated and exciting interdisciplinary environment. Associate Researchers are provided with:

• Access to lectures, seminars and other aspects of the core programme
• Access to major international conferences hosted by the School
• Opportunities to interact with visiting scholars and participate in masterclass workshops
• Opportunities to publish, exhibit and present work-in-progress
• Opportunities to acquire specialist research training – customised for researchers working across practice-based disciplines
• Advice and support in developing research funding applications
• The opportunity to participate in an innovative, vital and dynamic research community

 

The Associate Researcher role provides an opportunity for new and existing researchers and practitioners across creative arts and media to engage with the School. Expressions of interest are especially welcome from early-stage doctoral researchers who are working in thematic areas of interest to the School. (See our programme information for details.) Associate Researchers may be already existing doctoral students based in one of the collaborating institutions or based in an institution from outside the collaborating group. We are keen to foster and support a broad interdisciplinary network of researchers working across the creative arts and media sector nationally. Please contact us at noel.fitzpatrick@dit.ie 

The Associate Researcher role will also be of special interest to those involved in full-time teaching. The School wishes to develop, through the Associate Researcher framework, alternative pathways to PhD for staff with significant teaching and work commitments. We welcome expressions of interest in this regard also. Please contact us a noel.fitzpatrick@dit.ie

 

Associate Researcher: Frequently Asked Questions

 

What does the Associate Researcher role entail?

The key characteristic of the Associate Researcher role is that the Associate engages as an active participant in a dynamic research community facilitated through the Research Centre programme. Associate Researchers commit to participating in pre-agreed elements of the School’s core programme – typically this will entail participation in specific lecture and seminar series and collaborative realisation of key public seminars and related events. In acknowledgement of this participation Associate Researchers are requested to acknowledge the Research Centre in public communications of their research – where the research has been specifically enabled or supported by an aspect of the Research Centre’s programme and activities.

Is there a cost attached?

The Associate Researcher role can be realised in a number of ways, many of these entail no cost to the researcher. In the case of doctoral researchers already registered at any recognised third level institution in the state, it is possible to apply for an associate studentship without incurring any additional costs. In some circumstances, where the School will incur significant extra overhead costs in providing an associateship, a fee will apply. Each application for an associateship is taken on a case-by-case basis and reviewed by the School’s standing committee.

Is this a full-time or part-time role?

Both modes are possible. The Associate Researcher role will be customised in respect of each individual researcher through discussion with the Research Centre team.

Can I be registered in an institution other than one of the Research Centre collaborators?

Yes. The School welcomes participation from doctoral and post-doctoral researchers irrespective of their specific institutional home. However, an application to participate in the Research Centre programme, from a researcher based in another institution, requires the written support of the primary supervisor / director of studies.

How do I apply?

In the first instance, applications may be made by submitting a short written expression of interest with a recent CV and the research proposal. The expression of interest should clearly indicate; (i) the motivation for engaging with the Research Centre; (ii) the current status of the research project (e.g., whether the research is already underway or just commencing, what supervision arrangements, if any, are currently in place; (iii) the suitability of the project for consideration in the context of the Research Centre’s programme; and (iv) the kinds of support and inputs being sought through the Research Centre programme. This material should be submitted by email to noel.fitzpatrick@dit.ie with the phrase “associate researcher” in the message title. Expressions of interest may be submitted at any time.

What are the criteria for selection of Associate Researchers?

The criteria are:

• Project relevance – in terms of both the potential benefit from, and the contribution to – the Research Centre programme and research themes
• Track record as evidenced in CV
• Potential contribution of the person to the research culture and programme of the Research Centre
• General aptitude and clarity of purpose in proposing to engage with the Research Centre programme

The Research Centre is conceived of as an open flexible architecture for inter-institutional, inter-disciplinary collaboration. If you are intending to become a doctoral researcher in the broad domain of creative arts and media, you may wish to set up a meeting with the Dean or one of the Fellows to discuss your research interests (People).

Our researchers will typically register in one of the collaborating institutions that have worked together to develop the School – TU Dublin, NCAD, IADT and Ulster. If you wish to apply to become a doctoral researcher at the School it is recommended that you contact the School Administrator: Noel.Fitzpatrick@tudublin.ie

Membership of the School as a ‘core researcher’ is available to doctoral track researchers who: (a) work in the broad creative arts and media domain; and (b) register within one of the collaborating institutions. (Researchers based in other institutions are invited to participate as associate researchers.)

Please note that when funded positions are available within the School they are advertised here.

 

Core Researcher: Frequently Asked Questions

This question and answer sheet is designed to help intending applicants complete their application submission. If there are questions you would like to see answered here please forward these to Noel.fitzpatrick@tudublin.ie

When can I apply and who do I talk to?

The Research Centre welcomes expressions of interest all year round. Typically we invite interested applicants to attend one of our proposal development workshops. Each of our institutions operates different timelines for recruitment, and these change from year to year. Some institutions welcome new PhD researchers at several different times in the year. The easiest way to get the application process started is to approach the Centre to participate in a proposal development workshop. We have taken on new researchers in both Spring (starts Feb 1st) and Autumn (starts Sept 1st) Semesters. As a general guideline, we recommend that you begin to prepare a research proposal at least 8 months in advance of the date that you wish to commence studies.

Which institution should I apply to?

The Research Centre supports applicants to all the institutions, our remit is to support the development of the sector on an all-island basis. We recommend that in choosing an institution that you consider
(i) the supervisor(s) you may wish to work with;
(ii) the relevance of your topic to the various institutions’ existing resources, practices and research activities;
(iii) prospects for funding opportunities

The Research Centre seeks to support all core researchers to experience a critically challenging, dynamic and robust research education. We work to ensure that all researchers – without prejudice of particular institutional registration – have access to a unique and world-class research education. We are happy to discuss options with intending applicants and can put you in touch with the key superviors on different research topics to help inform your decision. We favour an approach which prioritises the research content as the main driver of your institutional choice.

Which disciplines are eligible for consideration?

The Centre welcomes applications from a wide range of disciplines: creative arts and media, including design; visual and performing arts; architecture and digital media; and the critical/theoretical/historical underpinnings of these practices. This includes – but is not limited to – the broad disciplines of architecture, art, design, drama, media and music. It is therefore not necessarily the case that all these disciplines will be equally represented in any given year’s cohort of researchers. The key factor determining the specific disciplinary mix researchers will be the quality of the research projects proposed. We do not operate a discipline-quota system, but respond to the most innovative and critically challenging proposals. Working in this innovative arena the School seeks to creatively conceive its mission in an inclusive manner. It is recommended that you look at the websites of the collaborators to help identify the particular expertise that each institution contributes to the School: www.tudublin.ie, www.ncad.ie, www.iadt.ie and www.ulster.ac.uk.

Can a project draw on more than one discipline?

Yes. It is an explicit goal of the Research Centre to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and interaction.

Will there ONLY be support for practice-based aspects of these disciplines?

The Research Centre conceives its mission to support research in these discipline areas not only through various practice modes but also through supporting and developing the critical, theoretical and historical underpinnings of contemporary practice. The Centre therefore has a broad remit to support many modes of research enquiry and not solely practice-based or practice-led enquiry. Cultural studies, historical studies and philosophical studies that are anchored in the broad domain of creative arts and media are also pursued through the Centre. The Centre furthermore has a specific thematic priority to develop research across visual and material culture. (See the outline of the School’s Programme.)

 

Preparing an Application

Should I include samples of my work?

For the purpose of the initial application this is not required. It is however recommended that you prepare a portfolio of material documenting your previous work. This will be required should you be called for interview. You may be invited to submit this in advance of the interview, or at the interview itself, depending on the nature of your specific research project / creative practice, and the format of your portfolio / documentation. Should you be successful in the first phase of the application process, the call to interview will make explicit the portfolio requirements (where these apply.)

Who should my referees be?

The referees should be individuals who have worked with you in a professional context (e.g. as a lecturer / tutor or as a manager / employer / commissioner) which would enable them to comment on your aptitude for further studies.

How can I find out about possible supervisors?

Look at our lists of fellows and associate fellows on our “people” page. The institutional websites are also a good starting point: https://www.tudublin.ie/, https://www.ncad.ie/, www.iadt.ie, and https://www.ulster.ac.uk/. You can also pass on specific enquiries to the Dean, Noel Fitzpatrick: Noel.fitzpatrick@tudublin.ie. Other sources of information on potential supervisors include the various Heads of Faculty, Heads of School, and Heads of Department in the collaborating institutions. If, at the time of completing the application, you are unsure as to who you believe to be the most suitable supervisor for your particular project, please indicate clearly with which of the partner institutions you would prefer to register.

 

Research Proposal

How long should the proposal be?

The proposal should typically be approximately 1,500 words long. The key consideration in drafting the proposal should be clarity. If it is necessary to provide greater detail or more extensive contextual material, then appendices may also be included.

How detailed should the proposal be?

Headings that should be addressed by a PhD research proposal typically include:

(a) Research aims / research questions (i.e., indicating what the basic focus of the proposed work is to be);

(b) Relevance / contribution to the discipline(s) (i.e., indicating the broader context that the proposed work will exist within);

(c) Sources (bibliography, archives, examples, prior works within the field etc.);

(d) Resources required to develop the project (e.g. studio space, specific equipment access, specialist materials / techniques, facilities, specialist information resources…);

(e) Proposed timeline of project work (indicating key milestones in the development of the project).

The level of detail required under each heading will depend on the specific project. The key requirement is that the proposal communicates a clear programme of enquiry and investigation. It should demonstrate that the applicant is capable of framing their own agenda for research and that they have a sense of the larger field to which they wish to make a contribution.

Can I submit a proposal that I have already submitted elsewhere?

If you have had a proposal rejected in the past, it is not recommended that you re-submit that proposal unmodified.

 

Institutional & Supervision Arrangements

In which of the collaborating institutions should I register?

Typically, researchers will register in the institution of the primary supervisor. By talking directly with staff at the School you can develop a clear sense of what your options are and how your research development can be supported through the Research Centre.

Where will the programme seminars, lectures, workshops and related events take place?

The Research Centre will have a fixed base, initially in St. John’s Lane, Dublin 8. However, it is proposed that elements of the programme will be realised, drawing on the full range of institutional locations which are made available to the Centre through the collaborating institutions.

What resources and facilities will successful applicants have access to?

Successful applicants will have access to the facilities of their registered institution, the facilities of the Research Centre itself, and they will also be able to request access to the resources of collaborating institutions. It will help to clarify resourcing issues if applicants identify – through the research proposal – the key resources that their research may require. The Research Centre recognises that resource needs will evolve and alter as the research project is developed and implemented.

 

Full-time, part-time and other modes of participation

Can I study at the Research Centre without being in the Centre, or even in Dublin, on a full-time basis?

It is intended to provide other modes of PhD study, and alternative pathways for researchers, through the ‘Associate Researcher’ role, which will provide study options for researchers with significant time-commitment to other activities outside the research project itself. We will be pilotingourfirst ‘immersive’ pathway in Autumn 2009. This is specifically designed to support researchers unable to attend weekly sessions in Dublin and who require an alternative method of access and delivery.

How else can I get involved?

Besides the roles of core researchers and associate researcher we are evolving new ways of interaction through the Research Centre. In the first two years of its operation the Research Centre will pilot a number of projects which provide access to the research environment for undergraduates, practitioners in the field and other stakeholders. The Centre website will provide information on these opportunities as they emerge in the coming year. The Centre especially welcomes at this time expressions of interest from potential supervisors or research specialists who may wish to contribute to the research activities of the Centre (e.g. research training, conference development, peer review publication, and other research initiatives.)

 

Selection Criteria

What are the general eligibility requirements to apply?

In order to be eligible to apply for doctoral track study, an applicant will normally have met the following minimum requirements:

• have achieved an honours BA degree (minimum 2.2) in a subject area relevant to the proposed research project.
• be available for full time study – (see associate researcher role for part-time modes).
• have submitted a research proposal, completed application form and supporting documentation

It is also desirable – though not essential – that the applicant will:

• have achieved – or be about to achieve – a masters qualification.
• have a demonstrated track record of strong engagement and achievement in respect of their proposed research subject area.
• have demonstrated an ability to initiate and develop research projects both on a solo and on a collaborative or teamwork basis.

How are decisions made about recruitment of core researchers?

The selection process is two-phased. The initial phase will entail shortlisting for interview based on a review of the applicants’ submissions. Given that eligibility criteria are met, and that a complete application submission has been received, the application review criteria will be:

• evidence of a well defined project.
• evidence of critical literacy and clarity of exposition in the research proposal.
• project relevance – in terms of both the potential benefit from, and the contribution to – the Research Centre programme and research themes
• track record as evidenced in CV and – where appropriate – references.

In the case of applicants who are deemed, by the review committee, to adequately satisfy these criteria there will be a call to interview. (Interviews are provisionally scheduled to take place in the first week of December.) The decision of the review committee in this regard will be final. The review committee can at its discretion seek the opinion of discipline experts in evaluating the suitability and relevance of the research proposal.

The second phase of selection will be by interview. Applicants will be interviewed by a team – consisting of the Dean (chair), three domain experts, discipline specialist(s) and where practicable the proposed supervisor. The interview assessment criteria will include:

• feasibility of the proposed project
• general aptitude and clarity of purpose in proposing to pursue a programme of doctoral studies
• potential contribution of the person to the research culture and programme of the Research Centre
• quality of prior achievement, experience and familiarity with respect to the research area proposed

International Associates at GradCAM

The Centre welcomed its first international associate researcher in Autumn 2009 with the arrival of Roberta Lima a doctoral researcher at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, where her work was supervised by Prof. Dr. Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein and Prof. Dr. Sabeth Buchmann.

For more information on opportunities for international associateships and exchanges through the Research Centre, contact Noel.fitzpatrick@tudublin.ie.

How do I become a Researcher at GRADCAM?

 

Core Researcher

To become a participant in the full Research Centre programme as a Core Researcher you simply need to:

Register as a PhD (or PhD track) student with the TU Dublin or in one of our consortium partners; and Sign-up as a full participant in the Research Centre programme of modules, reviews and assessments.

Research Scholar

A Research Scholar or ‘Funded Researcher’ is a core researcher who is in receipt of some form of research funding to support their studies – typically fees and/or stipend for duration of studies. To become a funded researcher at the Research Centre programme there are a number of routes, but the two basic pathways are:

1. Apply for a funded position available through the Centre when these are advertised on this website. Previously funded positions have included doctoral and masters level research funding for specific projects in a range of creative arts and media disciplines. Typically these opportunities are advertised online on this site as they arise from time to time.
2. Work directly with the Research Centre – in consultation with Fellows and/or Associate Fellows – to develop a viable research proposal for submission to an external funding agency such as IRC.

Associate Researcher

To become a participant in aspects of the Research Centre programme as an Associate Researcher you simply need to:

Write to the Noel.fitzpatrick@tudublin.ie to submit a short written expression of interest with a recent CV and the research proposal (i.e., a description of the research that you want to realise by working through aspects of the Centre’s programme); and to establish an agreement  as to which aspects of the programme you will regularly engage with.