The Lisa Jardine Grant Scheme

The Lisa Jardine Grant Scheme is designed to offer the opportunity for early career scholars to exploit history of science collections, including the Royal Society’s own, in support of their research in the field of intellectual history.

The Lisa Jardine grant scheme is currently open to applications and will close at 3pm on Tuesday 5 March 2024.

Please consult the scheme notes and conditions for full details of terms and eligibility.

• The Lisa Jardine History of Science Grant Scheme - conditions of award (PDF, 411.4kb)
• Lisa Jardine Grant scheme notes 2024 R1 (PDF, 325.7kb)

Apply for this scheme on Flexi-Grant

The Lisa Jardine Grant Scheme is named in memory of the eminent British historian Professor Lisa Jardine CBE FRS. The scheme encourages junior researchers in the humanities and arts to seek to expand their interests in history of science and related interdisciplinary studies by travelling in order to use archival resources and to build relationships with the Royal Society and other institutions.

Grants are intended to encourage the free movement of researchers across disciplines and countries and to stimulate academics studying intellectual history to consider science in their research. Applicants are encouraged to look at the Royal Society’s strategic objectives, in order to be able to demonstrate how their research might further these general goals, but applications will be judged on the strength of their academic content in intellectual history, history of science and related disciplines. Special consideration will be given to topics that were of interest to Professor Jardine, notably in 17th century studies.    

Funds for a contribution towards subsistence can be requested for lengthy research visits to the Royal Society Library in London; for travel expenses to London in order to conduct this research; and for international travel expenses for short visits. 

How do I apply for this scheme?

Applications should be made through the Royal Society’s grant management system Flexi-Grant®. 

Please refer to the scheme notes (PDF) for further details.

Am I eligible to apply?  

Applicants must be either:

• Researchers in early career research positions at universities and other eligible organisations (eg museums, galleries). Typically applicants need to be within ten years of completing their PhD. Applications from researchers having completed a PhD more than ten years ago will also be considered if currently in an early career position after a career break (see scheme notes (PDF) for details). The applicant must hold a permanent or fixed term contract in an eligible organisation for the duration of the award; or
• Doctoral candidates with at least one year’s experience towards thesis stage.

PhD students are encouraged to apply, but are advised to begin with smaller, exploratory visit travel grants (see below), before submitting a larger proposal especially if their research is at an early stage of development.

All activities must be on a subject combining the humanities and the natural sciences. This includes, but is not limited to: intellectual history, cultural history, history of science, philosophy of science, history of art, and historical geography. The scheme places special emphasis on Early Modern science and European networks of the period.

UK and international applications are welcomed. Scholars based in non-UK organisations are required to incorporate research at The Royal Society as part of any proposal.

Both UK and international applicants applying for subsistence grants for extended research trips (1-3 months) must incorporate research at the Royal Society collections as part of their proposal.

Before applying please make sure that you meet the full eligibility requirements explained more fully in the scheme notes (PDF).

What is the scheme’s value and tenure?

This scheme provides:

Research subsistence grants

Up to £2,000 per month to a maximum of 3 months, for travel and living expenses while attending the Royal Society collections and other, nearby scholarly collections.

Both international and UK based scholars are required to incorporate research at the Royal Society as part of their proposal if applying under this subsistence strand of the scheme.

and/or

Travel grants

Up to £2,000 for international travel to any relevant research destination, for short exploratory research trips (no more than 1 month) or one off event attendance. Scholars based in UK organisations can apply for this travel strand of the scheme in order to visit any relevant international research destination or event on the condition that:

• The intended destination organisation provides written permission to access research material;
• The period of overseas research is not more than 1 month; or
• Grant is to fund attendance of a specific, relevant event such as a conference.

Scholars based in non-UK organisations may only apply to travel to the UK and are required to incorporate research at the Royal Society as part of their proposal under this travel strand of the scheme.

If applying for both the panel may decide to award one or both.

What is the application process?

Applications must be submitted via the Royal Society’s Grants and Awards management system (Flexi-Grant®). Applications require two references and submission approval from your organisation which must be completed before the closing deadline.

There are two rounds per year. The provisional timetable for 2024 is as follows:

Roundapplications openapplications closeResearch period

2024 R116 January 202405 March 2024 15:00 1 July 2024 - 30 June 2025

 2024 R227 June 202410 October 2024 15:006 Jan 2025 - 19 Dec 2025

Eligible applications will be considered by a panel of independent experts and applicants will be notified of the outcome 6-9 weeks after the round closes.

Applicants should complete their application, including likely dates of research, to the best of their ability. Should circumstances and plans change from time of application we will do everything we can to accommodate requests for adjustments after grants have been awarded. Adjustments may include extensions to the award period and changes to the use of awarded funds e.g. authorising funds to be used to pay for digitisation on demand where physical access is not possible in a reasonable timeframe.

Applications must be submitted via the Royal Society’s Grants and Awards management system (Flexi-Grant®).

If you have any further queries about the scheme or application process please contact the Library Team.

Other funding opportunities

Potential applicants interested in Anglo-Dutch cultural studies might also like to consider applying for the Lisa Jardine Fellowship offered annually by the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS). For details and to check eligibility visit the NIAS website.

Support for applicants with disabilities

The Royal Society welcomes applications from researchers with disabilities and provides adjustments to ensure that they can participate fully in the selection process. If you need an adjustment when accessing the application form, or for any other part of the application and award process, please contact the Grants Team by email or +44 20 7451 2666. Adjustments can include, but are not limited to:

• extension of the deadline
• additional support to complete the application form.