The lives of early career researchers - HEPI Report 169

In addition, Debra leads and contributes to equity related research and institutional interventions and has co-led the HEA funded Disparities in Student Attainment (DISA), led the University of Wolverhampton’s contribution to the HEA funded What Works! Phase 2 and is currently contributing to the UKRI and OFS funded That’s Me - Eliminating barriers to postgraduate research study. [...] Despite the teaching income on top of my stipend I did not earn enough to sponsor my husband to come to the UK, a burden that rests entirely on the British applicant whatever their spouse’s ability to earn.5 As a de facto single parent 8 The lives of early career researchers for the next three years my salary barely covered the cost of childcare on the days I taught. [...] In the meantime, I spent the first year drafting sample chapters of a book and a proposal to send to publishers, and eventually got the contract in the second year of the project. [...] 44 The lives of early career researchers After I had written the first draft of my proposal which concerned twentieth century American poetry, I worked with contacts at my chosen institution who helped me shape the language and structure of the various parts of the proposal to fit with the language that would appeal to the funding body. [...] The process was in some ways similar to the grinding undertaking of job applications: the minutiae of tweaking a cover letter for the requirements of particular jobs or institutions, and the various ways in which those applications are formatted.