We are delighted to announce that three projects have been selected for funding as part of the IAS Small Grants Scheme.
We have run the Small Grants Scheme every two years since 2020. The scheme is designed to support early career researchers interested in carrying out innovative research on topics relevant to UK alcohol policy.
This funding round was the scheme’s most competitive to date, with 26 proposals received, reflecting the importance of funding opportunities for early career researchers. Applicants were encouraged to submit projects that will support the IAS Long-term vision to reduce alcohol harm in the UK. Proposals covered a range of topics and methodological approaches. All applicants received written feedback.
Following a two-stage review process, overseen by an external Research Review Committee, the following three projects were selected for funding:
- Dr Stewart McDougall, University of Edinburgh, Evaluation of health warning labels communicating the risk associated with alcohol consumption in pregnancy: an online experimental study
- Dr Tyler Mills, University of Hull, Experiences of care among people with alcohol use disorders: an umbrella review
- Dr Prianka Padmanathan, University of Bristol, Novel and emerging treatments for depression in people with co-occurring alcohol use problems: a scoping review
Projects will begin in 2027. We look forward to supporting the recipients in disseminating the findings of their research in due course. The Small Grants Scheme will be open to applications again in 2028.
Dr Katherine Severi, Chief Executive of IAS, said:
Congratulations to this year’s awardees on their excellent proposals. A core aim of the Small Grants Scheme is to provide enthusiastic and promising early career researchers with a springboard at this crucial stage in their careers. I look forward to reading this cohort’s research findings, and I am especially excited about what each of them will go on to contribute to alcohol research and policy in the future.
Dr Sadie Boniface, Chair of the IAS Research Review Committee and Research Lead at the Centre for Behaviour Change at UCL, said:
This was a particularly competitive year for the Small Grants Scheme. As reviewers, we were struck by the high quality of proposals and the diversity of topics and research designs they covered. We are delighted to award these grants to three researchers whose projects will make important contributions to live and pressing issues in alcohol policy and care. All three successful proposals also set out a clear vision for how the work will build beyond the projects themselves, and we look forward to seeing how each awardee makes the most of this opportunity.