Research fellow
Encyclopedia
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research
position at a university
or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members
. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator. In contrast to a research assistant
or research officer, the position of research fellow normally requires a doctoral degree
, or equivalent work for instance in industry. Some research fellows undertake postdoctoral research or have some moderate teaching responsibilities. Research fellow positions vary in different countries and academic institutions. In some cases, they are permanent with the possibility of promotion, while in other instances they are temporary.
In some universities, research career grades roughly correspond to the grades of the Teaching and Scholarship Career Pathways in the following way: research fellow - lecturer
, professorial fellow - professor
, whereas senior research fellow somewhere between a reader
and a senior lecturer. However, at some top universities, a senior research fellow may be a position of comparable academic standing to a full professorship at these universities, the distinction from a professorship being that a professorship is usually also a teaching position while senior research fellow is a research-only position.
In some universities in the UK (e.g. the University of Oxford
, the University of Leeds
), the position research fellow has replaced the position of research associate
, thereby broadening the appointment grade for research fellows.
In the past, the term research fellow often referred to a junior researcher, who worked on a specific project on a temporal basis. Research fellows tended to be paid either from central university funds or by an outside organisation such as a charity or company, or through an external grant-awarding body such as a research council or a royal society. Particularly in Oxbridge
style colleges, research fellows appointed as fellow
s of a college tended to, or still do, partially receive remuneration in form of college housing and subsistence. Colleges may award junior research fellowships as the equivalent of post-doctoral research posts, lasting for three or four years. In contrast, senior research fellows tended to be established academics, often a professor on sabbatical from another institution, conducting temporally research elsewhere.
without tenure
. Some research fellows are visiting research fellow from another institution.
, can be obtained by postdoctoral researchers at the beginning of their academic career, by experienced, established scholars and scientists, or even leading authorities in their discipline. This means that the award holder may formally hold a specific title at his or her home institution (e.g. Privatdozent), but may in the context of the sponsor be referred to as research fellow.
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
position at a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members
Academic rank
This list of academic ranks identifies the hierarchical ranking structure found amongst scholars in academia, whether tenured or non-tenured. The lists below refer specifically to colleges and universities throughout the world, although other institutions of higher learning may follow a similar...
. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator. In contrast to a research assistant
Research assistant
A research assistant is a researcher employed, often on a temporary contract, by a university or a research institute, for the purpose of assisting in academic research...
or research officer, the position of research fellow normally requires a doctoral degree
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
, or equivalent work for instance in industry. Some research fellows undertake postdoctoral research or have some moderate teaching responsibilities. Research fellow positions vary in different countries and academic institutions. In some cases, they are permanent with the possibility of promotion, while in other instances they are temporary.
United Kingdom
Nowadays, in many universities this position is the first career grade of a Research Career Pathway and may be permanent, subject to normal probation regulations. Within such a path, the next two higher career grades are usually senior research fellow and professorial fellow. Although similar to the position of a research fellow, these two positions are research only posts, with the rise of the career grade there will normally be a formal requirement of a moderate amount of teaching and/or supervision (often at postgraduate level). These positions are for researchers with a proven track record of generating research income to fund themselves and producing high quality research output that is internationally recognised.In some universities, research career grades roughly correspond to the grades of the Teaching and Scholarship Career Pathways in the following way: research fellow - lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
, professorial fellow - professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
, whereas senior research fellow somewhere between a reader
Reader (academic rank)
The title of Reader in the United Kingdom and some universities in the Commonwealth nations like Australia and New Zealand denotes an appointment for a senior academic with a distinguished international reputation in research or scholarship...
and a senior lecturer. However, at some top universities, a senior research fellow may be a position of comparable academic standing to a full professorship at these universities, the distinction from a professorship being that a professorship is usually also a teaching position while senior research fellow is a research-only position.
In some universities in the UK (e.g. the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
), the position research fellow has replaced the position of research associate
Research associate
The title of research associate is used to denote an academic research position at a university or similar institution. A research associate usually conducts research under the supervision of a principal investigator. In contrast to a research assistant or research officer, a research associate...
, thereby broadening the appointment grade for research fellows.
In the past, the term research fellow often referred to a junior researcher, who worked on a specific project on a temporal basis. Research fellows tended to be paid either from central university funds or by an outside organisation such as a charity or company, or through an external grant-awarding body such as a research council or a royal society. Particularly in Oxbridge
Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England, and the term is now used to refer to them collectively, often with implications of perceived superior social status...
style colleges, research fellows appointed as fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
s of a college tended to, or still do, partially receive remuneration in form of college housing and subsistence. Colleges may award junior research fellowships as the equivalent of post-doctoral research posts, lasting for three or four years. In contrast, senior research fellows tended to be established academics, often a professor on sabbatical from another institution, conducting temporally research elsewhere.
United States and Canada
Researchers may be appointed as faculty research fellow as a faculty memberFaculty (university)
A faculty is a division within a university comprising one subject area, or a number of related subject areas...
without tenure
Tenure
Tenure commonly refers to life tenure in a job and specifically to a senior academic's contractual right not to have his or her position terminated without just cause.-19th century:...
. Some research fellows are visiting research fellow from another institution.
Germany
The English term research fellow is sometimes used to refer to the holder of a research fellowship from a public foundation that promotes research. Fellowships, from prestigious institutions such as Alexander von Humboldt FoundationAlexander von Humboldt Foundation
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is a foundation set-up by the government of the Federal Republic and funded by the German Foreign Office, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and others for the promotion of international co-operation...
, can be obtained by postdoctoral researchers at the beginning of their academic career, by experienced, established scholars and scientists, or even leading authorities in their discipline. This means that the award holder may formally hold a specific title at his or her home institution (e.g. Privatdozent), but may in the context of the sponsor be referred to as research fellow.