Need help spending research money!

[QueenRefusenik]

I realise this is a nice problem to have! Basically each researcher at my institution gets a small pot of cash for research expenses. Mine is bigger than usual this year as they gave me a little bonus for having been on maternity leave last year. It all has to be used by the end of July, I can't carry it over and it's not even as if it goes back to the dept if I don't spend it - it just vanishes. I think the VC spends it on quails eggs and champagne for his bath or something. Anyway, I need ideas! No need for expensive research equipment, havr a reasonably new laptop and I'm already committed to as many conferences/workshops I can do with a 15month old. Do I just buy a load of books I'll never have time to read? Cool tech-y gadgets? Do I need an iPad (for marking from home, you understand...) or Kindle-thingy? Should I pay a student to do some scut-work? Ideas please!

What a lovely problem!

I am not a tech-y person but I know someone who got an iPhone with extra money.

I would personally go for additional RA/student work, doing whatever you need to move your research/pubs forward- so for me, that's things like having them do literature searches, putting relevant refs into Mendeley, reviews, whatever you find time-consuming but not too difficult. Or a short bit of data collection if you are short on data?

I think you might be right and the RA @Foureyesarebetterthantwo. I'm just scared of the paperwork involved! But yes, I can think of things they could do with minimal supervision that would be really helpful...!

We're not allowed to spend our research money on anything useful tech, books or RA time so check your guidelines. When I have money over I've used it for data collection panels (e.g. Crowd flower or similar), transcriptions or for skills training (nvivo, spss, matlab etc)

Good point @Ilovecreameggs, I think we can hire RAs but will check. I know other people have bought iPads, so surely...?!

What a nice problem.
Pay a library or research consultancy for a rapid evidence assessment to support a grant application?
Internet panels good idea. Run a PPI workshop?

Specialised software; journal subscription; specialised training; gold open access for your best publication; design of project website. Remember it may have to be spent by July, but activity could be in the future.

How much money is this?
Only 10 weeks to get an RA contract sorted, can your HR do that, do you have an RA with capacity & skills?

My boss had this problem. His PhD student blew > £2k on equipment she can use in her field work over next 2 yrs, like recording items & USB battery packs & mozzie nets. Another time we put £5k on deposit with a publishing house & obviously sent all our OA articles to one of the journals in their group over next year. Things like upgrading your desktop hard-disk to SSD or adding 4+ more GB to the desktop (& to a laptop). Or a good case for a laptop, or software, or a training course you can't get for free locally.

All good suggestions, thanks! Given I'm still trying to get a straight answer re the RA I'm guessing it won't happen in the timeframe, sadly. Think I'll start looking at training courses. Always good to brush up on my stats, maybe an R course or something

Specialist software, an on line journal or three?

Transcription services?

I know that the VC at one University I worked in had gold taps in his bathroom, one of the estates guys told me. I'm sure they were only gold coloured but did seem a bit dictator gone mad.

Personally I would advise cappuccino over latte, not really but I did have a couple of colleagues who always seeemd to spend their research money in creative ways. This is years ago and things were far more lax.

Just make sure to spend it as they may try and claw it back if you don't.

if you can't do the job adverts for the RA, you might be able to create an 'internship' paid at min wage and advertised only to second year undergrads in your own dept. that can get you a helpful person for 6 weeks in the summer with less hassle than creating a new post.

What about a training course? Specifically one in a lovely posh manor house with a swimming pool....

Or boringly why not not spend what could be public money on stuff you don't need and just let it go back to the uni???

Ginmakesitallok - it's extremely unlikely that it is public money. (depending on what department the OP is in that is). The % of university income coming from HEFCE is small...and shrinking.

Gin - but the OP is trying to use it constructively, for personal development, research assistance etc hardly squandering it

"Do I just buy a load of books I'll never have time to read? "

If your students will benefit from them, then that's a good option.

Pay a student, even if it's just to do some filing.

Vouchers for study participation?

Membership of a professional society? I think the BFUW has a five year membership option.

Bells and whistles management/leadership training course (will help with promotion)

Personal doctoral robes

Nice office furniture like a couch or reading lamp

Decent fountain pen

Prepay an emergency nanny agency so you have credit to use when needing to go to all those evening functions/networking events (unless your institution is enlightened and already has such a fund).

I would very much doubt that a university would allow funds to be paid to a nanny agency.

Go to conferences! Organise a workshop for a grant writing project?

I was thinking about this just yesterday! I'd pay someone to file all my paperwork and get some bespoke shelving / filing space for my home office.

I don't know about your place but mine would not allow money to be spent on a nanny agency ( ), shelving, doctoral robes. We are not even allowed to charge membership of professional bodies.

Leadership / management training, a really good stats course and a new laptop is what I would do...

Shame on them then! Recognising the impact of caring responsibilities on women academics is one of those things that helps with Athena Swan and just generally being a good employer. KCL has a fund for childcare to enable women to attend conferences etc. To me it seems directly related to one's ability to get research done.