RSA Early Career Grant Scheme
We are very pleased to announce the new Early Career Grant holders for the 2024 round. Congratulations to Thi (Alice) Ngo and Ozge Yenigun. Read below to find out more about them and their projects.
Alice formerly worked at the University of Manchester and University of Huddersfield before joining the University of Sheffield. She worked as an intern at the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris, France in 2018 during her PhD journey. Her research has garnered recognition at international conferences, including the prestigious Best Developmental Paper Award in the Entrepreneurship Track at the BAM 2023 Conference and the Early Career Prize Winner in the Association of Heterodox Economics (AHE) Conference in 2018.
“Tigress” or “Cat”? Women Entrepreneurs in Emerging Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
This research project responds to recent calls for greater attention to differences in entrepreneurial networking behaviour and processes among women. Existing literature has not fully unveiled the dynamic and evolving nature of their strategic network formation within the compressed timeframe of entrepreneurial support organisation (ESO) programs.
In high-uncertainty environments, like early-stage venture development and the competitive landscape of ESOs, women entrepreneurs must actively cultivate and reconfigure their networks to strengthen social capital, establish legitimacy, signal competence, and mobilise resources for their ventures.
This study aims to (i) investigate the evolution of women’s networks during their residency in ESOs, and (ii) identify the mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity in networking behaviours. Our research questions are: “How do women’s networks evolve over time?” and “What factors and mechanisms drive this process?”
Alice says:
“I am truly honoured to receive the RSA Early Career Research Grant. This funding will support fieldwork data collection and help me build meaningful connections with practitioners and entrepreneurs in Vietnam, an emerging market. It will enable the research to explore the strategic network formation of women entrepreneurs. The findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of these dynamics, ultimately helping to foster a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem and promote local and regional economic development.”
Ozge Yenigun is an Assistant Professor in Urban and Regional Planning at the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy at University College Dublin. Before joining UCD, she worked as a Clinical Assistant Professor in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she also earned her Ph.D. in 2023. She currently teaches a variety of subjects in urban and regional planning, including GIS, theory, history and practice of spatial planning, urban and regional economics, and property development. Her research interests include planning for sustainable economic development, just transitions and regional development, and social and economic mobility and inclusion for marginalized communities. She has received several grants and fellowships, including the Fulbright Grant.
Leaving No One Behind? Navigating Regional Socio-Economic and Employment Impacts in the Context of Just Transition
Transitioning to a low-carbon economy is crucial for sustainability and climate resilience, but it requires significant transformation, particularly in vulnerable regions with economic and social disadvantages. The purpose of this project is to analyse the socio-economic impacts of transitioning to a low-carbon economy on vulnerable regions and to assess the effectiveness of policies and initiatives designed to support affected communities, with a particular focus on Ireland’s Midlands.
Building on previous research highlighting how Midlands communities feel “left behind” due to historical underinvestment and marginalization, the study will investigate: a) whether current policies, including the national just transition framework and EU JTF interventions, align with the socio-economic and skill development needs of local communities, b) the role of current programs and funded projects in addressing short-term needs related to workforce training and re-employment, as well as fostering longer-term economic diversification and community resilience.
This is a mixed-methods study, combining quantitative analysis of key economic and demographic data with qualitative interviews. The quantitative analysis will analyse socio-economic data to assess shifts in employment, income, and demographics within JTF-targeted counties and municipal districts in the Midlands. In-depth interviews with community organizations, affected workers, and local officials will provide insights into how funded initiatives support local communities facing job losses, population decline, and shifting skill needs. The findings will contribute to broader discussions on just transitions, highlighting the gaps between policy objectives and practical implementation, and providing recommendations to better align funded initiatives with community needs.
Ozge says
“I am thrilled to have received the RSA Early Career Grant for my research on just transitions and regional development. I am very excited about initiating this project which will illuminate how large-scale environmental and economic transitions interact with local realities. I hope the findings will contribute to broader discussions on effective policy interventions for just transitions, leading to new collaborations within the RSA network and the wider academic community.”
Early Career Research Grant Scheme
This award is open to individual applicants in their early career (five years maximum between the date showing on their PhD certificate and the application deadline). Applicants must be based within an eligible higher education institution and must be a current, early career member of the RSA and throughout the duration of the grant (please note that applicants may apply for membership at the same time as applying for the grant).
The RSA Early Career Research Grant (EC) is provided to support a discrete piece of regional studies and/or regional science research.
The value of the grant is up to £10,000 (c. $13,300; c. €11,800). The grant has a maximum time span of 18 months and reporting conditions apply. The full Terms and Conditions governing the grant are available in the EC Handbook.