Research and Support

The CDHU’s overarching research goals are to initiate and to support ground-breaking humanities and social sciences research incorporating digital methods and tools, while ensuring that research ideas and projects have sufficient capacity for experimentation and renewal. An additional and embedded research goal is to create the circumstances for experimentation (e.g. through workshop activities and pilot initiation support) in order to allow new initiatives to arise transcending the disciplinary domains of HumSam and TekNat.

Additionally, a centrally coordinated digital research infrastructure underpins quality research in every discipline. The overarching infrastructure-oriented mission of the CDHU is to develop resources, procedures and effective workflows to support HumSam research at Uppsala university. CDHU operates in collaboration with the Central IT unit at Uppsala University and Uppmax/SNIC, as well as other units such as the University Library (UUL) and Museum Gustavianum. The infrastructure includes both technical personnel as well as a cloud-based solution, supporting: 1) Storage and computational space for research implementation; 2) access to multimodal tools and methods for data analysis (see forthcoming information on our AI Lab); 3) prototyping and proof-of-concepts for HumSam research projects as well as other solutions.

Researcher instructions for working with the Centre for Digital Humanities

1. Contact form:

We recommend that you contact us via form first so we get a grasp of your needs using the contact form below: 

https://www.abm.uu.se/cdhu-eng/contact-eng/

2. Consultations

You may also initiate contact by booking an initial consultation meeting:

Fill out the contact form and write ‘consultation’ in ‘other’, followed by some details regarding your query; meetings are available:

  • Tuesdays 10-12.00 (Location: Engelska Parken Room 4-0027)

If you do not have external financing but require research support:

1. Pilot Project Support

We encourage you to apply for Pilot Project Support that is open to all researchers and staff in the humanities and social sciences at Uppsala University. The purpose and aim is to support the digital implementation of shorter research projects (1 year). Applications may concern new ideas or be spin-offs of existing projects. Project proposals that can demonstrate concrete outcomes or can demonstrate importance and reusability of developed resources may be given priority. Pilot projects aimed at larger external applications in the future are welcome. 

Pilot projects that are granted support will have access to: 

(1) technical support in terms of human resources (research engineer time) that can provide support with methods, tools, data processing and implementation; and 

(2) computational space in the digital research infrastructure for storing and processing data at CDHU. Before implementation CDHU staff will also support and facilitate the prototype design of the project. 

In order to apply for Pilot Project Support candidates ideally need to have permanent employment Uppsala University and need to submit: 

  • A project plan of a maximum of 1500 words. 

This should include:

  • Overall aims and purpose
  • Primary sources/datasets
  • Possible methods and tools
  • Infrastructural relevance 

If possible, the project plan should also describe how the project’s infrastructure is generative and reusable in a broader context. When relevant/possible, also include estimated storage and computational needs (specified in GB/TB and CPU/GPU needs). 

  • A short CV (max 1 page) for each applicant. 

If the project relates to or builds upon an already existing project, please also provide 

  • A short summary (250 words) of the project, as well as the project application (if available). 

Important! 

Prior to sending in the Pilot Project Support application please ensure that your head of department is informed and is in agreement. A written approval is not required until the project is selected for support. 

The application is assessed in terms of (1) feasibility and (2) infrastructural relevance and reusability by CDHU's management in consultation with the Centre’s research engineers. 

The deadline is routinely in mid-September. If you have questions regarding the call, please contact us via the contact form.

Planning and budgeting for externally financed projects

In most cases, externally financed projects in Digital Humanities and Social Sciences need to account for both 

(1) technical support in terms of human resources (research engineer time) that can provide support with methods, tools, data processing and implementation; and 

(2) computational resources in the digital research infrastructure for storing and processing data. 

CDHU staff will also support and facilitate the prototype design of the project. In order to get CDHU support and a grasp of pricing for resources such as computational space and research engineer support as you plan your application you need to contact us first in good time.

Assessing costs for technical development support:

The usual procedure is that the Centre’s research engineers’ time is lent out from CDHU/ALM. In other words, projects need to account for this financially when budgeting and applying for external funding. Again, make contact with the CDHU first and well ahead of time when planning your budget and assessing costs.

Some particulars when you plan regarding time and working with our research engineers: 

  • Discuss with your research engineer of choice. Ways to initiate contact described above such as Contact form: (https://www.abm.uu.se/cdhu-eng/contact-eng/) and consultation with relevant staff. The research coordinator and deputy director will assign you the right engineer. 

  • Let them guide you with respect to percentages based on work requirements. You can hire a research engineer for as long as is required, as long as it does not exceed their current CDHU percentage and is feasible within their prior work obligations (e.g. if they are employed for 50% maximum at CDHU they cannot be hired for more).

  • A research engineer is hired in exactly the role of research engineer and not in any other role, e.g. as lecturer or researcher.

  • Agreements and agreement forms of inter-department collaboration are made formally with the CDHU director, Anna Foka, with the support of ALM management after the project has been awarded financing.

There are several ways to borrow and finance CDHU research engineers, depending on the length of time that the engineer is engaged in the project and other factors:

  • If a research engineer’s participation in a specific project is less than 2 months, the overhead accounted for should be that of the department of ALM (currently 25%). The costs are invoiced by ALM (opt. 1).

  • If a research engineer’s participation in a specific project is more than 2 months, the overhead accounted for should be that of the project’s hosting department. The costs for the engineer are then carried by the hosting department (opt. 2). 

  • As an alternative to opt. 2 above: The project transfers funds to ALM (opt. 3) for salary costs incl. OH (currently 25% at ALM). ALM sets up a project which is connected to the main project at the hosting department.

Last modified: 2023-03-14
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