Funding Advisor Jekaterina Savicka helps researchers break new ground
Jekaterina Savicka is funding advisor at Leiden Law School. She is part of the Department of Research, the department responsible for organisational and policy support for research at the faculty. How has she experienced working here since starting her position back in March 2024?
Introducing...
Jekaterina Savicka (also known as Catherine Savitsky, her Canadian name) joined Leiden Law School in March 2024 as our funding advisor. Her role involves advising and supporting faculty members with acquiring external grants: ‘I support researchers in whatever way they need: some want help navigating grant application documents, while others want to spar ideas. A researcher can come to me with a topic they want to explore and I then connect them with funding opportunities that suit the project. The kind of help I offer depends on the needs and goals of the researcher.’ Her added value comes from her practical experience with funding and project planning. ‘I previously worked as a project manager, which taught me how to get a project from point A to point B and turn an idea into a reality. I also know how to sell an idea and how best to present it to grant organisations.’
Catherine is not a legal expert, and she says this adds to the kind of support she can provide: ‘Researchers are already surrounded by peers who can advise on their project in terms of legal content. As a history and political science graduate, I don’t have legal expertise but I’m very comfortable with the social science sphere, so I can offer an external perspective. I can translate research ideas into information that’s comprehensible and valuable to someone who’s not an expert. That’s helpful for funding, since those who are going to evaluate your proposal are often not experts in your field, either.’
What will you be focusing on over the coming period?
Catherine: ‘This is a large faculty, and the various institutes and departments each have their own character. I’m currently focusing on getting to know as many researchers as possible and building relationships with them.’ Visibility and accessibility are key to her role: ‘I want to make the grant application process easier to understand, so it’s important to make the information accessible and easy to find. I also need to make myself more visible so that people can contact me, so I’ll be spending time networking and sitting in on meetings so researchers know where to find me when they need my support. Lastly, I’ll be trying to make the process more efficient and strategic. Lots of people ask me for help right before the submission deadline, but I want to offer my help at as early a stage as possible in the process.’
What’s your favourite part of your role?
‘I feel really lucky that I get to work with extremely intelligent people who are exploring new topics and are passionate about their work, and that I get to help them. Law affects all aspects of society. I could advise on proposals to do with AI law, migration law, space law… all in one day. I really like that variety – there’s always something new.’
‘What I enjoy most about my role is helping researchers untangle their own research ideas. The funding process can be so frustrating that researchers lose the initial spark that got them interested in the topic in the first place. I enjoy giving researchers renewed energy for their project and rediscovering the project’s potential together.’ She describes the ideal scenario: ‘I want my office to be a welcoming place where people can come to get their creative hats on and share ideas.’
Jekaterina encourages researchers to drop by her office (B4.21) with a research idea, a draft proposal or just a chat. To find her contact details, check out her profile page.