Congratulations to BUBS PhD candidate Taalia Nadeem on the publication of “Game of (delivery) drones: A serious game exploring transport futures involving logistics drones with stakeholders” in the Journal of Transport and Health. The paper discusses how the board game supported stakeholders in exploring a potential transport future where drones would be used to make deliveries. The board game enabled participants to test scenarios involving different drone routings and levels of ground risk and energy use within a familiar context with the initial game being based on the Bournemouth area. The game was subsequently developed and used in different contexts including the Solent Region, Cornwall, and Coventry as part of the EPSRC funded E-Drone project and the ESRC funded Future Flight in Place projects.
Category / EPSRC
National Health Executive Magazine article tackles misinformation
Our article in the January/February edition of the National Health Executive (NHE) magazine highlights misinformation around trials of the use of drones to transport medical items. The article, written in collaboration with Dr Andy Oakey at University of Southampton draws on findings from the three-year E-Drone research project and is part of a targeted dissemination plan as this project draws to a close. The article challenges assumptions around cost and carbon savings whilst questioning the need to transport items more quickly. It offers some quick ‘filters’ to apply when considering the role of drones in NHS logistics systems. Read it here for a taste of E-Drone Research (see project website for much, much more…)
Celebrating the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 – a look back
This autumn BU put on a diverse range of events as part of the annual ESRC Festival of Social Science, which saw 387 events held nationwide. The Festival, which celebrates the research of social scientists, focused on a theme of ‘lifelong wellbeing’ in 2023.
BU contributed to the Festival for the 12th year in a row, attracting more than 340 attendees to eight very different events, ranging from an evening celebration of ska music in Dorset, complete with band, to an online webinar aimed at debunking the misconceptions that exist about Long-COVID. For the first time, BU partnered with the University of Southampton, running two joint events.
The Festival is designed to promote and increase awareness of social science and ESRC-funded research, enable social scientists to engage with non-academics and increase awareness of the contributions the social sciences make to the wellbeing and economy of UK society.
Our festival programme kicked off with ‘Life through my lens: Tackling weight and unemployment’, a drop-in, interactive exhibition in Poole’s Dolphin Centre.
Dr Sophia Amenyah and Professor Lee-Ann Fenge led the day-long event, which showcased photos and stories from participants in the ASPIRE project.
This project explores how to reduce unemployment and obesity at the same time by supporting people to make healthier lifestyle choices.
Curious shoppers were able to pop in and view the exhibition and could choose their own images to illustrate what health and wellbeing meant to them and add comments to a collage.
Many passers-by spent time chatting to the researchers and volunteers from Healthwatch, the independent champion for people who use health and social care services 
“It was really interesting to reflect upon modern and traditional approaches to healthcare” Feedback from attendee
BU researchers and cyber security undergraduates teamed up with cyber technology organisation CyNam to deliver ‘CyGamBIT – using play to stay safe online’ for pupils from Years 12 and 13.
BU Professor of Forensic Security Vasilis Katos welcomed students from four different schools, who got to play CyGamBIT, a game designed to engage young people with current and emerging online threats to enable them to stay safe online. 
Members of BU’s CyGamBit team, including Dr Jane Henriksen-Bulmer, Emily Rosenorn-Lanng and Stevie Corbin-Clarke were on hand to answer questions about the game and students also heard from BU undergraduates about the cyber security courses on offer at the university.
“I knew the pupils would get far more out of this than me just talking to them about it” Feedback from Mark Mortell, Head of Computer Science, Parkstone Grammar School
“Great event, top work!” Feedback from school attendee
The next event in our series, ‘UK drowning: Turning the Tide’, took place at the RNLI College on Poole quayside, which looked at how to stay safe when swimming in open water.
Dr Sam Hills, whose research looks at the risk factors associated with drowning, led an interactive session with colleagues from BU and Dr Martin Barford from Leeds Trinity University for a packed room of wild-swimming enthusiasts and others interested in drowning prevention. Dr Jill Nash from BU discussed her ongoing research project exploring the influence of emotions on RNLI communications and their link to behaviour change.
Attendees had a go at line-throwing, with the help of RNLI volunteers, tested their physiological response to cold water (one arm only immersed!) and tried out an immersive virtual reality experience.
“Love how interactive it was. Very informative and I’m interested in following this research in future” Feedback from attendee
Our following event was a real departure from previous years – ‘Two-tone towns: A social History of Ska in Dorset’ combined talks from Dr Ian Gwinn and Dr Tabitha Baker with video interviews and a roof-raising set from local ska band The Guns of Navarone! 
Taking place at our Café Scientifique venue, the Black Cherry Café in Boscombe, attendees learned about the social significance of ska music in rural areas such as Dorset and got to dance to some classic tunes from The Specials and Madness. 
Louise Boston-Mammah from research partner DEED, a local organisation which aims to support teachers and students’ understanding of global issues and cultural diversity, commented: “What moved me the most about this event was the passion of those who were part of the local Ska scene and how they found a voice through this event”.
“This was a really interesting and enjoyable event. A great combination of learning about local history and musical performance by a great band” Feedback from attendee
Two of our events this year were jointly run with researchers from the University of Southampton: ‘Sharing the Coast’ and ‘Sharing the Forest’. Both explored the idea of the ‘right to roam’, whether Bournemouth’s coastline or the New Forest’s woods and heathland.
At the clifftop Branksome Dene Room, BU’s Dr Andrea Jarman introduced the coast event with a look at the complex legal situation regarding access to beaches, using Swanage as an example.
Local campaigner Steve Elsworth spoke passionately about successfully fighting to restore access to Castle Cove Beach in Weymouth and Professor Rick Stafford provided a perspective on the non-human species that share the coastline. 
“Fantastic event. Very welcoming and informative” Feedback from attendee
“Three really great and diverse discussions and presentations” Feedback from attendee
The second event took place at Lyndhurst Community Centre, in the heart of the New Forest. University of Southampton’s Dr Sarah Nield gave an overview of the laws, rights and obligations governing the Forest.
She was joined by representatives from Forestry England, the New Forest National Park Authority and the Campaign for National Parks among others, who all contributed to a lively and engaging discussion.
Attendees also took part in three interactive quizzes that tested their knowledge on the area’s biodiversity, recreational use and the laws surrounding communing.
“It was really helpful to hear diverse views” Feedback from attendee
“Learnt lots about the forest as someone who uses it often” Feedback from attendee
A team of researchers led by Professor Debbie Holley delivered ‘The magic of play: enhancing wellbeing during medical interventions’ at Bournemouth Gateway Building, an event aimed at healthcare professionals.
The workshop explored how magic and play therapy can support wellbeing during hospitalisation and medical appointments. 
Participants took part in interactive activities, using knitted toy characters, LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and virtual reality, to discover how they can help promote distraction from pain and anxiety.
“It was interesting to learn about how to use play to build a rapport with children” Feedback from attendee
The final event in our Festival series, ‘Long-COVID: Myths, misconceptions and lives experiences’, took place online, to ensure those most likely to be interested could safely and easily attend.
More than 120 people joined the live session, led by BU researchers Dr Emma Portch and Dr Rachel Moseley, with University of Brighton colleague Dr Liam Wignall. They were joined in discussion by Dr Charles Shepherd of The ME Association and Claire Higham of Long Covid Advocacy.
Long-COVID is estimated to affect 1.9 million people in the UK, but research has found low public awareness of the condition, with many feeling that medical professionals do not take it seriously.
As well as exploring the truth behind some of the myths around Long-COVID, Emma and Rachel shared the latest research findings and participants heard about the experiences of those living with the condition.
Watch this event
“Absolutely excellent presentation on a really important topic” Feedback from attendee
“Thank you for acknowledging and doing research on Long Covid. In Canada, we struggle to be heard” Feedback from attendee
The ESRC changed the rules in 2023 around which institutions could take part in the Festival, which meant BU could no longer be a standalone contributor. It is thanks to our collaboration with the University of Southampton that we were able to take part this year and deliver such a broad range of events.
Event organisers applied via a competitive internal process in July, and were selected by a panel comprising researchers and Professional Services staff. They were supported in bringing their engaging, creative projects to life by Adam Morris (formerly Engagement Officer, now Impact Advisor) and Beverley Allen (Events and Communications Coordinator).
If you would like to take part in a future ESRC Festival of Social Science, it is a great time to start thinking about what you could propose. Start by taking a look at the call for the 2023 festival to get an idea of what we’re looking for in applications for 2024.
Find out more here
The open call for next year’s festival will go out May/June 2024.
If you would like to start discussing your ideas, please get in touch with the public engagement with research team at publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.
What might it be like with delivery drones flying overhead?
The E-Drone project is exploring this using virtual reality (VR) and you are invited to try this out on the Talbot Campus on the 27th and 28th June.
The project is investigating how drone logistic fleets can be successfully integrated and managed to improve customer service, reduce energy demand and also address urban traffic congestion. Part of our work involves helping stakeholders, including the general public, understand the environmental and governance implications of introducing logistics drones. The challenge is helping people envisage logistics drones when this transport future is yet to exist beyond discrete trials. This is where VR comes in.
The project team has created a VR experience to show what delivery drones will look and sound like as they fly over the Talbot Campus. We will be in the space between Dorset House and the Library on Monday 27th 1.30pm onwards and Tuesday 28th 10am onwards. We’re seeking volunteers to try the VR and provide feedback. Please join us by either dropping by or booking a slot by contacting Angela Smith (avsmith@bournemouth.ac.uk).
NIHR Grant Applications Seminar ONLINE – 7th July 2022
Dear colleagues
– Do you have a great idea for research in health, social care or public health?
– Are you planning to submit a grant application to NIHR?
Our popular seminar continues online and will take place on Thursday 7th July 2022 from 10.00am – 12.30pm.
The seminar provides an overview of NIHR funding opportunities and research programme remits, requirements and application processes. We will give you top tips for your application and answer specific questions with experienced RDS South West advisers.
We also have a limited number of 20-minute 1-to-1 appointments available after the seminar should you wish to discuss your proposed study with an RDS adviser.
Find out more and book a place.
Your local branch of the NIHR RDS (Research Design Service) is based within the BU Clinical Research Unit (BUCRU)
We can help with your application. We advise on all aspects of developing an application and can review application drafts as well as put them to a mock funding panel (run by RDS South West) known as Project Review Committee, which is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to obtain a critical review of a proposed grant application before this is sent to a funding body.
Contact us as early as possible to benefit fully from the advice
Feel free to call us on 01202 961939 or send us an email.
NIHR Grant Applications Seminar ONLINE – 31st March 2022
Dear colleagues
– Do you have a great idea for research in health, social care or public health?
– Are you planning to submit a grant application to NIHR?
Our popular seminar continues online and will take place on Thursday 31st March 2022 from 10.00am – 12.30pm.
The seminar provides an overview of NIHR funding opportunities and research programme remits, requirements and application processes. We will give you top tips for your application and answer specific questions with experienced RDS South West advisers.
We will also be joined by colleagues from the NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme. They will be talking about the HTA programme, the nature of the projects that it funds, tips for success and any upcoming changes.
We also have a limited number of 20-minute 1-to-1 appointments available after the seminar should you wish to discuss your proposed study with an RDS adviser.
Find out more and book a place.
Your local branch of the NIHR RDS (Research Design Service) is based within the BU Clinical Research Unit (BUCRU)
We can help with your application. We advise on all aspects of developing an application and can review application drafts as well as put them to a mock funding panel (run by RDS South West) known as Project Review Committee, which is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to obtain a critical review of a proposed grant application before this is sent to a funding body.
Contact us as early as possible to benefit fully from the advice
Feel free to call us on 01202 961939 or send us an email.
Being Human: Prof Bronwen Thomas on The Future of Storytelling
Last
week I got my first taste of participating in Being Human, the UK’s national festival of the humanities which celebrates humanities research through public engagement. The festival works in partnership with the AHRC and the British Academy, and is led by SOAS. I was invited to participate in a panel on The Future of Storytelling organised by Palgrave Macmillan as part of their campaign for the humanities.
Along with my fellow panellists, Professor Kate Pullinger (Bath Spa) and Jason Steinhauer (Wilson Center, USA) we were asked to explore what the future has in store for reading, storytelling and the ‘text’ in a world where visual media is increasingly dominant. Kate Pullinger focused on whether VR is literature and talked about her own creative practice as a novelist and lead for the AHRC funded Ambient Literature Project. Jason Steinhauer talked about his forthcoming book ‘History, Disrupted: How Social Media and the World Wide Web Have Changed the Past’ and provided some interesting critiques of what he described as our current obsession with storytelling. In my talk, I focused on the new opportunities for participation that the digital has offered for both writers and readers and how the pandemic has heightened interest in ways of creating and engaging with stories on social media and in virtual contexts. I also talked briefly about the work of the EPSRC GCRF funded DRIVE project, and how this has reinforced for me the need to ensure that discussions about the future of storytelling address issues of inclusivity and accessibility and engage with storytellers and communities too often underrepresented or completely excluded.
The panel was chaired by Dr Shafquat Towheed from the Open University, who is editor of the New Directions in Book History series and he offered some interesting insights on historical contexts for our discussions as well as drawing on his own research on contemporary reading practices and cultures.
The event was originally planned to take place in London but due to ongoing COVID restrictions we switched to a webinar format, meaning that over 270 people were able to sign up to the event, with around 120 participating on the night. Attendees were drawn from many different countries and we had some fascinating questions about multilingual storytelling and the global reach of VR technologies.
Being Human is an important showcase for humanities research, particularly demonstrating its breadth and the creativity of researchers in finding innovative ways of communicating their work and engaging with the public. At BU our newly formed Department of Humanities and Law along with the Narrative, Culture and Community Research Centre are testament to our strength in this field, and I hope that BU will continue to be involved with the festival in years to come.
NIHR Bulletin
NIHR News
Updated guidelines for recruiting public members onto Trial and Study Steering Committees
NIHR launches Impact Toolkit
NIHR has developed an interactive dashboard that summarises, and signposts to, a range of tools to support research impact planning, delivery and/or assessment. (Will need to register for NIHR Learn if not already registered).
eBulletins and Newsletters
NIHR Funding and support round-up: July 2021
NHS England and NHS Improvement – In Touch
Events
New impact short course
NIHR has launched a new e-learning course, ‘Introduction to impact through the lens of NIHR’.
In this self-paced and short e-learning course, you will get an introduction to what impact is, what it isn’t, and why it’s important to the NIHR. Find out more.
Funding Opportunities
Latest NIHR funding calls
Artificial Intelligence in Health and Care Award (AI Award)
Competition 3
NIHR Senior Investigators
Call 15
Programme Development Grants
Mental health call
Public Health Research (PHR) Programme
21/523 Image and performance enhancing drugs
21/524 Health impacts of housing-led interventions for homeless people
Your local branch of the NIHR RDS (Research Design Service) is based within the BU Clinical Research Unit (BUCRU) should you need help with your application. We advise on all aspects of developing an application and can review application drafts as well as put them to a mock funding panel (run by RDS South West) known as Project Review Committee, which is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to obtain a critical review of a proposed grant application before this is sent to a funding body.
Contact us as early as possible to benefit fully from the advice
Feel free to call us on 01202 961939 or send us an email.
Still time to register… NIHR Grant Applications Seminar ONLINE – 6th July 2021
Last chance to register:
Dear colleagues
– Do you have a great idea for research in health, social care or public health?
– Are you planning to submit a grant application to NIHR?
Our popular seminar continues online and will take place on Tuesday 6th July 2021 from 10.00am – 12.30pm.
The seminar provides an overview of NIHR funding opportunities and research programme remits, requirements and application processes. We will give you top tips for your application and answer specific questions with experienced RDS South West advisers.
We also have a limited number of 20-minute 1-to-1 appointments available after the seminar should you wish to discuss your proposed study with an RDS adviser.
Find out more and book a place.
Your local branch of the NIHR RDS (Research Design Service) is based within the BU Clinical Research Unit (BUCRU)
We can help with your application. We advise on all aspects of developing an application and can review application drafts as well as put them to a mock funding panel (run by RDS South West) known as Project Review Committee, which is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to obtain a critical review of a proposed grant application before this is sent to a funding body.
Contact us as early as possible to benefit fully from the advice
Feel free to call us on 01202 961939 or send us an email.
DRIVE project Stories and Toolkit
The DRIVE project (Digital Reading for Inclusivity, Versatility and Engagement) was funded by the UKRI under its Digital Innovation for Development in Africa (DIDA) strand. Full details of the project can be found here. The second phase of this funding has been withdrawn following the UK Government’s revision of its ODA budget.
The project was led by BU Professor Bronwen Thomas, and Jess Ruddock (a PGR from FMC) was appointed as a Research Assistant from January onwards.
The project had to be substantially revised due to the COVID crisis. This meant all project meetings had to be held online but perhaps the biggest impact was on the digital storytelling part of the project. Initially, the plan was for DigiTales, a participatory media company based in the UK and Portugal to deliver a workshop in Nairobi, with 10-12 participants. Instead, we redesigned this part of the project, providing training for three Kenyan based facilitators to deliver the workshops in three different regions of Kenya – Nairobi, Chavakali (close to the Ugandan border) and Loita (home to Maasai tribespeople). Jess Ruddock also took part in the training. Following this we held three workshops in the different locations, producing 13 stories in total. The stories can be viewed on the project website. They represent a wide range of experiences, from Alan’s account of the stigma he suffered as a child in literature classrooms because of his visual impairment, to Faith’s account of the impact that the book Blossoms of the Savannah had on her as a young Maasai girl facing the prospect of female circumcision. In addition to learning how to create and produce digital stories, the participants were also given training on accessibility tools for the iPads that they received
Nalotwesha and Faith on a zoom call in Loita
Blog posts from one of the Nairobi participants, Alan Hebert, and from the Chavakali facilitator can also be found on the website, along with Jess Ruddock’s account of the training.
The Chavakali team
In addition to the digital stories, the project team produced a Toolkit for remote delivery of digital storytelling, co-authored by Kelvin Gwuma, Joseph Odhiambo and Scola Leuka, the three newly-trained facilitators. The Toolkit is available to view or download from the project website here along with video case studies produced by the facilitators. The website also features a preliminary project evaluation reflecting on the main findings and impact of the project so far, and how we managed to meet our objectives despite all the obstacles we faced.
NIHR Grant Applications Seminar ONLINE – 6th July 2021
Dear colleagues
– Do you have a great idea for research in health, social care or public health?
– Are you planning to submit a grant application to NIHR?
Our popular seminar continues online and will take place on Tuesday 6th July 2021 from 10.00am – 12.30pm.
The seminar provides an overview of NIHR funding opportunities and research programme remits, requirements and application processes. We will give you top tips for your application and answer specific questions with experienced RDS South West advisers.
We also have a limited number of 20-minute 1-to-1 appointments available after the seminar should you wish to discuss your proposed study with an RDS adviser.
Find out more and book a place.
Your local branch of the NIHR RDS (Research Design Service) is based within the BU Clinical Research Unit (BUCRU)
We can help with your application. We advise on all aspects of developing an application and can review application drafts as well as put them to a mock funding panel (run by RDS South West) known as Project Review Committee, which is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to obtain a critical review of a proposed grant application before this is sent to a funding body.
Contact us as early as possible to benefit fully from the advice
Feel free to call us on 01202 961939 or send us an email.
NIHR Grant Applications Seminar ONLINE- 23rd March 2021
Dear colleagues
– Do you have a great idea for research in health, social care or public health?
– Are you planning to submit a grant application to NIHR?
Our popular seminar continues online and will take place on Tuesday 23rd March 2021 from 10.00am – 12.30pm.
The seminar provides an overview of NIHR funding opportunities and research programme remits, requirements and application processes. We will give you top tips for your application and answer specific questions with experienced RDS South West advisers.
We also have a limited number of 20-minute 1-to-1 appointments available after the seminar should you wish to discuss your proposed study with an RDS adviser.
Find out more and book a place.
Your local branch of the NIHR RDS (Research Design Service) is based within the BU Clinical Research Unit (BUCRU)
We can help with your application. We advise on all aspects of developing an application and can review application drafts as well as put them to a mock funding panel (run by RDS South West) known as Project Review Committee, which is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to obtain a critical review of a proposed grant application before this is sent to a funding body.
Contact us as early as possible to benefit fully from the advice
Feel free to call us on 01202 961939 or send us an email.
*New* Full Economic Cost thresholds for research and knowledge exchange (RKE) activity
A review of BU’s research and k
nowledge exchange activity demonstrated that over the past three years BU’s RKE income met c. 80% of the full economic costs (fEC) of the projects. The review also looked at the fEC thresholds and found they were out of date and unrealistic, for example, a number of the thresholds did not match the funding models provided by funders.
The Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC) have therefore approved changes to the fEC thresholds for RKE activities at BU. The new thresholds have been chosen to make it easier to work with organisations on RKE projects that will benefit society. Moreover, the new thresholds set realistic expectations for working with a range of funders so that research activity is sustainable at BU.
In addition to the thresholds, the RPMC has confirmed an expectation that all new costs to the project (Directly Incurred costs) must be covered by the income to be received from the funder. Ideally the income will be sufficient to also provide a contribution to the other costs to the project (i.e. existing staff time and overheads). This will enable BU to ensure RKE activities are financially viable and sustainable.
The new thresholds set a minimum fEC recovery rate by funder/activity type (see Table 1). They should be discussed with your Funding Development Officer at the start of the bidding process and before any conversations take place with external organisations/partners. All Principal Investigators will be asked to design their projects around meeting or exceeding these minimum thresholds and making sure the Directly Incurred costs will be covered. This may not be possible for all funding schemes. Where there is a strategic reason for applying to such a scheme and there is no alternative funder (such as some prestigious fellowship schemes) then this should be discussed with your Funding Development Officer who will advise on options.
If you have any queries about what this will mean for your research, please contact Ehren Milner (emilner@bournemouth.ac.uk).
GCRF funded DRIVE project underway
Funded by the EPSRC under the Digital Innovation for Development in Africa GCRF scheme, Digital Reading for Inclusivity, Versatility and Engagement (DRIVE) is one of 24 networks looking to maximise digital technologies to address development challenges including health, energy and accessibility to online resources. Due to COVID, we have had to rethink some of our intended activities and we have faced a number of delays, but the project is now underway. Key partners include the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Chuka University and Worldreader, an NGO working across 46 countries to increase access to reading materials. 
This is the fourth UKRI funded project on digital reading led by Professor Bronwen Thomas from the Faculty of Media and Communication. In addition to addressing many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the project also aligns with BU’s SIAs through its focus on assistive technologies for reading. Phil Wilkinson from FMC is one of the network members, and Charlie Hargood, Professor Wen Tang and Julie Kirkby (FST) and Isabella Rega (FMC) are on the project’s Advisory Group.
For more information about the project, please visit the project website , follow the project on Twitter (@DriveNetkenya) or visit the BU project page
COVID-19 funding and research
To support the response to COVID-19 the Research Design Service South West (RDS SW) has put together a useful resource page to help researchers. This includes relevant funding calls as well as more general information about the pandemic.
Don’t forget, your local branch of the NIHR RDS is based within the BU Clinical Research Unit (BUCRU)
The BUCRU/RDS office is currently closed due to Coronavirus. Staff are still working and able to offer research advice remotely, call us on 01202 961939 or send us an email.
A three-day Sandpit focused on Digital Technologies for Health and Care
UKRI have announced an opportunity to apply to attend a sandpit on Digital technologies for Health and Care.
This is the first sandpit in a series of three which will be advertised over the next three years.
The theme for this sandpit is novel digital technologies for improved self-monitoring and health management. The sandpit will run over three days starting mid-morning on Tuesday 30 June 2020 and finishing mid-afternoon on Thursday 02 July 2020.
Key dates:
- Call announced: February 2020
- Call close (expressions of interest): 04 May 2020
- Participant Selection panel: May 2020
- Sandpit: 30 June-02 July 2020
- Funding Application Deadline: w/c 14 September 2020
- Funding Announcement: Before 30 September 2020
For more details please visit EPSRC web page or contact your RDS Research Facilitator for further assistance.
EPSRC Invitation for Proposals Update
Invitation for proposals
Engineering Engagement Champions (Pilot)
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has up to £1.5 million available through the Engineering Theme to provide bespoke support to EPSRC researchers in our community to undertake public engagement activities in order to inspire, and interact with the public as well as attract them to Engineering and Physical Sciences.
£1.5m is available to support up to 10 Champions through this call. Applicants must have been named on an EPSRC grant within the last 5 years. Applications are invited from all career stages.
It is expected that applicants will be active researchers in engineering and physical sciences, however this funding is to support public engagement activities to sit alongside core research. These activities could include, but are not limited to, engagement with individuals of particular protected characteristics who may be underrepresented in engineering, education sector stakeholders or government representatives.
Through this call resources can be requested to cover staff time, overheads, and consumables associated with public engagement and wider outreach activities. Applicants can apply for between 0.2 to 0.5 FTE for up to 24-36 months.
Applicants will be expected to evaluate the impact of their activities and include a one page summary of their approach to evaluation in the proposal document.
Funding for technical research is not available in this call, please refer to standard routes for this funding.
EPSRC will work in partnership to deliver specific training and networking opportunities for applicants funded through this call.
Resources
ISCF Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre – Champion
Funding Available
This call is the first stage to fund a £20 million Research and Innovation Centre as part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge. This call will provide £100,000 of funding for one successful Industrial Decarbonisation Champion six month grant followed by one £19.9 million Research and Innovation Centre which will be funded until 31 March 2024.
How to apply
This is the first of a two stage application process. Applicants must submit an initial proposal by 22 October 2019 via Je-S with the successful candidate being invited to develop a full proposal and submit via Je-S by 06 July 2020. Only the successful applicant will be invited to submit to the second stage as Principal Investigator. Other applicants may be part of the second stage as Co-Investigators.
Stage 1
ISCF Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre – Champion call – Aimed at identifying a Champion for Industrial Decarbonisation and building a multidisciplinary consortium with six months of funding.
Stage 2
ISCF Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre call – Invited stage for a full proposal for a virtual multidisciplinary research Centre. Its remit will include carrying out multidisciplinary research and cross-cutting activities such as carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, gasification, policy, economic, institutional and regulatory analysis, and knowledge exchange.
Funding for the Industrial Decarbonisation Champion and the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre will be provided through the ISCF. Therefore, there are additional grant conditions and expectations as part of the funding which are fully detailed in the call document. The Champion will be accountable to the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge Director who is responsible for the overall delivery of this ISCF Challenge.
Resources
- Industrial Decarbonisation Champion call (PDF 317KB)
- Equality Impact Assessment – Industrial Decarbonisation (PDF 204KB)
Please contact Adam Morris (Engagement Officer) if you would like advice on submitting your application.
EPSRC supporting flexible research careers
Whether you want to continue with existing university or external activities, have caring responsibilities or are returning from a career break, EPSRC is committed to provide support both as part of your initial application and should your situation change over the course of your grant. With this in mind, we welcome applications from academics who job share, have a part-time contract, or need flexible working arrangements.
Read EPSRC’s blog post on this topic to see what’s available to you as an applicant and existing grant holder.
In addition, EPSRC wish to ensure the support they offer is flexible in practice as well as in principle, and are interested to hear your views. Throughout April they will have a survey open where you can share your experiences of where their support has and has not worked for you and help them improve their guidance and policy. A separate survey is available for students.
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