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EPSRC Postdoc & Early Career Fellowships for Environmental Change

Funding opportunities

EEPSRC logoPSRC is inviting Outline Proposals for EPSRC Challenge Fellowships in the LWEC theme. Fellowships are offered at both the Postdoctoral Fellowship and Early Career Fellowship level.

The closing date is 05 January 2017. Applications are sought that address the challenge question:

How can our cities, their hinterlands, linking infrastructure, rural surround and the regions they are in, be transformed to be resilient, sustainable, more economically viable and generally better places to live?

Background

EPSRC‘s Living With Environmental Change theme is keen to support the next generation of leaders in adapting to and mitigating climate change. This is a strategic activity focusing on a key challenge within the EPSRC LWEC theme and on bringing new thinking into the area.

A previous call was issued on this topic in 2015 and eight Fellowships funded.

The research required to answer this challenge requires a broad based, problem- directed and multidisciplinary approach. In this call EPSRC is particularly interested in proposals that help fill research gaps in this area:

  • Proposals that use an Engineering, Physical Sciences, Computer Sciences or Mathematics led approach to the challenge
  • Proposals that address Energy related aspects of the challenge

The balance of the research described in the application should be within the remit of EPSRC. They would particularly like to encourage applicants from across the EPSRC research landscape to apply.

Full call document

Academies launch fund for interdisciplinary research

Funding opportunities

APEX Awards In partnership with the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society (‘the Academies’) and with generous support from the Leverhulme Trust, the APEX award (Academies Partnership in Supporting Excellence in Cross-disciplinary research award) scheme offers established independent researchers, with a strong track record in their respective area, an exciting opportunity to pursue genuine interdisciplinary and curiosity-driven research to benefit wider society.
  • support outstanding interdisciplinary research which is unlikely to be supported through conventional funding programmes
  • promote collaboration across disciplines, with a particular emphasis on the boundary between science and engineering and the social sciences and humanities
  • support researchers with an outstanding track record, in developing their research in a new direction through collaboration with partners from other disciplines
  • enable outstanding researchers to focus on advancing their innovative research through seed funding

Am I eligible to apply?

Applications should be within the remit of more than one of the Academies.

You can apply for this scheme if you are:

  • an exceptional researcher with a strong track record as an established independent researcher (this can include engineering researchers, humanities and social sciences scholars and scientists)
  • based at a UK University or not-for-profit research institution for at least the duration of the project
  • applicants will be expected to collaborate with a research partner from a different discipline from their own or a different university in the UK

Before applying, please ensure that you meet all the eligibility requirements, which are explained in the scheme notes. Please also refer to the FAQ for further guidance.

What is the scheme’s value and duration?

This scheme provides:

  • an award of up to £100,000 to fund staff costs of which no more than 25% may be used for associated research costs.
  • this can include consumables, equipment, collaborative travel expenses
  • costs of a teaching replacement to relieve the applicant and/or collaborator from some of their teaching and administrative duties
  • grants can be held for up to 24 months

Note, requests for any other salary costs e.g. for research assistants, post-docs or studentships etc. cannot be included in the application. Note that awards under this scheme will not pay indirect and estate costs.  All awards must start between 01 September 2017 and 01 November 2017.

What is the application process?

Applications should be submitted through the Royal Society’s electronic grant application system (e-GAP2). Applications will be peer-reviewed and assessed by a cross-disciplinary panel with broad ranging expertise drawn from the fellowship of all three Academies.

Further details about the award, including information on how to apply and the assessment criteria, can be found in the scheme notes.

If you are interested in applying then please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer.

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

Academy of Medical Sciences

SUSTAIN pilot programme

This programme enables female researchers to thrive in their independent research careers by providing interactive career development workshops, a peer support network and one-to-one mentoring. The programme covers travel to London as well as hotel accommodation and optional childcare support during the first regional workshop.

Maximum award: Unknown

Closing date: 02 Dec 16

British Academy

Conference Program

This supports conferences on subjects in the humanities and social sciences held at the British Academy’s premises in London, UK. Funding covers the costs of administration, catering, preparation of delegate packs and promotional material, and contributes to travel and accommodation costs for speakers, chairs and convenors.

Maximum award: Unknown

Closing date: 24 Feb 17 (recurring)

Economic and Social Research Council

Celebrating impact prize

The Celebrating Impact Prize, now in its fifth year, is an annual opportunity to recognise and reward ESRC-funded researchers and ESRC associates. It celebrates outstanding ESRC research and success in interdisciplinary, collaborative working, partnerships, engagement and knowledge exchange activities that have led to significant impact.

Maximum award: £10,000

Closing date: 01 Dec 16

Wellcome Trust

Research career re-entry fellowships

These fellowships provide postdoctoral scientists with the opportunity to re-establish their scientific careers after a continuous break from research of at least two years. Fellowships are tenable for four years and cover salaries, research expenses, materials and consumables, animals and travel and subsistence.

Maximum award: Unknown

Closing date: 04 May 17

Sir Henry Wellcome postdoctoral fellowships

These fellowships enable newly qualified postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to start independent research careers, working in some of the best research environments in the world. Fellowships provide £250,000 over four years, covering the basic salary determined by the host institution, and research expenses such as materials and consumables, animals, travel and overseas subsistence.

Maximum award: £250,000

Closing date: 04 May 17

 

Seed Awards in Science

Seed Awards in Science help researchers develop new ideas to make them competitive for larger awards (from us or other organisations).

Maximum award: £25,000 – £100,000

Closing date: 16 Mar 17 (recurring)

 

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Framework: Getting started on applying for research funding – Tomorrow 27 Oct at 12.00 noon!

The first session for the ‘Pre-Award at BU’ pathway called ‘Getting started on applying for research funding’ will be held tomorrow in Poole House, PG10!

This session will explore how best to adapt research in response to the changing external environment. The workshop will provide information on the best routes to funding based upon career stages and also introduce who in RKEO can support you.

By the end of this session you will:

  • Understand how best to access help with research proposals at BU
  • Identify appropriate funders for different areas of research.

Please book your place on the Organisational Development webpage here.

As this session starts at 12.00 noon to 1.00 pm, please feel free to bring your lunch.

rkeo-rke-pre-award-at-bu

Nine Dots Prize – a new prize for creative thinking in the social sciences

Funding opportunities

nine-dot-prizeFriday saw the launch of the Nine Dots Prize – a new prize for creative thinking in the social sciences. It is sponsored by the Kadas Prize Foundation and supported by CRASSH at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Press.

The Prize will be awarded to the best response to its inaugural question: “Are digital technologies making politics impossible?” Applicants are asked to respond in 3,000 words. The Prize will be judged anonymously by its Board of 12 distinguished academics, journalists, authors and thinkers. The winner will receive $100,000 to support them in writing up a short book based on their response. They have the opportunity to spend a term as Visiting Fellow at CRASSH at the University of Cambridge and the book will be published by Cambridge University Press in an open access format. More details can be found at their website or via twitter @ninedotsprize, including closing and decision dates, and how to submit.

The Guardian have written the following article, which puts the prize in context.

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

money

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

British Academy

Tackling the UK international challenges

The purpose of each project will be to bring new research ideas and methods to bear on existing international challenges and to deliver specific policy-relevant outputs.

Maximum Award: £50000 for 1 year Deadline: 2 November 2016

Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board

Soft fruits crop sector panel funding

The objectives of the soft fruit sector strategy link are:

  • To improve productivity and cost management (resource management, climate change, soils and water, managing market volatility);
  • To prevent and manage disease (NB: in this context disease covers all crop protection).

Maximum Award: Unknown Deadline: 6 November 2016

EPSRC

Healthcare technologies challenge awards

A future call, planned for mid-late October, designed to create a cohort of the most promising future leaders in Computational, Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences research who will develop new research capabilities across the EPSRC portfolio to address unmet healthcare needs.

Maximum Award: Total budget for call is £10million for 7 – 10 awards Deadline: 31 January 2017

Alzheimer’s Research UK

Dementia consortium

The Dementia Consortium will provide funding, resources and expertise to both increase the number of, and capitalise upon, new drug targets emerging from across the academic sector that hold promise of bringing patient benefit.

Maximum Award: £100000 – £250000 over 2 years Deadline: 15 November 2016

Department of Health, including NIHR

Programme grants for applied research

These support projects that aim to provide evidence to improve health outcomes in England through promotion of health, prevention of ill health and optimal disease management, with particular emphasis on conditions causing significant disease burden.

Maximum Award: Unknown Deadline: 29 November 2016

Wellcome Trust

Seed Awards in Science

Seed Awards in Science help researchers develop new ideas to make them competitive for larger awards (from us or other organisations).

Maximum Award: £100000 over 2 years Deadline: 13 March 2017

AHRC

Leadership Fellow Scheme – Standard route

The AHRC’s Leadership Fellows scheme provides time for research leaders, or potential future research leaders, to undertake focused individual research alongside collaborative activities which have the potential to generate a transformative impact on their subject area and beyond.

Maximum Award: £50000 – £250000 Deadline: Open

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

AHRC & BBC Radio 3 – applications for New Generation Thinkers 2017

Funding opportunities

Are you an Early Career Researcher? Would you like the opportunity to develop the skills to tell the story of your research to new audiences?

Apply now for the AHRC and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers 2017 Programme.

Sam GoodmanBU’s Dr Sam Goodman is one of AHRC’s New Generation Thinkers, having won the award last year. He features in this film from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), which shines a light on the AHRC/ BBC Radio 3, New Generation Thinkers scheme.

This pioneering scheme aims to develop a new generation of academics who can bring the best of university research and scholarly ideas to a broad audience – through BBC broadcasting. Each year, up to sixty successful applicants have a chance to develop their programme-making ideas with experienced BBC producers at a series of dedicated workshops and, of these up to ten will become Radio 3’s resident New Generation Thinkers. They will benefit from a unique opportunity to develop their own programmes for BBC Radio 3, the chance to regularly appear on air and work closely with the AHRC communications team.

ahrc-ngtBBC Radio 3 and its programmes Free Thinking, the Verb, the Essay and the Sunday Feature have provided a platform for debate and commentary from scholars across the world. You could now join them on air.

Applicants do not have to be funded by the AHRC to apply; the scheme is open to all early career researchers based in a UK Research Organisation (either Higher Education Institution or Independent Research Organisation [IRO]).

They welcome applications from researchers working in all areas of the arts and humanities. This year they are again extending the call for researchers who work in areas of social sciences and medical science whose work intersects with the arts and humanities. Do you know a researcher who could benefit from this opportunity? Why not forward them this email and encourage them to apply or share a link on social media using the hashtag #newgenerationthinkers.

Closing Date: 26/10/2016

Applicants should be available to attend workshops:

  • Wednesday 11th January 2017, Salford
  • Monday 16th January 2017, London
  • Wednesday 18th January 2017, London

If invited to attend the workshops you will be offered a date at one of the three locations. Candidates will be invited to the workshops the week commencing the 12th December 2016.

Applicants that are successful at the workshops should be free to attend:

  • Wednesday 8th March 2017, for media training in London
  • The dates of the Gateshead Free Thinking Festival between Friday 17th March to Sunday 19th March as the winners will be announced during this period.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted using the Research Councils’ Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) System at the latest by 4.00pm Wednesday 26th October 2016, and must go through the host organisation approval process prior to this closing date. Therefore, please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer at least three weeks before applying.

Full details of the call can be found in the New Generation Thinkers 2017 Call Document (PDF, 265KB)

For complete terms and conditions please see the Conditions of Entry for New Generation Thinkers

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

coins money

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

Cancer Research UK

Tobacco advisory group project grants

TAG is looking for project grant applications for policy research and policy advocacy activities in tobacco control. Maximum Award: £20000 – 50000 per year for 1 or 2 years Deadline: 1 December 2016

Academy of Medical Sciences

Springboard – health of the public 20140 grant scheme

The Academy’s ‘Health of the Public in 2040’ initiative aims to identify the main health challenges the UK population will face by 2040 and recognises that, in order to solve many of these issues, a multidisciplinary approach will be required.

Maximum Award: £25000 – £50000 Deadline: 12 December 2016

Medical Research Foundation

Child & young adult mental health

A key aim of this call is to encourage researchers already working in associated areas or on other relevant clinical research to re-prioritise these topics and enable the exploitation of existing resources and cohorts to develop hypotheses exploring the underlying biology and psychology of either of these diverse mental health conditions.

Maximum Award: £300000 Deadline: 31 January 2017

Director-General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology, EU

Pilot project for developing use of new technologies and digital tools in education

The aim of this pilot project is to identify existing digital learning solutions that can support teachers in the classroom and parents at home with pupils having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and/or concentration problems, and to provide good practice examples where technology has been successfully used in daily classroom activities to help pupils with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and concentration problems.

Maximum Award: Unknown, total budget for call is €400000 for 2 years Deadline: 14 November 2016

Directorate-General for Educatio & Culture, EU

European co-operation projects

These support the capacity of the European cultural and creative sectors to operate transnationally and internationally, and to promote the transnational circulation and mobility of cultural and creative works.

Maximum Award: €200000 for small projects and €2 million for large projects Deadline: 23 November 2016

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

AHRC GCRF Pre-call announcement

Funding opportunities

ahrcAs part of the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is intending to announce a call in October 2016 for large-scale, collaborative grants for international development. Funding will support multi-disciplinary, internationally collaborative programmes rooted in the arts and humanities that take an area-based approach to addressing global development challenges.

The intention is to make funding of £1.5-2 million and up to 3 years duration available per project through the ‘Network Plus’ funding model. This model provides opportunities to bring together arts and humanities area-based expertise across disciplines and research organisations to address a set of integrated development challenges in particular places, societies and development contexts. The AHRC anticipates funding up to 5 projects.

The application process is expected to be in two stages with the deadline for Expressions of Interest likely to be in January 2017. There will then be further engagement with those invited through to full submission stage, expected to be in early summer 2017.

In support of the anticipated launch of this call the AHRC is holding a Town Meeting / Networking event at The Studio in Birmingham on 4th November 2016. Further details of the event and how to apply for a place can be found on our Events pages.  RKEO strongly urges interested parties to attend the town meeting.  If you are interested in applying for this great opportunity then please contact Ehren Milner, RKEO Research Facilitator to see how he can support you.

Further information about the call will be announced on the AHRC website in due course.

AHRC & BBC Radio 3 – applications for New Generation Thinkers 2017

Funding opportunities

ngtAre you an Early Career Researcher? Would you like the opportunity to develop the skills to tell the story of your research to new audiences?

Apply now for the AHRC and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers 2017 Programme.

This pioneering scheme aims to develop a new generation of academics who can bring the best of university research and scholarly ideas to a broad audience – through BBC broadcasting. Each year, up to sixty successful applicants have a chance to develop their programme-making ideas with experienced BBC producers at a series of dedicated workshops and, of these up to ten will become Radio 3’s resident New Generation Thinkers. They will benefit from a unique opportunity to develop their own programmes for BBC Radio 3, the chance to regularly appear on air and work closely with the AHRC communications team.

BBC Radio 3 and its programmes Free Thinking, the Verb, the Essay and the Sunday Feature have provided a platform for debate and commentary from scholars across the world. You could now join them on air.

Applicants do not have to be funded by the AHRC to apply; the scheme is open to all early career researchers based in a UK Research Organisation (either Higher Education Institution or Independent Research Organisation [IRO]).

They welcome applications from researchers working in all areas of the arts and humanities. This year they are again extending the call for researchers who work in areas of social sciences and medical science whose work intersects with the arts and humanities. Do you know a researcher who could benefit from this opportunity? Why not forward them this email and encourage them to apply or share a link on social media using the hashtag #newgenerationthinkers.

Closing Date: 26/10/2016

Applicants should be available to attend workshops:

  • Wednesday 11th January 2017, Salford
  • Monday 16th January 2017, London
  • Wednesday 18th January 2017, London

If invited to attend the workshops you will be offered a date at one of the three locations.  Candidates will be invited to the workshops the week commencing the 12th December 2016.

Applicants that are successful at the workshops should be free to attend:

  • Wednesday 8th March 2017, for media training in London
  • The dates of the Gateshead Free Thinking Festival between Friday 17th March to Sunday 19th March as the winners will be announced during this period.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted using the Research Councils’ Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) System at the latest by 4.00pm Wednesday 26th October 2016, and must go through the host organisation approval process prior to this closing date.  Therefore, please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer at least three weeks before applying.

Full details of the call can be found in the New Generation Thinkers 2017 Call Document (PDF, 265KB)

For complete terms and conditions please see the Conditions of Entry for New Generation Thinkers

NERC standard grants – internal competition closing soon

Funding opportunities

NERCFurther to the earlier blog post concerning the internal competition for NERC standard grants (January 2017 deadline), please be reminded that the closing date is this Thursday, 21 September. Further details can be found here, but, in outline, the process is as follows:

  • Internal call launched 11 August 2016
  • Internal call deadline 22 September 2016. Academic submits one page expression of interest on research to be carried out, stating aims, objectives, potential impact, and any collaboration – to Dr Jennifer Roddis, RKEO
  • From 22nd September, peer review takes place by DDRPP, BU academics with NERC experience, and external peer reviewers
  • Applicants will be informed of the decision regarding which application is to be taken forward on 3rd October. The successful applicant will then work with Dr Jennifer Roddis to develop, refine and draft their application before peer review in November and submission in January 2017.

 

 

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

money and cogs

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

ESRC

New & Emerging Forms of Data – Policy Demonstrator Projects

The ESRC is pleased to invite Expressions of Interest for New and Emerging Forms of Data – Policy Demonstrator Projects under Phase 3 of the Big Data Network.

Maximum Award: £25,,000 Deadline: 14 October 2016

Royal Society of Chemistry

Researcher Mobility Grants

Researcher Mobility Grants support PhD students and early career researchers to undertake short to mid-term scientific visits to overseas or UK organisations.

Maximum Award: £7,500 Deadline: 31 October 2016

NERC

Engaging the UK public with big issues of environmental science

NERC is inviting proposals under this programme for public engagement projects costing up to £20k that must be delivered between January and end of March 2017.

Maximum Award: £220,000 Deadline: 3 November 2016

BBSRC

Brazil partnering awards

Funds can only be used for travel, subsistence and other activities, such as workshops or exchanges. They are not to fund salary costs, consumables, items of equipment or other research costs, nor to link ongoing single collaborative projects

Maximum Award: £50,000 over 4 years Deadline: 17 November 2016

China partnering awards

As above, for China.

Maximum Award: £30,000 over 4 years Deadline: 17 November 2016

European partnering awards

As above, for Europe.

Maximum Award: £20,000 over 12 – 18 months Deadline: 17 November 2016

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

How can augmented reality and virtual reality transform the retail journey?

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange

IMG_2783

Startups, innovative retailers and experts with an understanding of the retail landscape to get involved with  the  Visa Retail Pit Stop  This takes place on 6  – 7 October.

Attendees will get the opportunity to investigate how virtual reality and augmented reality, ambient data capture, mobile and sensor technologies can improve the customer experience. Register your interest before 13 September.

Submit your interest for the Visa Retail Pit Stop

Latest Major Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following funding opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information. money and cogs

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, via the Global Challenges Research Fund, invites applications for its call on Tackling global development challenges through engineering and digital technology research. The aim of this activity is to support an internationally leading programme of research, centred around engineering and digital technologies, to tackle the challenges faced by the developing world. Exemplar areas are given under each heading below, but these should not be seen as exclusive. Proposals may also span both headings: 1) Tackling global development challenges through engineering research- Sustainable infrastructure development, Engineering for disaster resilience, Engineering for humanitarian aid; 2) Tackling global development challenges through digital technology research- Access to digital services, Use of data for vital services, Secure and trusted digital infrastructures. The proposed research must be predominantly in EPSRC remit, although interdisciplinary and/or multidisciplinary proposals are welcomed.

Maximum award: Not specified. Closing date: 15/11/16.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council invites applications for its First Grant scheme. The scheme helps new academics apply for research funding at the start of their careers. Applicants must have been appointed to their first academic lecturing appointment, which involves lecturing and administration alongside research, in a UK university within the previous 36 months, or still be in the probation period of their new appointment. They must also have completed their PhD or an equivalent professional qualification within the last 10 years.

Maximum award: £100,000. Closing date: No deadline.

Innovate UK

Innovate UK invites applications for its connected and autonomous vehicles competition 2. Projects must be business led and should provide technical solutions for connected and autonomous vehicle features that provide real-world benefits to users. This includes how these vehicles will work as part of a wider transport system. The commercial benefit should clear in proposals. This competition is in 4 streams: Stream 1 will fund a large-scale challenge to develop and demonstrate a vehicle operating at SAE level 4 automation. It is expected that the fund will support a single project or 2 projects maximum of between £15 million and £30 million each. Projects should last between 18 and 30 months. Streams 2, 3 and 4 will fund feasibility studies and industrial research and development projects on connected and autonomous vehicles. Projects are expected to range in size from total costs of £250,000 to £5 million. Projects should last between 12 and 30 months.

Maximum award: Not specified. Closing date: 02/11/16.

Medical Research Council

The Medical Research Council invites applications for its Confidence in Concept scheme. This scheme aims to accelerate the transition from discovery science to the early stages of therapeutic/biomarker development by providing locally-administered, responsive and flexible funding to support preliminary translational work. The award can be used flexibly by the institution to support a number of preliminary-stage translational projects. The projects supported should aim to provide sufficient preliminary data to establish the viability of an approach –– before seeking more substantive funding

Maximum award: £1.2 million. Closing date: 15/11/16.

The Medical Research Council invites applications for its Proximity to Discovery – Industry Engagement Fund. The scheme is designed to provide flexible funding for innovative ways to enable the initial development of academic-industry collaborations. Short term people exchanges between industry and academia are seen as a key way of exchanging skills and knowledge and developing a longer term working relationship. Proximity to Discovery: Industry Engagement Fund can be used for people and knowledge exchange at the very earliest stage of a collaboration and may not necessarily be aligned to a specific project objective. Examples of potential uses include: People exchange that allow for an exchange of skills or knowledge which will enable new collaborative projects to develop; People exchanges between Technology Transfer Offices in Universities and Business Development teams in industry, where the placement will enhance the understanding of each other’s business model and allow them to better support their organisation to develop medical research collaborations with industrial partners; Other creative ways to encourage new collaborations or two-way people exchange to increase the permeability between industry and academia; Projects that would enhance academic understanding of industry or vice versa; Showcases/workshops which enabling Universities to develop relationships with potential industry partners.

Maximum award: £250,000. Closing date: 15/11/16.

Royal Academy of Engineering

The Royal Academy of Engineering, in partnership with the Leverhulme Trust, invites applications for its Senior Research Fellowships. The fellowships allow academics to concentrate on full-time research and be relieved of teaching and administrative responsibilities. The purpose of the Fellowships is to cover the salary costs of a replacement academic who will take over the awardee’s teaching and administration duties for up to one year. A support fund of up to £2,500 is also available to the awardee to cover miscellaneous research costs, such as conference attendance and public engagement activities.

Maximum award: Not specified. Closing date: 19/10/16.

Royal Society

The Royal Society invites proposals for its scientific meetings, which offer the opportunity to present an international, two day conference. The call is open to UK based researchers in any field and the discussion throughout the meeting should allow everyone, at any stage of their career, to be involved in the conversation. The award will cover administrative support, a contribution towards speaker, organiser and chair travel expenses and accommodation, logistical support, materials for the meeting, venue, facilities and catering.

Maximum award: Not specified. Closing date: 30/9/16.

The Royal Society invites proposals for its Science+ and Fast Track Discussion meetings. These meetings Bring together scientists from around the world to present and discuss new research in all areas of science. Each meeting is organised by leaders in the field, using their expertise to ensure the key topics are covered. The focus on discussion throughout the meeting allows everyone, at any stage of their scientific career, to get involved in the conversation. The programme offers a unique opportunity  to present an international, two-day conference, with the chance for publication in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society following the event.

Maximum award: Not specified. Closing date:  30/09/16.

Royal Society of Edinburgh

The Royal Society of Edinburgh, in collaboration with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, invites applications for the BBSRC Enterprise Fellowships. The aim of this scheme is to increase exploitation of ideas with commercial potential from BBSRC supported research. The Enterprise Fellowships are designed to enable an individual to advance the commercialisation of existing research results or technological developments and are tenable for a period of one year within a UK HE or similar academic institution. The Fellowships enable the holder to concentrate on developing the commercial potential of their research, whilst also receiving formal training in relevant business skills.

Maximum award: Not specified. Closing date: 19/11/16.

Wellcome Trust

The Wellcome Trust and the National Institutes of Health invite applications for their Four-year PhD Studentships. This scheme offers postgraduate students collaborative PhD training at academic laboratories in the UK or Republic of Ireland and at the National Institutes of Health in the USA. Students usually spend half their time at an academic organisation in the UK/Republic of Ireland and the other half of their time at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus at Bethesda (Maryland, USA). Applicants should have a first class degree or 2:1 (or the European Economic Area equivalent), or be in their final year and predicted to get a first class degree or 2:1. Applicants must also be UK or EEA nationals.

Maximum award: Not specified. Closing date: 07/11/16.

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact RKEO with adequate notice before the deadline. Please note that some funding bodies specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKEO Funding Development Officer.

You can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in RKEO or view the recent blog post here. If you are thinking of applying, why not add an expression of interest on Research Professional so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

EPSRC – Tackling global development challenges through engineering and digital technology research

Funding opportunities

EPSRC logoEPSRC have issued the following call:

Issue date: 23 August 2016
Opening date: 23 August 2016
Closing date: 15 November 2016 at 16:00
Status: Open
Tag: Invitation for proposals
Related themes: Digital economy Energy ICT

This call is supported through EPSRC‘s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) allocation. The aim of this activity is to support an internationally leading programme of research, centred around engineering and digital technologies, to tackle the challenges faced by the developing world. Exemplar areas are given under each heading below, but these should not be seen as exclusive. Proposals may also span both headings.

1) Tackling global development challenges through engineering research

  • Sustainable infrastructure development
  • Engineering for disaster resilience
  • Engineering for humanitarian aid

2) Tackling global development challenges through digital technology research

  • Access to digital services
  • Use of data for vital services
  • Secure and trusted digital infrastructures

The proposed research must be predominantly in EPSRC remit, although interdisciplinary and/or multidisciplinary proposals are welcomed. Proposals must also be compliant with Official Development Assistance (ODA) guidelines.

Please note that applicants may only be named as Investigator (either Principal or Co-Investigator) on one proposal to this call.

Overseas Co-Investigators from research organisations in low-/middle-income countries – countries on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – may be included on proposals through this call.

The call closes at 16:00 on Tuesday 15 November 2016. Up to £25 million is available from EPSRC for this call. We aim to support in the region of twenty research projects through this activity.

Resources – Full call document

If you are interested in applying to this call then please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer in the first instance.