Author Archives: BENNETT Margaret

About BENNETT Margaret

External Projects Officer in External Projects Team since January 2012.

The Royal Society International Exchanges Scheme

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The Royal Society invites applications for its international exchanges scheme to stimulate new collaborations within the natural sciences between scientists in the UK and overseas. It will support a one-off visit or bilateral travel but is not intended to support any existing or recent research collaborations.

The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering but not clinical medicine.

Both the UK and partner country project leader must have completed a PhD or have experience at an equivalent level, as well as holding a permanent or fixed term contract for the duration of the award at an eligible university or research institute in their country.

Collaborations should be based on a single project and travel can only take place between the UK and the country where the collaborator is based.

The following types of grants are available:

  • up to £3,000 for one-off travel lasting up to three months
  • up to £6,000 for multiple visits to be completed within one year, including a maximum of £1,000 for consumables
  • up to £12,000 for multiple visits to be completed within two years, including a maximum up £2,000 for research expenses

As part of the International Exchanges, the Society now offers additional funding through its Kan Tong Po Fellowships which has been made possible through the generosity of the family of the late Mr Kan Tong Po. The purpose of this scheme is to award Visiting Fellowships to UK or US based scientists to collaborate at the highest level with a Hong Kong based academic, or for Hong Kong based scientists to collaborate with an academic based in either the UK or US.

In addition to the exchange grants, candidates may apply for the Colin Pillinger international exchanges award, which is worth £1,000. This enables the scientists to communicate their research to the general public.

Deadlines on: 17 February 2015, 17 June 2015, 14 October 2015.

For further information go to:

https://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/international-exchanges/

Horizon 2020 Energy call: Buildings design for new highly energy performing buildings

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Energy efficiency technology demonstration in buildings and industry

By the end of 2020 (2018 for buildings occupied and owned by public authorities), all new buildings should comply with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive obligations and thus meet ‘nearly zero-energy’ performance levels using innovative, cost-optimal technologies with integration of renewable energy sources on site or nearby. The drive for nearly zero-energy buildings takes place in the context of the drive for new-buildings towards zero life-cycle material impacts.

Projects should focus on development and demonstration of solutions which significantly reduce the cost of new buildings with at least ‘nearly zero-energy’ performance levels, whilst accelerating significantly the speed with which these buildings and their systems are taken up by the market. The focus should lie on solutions for appropriate indoor air quality and comfort, design adapted to local climate and site, passive solutions (reducing the need for technical building systems which consume energy) or active solutions (covering a high share of the energy demand with renewable energies), building energy management systems (where appropriate), highly efficient Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC, e.g. low temperature systems, solar cooling), electric and/or thermal energy storage of renewable energy onsite and nearby. Projects should also provide solutions for automated and cost-effective maintenance of the installed equipment, and assess differences between predicted and actual energy performance. Such differences should be documented and minimized.

Projects should also focus on design methods for on-site and nearby-generation of renewable energy for new buildings (electricity as well as heating and cooling generation, e.g. heat pumps, integrated photovoltaics, or other options) accompanying energy efficiency measures to achieve standards higher than those of ‘nearly zero-energy’ buildings.

Budget: 20m Euros, 3-5m Euros per project

Deadline: 4th February 2014

For further information go to: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/2366-ee-02-2015.html

 

HEE/NIHR Invitation to Tender for Masters in Clinical Research Studentships

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National Institute for Health Research

Health Education England (HEE) and The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) are pleased to announce HEE’s intention to fund 100 masters studentships per year for the academic years 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18.

English HEIs able to offer a masters in clinical research that requires its students to manage and deliver research in a clinical setting are invited to tender for up to 10 studentships per year for each of these academic years.

The masters studentships are an integral component of the clinical academic career pathway provided by the new HEE/ NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic (ICA) Programme. Only registered non-medical/dental healthcare professionals who deliver NHS services will be eligible to receive the studentships; and supported masters courses must be promoted to, accessible to, and relevant to all of the ICA Programme eligible healthcare professions.

The new HEE / NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic Programme is replacing the previous Clinical Academic Training (CAT) and Healthcare Science Research Fellowships programmes and is open to all non-medical/dental healthcare professionals requiring statutory registration.

Tenders must be submitted by 1pm on Thursday 29th January 2015 and will be assessed in the spring by an expert review panel drawn from the pool of HEE/ NIHR ICA Programme Review Panel Members.

Funding is available to support 3 annual and consecutive cohorts of students, the first cohort being required to take up their studentships in autumn 2015.

For further information go to: http://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/nihr-hee-cat-programme-mres.htm

Invitation to Tender document.

 

 

Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chairs and Senior Research Fellowships

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Over the past twenty years, the Academy’s Research Chairs (RC) / Senior Fellowships (SRF) scheme has successfully supported numerous academic appointments and enhanced internationally renowned centres of excellence. This scheme aims to strengthen the links between industry and academia by sponsoring leading academics to undertake research of industrial relevance and commercialise its outcomes and deliverables. Awardees are expected to establish or enhance a world leading engineering research group deliver ‘user-inspired’ research that meets the needs of their industrial partners publish the results of their research in high quality peer review journals become sustainable by the end of the award by securing substantial external grant income (RCUK, EU, industry, charities, etc). Applications are now open for UK universities to submit for collaborative research projects in any engineering discipline.

The scheme is currently accepting applications. The submission deadline is 4pm on Monday 2 February 2015.

Please note that there will be two application rounds each year.

See more at: http://www.raeng.org.uk/grants-and-prizes/support-for-research/research-chairs-and-senior-research-fellowships/research-chairs#sthash.XCW4eGUI.dpuf

Research Outcomes Harmonisation Project

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RCUK logo

RCUK has requested that research council funded colleagues should be reminded about the Research Outcomes Harmonisation Project and their obligation to submit data on the outcomes of their research.

RCUK have a responsibility to demonstrate the value and impact of research supported through public funding. The seven research councils collect information that researchers provide on outputs, outcomes and impact to report to and engage with both the Government and the public. Responding to a drive from BIS, the RCUK Research Outcomes Harmonisation Project is an initiative designed to increase the uniformity of data collection and to improve analysis, reporting and communications.

From September 2014, all RCUK funded research outcomes must be recorded on Researchfish.

Using software originally developed for the MRC, Researchfish is currently used by 90+ funders to gather information from researchers about the outcomes of their work.

It is an online facility that enables research funders and research organisations to track the impacts of their investments and researchers to log the outputs, outcomes and impacts of their work.

In September, PIs holding awards from the Councils which used the previous system (AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC and NERC) were sent an email with a link to register with Researchfish.  New grant holders for MRC and STFC were also sent registration emails.  If PIs have lost this email they can request that it be resent by emailing support@researchfish.com.

RCUK are now requesting that outstanding data be submitted as a matter of urgency.

Data should be uploaded to Researchfish by 4pm on 13th November 2014 at which point the system will not accept any more submissions.

For further information about the Research Outcomes Harmonisation Project go to: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/research/researchoutcomes/project/

Contact researchoutcomes@rcuk.ac.uk if you have any questions about the research outcomes collection process.

To register on Researchfish go to https://www.researchfish.com/

External Projects Team can be contacted on externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

Building and Social Housing World Habitat Awards

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BSHF Logo    WHA Home

The Building and Social Housing Foundation invites preliminary submissions for the World Habitat Awards. The awards were established in 1985 as part of its contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. Two awards are given annually to projects that provide practical and innovative solutions to current housing needs and problems. Suggested areas for submission include:

  • provision of low-cost, affordable housing for low-income households
  • environmentally sustainable housing
  • restoration of existing housing
  • provision of housing designed to withstand natural disasters
  • housing provision for those with special needs
  • technical innovation
  • housing developed and managed on a cooperative or other socially sustainable basis
  • projects and processes that ensure the right to land and housing

Any individual, organisation or government with an innovative and practical solution to housing needs and problems may apply. Applications should relate to housing projects and processes that are either completed or in progress. Submissions may be made in English, Spanish or French.

Awards of £10,000 will be made to each of the two winning projects at the World Urban Forum (even years) and UN-Habitat Governing Council (odd years).

Closing date 30 Apr 15

For further information go to: http://www.worldhabitatawards.org/enter/?lang=00

 

Call for proposals: Does human spaceflight affect the perception and uptake of STEM subjects?

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UK Space Agency logo  esrc logo

The UK Space Agency, in partnership with the Economic and Social Research Council, invites proposals for the call: Does human spaceflight affect the perceptions and uptake of STEM subjects?

It aims to fund social research into the effects of human spaceflight programmes and the correlation between astronaut programmes and the interest in and uptake of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) among children.

Proposals for studies must address the following areas:

  • levels of engagement with STEM subjects in school, especially at key stages two and three
  • social mobility, namely the increased engagement in STEM from disadvantaged students and schools in underprivileged areas
  • knowledge of societal usefulness of space

It is anticipated that funding in the region of £300,000 to £350,000 will be available, over three years. This may cover research time, research assistants and other resources relevant and necessary to the proposed research.

This call is open to researchers at research organisations eligible for ESRC funding.

Closing date: 13 October 2014

For further information go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/353124/Human_Spaceflight_and_STEM_-_Call_for_proposals_II.pdf

 

Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Awards

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Sir Isaac Wolfson FRS (1897-1991) Sir Isaac Wolfson FRS (1897-1991) was a businessman who distributed most of his fortune to good causes.

The Royal Society, in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, invites nominations for the Wolfson Research Merit Awards. These enable universities to attract or retain researchers of outstanding achievement and potential. The award covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering but excluding medicine.

It provides a salary enhancement for up to five years, usually worth £10,000 to £30,000 per year, in addition to the basic salary.

Awards are made to the university and therefore researchers must remain at the university named on the application. Researchers may be of any nationality but must hold or have received a firm offer for a permanent post at a UK university.

Closing date: 4 November 2014

For further information go to the Wolfson Foundation.

https://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/wolfson-research-merit/

Newton Fund: building science and innovation capacity in developing countries

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The Newton Fund is part of the UK’s official development assistance. Its aim is to develop science and innovation partnerships that promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries.

The fund is £75 million each year from 2014 for 5 years. It will be administered by The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Activities under the fund will be managed by a core group of Delivery Partners, including: the Royal Society, Royal Society of Engineering, The Royal Society of Chemistry, British Academy and The Academy of Medical Sciences, The British Council (in collaboration with the UK Higher Education International Unit), Research Councils UK (RCUK), Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the Met Office.

The funding will be allocated in varying proportions across 15 partner countries, all of which are emerging economies. All programmes must be match funded so that partnerships are on an equal basis and must also assist with the economic development of the partner country.

Partner countries are:  Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.

The fund will cover 3 broad categories of activity:

  • people: improving science and innovation expertise (ie: ‘capacity building’), student and researcher fellowships, mobility schemes and joint centres
  • programmes: research collaborations on development topics
  • translation: innovation partnerships and challenge funds to develop innovative solutions on development topics

The Newton Fund should promote the long term economic development and welfare of people in partner countries and unlock new opportunities for HEIs to contribute and build partnerships. Challenges such as the alleviation of poverty, improvement of energy and water quality, as well as innumerable other social, environmental and cultural benefits which could ultimately lead to increasing the economic growth of partner countries as well as the UK should be addressed.

Calls are likely to be opened at different times according to the country and the programme area. For all current research calls go to:

Multi-country calls  No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for Brazil The joint Research Councils UK-CONFAP research partnerships call opened on 4 August. The application form and guidance for applicants will be available from 18 August 2014. The deadline for applications is 17 October at 16:00 UK time.

Calls for Chile Newton-Picarte fund No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for UK-China Research and Innovation Partnership Fund Ten calls now open with the Met Office as the delivery partner. Deadlines: 1 September 2014 & 27 February 2015.

Calls for Colombia Newton-Caldas Fund No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for Egypt No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for India Two calls for India’s Newton-Bhabha fund are now open, with more expected shortly.

  • DBT-MRC Joint Centre Partnerships (Deadline: 29 September at 16:00)
  • Joint Global Research Programme: Women’s and children’s health (Deadline: 21 October at 16:00)

Calls for Indonesia No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for Kazakhstan Newton-Al Farabi Partnership Programme No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for Malaysia No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for Mexico No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for Philippines No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for South Africa No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for Thailand No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for Turkey No calls are open at the moment.

Calls for Vietnam No calls are open at the moment.

Newton Fund programme descriptions

For regular updates on the fund visit the HE International Unit website

Full details can be found on the UK government website

For further information, contact the External Projects Team.