NERC Cross-disciplinary research for Discovery Science 2022-2023

This opportunity is open to any Schools to support academics and researchers to build expertise and agility to work across disciplinary boundaries within Discovery Science.

This fund is now closed

Through this initiative, NERC seeks to facilitate exciting new collaborations for our community that will build momentum towards true discipline integration and enable adventurous and ambitious curiosity-driven, high-risk and high-reward projects that push the boundaries of Discovery Science. The initiative will support activities to help academics develop an understanding of different cross-disciplinary research perspectives and methodologies that could be used to enable discoveries that unlock new knowledge within the environmental sciences. 

Examples of the types of ‘discipline-hopping’ activities that could be undertaken include (but are not limited to):

  • Embedding researchers, for a period of time, in departments outside of their own discipline area (within the same organisation, or in other eligible UK research organisations).
    • Sharing insights on priorities and looking for synergies/ new ideas that cut across departmental boundaries.
    • Work shadowing in other departments, for example to learn new skills and techniques
    • Organising meetings/ seminars/ workshops between departments and disciplines to share learning, understanding of key terms, concepts, language and tools to tackle problems.
    • Working with end users (e.g. businesses, policymakers, non-governmental organisations) to understand how their needs could be addressed through interdisciplinary approaches.

The fund has a fixed end date of 31 March 2023. All expenditure must occur by this date. 

Costs

100% FEC. Eligible costs include:

  • Directly Incurred staff costs, plus associated indirect and estates costs
  • Directly Incurred T&S
  • Directly Incurred Other costs (to cover other expenses, workshops, consumables etc.)
  • Directly Allocated staff costs, (Please indicate % PI Time), plus associated indirect and estates costs (FAS will finalise and confirm if funded)
  • Other Directly Allocated costs (FAS will finalise and confirm if funded)

 

The grant funds may not be used for capital expenditure, i.e. no single items of equipment above the £10k threshold are permitted.

The indicative maximum award will be £30,000 per project. Funding can include PDRA/support staff salaries, consumables, and equipment (up to 10k for a single piece). The final award value may be adjusted by the funding panel. 

Projects are expected to start on, or after, 05/01/2023 and spend must finish by 31/03/2023.

The application form has been split into 2 sections:
–              Section 1 is to be entered using the online application form.

–              Section 2 is to be uploaded as a Word file via the online application form

Please read the guidance before starting your application.  The MS Word version of the application is here, please complete via the Qualtrics link https://standrews.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6ManVNMyYbpgvt4. If this causes you difficulties, please contact [email protected].

The review panel will meet to discuss and review submissions in mid-December 2022.  Submissions will be assessed on following criteria:

  • Environmental science contribution: build momentum towards true discipline integration and enable adventurous and ambitious curiosity-driven projects that push the boundaries of Discovery Science
  • Interdisciplinary working: the degree to which the funding will be used to facilitate and enhance interdisciplinary working in areas of relevance to the environmental solutions agenda.
  • Potential for sustainability: do the funds requested have good prospects for sustainability, for example through external funding generation?

Applications must (1) have the support of the lead School/Department’s DoR or DoII and (2) must include confirmation of this in the form of a specific (rather than general) letter of support. The online form includes a question where letters of support can be uploaded.

If you have any queries, please contact the Impact team at [email protected].