Global Challenge Exploration Awards

A key enabling activity in developing the Global Challenge Programme, especially in the creation of Networks, has been exploration of challenge-led priorities and identification of where STFC-funded capabilities could be applied to help provide solutions to these. In recognition of this, a pilot call of Global Challenge Exploration Awards has been developed to provide funding for Research Organisations to support researchers to:

• Engage with potential users at the STFC-Global Challenge interface to identify their research priorities and matching STFC capabilities
• Identify existing and potential applications of STFC-funded research to the Global Challenges

These activities will contribute to the community’s and STFC’s knowledge of the Global Challenge landscape, inform strategy and provide evidence of impact.

The main aim of the Global Challenge Exploration Awards scheme is to provide a mechanism for Research Organisations to undertake early stage enabling activities aimed at identifying and exploring the potential of STFC-funded research to contribute to solutions to Global Challenges. Proposals may cover any topic of relevance to the Global Challenges but those relating to Food Security will be especially welcome. The scheme will provide funds of up to £10k to be used for one of two activities:

• Interdisciplinary workshops or other appropriate activities to help STFC-funded researchers to engage with potential users (academic or non-academic) of research in the Global Challenge Theme areas, in order to identify user priorities and matching STFC-funded capabilities
• Identification and review of past, current and potential future applications of STFC-funded capability to Global Challenge Solutions within a department or Research Organisation in order to identify potential new projects and demonstrate impact

Proposals should cover only one of these activities. STFC expects to make awards up to a total budget of £75k. Projects must be complete and invoices received by STFC by the end of March 2015. Final reports must be submitted to STFC by the end of April 2015.

The primary tangible output from these activities should be a report which includes, as appropriate:

• description of users’ priorities and matching STFC-funded capability
• potential mechanisms for developing new projects at the STFC-Global Challenge interface
• concise narrative of existing and potential future applications of STFC-funded research to the Global Challenges
• case studies
• a catalogue of existing and potential future applications which clearly links applications to the STFC-research from which they originate (see annex for template)

The reports will be used by STFC to identify potential case studies, inform the strategic direction of the Global Challenge Programme and contribute to our knowledge of applications at the STFC-Global Challenge interface.

Please refer to the Guidance Notes for further information and how to apply http://www.stfc.ac.uk/3384.aspx

Innovations Club Team