Deadline: September 3, 2019
Applications are open for the Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chairs and Senior Research Fellowships 2019/2020. This scheme aims to strengthen the links between industry and academia by supporting exceptional academics in UK universities to undertake use-inspired research that meets the needs of the industrial partners.
Over the last 20 years, the Academy’s Research Chairs and Senior Fellowships scheme has successfully supported numerous academic appointments and enhanced internationally renowned centres of excellence.
Awardees are expected to:
- Establish or enhance a world leading engineering research group
- Deliver ‘use-inspired’ research that meets the needs of their industrial partners
- Disseminate the outcomes of their research for appropriate academic impact
- Become a self-sustaining research group by the end of the award (by securing substantial external grant income: RCUK, EU, industry, charities, etc.)
Funding
- The Academy will fund up to one third (1/3rd) of 80% of the full economic costs (fEC). The allowed costs are: gross salary, indirect cost and estates. In this round, the Academy’s contribution will be capped at a maximum of £45k per annum which equates to a total of £225k over five years.
Eligibility
- Awards can only be held at UK universities
- All such awards made in this round must start on March 1, 2020
- Research Chairs are professorial appointments, so applicants should already be a professor or equivalent
Senior Research Fellowships are senior academic appointments, so applicants should already be a Reader or Lecturer level or equivalent - It is expected that applicants should be able to demonstrate an outstanding research profile including a proven track record in securing external grant income (RCUK, EU, industry, charities, etc) and developing collaborations
- Applications are welcome from any engineering discipline. Engineering is defined in its broadest sense, encompassing a wide range of diverse fields, including computer science and materials
- The duration of an award is five years, normally on a full-time basis. The industrial sponsor must commit to fund the entire five-year period. Applications for shorter time periods will not be accepted
- The industrial sponsor must have a significant base in the UK. Usually no more than a maximum of two industrial sponsors per application would be allowable
- In special circumstances the ‘industrial sponsor’ may be another funding body such as a charity or government department. In such cases, the funding body is subject to the same terms and conditions as an industrial sponsor, and must also demonstrate suitable pathways to impact in order to exploit research outcomes
- The industrial sponsor should contribute at least £250,000 towards this collaborative research project over the five-year period.
- The amount of funding the industrial sponsor is willing to contribute is an important assessment criterion, being an indicator of the level of commitment to the post and the level of ambition for the group to be created
- The university is expected to have already identified an appropriate collaborative research project and secured the support of an industrial partner prior to submitting an application
- This research programme will naturally align with the interests of the industrial sponsor and its ‘use-inspired research’ should be underpinned by world-class basic research. This collaborative research proposal must be of mutual benefit to both industry and academic partners. Please note that it is not a contract research or consultancy agreement
Application
For more information, visit RAENG Fellowships.
