Grant Balances 2010 - University of Strathclyde

The EPSRC has recently announced changes to their Peer Review and Fellowship application processes to align with the Shaping Capability strand of the EPSRC delivery plan.

These changes will necessitate a far greater understanding, and justification, of how potential research and fellowship applications fit strategically with the research portfolio which the EPSRC is looking to create in the future.

In that regard, EPSRC have identified research areas where future investment will grow, remain the same, or reduce. Likewise, Fellowship applications will not be open in all areas at all times, but will be focussed on areas where growth is required and where developing leaders can integrate their work into the wider EPSRC research landscape.

It is therefore the intention of this project to fund several pilot projects to strengthen and/or determine the feasibility of future EPSRC research or fellowship applications within this new context.

Projects funded through this call might include:

- Initial or additional exploratory experiments
- Development of new research tools or methods
- Establishment new interdisciplinary research collaborations
- Establishment or development of international research collaborations

Each pump priming project is being asked, as part of the University's evaluation process, to give details of their Pathways to Impact in a similar manner to that adopted by the EPSRC.

These Pathways to Impact statements will be evaluated alongside a case for support as part of the process that the University will undertake to select the four strongest candidates for the pump priming projects. The evaluation panel will consist of members who have a range of experience in achieving Impact as well as those experienced at facilitating Impact.