UKERC Whole Systems Networking Fund

Despite the increasing attention paid to interdisciplinarity and whole systems research within the RCUK energy research portfolio, the Scientific Advisory Committee has identified the need for further action to ensure that a whole systems approach is more clearly reflected in the portfolio as a whole. There is a need for those conducting detailed, specific research on a particular technology or within a particular discipline to take into account more fully how their research relates to the whole energy system. Equally, whole systems energy research could make better use of insights from more detailed research. Within this, there is a desire to provide greater opportunities for early career researchers to get involved, and to ensure that any activities to address this problem encourage diversity.

This proposal for a Whole Systems Networking Fund has been developed to meet this need following a request to UKERC from the Research Councils. It has benefitted from consultation with senior energy academics funded by the RCUK energy programme.

The Fund's activities will be delivered in three main phases over two years:
1. An engagement phase. This will involve promoting the objectives of the networking fund to the research community, consulting them about potential themes, and laying the foundations for calls for proposals. This phase will also involve some activities led by the UKERC HQ team including a review of best practice on integration of specific and energy systems research; mentoring and training on research communication; and activities to improve the articulation between communities working on decision making tools and those working in more specific and specialist energy fields.
2. A delivery phase that will involve a series of calls for small and large networking grant proposals. A steering group composed of leading researchers from across the energy research community will advise on the calls and on the selection of projects for funding. Clear criteria for funding will be developed and applied, with an emphasis on promoting inclusion, interdisciplinarity, innovation and impact. Once commissioned, these projects will be actively managed by UKERC's expended HQ team to ensure that they meet their objectives and maximise their impacts.
3. An analysis phase which will involve work to learn lessons from projects, to maximise the impact of the Fund as a whole, including through a final event for academic, policy, industry and other stakeholders.

To deliver the Fund, the UKERC HQ team will be expanded with an additional two people to engage and advise the energy research community, and to ensure effective administration, management and communication of project activities. The governance of the Fund will be via a new Fund Committee comprising leading energy academics. A number of candidates have already agreed to serve on this committee.

As set out in the Pathways to Impact statement, the Whole Systems Networking Fund's objectives are designed to maximise the impact of its activities.

Objective 1: To improve the connections and collaborations between the research communities engaged in whole systems energy research and those engaged in more specific research. This will be achieved by building on the UKERC HQ team's existing expertise and capacity, enhanced by the addition of two new team members. The academic community will benefit from their experience of facilitating engagement and dialogue with existing centres and networks, often in partnership with other organisations. Mechanisms to engage this community with the Fund include an extensive contacts database, UKERC's weekly network newsletter, social media and specific networking events to promote and discuss the Fund. These will be followed up by the capacity to actively work with funded networking projects to ensure they achieve their objectives, and dissemination of results.

Objective 2: To provide mechanisms for collaboration that encourage diversity, with a particular emphasis on providing opportunities for early career researchers. Meeting this objective will also build on UKERC's existing practice of promoting diversity, including a particular emphasis within Fund activities on supporting early career researchers.

Objective 3: To identify and learn lessons from best practice within the UK and internationally. By meeting this objective, the Fund will reach a wider group of energy researchers in the UK and internationally. This will be achieved through the publication and dissemination of outputs from Fund activities, and using UKERC's role in international networks such as the European Energy Research Alliance.

Objective 4: To work with policy, business and civil society to identify opportunities for wider engagement and impact. This objective is designed to ensure that the Fund has wider impacts outside the academic community. It will also build on UKERC's strong links with government, industry and third sector stakeholders which will complement existing links that many of those who are funded will have already. The mechanisms for achieving impacts on within these stakeholder communities include UKERC's well established communications channels, targeted events and support for briefings and other publications.