Research and Innovation Services (RIS) at the University of Bath works with researchers to develop proposals, run projects and disseminate their findings.
As outlined in the new University strategy, the generation of increased research income enables us to innovate, explore new ideas and invest in new research infrastructure.
RIS supports larger research initiatives, which are encouraged so we can use our interdisciplinary research base to tackle the most profound and challenging problems. Support services include Research Development, Knowledge Exchange, Pre-Award, and Research Impact.
Speaking at a recent Town Hall event, Professor Ian White, Vice-Chancellor and President, said:
I’ve been delighted to note the growing number of larger research, innovation and teaching grants that have been awarded to the University since the last Town Hall. This has been the result of real commitment of individuals, groups, centres, institutes and networks and is obviously so important for our future success and sustainability. It’s very much in line of course with the new University strategy which has been published on the web. May I congratulate all involved in the important activities and successes that we’ve seen.
The following are examples of large grants which were developed with the support of RIS through a range of activities including identifying funding, running workshops, reviewing bids, mock panels, interview coaching, coordinating finances and facilitating partnerships:
£9 million Programme Grant to reinvent chemical separation methods and cut global energy consumption
The SynHiSel programme, led by Professor Davide Mattia, Associate Dean (Research) for Engineering and Design at the University of Bath, has received a total of £9m in funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, and from industrial and University partners. The team, from multiple UK universities, will investigate how to improve membrane efficiency that could save 100m tonnes in CO2 emissions and £3.5 billion in energy costs worldwide. RIS contributed to the PI’s response to peer reviews, coordinated the bid from Bath, and contributed to the mock interview. More on this large grant.
UKRI Future Leader Fellowships
Two researchers at the University of Bath are named among the UK’s most promising science and research leaders, securing Future Leader Fellowships (FLFs) from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). RIS supported the development of the FLFs, from managing internal demand management processes, to Pre-Award and Research Development support for preparing the funding proposal, content review and copy editing, 1-1 coaching in preparation for interviews and mock interview panels. More on the Future Leader Fellowships.
£5 million research centre to increase uptake in digital manufacturing
A new £5 million People-Led Digitalisation Research Centre, led by Professor Linda Newnes from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, aims to increase uptake and maximise the benefits of digital technology by understanding how people interact with them. The Centre is funded by the Made Smarter Innovation programme delivered by UKRI.
RIS supported bid development by coordinating across faculties and the School, working in close collaboration with Industrial and Centre Managers, providing strategic information on the external landscape and funding, internally coordinating, facilitating the arrangement of University support to large bids, and mock interviews. More on this large grant.
£3.8 million UKRI-Versus Arthritis pain consortium
The Bath Centre for Pain Research was successful in leading a four-year £3.8M bid to set up a new multidisciplinary pain consortium focusing on psychosocial mechanisms of pain. The bid was led by Professor Ed Keogh with colleagues from seven UK Universities. Their consortium was one of four consortia funded under the £16M Advanced Pain Discovery Platform (APDP), which is a collaboration between UKRI (MRC, ESRC, BBSRC) and the charity Versus Arthritis. More on this large grant.
Professor Gregory Maio, Head of Psychology, said:
This is great news for the department – major consortium leadership at the highest level. Particular thanks go to Emma Dowden and Laura Wisby in Research and Innovation Services. They underpinned the application and supported it numerous ways, including targeted guidance (e.g., UKRI processes), coordinating finances across the eight institutions, reading drafts and setting up mock interview panels – no mean feat given the size of this consortium.
£2.8 million UKRI large grant on transitions for care-experienced young people
Dr Rachel Hiller from the Department of Psychology was awarded a £2.8 million UKRI large programme grant, “The shaping of mental health and the mechanisms leading to (un)successful transitions for care-experienced young people,” via their Adolescence, Mental Health, and the Developing Mind programme. Rachel is co-leading this programme with Dr Lisa Holmes from the Rees Centre at Oxford, with collaborators from Universities of Cardiff and Bristol, and Adoption UK and Coram Voices. Both the Research Development and Pre-Award teams in RIS were thanked by Professor Gregory Maio, Head of Psychology, for their support at various stages, including proposal review and advice, mock interviews, interview coaching and preparing the funding proposals. More on this large grant.
Bath Beacons
The University’s Bath Beacons initiative is underway, supporting a culture of grant capture for large-scale funding to tackle major research challenges, aligned to the University’s priority research themes of Digital; Sustainability; and Health and Wellbeing.
RIS is providing dedicated support to each of the Bath Beacons, for example: developing publicity and communications materials, web site development, organising workshops and meetings, facilitation of workshops, funding intelligence, grant development, pre-award support, project management, support for developing collaborations and cohort building. More on the Bath Beacons.