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The Royal Academy of Engineering invites applications for its research chairs and senior research fellowships scheme. This aims to strengthen the links between industry and academia by supporting academics in conducting use-inspired research that meets the needs of industrial partners. Research may be conducted in any area of engineering. 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;

•publish the results of their research in high quality peer review journals;

•become a self-sustaining research group by the end of the award by securing substantial external grant income.

Applicants for research chairs should already be professors or equivalent, whereas applicants for the fellowships should already be a reader or senior lecturer level or equivalent. The host institution must be a UK university and applicants should be able to demonstrate an outstanding research profile, including a proven track record in securing external grant income and developing collaborations. Each programme must include an industrial sponsor that must have a significant base in the UK. Industrial sponsors are required to contribute at least £250,000 towards the project for a period of five years. The university is expected to have already identified an appropriate collaborative research project and secured the support of an industrial partner prior to applying.

Grants are worth up to £45,000 per year over a period of five years and cover gross salary, indirect costs and estates costs.

The aim of this Call is to fund one or two grants of up to £1 million and three years' duration (depending on size) in each of two areas of signal processing of defence relevance:

• "Imaging and detection through complex media"
• "Electromagnetic environment"

EPSRC's normal eligibility rules apply.

Applications will undergo peer review and will be ranked at the same ICT Theme Panel, but on separate lists (one for each Application Theme) from Standard proposals.

The Call is jointly funded by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) will be involved in nominating reviewers and panel members to assist in peer review assessment. Dstl will also monitor the progress of the successful applications.

NB Call opens 6th August 2018

The Innovations Partnership Scheme (IPS) is designed to transfer technology and expertise developed through STFC funding to the marketplace in partnership with industry and other academic disciplines. STFC technology or expertise must be integral to the project. The technology or expertise can be developed with STFC funding at UK higher education institutes, STFC laboratories, CERN, ESRF and ESO (European Southern Observatory).

IPS projects can vary in length up to three years, with funding for a maximum project value of £150k per annum, over a period not exceeding three years.

IPS closing dates are every four months.

Applicants are strongly advised to read the Guidance Notes and are encouraged to contact the office to discuss proposals.

Follow-on Funding is intended to provide financial support at the very early or pre-seed stage of turning research outputs into a commercial proposition. Industry partners are not allowed. If you have an industry partner, please use the IPS scheme.

STFC staff are not eligible and should apply for their internal .

Follow-On Funding will support a range of relevant activities to enable the development and examination of a concept to establish its commercial feasibility and scientific and technical merit. Partners are not allowed on the Follow-on Fund.

The funding can be used for:

• Undertaking further scientific and technical development of an idea.
• Improving an intellectual property (IP) position.
• Gaining further information about the market for the new products or process.
• Identifying potential licensees or opportunities for joint ventures.

These activities will be prior to:

• A full laboratory demonstration of the idea.
• Pre-production and prototype.
• The availability of commercial funds for development.

Follow-On Funding will specifically not support:

• ‘Blue sky’ research.
• Applied research for companies.
• Associated intellectual property costs e.g. patent costs.
• The purchase of larger equipment and capital.