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FOSTERING INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS
“At the same time, research funding bodies have realigned their funding mechanisms and are increasingly supporting multidisciplinary teams to enable and accelerate solutions.”
In June 2023 the UKRI launched Round 1 of a cross-research council pilot funding scheme which will make 36 awards of up to £1.2million for breakthrough interdisciplinary ideas that ‘transcend, combine or significantly span disciplines.’ Awards are intended to be ‘potentially transformative for the participating disciplines or lead to the creation of new disciplines.’ Round 2 opens in June 2024.
Interdisciplinary Research Programme
The University’s Interdisciplinary Research Programme, led by Rebecca and John, is designed to encourage and support collaboration between Southampton’s researchers and generate creative solutions to global challenges.
Twice-yearly ‘sandpit’ events – themed interactive workshops – encourage new research teams to form and bring forward pilot projects to tackle big research questions. Following the event, the newly formed teams can apply for small amounts of funding to develop their idea.
The next sandpit, with an Environmental and Social Justice theme, is scheduled for April 2024.
The Interdisciplinary research pump-priming fund offers grants of up to £10k to stimulate research from new interdisciplinary teams. The fund is offered for projects that are not supported through pumppriming from one of the University’s Interdisciplinary Research Institutes.
“Grants can help with activities like networking meetings, generation of preliminary data for future research, or capacity-building,” said John. “The fund is there to help lay the groundwork for future interdisciplinary work.”
Three funding rounds have so far supported 18 projects.
“Both the sandpits and the fund are intended to foster new connections and emerging ideas and support new teams to develop their ideas in readiness for larger interdisciplinary funding applications,” said Rebecca.
Regular surgeries allow researchers to discuss ideas with Rebecca and John. They also work with Faculties and Institutes to organise networking events and bespoke support for strategic interdisciplinary initiatives.
Rebecca and John can be contacted on avpir@soton.ac.uk
