Celebrating the success of EPSRC-funded fundamental science

Creating sustainable winter wonderlands

Artificial falling snow made in Bristol will soon be playing a starring role in Hollywood blockbusters and cult TV series thanks to the scientific expertise of the Colloid and Interface Science group at the University of Bristol. Fundamental research in chemistry that looks at how thin liquid films are stabilised by different molecules led to the formulation of two new snow effect solutions used to make artificial falling ‘snow’. Using funding provided by EPSRC’s Impact Acceleration Account, Dr Wuge Brisco and Lizzie Mould teamed up with Stroud-based company, Snow Business, to find safe and environmentally friendly liquid that could form foam to create the effect of snowflakes. The new solutions are improving sustainability and reducing costs for small businesses.

New technique for identifying counterfeit whisky

As the demand for rare whiskies grows, so do the proliferation of counterfeits. EPSRC-funded researchers at St Andrew’s University have developed an innovative new technique to accurately measure the authenticity of some of the world’s most exclusive whiskies. Over a decade ago, a group of physicists, led by Professor Kishan Dholakia, demonstrated that laser spectroscopy could be used to identify counterfeit whiskey using a method which required testing a small amount of liquid, to eliminate the signal caused by the glass bottle. However, a new method has recently been published, which provides non-destructive and non-contact detection, crucially without requiring the bottle to be opened. Currently being presented to industry, it is hoped that this adaptation of technology could provide a practical solution for widespread use.

The future of gift shopping

Back in 2011, spin-out company Choc Edge Ltd was formed to commercialise a newly-developed 3D chocolate printer. Using digital technology, the printer allows the creation of individual designs on a computer and reproduction of them physically in three dimensional form in chocolate. It enables a variety of bespoke chocolate shapes to be created; including cake decorations, corporate gifts and seasonal customised art. Originally funded by the Digital Economy Cross-Research Council Programme; part of Research Council UK but managed by EPSRC, the research was led by the University of Exeter in collaboration with the University of Brunel and software developer Delcam. Dr Liang Hao and her colleagues had to overcome many challenges including the need for accurate heating and cooling cycles for handling chocolate as a material. The spinout has been successful in continuing to innovate through further funding from Innovate UK and recently launched an upgraded version of its 3D chocolate printer. Combining developments in engineering with commercial opportunities of the digital economy, the research opened up new markets, creating jobs and in this case ‘sweet’ business opportunities

Funding boost for mathematical sciences institutes

Three of the UK’s leading research institutes will be given support to widen access to mathematical sciences and support training, as part of the £300 million government investment in the Additional Funding Programme for Mathematical Sciences announced in 2020. This latest investment will allow the Isaac Newton Institute (INI), the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences (ICMS) and the Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research (HIMR) to launch and expand a wide range of activities supporting education and training, aimed at increasing participation across the UK and promoting engagement with mathematical sciences communities around the world. For further details on what each institute is hoping to do with these funds, please follow the link below.

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New approaches to data science

A team of EPSRC-funded mathematicians, statisticians and computer scientists are driving the development and application of topological data analysis to improve existing data science techniques and solve real-world problems.
Data is everywhere now; huge volumes of high-quality data are being generated every day, and the pace is accelerating. However, because data is often complex, high-dimensional and may include temporal and spatial information, extracting and interpreting it using standard machine learning or statistical techniques is not always easy or even possible.
This multidisciplinary team, funded by the EPSRC aims to improve the understanding, interpretation and application of data. The project is developing new mathematics and algorithms in order to explore the shape of data – the manner in which data falls into groups – and build on existing data science techniques.

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Coming Soon - changes to equipment funding

Equipment on EPSRC grants will soon be funded at 80% by EPSRC instead of the current 50%. These changes will apply to Standard Mode, Programme Grants, Fellowships and New Investigator Awards, as well as Managed Calls. EPSRC acknowledges that short-term funding is currently an issue for most, if not all, institutions, which is having a big effect on capital. This change aims to reduce financial burdens on the host institution, while retaining a degree of commitment and due diligence. The new approach will be reviewed after 12 months. Please keep an eye on the EPSRC webpages for further announcements on this regarding the start date and details on how managed calls will be affected.

EPSRC Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - Race and Ethnicity Update

In December 2020, UKRI published applications and awards data by disaggregated ethnic minority groupings for Principal Investigators, Co-Investigators, Fellows, and studentships. This data can be found here:

Diversity data

Across UKRI a number of activities are being developed to address underrepresentation and systemic disparities which are informed by past work and evidence. EPSRC will soon be launching a community engagement exercise to better understand the factors that influence the inclusion of Black, Asian and ethnic minority researchers and doctoral students in the EPSRC portfolio. We are aiming to build knowledge and gather insights on the challenges colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds encounter as they progress their research careers. Further details will be available on the EPSRC website soon.

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Update from Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser

UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, provided an update on the research and innovation community’s extraordinary response to the pandemic in a recent blog post. In this article, she discusses the ongoing work to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, the recent spending review announcement, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in 2021/22, including international collaborations and COP26.

Ottoline's Full Blog

EPSRC Executive Chair named as QEPrize judging panel chair

EPSRC Executive Chair Professor Dame Lynn Gladden has been appointed as the new chair of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering judging panel. The QEPrize is the world’s most prestigious engineering prize, celebrating the engineers responsible for ground-breaking innovations in engineering that have been of global benefit to humanity. The prize aims to raise the public profile of engineering and inspire young people to take up the engineering challenges of the future. "I am honoured to be asked to Chair the QEPrize judging panel of internationally distinguished engineers. It is tremendously stimulating to work with some of the leading engineers of our generation to select winning innovations from among so many excellent nominations. The QEPrize is the world’s highest accolade for engineers, recognising the profound effect the profession has across the globe and serving to inspire a new generation of engineers. I look forward very much to our work on the judging panel to find the next winning nomination." In addition to her role as EPSRC Executive Chair, Professor Gladden is Shell Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge. She is a Fellow of both the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society and a foreign member of the US National Academy of Engineering.

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New council members

EPSRC are pleased to be able to confirm two new Council appointees:

Professor Martin Schröder FRSE -Vice President & Dean, Faculty of Science and Engineering and Professor of Chemistry, University of Manchester. Professor Schröder’s research lies in the area of materials chemistry, specifically the design, synthesis and study of porous metal organic framework materials for energy and environmental applications.

Dr Siân John MBE - EMEA Director Cybersecurity Strategy, Microsoft Dr John is an experienced cyber security professional with over 25 years’ experience in consultancy, technical sales and advisory. Her skills range from security strategy and architecture to risk management, policy and technical security

These appointments were effective from 1 January 2021.

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EPSRC mathematical sciences small grants scheme

Small grants are a mechanism for supporting mathematical sciences research which does not require funding at the level generally seen within standard research grants. Applications to this scheme must focus on original research projects or feasibility studies for research projects. EPSRC is looking to support grants in the region of £10 -80,000 at 80% full economic cost, and of up to 12 months in duration. Full proposals can be submitted at any time and will be considered by EPSRC on a rolling basis. This scheme will follow a non-standard format for submission and assessment. Applicants as principal investigators or co-investigators can only hold one small grant at any one time. Closing date: None (ongoing)

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Daphne Jackson Fellowship

Co-funded by The Daphne Jackson Trust, these fellowships are aimed at helping those looking to return to a research career after a break of two or more years, for family, health or caring reasons. They provide an opportunity to balance a personalised retraining programme with a challenging research project and are designed to be flexible and part-time. Closing date: None (ongoing)

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Open Fellowships

Apply for a fellowship focusing on any topic in the EPSRC portfolio. To be eligible, you must have a PhD, at least four years' experience in a relevant field and be hosted by an eligible UK organisation. Fellowships can be up to five years long and can use one or a combination of discovery science, innovation, instrumentation and technique development, and software engineering. There is no limit on how much funding can be requested. For full details and criteria, please follow the link below. Closing date: None (ongoing)

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New Investigator Awards

The new investigator award is open to those who hold an academic lectureship position at eligible UK organisations, and have not previously led an academic research group or been the recipient of a significant grant. Projects should be self-contained, with a single research vision and clearly defined objectives, typically lasting one to three years. Closing date: None (ongoing)

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Future Leaders Fellowships: Round 6

The Future Leaders Fellowships is a £900 million fund for early career researchers and innovators. It supports research and innovation by outstanding individuals and helps them to establish themselves in universities, UK-registered businesses and other research and innovation environments.
Closing Date: 23 Feb 2020

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Working with Overseas Scientists

An opportunity to apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in Ireland, Luxembourg, Brazil and the United States. Eligible fields of work are governed by agreements between UKRI and sister agencies so please check the web page for full details. Potential applicants will first need to submit an expression of interest via the relevant online form. Closing date: None (ongoing)

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All Calls