Expressions of Interest Invited for STFC Challenge Led Applied Systems Programme

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) runs the Challenge Led Applied Systems Programme (CLASP) initiative to support the application and commercialisation of STFC research in four key global research challenge areas: Energy, Environment, Healthcare and Security.

CLASP is intended to support the de-risking of R&D processes for industry through the development of technology demonstrators and industry-ready prototype systems. The brief for the projects is left open to allow projects to request the timescale and resources they feel is necessary for the work.

The key challenge areas for this call are Security and Environment. Applications should address a specific challenge within one or both of these themes. The remit of these themes is broad and can include any relevant area such as, but not limited to, the following areas:

For Security:

Cyber security

Food security

Nuclear security

Border security

National/international security

Responding to security disasters

Monitoring chemical exposure

For Environment:

Natural environment

Air quality

Space environment

Urban environment

Waste management

Predicting and/or responding to environmental disasters

Pollution monitoring

Lead applicants must be employed within a research organisation group previously or currently funded by the STFC core science programme (nuclear physics, particle physics and particle astrophysics, astronomy and space science, and accelerators and computing in support of these) or employed within STFC Laboratories/Facilities and must show that the work proposed will develop technologies and expertise directly from this research.

CLASP is open to organisations that are eligible for STFC grants (ie higher education institutions, recognised academic analogues such as institutes funded by other research councils, and other organisations eligible to apply for STFC funding, including CERN, ESRF and ESO).

Application for funding is a two-stage process: outline applications (Expressions of Interest) followed by an invited full proposal. Applications must be submitted by the following deadlines:

Outline applications (Expressions of Interest): 8 January 2020

Full stage applications (invited applicants only): 20 May 2020

Applicants must use the Joint Electronic Submission system (Je-S) to submit the outline and full proposals.

More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.