Research and knowledge exchange

Annual Thematic Programme

Sussex Research launched a new programme on a trial basis in 2017. The aim of the Annual Thematic Programme is to enable researchers to develop an interdisciplinary team around a thematic area of research in order to apply for a large scale research grant.

 

Annual Thematic Programme

Two thematic programmes were funded in under the first trial round.  Successful applicants were awarded up to £10,000 to be used flexibly for workshops, visitors, networking events and administrative support throughout the year. 

The intention is that the 'teams' built through each annual programme will be readily re-activated for specific funding calls long after the annual programme ends. The funding will facilitate cross-school, interdisciplinary discussion within Sussex, and the design of competitive funding bids in collaboration with researchers from other institutions by bringing collaborators to Sussex and facilitating visits from Sussex researchers to key collaborators.

The condition of the funding is that a large scale research bid is submitted within 12 months of the end of the funding.  

The following two annual thematic programmes were funded:

How can data science be used to tackle global challenges?
Dr Sanz and Prof Oliver’s programme aims to bring together world-leading expertise in global challenges such as climate change into direct partnerships with people working on world-leading big data questions in astro and particle physics and innovative mathematical and statistical techniques.

Artificial Life: a cross-disciplinary investigation of manufactured being
Prof Boxall’s programme identifies a number of connected developments in the sciences, social sciences and the arts, in relation to the production of artificial life. The project brings together participants from multiple disciplines, to investigate new interdisciplinary interfaces that are opening in the twenty-first century understanding of the relationship between natural and manufactured being.