Faraday Discovery Fellowships: £8 Million in Grants for Innovative STEM Research in the UK

Overview

The Faraday Discovery Fellowships are prestigious grants supported by a £250 million fund from the Department of Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Designed to enable outstanding mid-career researchers to lead innovative research teams, these fellowships aim to address complex scientific questions through large, investigator-led grants. The program offers long-term, stable funding, providing researchers with the time and freedom to tackle challenging problems.

Program Highlights

• Applications are welcome from all areas of STEM that fall within the Royal Society remit, including, but not limited to:
  • Frontiers of Science – examples might include research into quantum, materials, earth observation, engineering biology and understanding the microbial world.
  • Science for Resilience and Prosperity – examples might include research into waste, future telecoms, scarce resources, protecting planetary life support systems, life in extreme environmental conditions, science and engineering of cutting-edge technologies, batteries, AI and Net Zero.

  The above are examples only. Applications that do not fit under the headings of Frontiers of Science and Science for Resilience and Prosperity are welcome. The Society will assess applications in all areas of STEM purely on the basis of the track record of the candidate and the quality and vision of the proposed research.

• Support emerging research leaders to be based in the UK – Both attracting outstanding mid-career researchers from overseas and retaining outstanding researchers in the UK, as well as their groups/teams.
• Fund high-quality original research – Providing long-term funding to enable talented mid-career researchers to focus on their research vision and address the most challenging research questions (including supporting translation or commercialization where those are part of their long-term vision for their research) and develop world leading research groups/teams in the UK.
• Train the next generation – Supporting the development of the next generation of research leaders in their field through a programme of training and support for members of the research group (including early career researchers, PDRAs, PhD students and technicians ) funded on the grants.
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: The Royal Society promotes diversity and encourages applications from diverse backgrounds to maximize innovation and creativity in science. The grant-making process is regularly reviewed to embed EDI principles.

Funding and Flexibility

• Grant Amount: Applicants can request up to £8 million over ten years. Requests should be justified based on the project’s needs. Details on eligible costs can be found in the scheme notes and Royal Society Grant Funding Guidance.
• Personal Circumstances: The program accommodates personal circumstances including part-time work, sabbaticals, secondments, maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoptive or extended sick leave, and financial support for childcare costs associated with research activities.
• Royal Society Research Fellows also have the opportunity to access a range of career development and engagement opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria

• Mid-Career Status: Ideal candidates have 10-20 years of research experience post-PhD, though exceptional candidates with fewer years may be considered. Career breaks and non-linear paths are taken into account.
• Research Leadership: Applicants should be recognized leaders with significant research grant management experience, hold a permanent academic position or be in the later stages of a long-term research fellowship, and have a strong track record in managing research groups.
• International Standing: Candidates should have well-established international networks and plans to consolidate their research independence.
• Applicants can be of any nationality and those requiring a visa are eligible to apply for a Global Talent Visa under the fast-track process of endorsement.

Application Process

• Apply through the application and grant management system, Flexi-Grant®. See the ‘Application and assessment process’ page for a general overview of the application and selection steps and below for details specific to this scheme.
• Applications are processed through a two-stage selection process.
  • The first stage will involve the submission of the applicant’s CV and a summary of their proposed research. Apply here. Deadline for submission is 2nd October 2024
  • Applicants selected to proceed to the second stage will be invited to submit a full application.
  • Full applications will be reviewed by the appropriate Faraday Committee, who will shortlist applications for independent peer review
  • Shortlisted full applications will undergo rigorous peer review. There are no interviews for the Faraday Discovery Fellowships, but applicants will be invited to submit a response to reviewers’ comments before the final assessment of the proposal.
• Assessment of your application will be overseen by the Faraday Discovery Fellowships Selection Committees – membership will be published in due course.
• Further detail on the application and assessment process is available in the scheme notes.

Application and Contact Information

For more information on eligibility, application procedures, or to request adjustments, please contact the Faraday Fellowships team at faraday@royalsociety.org or call +44 20 7451 2666.  For further assistance and to view the application and assessment process, visit the website.

Deadline for submission: 2nd October 2024