NB There may be an internal sifting process for this call

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council invites applications for its strategic equipment scheme – maximising existing equipment sharing in physical sciences. This promotes and supports maximal usage of existing items of capital equipment in physical sciences. Funding is expected to provide additional underpinning infrastructure or staff support that improves current use of equipment. Applicants must demonstrate the added value of the funds for increasing equipment usage. Examples of support include increased technician time or additional roles to provide training and research services not previously available, improved booking software, and improved advertisement of capabilities.

The PI must be resident in the UK and an academic employee at the lecturer or equivalent level at an eligible organisation, which may be an HEI, a research institute funded by a research council or an independent research organisation. The increased usage may benefit users from many disciplines but the main benefit must be for researchers in physical sciences in EPSRC’s remit.

The total budget available is £2 million for this round, with grants worth up to £200,000 each over two years. Funding may cover single items or suites of equipment used at the departmental, faculty, institutional, regional, or national levels.