The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council invites submissions for its bright ideas awards ― engineering for a prosperous future. These support research that has the capability to contribute towards revolutionising existing fields, creating subfields, causing paradigms shifts in existing thought and knowledge, and supporting discoveries that might lead to new, disruptive technologies. Projects should aim to achieve a pioneering step towards the outcome or address one of the following themes in whole or in part:

•productive nation ―introduce the next generation of innovative and disruptive technologies;

•healthy nation ― transforming community health and care;

•resilient nation ― achieve energy security and efficiency;

•connected nation ― enable a competitive, data driven economy.

The principal investigator must be resident in the UK and an academic employee at the lecturer or equivalent level at an eligible organisation, which may be a HEI, a research institute funded by a research council or an independent research organisation. Industrial engagement is expected where and when appropriate throughout the course of the grant.

The total budget is worth up to £6 million. A total of 16 to 20 awards, worth up to £250,000 each, are available at 80 per cent value of full costing, and may be used to cover costs for staff, equipment, consumables and travel.