APEX Awards Grant

The APEX Awards, supported by the British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering, and Royal Society, aim to foster interdisciplinary research that benefits society. Grants of up to £100,000 are available for 24 months, allowing exceptional researchers to collaborate across disciplines. This initiative encourages innovative projects unlikely to receive traditional funding, particularly focusing on the intersection of science, engineering, and social sciences. Successful applicants may also access an additional £10,000 for public engagement efforts.

In partnership with the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society (‘the Academies’) and with generous support from the Leverhulme Trust, the APEX award (Academies Partnership in Supporting Excellence in Cross-disciplinary research award) scheme offers established independent researchers, with a strong track record in their respective area, an exciting opportunity to pursue genuine interdisciplinary and curiosity-driven research to benefit wider society.
The objectives of this scheme are to:
promote collaboration across disciplines, with a particular emphasis on the boundary between science, engineering and the social sciences and humanitiessupport outstanding interdisciplinary research which is unlikely to be supported through conventional funding programmessupport researchers with an outstanding track record, in developing their research in a new direction through collaboration with partners from other disciplinesenable outstanding researchers to focus on advancing their innovative research through seed funding
What is the scheme’s value and tenure?
This scheme provides funding for up to 24 months:

• An award of up to £100,000

Costs to relieve the applicant and/or co-applicant from some of their teaching and administrative duties Up to 25% of the total award can be spent on research costs
Successful applicants will be invited to apply for an additional £10,000 to support for public engagement activities.

Eligibility

Applications should be within the remit of more than one of the Academies.You can apply for this scheme if you are: an exceptional researcher with a strong track record as an established independent researcher (this can include engineering researchers, humanities and social sciences scholars and scientists)based at a UK University or not-for-profit research institution for at least the duration of the projectApplicants will be expected to collaborate with a research partner from a different discipline from their own or a different university in the UKThe scheme is open to applicants of all nationalities.

Ineligibility

Note, requests for any other salary costs e.g. for research assistants, post-docs or studentships etc. cannot be included in the application. Note that awards under this scheme will not pay indirect and estate costs.