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These grants offer up to £5k to support unexpected or significant discoveries related to STFC’s science and technology remit and may also be appropriate when the awareness of the social, cultural, or economic impacts of STFC science and technology are significantly heightened.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council invites applications for its public engagement reaction awards. These support unexpected or significant discoveries related to STFC’s science and technology remit. The aim is to highlight the achievements of STFC’s science and technology, demonstrating the excitement of research and the value of STEM to the UK. Awards may also be appropriate when the awareness of the social, cultural, or economic impacts of STFC science and technology are significantly heightened.

Anyone may apply including grant funded researchers, STFC scientists and engineers, facility users, schools, museums, science communicators, universities and colleges. They must be eligible to apply on behalf of the organisation that will hold the award. Only organisations based in the UK and that have audited accounts are funded.

Proposed programmes must clearly focus around the remit of the STFC science programme, which includes astronomy, solar and planetary science, particle physics, particle astrophysics, cosmology, nuclear physics and accelerator science, or clearly and demonstrably align to the science and technology work of STFC’s national and international laboratories and facilities.

Applications that highlight the social, ethical, and economic benefits of research are welcomed. Applications that propose engagement with audiences considered to have low science capital are encouraged.

Awards are worth up to £5,000. Applications may vary in duration but would normally be expected to be for up to 12 months in duration.

These are rolling awards and there is no deadline.

Full details and application