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NEWSLETTER

19th June 2015

Research Funding Opportunities

Talks and Events (Internal)

Talks and Events (External)

Research Papers

News

Research Funding Opportunities

ESRC Commissioning of Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs)
In September 2015 ESRC will be commissioning two Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) one in the area of Biosocial Research and the other in New Forms of Data. The methodological areas of focus are defined but the substantive area of enquiry can be determined by the applicant(s). Closing date 29th June 2015

OpenPlant Fund
The OpenPlant Fund will support innovative, open and interdisciplinary projects relevant to plant Synthetic  Biology over 2015-19. Around 20 six-month projects per year will receive £4k each, with an  additional £1k awarded on completion for follow-on and outreach. The first round of applications will close on 30 June 2015.

Norman Borlaug award for field research and application
World Food Prize Foundation
This is awarded for an exceptional, science-based achievement in international agriculture and food production by an individual under the age of 40 who has clearly demonstrated intellectual courage, stamina and determination in the fight to eliminate global hunger and poverty. The award is worth US$10,000. Closing date: 30 Jun 15 (Forecast)

Frontiers of knowledge awards
BBVA Foundation
These recognise research and creative work that contributes to an improved understanding of the natural, social and artificial or technological worlds and technological innovations and developments. Awards are worth €400,000.Closing date: 30 Jun 15 

Expedition award
African Bird Club
This award is for larger conservation projects on ornithology in Africa. One award of up to £3,000 is available each year. Closing date: 30 Jun 15

Conservation, Food and Health Foundation
These support non-profit, non-governmental organisations to build capacity within the developing countries in the fields of conservation, food, and health. The average award amount is US$17,000 and grants rarely exceed US$25,000. Closing date: 01 Jul 15 

ESRC/DFID growth research programme – financial sector development and growth  
Funding supports research on financial sector development and growth in low income countries. One grant, worth between £1.5 million and £2m, is available, covering 80 per cent full economic cost for UK-based researchers and 100 per cent full economic cost for non-UK researchers. Projects may last up to four years.  Closing date: 02 Jul 15 

Healthy Urban Living and the Social Science of the Food-Water-Energy Nexus: UK-Brazil Calls for Collaborative Research
ESRC

Proposals are invited for collaborative projects between the UK and Brazil which contribute to the economic development and welfare of Brazil within the areas of Healthy Urban Living and the Social Science of the Food-Water-Energy Nexus. Closing date: 2nd July

Researcher links workshop in Kazakhstan on clean energy promotion   
British Council
This workshop enables UK and Kazakh researchers to attend a workshop in Astana, Kazakhstan from 17 to 19 August 2015 on clean energy promotion. All travel, food and accommodation expenses are covered. Closing date: 07 Jul 15 

Industrial CASE studentships
Natural Environment Research Council
This promotes collaboration between the research community and the end users of research. The CASE partner is expected to supplement the student's maintenance grant by paying at least £1,000 per year directly to the student, during to the duration of their studentship, and will meet the extra expenses incurred by students visiting and working in their establishments. They are also expected to contribute in cash or in kind towards necessary materials. Closing date: 08 Jul 15 

NERC joint programme on understanding and representing atmospheric convection across scales
Projects should work to make significant improvements in the representation of convection in the UK’s weather, climate and Earth system models across a range of spatial scales. This call is for the exploratory phase of the programme, in which five to eight projects may be awarded between £200,000 and £800,000 each, over a period of three years; the total budget for the exploratory phase is £3 million. Closing date: 09 Jul 15 

Research in sustainable solid waste management
Environmental Research and Education Foundation
Funding supports projects related to sustainable waste management practices in the areas of waste minimisation, recycling, waste conversion to energy, strategies to promote diversion to higher and better uses and landfilling. Previously grants have ranged from US$15,000 to over US$500,000 with the average grant amount being US$160,000. Closing date: 15 Jul 15 

ESRC/National Research Foundation Newton call for collaborative research urban transformations in South Africa This supports collaborative projects between UK and South African researchers which may offer additional value to existing programmes of urban research, and contribute to the economic development and welfare of South Africa. ESRC has allocated up to £1.5 million and NRF has allocated up to ZAR4.5m for this call. Applicants may request between £300,000 and £500,000 and up to ZAR1.5 million per project. Closing date: 16 Jul 15 

Sustainability research programme theme two – health and wellbeing
Environmental Protection Agency Ireland
Research under this theme will develop national capacity in key areas, generate data and make assessments of priority issues for Ireland and mobilise this knowledge for use in environment and health protection. Funding for medium-scale projects is worth up to €350,000 over 24 to 36 months; funding for desk studies is worth between €50,000 and €100,000 over six to 12 months. The total budget for this theme is between €600,000 and €1 million. Closing date: 17 Jul 15  

Sustainability research programme theme three – natural capital and ecosystem services including soils and biodiversity
Environmental Protection Agency Ireland
Research under this theme will address knowledge gaps in biodiversity research by evaluating, assessing and restoring Ireland’s natural capital to inform governance and behavioural changes. Funding for medium-scale projects is worth up to €350,000 over 24 to 36 months; funding for desk studies is worth between €50,000 and €100,000 over six to 12 months. The total budget for this theme is between €600,000 and €750,000. Closing date: 17 Jul 15  

Water research programme theme two – ecosystem services and sustainability 
Environmental Protection Agency Ireland
This supports research that aims to understand, maintain and safeguard the essential functions and processes of aquatic ecosystems, such as aquatic habitats, ecosystem services, ecosystem resilience and ecological connectivity, restoration of natural ecosystems and economic valuation. One desk study of six to 12 months will be funded with an indicative budget of up to €75,000. Closing date: 17 Jul 15  

Water research programme theme four – understanding, managing and conserving water resources
Environmental Protection Agency Ireland
Research under this programme will contribute to better use and protection of water resources. Funding for large-scale projects is worth €500,000 over 36 to 48 months; funding for medium-scale projects is worth up to €355,000 over 24 to 36 months; funding for research fellowships is worth up to €160,000 over 24 months.
Closing date: 17 Jul 15  

BBSRC/NERC/Newton Fund call for virtual joint centres with Brazil, China and India in agricultural nitrogen This enables UK researchers to establish virtual joint centres with Brazil, China and India in agricultural nitrogen, with a focus on the themes of agronomic nitrogen use efficiency, biological nitrogen use efficiency and biological nitrogen fixation. The budget for UK components of bilateral projects is worth approximately £10 million. Projects may last for up to three years. Closing date: 22 Jul 15 

Bird protection project grants
Club 300:s Fågelskyddsfond – Club 300 Foundation for Bird Protection
These support conservation and research projects related to bird protection all over the world. The focus is on projects related to highly threatened or poorly known species. Grants are worth up to US$5,000 each. Closing date: 31 Jul 15  

David S Jenkinson fellowship
British Society of Soil Science
This fellowship enables scientists in furthering their academic endeavours by supporting international travel from the UK to a collaborating laboratory overseas in the field of soil science. One fellowship, worth up to £5,000, is available to cover primarily travel and subsistence costs. Closing date: 31 Jul 15  

Highlight notice for cross-disciplinary research networks exploring emerging areas of cross-council enquiry
Arts and Humanities Research Council
This supports cross-disciplinary proposals addressing boundary-crossing engagement in relation to emerging issues in science and technology. The following topics are particularly relevant: risk; conflict, transnational organised crime and cybersecurity; cities, urbanisation, urban living and smart cities; valuing nature; antimicrobial resistance; wellbeing; emerging areas of science and technology. Closing date: 31 Jul 15  

Reducing energy demand in the transport sector
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Funding supports interdisciplinary collaborative research to reduce energy demand in the energy sector. The total budget is worth up to £4 million. Two projects are expected to be funded for a period of three years. Closing date: 31 Jul 15 

Expressions of interest for impact assessments of under-evaluated areas of CGIAR research
CGIAR
Topics may include: irrigation and water management; livestock; agroforestry; biodiversity; policy and social science; natural resource management. CGIAR, through its standing panel on impact assessment, aims to fund three to five impact assessment studies, worth between US$100,000 and US$200,000 each. Closing date: 07 Aug 15  

Van Tienhoven grant
Van Tienhoven Foundation for International Nature Protection
This aims to promote the protection and conservation of ecosystems and their flora and fauna, wherever they are threatened outside the Netherlands. Projects may be granted up to €20,000 each. Closing date: 15 Aug 15  

Agriculture-nutrition impact studies
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
These medium to long-term research studies and evaluations will deliver robust evidence on the impact of agriculture on nutrition and health outcomes. Funding for interventions and study designs that are fully supported by existing formative and feasibility research is worth up to US$3.5 million per proposal over five years. Funding for proposals that are not supported by formative and feasibility research is worth up to US$100,000 over six to 12 months. Closing date: 08 Aug 15 (Forecast)

Policy internships
Natural Environment Research Council
Each award enables PhD students funded by BBSRC, AHRC or NERC to gain three months’ experience of working in science policy. Successful applicants will receive a three-month extension to their PhD funding. Closing date: 18 Aug 15 (Forecast)

Field equipment grant
British Society of Soil Science
This grant is designed to enable institutions to buy field equipment to aid in the instruction and understanding of soil science. Grants are worth up to £1,000. Closing date: 01 Sep 15  

Sustainable future programme grants
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
These support projects on developing and promoting sustainable, low-carbon alternatives to the current consumerist and growth-based paradigm. The grants have a nominal average value of £50,000, but in actuality grants may range from a few hundred pounds to £100,000 and last up to three years. Closing date: 01 Sep 15 

Understanding and sustaining Brazilian biome resources
Natural Environment Research Council
This aims to improve the understanding of the role of biodiversity in the functioning of ecosystems, the drivers and impact of change, and management and restorations options in Brazil. NERC will provide up to £2 million at 80 per cent full economic cost for UK-based researchers with FAPESP providing matched equivalent effort to Brazilian researchers Closing date: 02 Sep 15  

LIFE – traditional projects on climate change mitigation
Directorate-General for the Environment
Funding supports best-practice, demonstration or pilot projects that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and to the implementation and development of Union policy and legislation on climate change resilience. The LIFE programme budget is approximately €3.46 billion. Each project may request up to 75 per cent of eligible costs. Closing date: 15 Sep 15  

Pilot on-farm projects to test result-based remuneration schemes for the enhancement of biodiversity
Directorate-General for the Environment
Funding supports projects that aim to test result-based agri-environmental payment schemes on working farms as a contribution to stop the widespread degradation of agro-ecosystems, particularly grasslands. The budget is estimated at €500,000 to fund one or two proposals at a maximum EU co-financing rate of 70 per cent of total eligible costs. Closing date: 15 Sep 15  

LIFE – traditional projects on climate change adaptation
Directorate-General for the Environment
Funding supports best-practice, demonstration or pilot projects that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and to the implementation and development of Union policy and legislation on climate change adaptation. The programme budget is approximately €3.46 billion. Each project may request up to 75 per cent of eligible costs. Closing date: 15 Sep 15  

LIFE – traditional projects on climate governance and information
Directorate-General for the Environment
Funding supports information, awareness and dissemination projects on climate matters, including generating public and stakeholder support of EU policy-making within the climate field and promoting knowledge on sustainable development. The LIFE programme budget is approximately €3.46 billion. Each project may request up to 75 per cent of eligible costs. There is no limit on project length, but most projects last from two to five years. Closing date: 15 Sep 15  

Mid-career fellowships
British Academy
These allow successful applicants to obtain time freed from normal teaching and administrative commitments to devote to the completion of a major piece of research within the humanities and social sciences. It is expected that 35 fellowships, worth £160,000 each, will be available. The British Academy’s contribution should represent 80 per cent of full economic costs for projects costing up to £200,000. Closing date: 17 Sep 15 (Forecast) 

Primate research grants
Primate Conservation
These provide support for original research that can be used to formulate and to implement conservation plans for the species studied. Funding of approximately US$2,500 is provided on average, with a maximum grant of US$5,000. Closing date: 20 Sep 15 

Birdfair/RSPB research fund for endangered birds
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
These enable researchers to undertake key projects on birds listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources as endangered, critically endangered or data-deficient. Grants of up to US$2,000 are available. Closing date: 30 Sep 15 (Forecast) 

LIFE – traditional projects on environment and resource efficiency
Directorate-General for the Environment
This supports pilot and demonstration projects that contribute to environment and resource efficiency in the fields of water, waste, resource efficiency, environment and health, and air quality and emissions. The overall budget for traditional projects under the environment sub-programme is approximately €184 million and projects may request up to 75 per cent of eligible costs. Closing date: 01 Oct 15  

LIFE – traditional projects on environmental governance and information
Directorate-General for the Environment
Funding supports information, awareness and dissemination projects that contribute to the development and implementation of EU environmental policy and legislation. The LIFE programme budget is approximately €3.46 billion, and the total budget for traditional projects under the environment sub-programme is approximately €184m. Each project may request up to 75 per cent of eligible costs. Closing date: 07 Oct 15  

LIFE – traditional projects on nature and biodiversity
Directorate-General for the Environment
This supports pilot and demonstration projects that contribute to the development and implementation of EU policy and legislation in the area of nature and biodiversity. The overall budget for traditional projects under the environment sub-programme is approximately €184 million and projects may request up to 75 per cent of eligible costs. Closing date: 07 Oct 15  

UK mammals grants
People’s Trust for Endangered Species
These grants support work relating to the conservation of mammals in the British Isles and Eire. Grants are worth between £250 and £30,000, although the average amount granted to date has been about £9,000. Closing date: 13 Oct 15  

Small grants Estuarine Coastal Sciences Association
These grants enable students to attend academic conferences, travel for research purposes, visit libraries or other collections of research materials, visit laboratories or conduct fieldwork. Grants are worth up to £500 each. Closing date: 01 Nov 15 

All-discipline postgraduate student awardsFulbright Commission
These support UK citizens with the first year of their postgraduate study, doctoral study, visiting student research or special student research in any subject and at any accredited US university. Approximately 10 awards are available for a one-year period. Closing date: 06 Nov 15 

Fulbright/Elsevier data analytics award
Fulbright Commission
This is offered to a UK citizen for the first year of their postgraduate study in any field requiring data analysis to advance understanding of research in any field or across fields.One award is available for a period of one year.Closing date:06 Nov 15 

Prize essay competition
Agricultural Economics Society
This recognises a suitable essay on any aspect of agricultural economics.The prize is worth £1,000. Closing date: 30 Nov 15 

Young scientist research award 
Commonwealth Forestry Association
This supports students undertaking forest-related research in pursuit of an academic qualification. The award is worth up to £500. Closing date: 31 Dec 15 

Junior professorship for sustainable use of renewable natural resources 
Robert Bosch Stiftung
The professorship seeks to support a young outstanding scientist and to contribute to a better standing of the emerging field of sustainability science in Germany. Up to €1 million is available for independent research over five years at a German research institution or university. Closing date: 18 May 16 (Forecast)

Talks and Events
Internal

Zoology Postdoc Summer Seminar Series
Series of seminars on 24th June, 1st July, 8th July 15th July and 22nd July in Department of Zoology

Global Food Security Cambridge
Sainsbury Laboratory
Wednesday 8th July 2015, 9.30–5.30

What does business need to know about food, energy, water and the environment?
Nexus2020: the most important questions for business - UCCRI hosted workshop

13 July 2015 – 12:30-13.15 | Room 101 Hardy Building, Downing SitePerformance Gap? Energy, Health and Comfort needs in Building
-GREENRIDGE-
 Location: CRASSH, Seminar room SG1, Alison Richard Building
Monday 20th July 2015

External

Watercolour- Elements of nature
Tue 16 June - Sun 27 September
Fitzwilliam Museum

John Muir: Rhapsody in Green
Exploring Alaska in search of glaciers with the great Scottish naturalist, as recalled by his friend, Samuel Hall Young. Adapted for the stage from the writings of John Muir, Written & performed by Mike Maran
Sunday 21st June, 7.30pm, Mumford Theatre, ARU

Buildings, sustainable cities and territories face the challenges of climate change
22 to 26 June 2015 - Nice (France)

Planning for Climate Change
25th June, London UK

2nd London Annual Planning for Climate Change Conference
UCL, 25th June 2015

“Sustainable Buildings and Cities: Supporting climate mitigation through resource efficiency”
UNEP-SBCI and GI-REC joint Symposium 25th and 26th June in Nice, France

Bees, flies and flowers: the ecology of pollination and why it matters
Cambridge Weekend course 26th to 28th June 2015

CALL FOR EVIDENCE: Inquiry into the relationship between design and behaviour in the built environment
Deadline for submissions 3rd July 2015

UKERC Annual International Energy Summer School
5th to 10th July, Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire

Interdisciplinary Research on Energy Transitions
5th October, Cardiff University (call for papers closes 12th July)
Can Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) work for both people and the environment?
Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh
27th to 28th July
[CALL FOR PAPERS] 2015 International Conference on Science, Technology, Innovation (STI) and Development
Seoul, Republic of Korea, 9th to 10th September 2015
17th Annual Bioecon Conference “Experimental and Behavioural Economics and the Conservation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services” Call for Papers by 22nd May 2015
13th 15th September 2015
Call for Papers: International workshop on ecosystem management and environmental justice: Mapping the linkages
International workshop at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
12th to 13th October 2015

Research Papers

Cambridge

A number of papers from researchers across the University were published in May and June 2015: Atmospheric Science, Coastal Research Unit, Computer Science Geography, Engineering, Experimental Psychology, Plant Sciences, DAMTP and Zoology

Southern North Sea storm surge event of 5 December 2013: Water levels, waves and coastal impacts

Biophysical properties of salt marsh canopies — Quantifying plant stem flexibility and above ground biomass

Testing predictions of changes in alien and native macroinvertebrate communities and their interaction after the restoration of a large river floodplain (French Rhône)

Comparison of reactive magnesia- and carbide slag-activated ground granulated blastfurnace slag and Portland cement for stabilisation of a natural soil

Sea-ice thermodynamics and brine drainage

Continuing mortality of vultures in India associated with illegal veterinary use of diclofenac and a potential threat from nimesulide

Digital Games and Biodiversity Conservation

Harnessing the biodiversity value of Central and Eastern European farmland

Comparison of the genetic variation of captive ring-tailed lemurs with a wild population in Madagascar

Conservation in Europe as a model for emerging conservation issues globally

Seeds, Agricultural Systems and Socio-natures: Towards an Actor–Network Theory Informed Political Ecology of Agriculture

The Importance of the Human Footprint in Shaping the Global Distribution of Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Invaders

 A case of mental time travel in ant-following birds?

 Role of Chemistry in Earth’s Climate

Paleontological baselines for evaluating extinction risk in the modern oceans

System interactions of stormwater management using sustainable urban drainage systems and green infrastructure

An ant–plant by-product mutualism is robust to selective logging of rain forest and conversion to oil palm plantation

Why do birds migrate? A macroecological perspective

Developing and enhancing biodiversity monitoring programmes: a collaborative assessment of priorities

Retaining biodiversity in intensive farmland: epiphyte removal in oil palm plantations does not affect yield

Quasi-biennial oscillation of the tropical stratospheric aerosol layer

Century-scale effects of invasive deer and rodents on the dynamics of forests growing on soils of contrasting fertility

Global

Protected areas as elicitors of human well-being in a developed region: A new synthetic (socioeconomic) approach

A conservation planning approach to mitigate the impacts of leakage from protected area networks

The downside of eDNA as a survey tool in water bodies

Population Trend of the World’s Monitored Seabirds, 1950-2010

 

Attribution of extreme weather events in Africa: a preliminary exploration of the science and policy implications

Insights from life history theory for an explicit treatment of trade-offs in conservation biology

Records of geomagnetism, climate, and tectonics across a Paleoarchean erosion surface

Biodiversity Loss and the Ecological Footprint of Trade

Links between atmospheric carbon dioxide, the land carbon reservoir and climate over the past millennium

Enhancing the biodiversity of coastal defence structures: transplantation of nursery-reared reef biota onto intertidal seawalls

Delayed biodiversity change: no time to waste

Brazil cuts red tape stifling biodiversity studies

Green spaces and cognitive development in primary schoolchildren

Going with the Flow: working with nature (IUCN)

Short- and long-term benefits for forest biodiversity of retaining unlogged patches in harvested areas

Salmo salar in late medieval Scotland: competition and conservation for a riverine resource

Greening the Tracks: Policy Brief on the Solar Potential of Indian Railways
Adapting through glacial cycles: insights from a long-lived tree

(Taxus baccata)

Biodiversity inhibits parasites: Broad evidence for the dilution effect

Future vulnerability of marine biodiversity compared with contemporary and past changes

Synergies and trade-offs in achieving global biodiversity targets

Marine protected areas and children’s dietary diversity in the Philippines

Four countries are acting as safe havens for African elephants
Framing global biodiversity: IPBES between mother earth and ecosystem services

The Biodiversity Mirage: the Effects of Habitat Degradation and Exotic Predators on Ground-Dwelling Forest Birds, Tenrecs and Lemurs in Northeastern Madagascar

Advancing terrestrial conservation through remote sensing

Beyond green-planning political orientations: Contrasted public policies and their relevance to nature perceptions in two European capitals

 News

Research Scholar: Energy Program
Vacancy 10/2015 -  IIASA's Energy Program is seeking applications for the position of a Research Scholar with experience in large-scale energy-economic or integrated assessment modeling, in particular with a focus on interactions of energy system transformation with land use and water requirements.

NEXUS2020
What are the most important questions around business practice that, if answered, could help companies manage their dependencies and impacts upon food, energy, water and the environment?

How vulnerable are cities to climate change?
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published a series of interactive maps, illustrating various climate threats European cities face as well as cities’ capacity to respond to these threats. This new ‘map book’ provides background information and allows users to view the maps, selecting different parameters.

Novel Thoughts
Novel Thoughts’ is a series exploring the literary reading habits of eight Cambridge scientists. From illustrated children’s books to Thomas Hardy, from Star Wars to Middlemarch, we find out what fiction has meant to each of the scientists and peek inside the covers of the books that have played a major role in their lives.

 Research News

Pope Francis Releases Encyclical on Climate and Environment

Bees are worth billions to farmers across the globe

Three ways we will build the cities of the future from waste

Raising palm oil prices could help to save endangered tigers and orangutans

Women Are Critical In Driving Zambian Agriculture Sector

Global seabird decline greater than expected

Changing the Face of Global Shipping, Will China Build a Canal for Nicaragua

Asia – climate change battleground

Explosive intervention by Pope Francis set to transform climate change debate

Environmental activism works

Conservation policies could improve human health - Disease rates lower near reserves and parks in Brazil

Palm oil price change could save tigers, other species

UN finalises forest protection initiative at Bonn climate talks

Which coal-fired plants can use carbon capture to meet EPA goals?

Renewable energy from evaporating water

New clean energy source produces electricity, could power robots, sensors, vehicles

If you have any events or news items you would like to add to this newsletter please send by email to: uccri-administrator@conservation.cam.ac.uk

University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute
Website: research-institute.conservation.cam.ac.uk/ 
Twitter: @cambridge_uccri