Our Communities
The GW4 Building Communities Programme aims to build research and innovation communities of scale and capability that will deliver a step change in world-class research that could not be achieved by one of the institutions alone. The Programme has two funding schemes:
- The annual Generator Funding scheme which awards GW4 communities up to £20K for 6 month projects (launched in 2020). This replaced the Initiator (up to £20K for 5 months) and Accelerator (up to £75K for 8 months) funding schemes, which ran from 2014 – 2019.
- The Development Awards which support new, and advance existing, collaborations across GW4 by funding single activities or resources with up to £5K. This is a rolling scheme, with no closing date.
More details of both schemes, and how to apply, can be found below.
Building Communities Funding supports both the creation of new GW4 communities and the development of the strongest ideas emerging from our existing communities, and is open to any academic area. To date, the GW4 Alliance has invested over £3.1M in 112 collaborative research communities, which have generated £62.8M in research income. This means that for every £1 GW4 spends on collaborative research communities, GW4 captures an impressive £20 in external research awards.
Research Integrity
The GW4 Alliance has adopted the Russell Group Research Integrity Statement of cooperation in cross-institutional research misconduct allegations, which aims to support the efforts of researcher communities to foster research integrity (also known as good practice in research or the responsible conduct of research).
Building communities generator FUND OPEN Call
The GW4 Generator Fund is an open research call offering up to £20K to support collaborative research and innovation communities across the four GW4 universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter. Now in its fourth year, this initiative supports both the creation of new GW4 communities and the development of the strongest ideas emerging from our existing communities.
Applications across all areas of research and innovation are invited. Applications from Early Career Research (ECR) communities are particularly welcome and supported. Generator funding can be used as a stand-alone award or, in conjunction with other sources of funding. Communities are encouraged to use the scheme as a step towards applying for external funding.
The deadline for applications is 6 February 2023.
Read the GW4 Generator Fund Guidance here (.pdf) and apply via the application form. For more information contact the GW4 Building Communities Manager by emailing communities@gw4.ac.uk.
building communities development awards call
These small awards (<£5K) will support the development and progression of collaborations by funding a single activity or resource. The aim is that communities will use the small awards as a step towards applying for external funding. Applications can come from new or existing GW4 communities.
The awards can be used for a variety of purposes, such as enhancing collaborative relationships (academic, industry or other stakeholders), seminars, community workshops, or public engagement activities. Projects which include external partners are encouraged, although not required. There is no closing date for applications, with awards set to be made throughout the year.
Read the GW4 Building Communities Development Award Guidance here, and apply via this form.
Explore our communities
Explore our research communities by award type or activity group. (All communities are also listed below in order of award date with newest first).
HASS
STEM
A Pathway to Net Zero for Road and Rail
Generator fund
Awarded: April 2022
Community Lead:
University of Bath: Meng Meng
University of Bristol: Theo Tryfanos
Cardiff University: Liana Cipcigan (PI), Omer Rana, Carol Featherstone, Clarice Bleil de Souza, Bettina Bockelmann-Evans
University of Exeter: Stewart Barr, Christopher Smith
Project Overview:
Pathway to Net Zero for Road and Rail multidisciplinary network vision is to build future of transport and mobility to enable the movement of people and goods through a net zero, resilient, digital, connected, accessible and inclusive system, creating opportunities, promoting innovation and sustainable development, while reducing inequalities at local, regional, and national levels.
Circular Economy of Timber Buildings
Generator fund
Awarded: April 2022
Community Leads
University of Bath: Will Hawkins, Andrew Shea, Daniel Maskell, Pete Walker
University of Bristol: Eleni Toumpanaki (PI)
Cardiff University: Steve Coombs, Tristram Hales
University of Exeter: Anna Harper
Project Overview
A cradle-to-cradle and multidisciplinary approach for affordable timber housing in the UK.
GW4 Epilepsy Community
Generator fund
Awarded: April 2022
Community Lead:
University of Bath: Alain Nogaret
University of Bristol: James Hodge (PI), Edgar Buhl,
Cardiff University: Dmitri Sastin
University of Exeter: Doretta Caramaschi, Jen Creaser, Benjamin Houser
and Silvia Sanchez Marco from Bristol Children’s Hospital
Project Overview:
We aim to improve research models, diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy.
GW4 PuP Community: Performance under Pressure
Generator fund
Awarded: April 2022
Community Leads:
University of Bath: Rachel Arnold (PI), Lee Moore
University of Bristol: Peter Turnbull,
Cardiff University: Rob Honey
University of Exeter: Sam Vine
Project Overview:
This community will bring academic experts and external partners together through this and subsequent funding to deliver a step-change in police occupational stress research; produce world-leading, interdisciplinary research; apply collaboratively for grants; and begin tackling the negative effects of stress on police officers’ performance, health, and well-being.
GWAPES (GW4 AMR Plasmid Epidemiology and Surveillance)
Generator fund
Awarded: April 2022
Community Lead:
University of Bath: Ed Feil (PI), Tiffany Taylor, Sam Sheppard, Lauren Cowley, Theresa Smith
University of Bristol: Rachel Kwiatkowska, Matthew Avison, Kristen Reyher, Sion Bayliss
Cardiff University: Eshwar Mahenthiralingum, Laura Rushton, Tom Connor
University of Exeter: Aimee Murray, Rob Beardmore, Will Gaze, Anne Leonard, Michiel Vos, Ivana Gudelj, Angus Buckling
Project Overview:
The project focuses on managing the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by exploring how the genes spread on plasmids between different bacterial strains, different ecological settings, and different geographical regions.
Technology-Enabled Circularity (TEC): Digitalisation and Sustainability in Manufacturing
Generator fund
Awarded: April 2022
Community Leads:
University of Bath: Rick Lupton
University of Bristol: Jennifer Johns (PI)
Cardiff University: Aris Syntetos, Daniel Eyers
University of Exeter: Okechukwu Okorie
Project Overview:
An interdisciplinary network bringing together expertise in digital manufacturing and circular economies to build more sustainable manufacturing futures.
Understanding use of Agricultural Azoles and its Impact on Quality of Waterbodies and AMR
Generator fund
Awarded: April 2022
Community Leads:
University of Bath: Neil Brown
University of Bristol: Susan Conlon, Arleen Kristhel Lezcano
University of Exeter: Dhara Malavia (PI), Ray Chan, Aimee Murray, Andrew Jones
Project Overview:
This project aims to understand use of azole fungicide in arable farmlands in Southwest England and determine its impact on quality of waterbodies and AMR.
Family Care in ME/CFS
generator FUND
Awarded: 2021
GW4 community leads
University of Bristol: Lucy Biddle
Cardiff University: Sharmila Khot
University of Exeter: Siobhan O’Dwyer (PI)
Project overview
This project will develop research on family care in ME/CFS.