All communities are listed below in date order (newest first), and can be searched using key words or fund type.
Our “Featured Communities” are from the most recent round of Generator funding.
Our Communities
Our communities
The GW4 Building Communities Programme aims to build research and innovation communities of scale and capability, delivering 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 Fund 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 at the links above.
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 £3.4M in 125 collaborative research communities, which have generated £87M in research income. This means that for every £1 GW4 spends on collaborative research communities, GW4 captures an impressive £25 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).
Explore our communities
Featured Communities
Maritime Advancements through Research and Innovation in Powertrains and Power Systems (MARINPOWER)
STEM
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196 results found
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GW4 Biopsychosocial Pain Network (BPN)
Generator
Overview
This community aims to bring together researchers across the GW4 who share an interest in understanding the neurobiology underpinning psychosocial risk factors and comorbidities in chronic pain.
Community lead
University of Bath: Emma Fisher, Laura Carter, Amanda Lillywhite
University of Bristol: Jim Dunham, Robert Drake
Cardiff University: George Tackley, Jennifer Davies
University of Exeter: Charlotte Lawrenson (PI), Jan Vollert, Sam Hughes
Awarded
June 2024
Island of Ireland Contemporary History and Politics Network (IOI CHP)
Generator
Overview
Our mission is to provide a network for established, early career and PhD researchers in English, Scottish and Welsh universities who study Irish/Northern Irish contemporary history/and/or politics.
Community lead
University of Bath: Sophie Whiting, Jennifer Thomson
University of Bristol: Neil Matthews
Cardiff University: Thomas Leahy (PI), Giada Lagana, Jonathan Kirkup, Huw Bennett, Jessica Geoffroy, Daniel Chesse, Robbie Taylor
University of Exeter: Henry Jarrett
Awarded
June 2024
Reactionary Politics Research Network
Generator
Overview
This network will bring together scholars from across the Southwest to study and tackle the rise of exclusionary, authoritarian and reactionary politics.
Community lead
University of Bath: Aurelien Mondon (PI), Fran Amery, Sophie Hatzisavvidou
University of Bristol: Uygar Baspehlivan
Cardiff University: Emmy Eklundh
University of Exeter: Rebecca Yeo
Awarded
June 2024
Fabrication and Testbed Network for Next-Generation Optical Brain Computer Interfacing
Generator
Overview
Testing new materials that could be used for brain-computer interfacing.
Community lead
University of Bath: Hannah Leese
University of Bristol: Daniel Whitcomb (PI)
Cardiff University: Sam Shutts
University of Exeter: Tom Piers
Awarded
June 2024
Young people’s self-harm and suicidal behaviour: Developing qualitative research to understand the influence of context and culture
Generator
Overview
This collaborative project aims to address the global issue of self-harm and suicidal behaviours among young people by conducting qualitative research in Ghana, Brazil, and South Korea, emphasizing the influence of culture and context on intervention development.
Community lead
University of Bath: Sarah Halligan
University of Bristol: Lucy Biddle, Becky Mars, Bushra Farooq, Dee Knipe
Cardiff University: Faith Martin (PI), Rhiannon Evans
University of Exeter: Abby Russell
Awarded
June 2024
All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries with cellulose enhanced solid polymer electrolytes (ALLIANCE)
Generator
Overview
The ALLIANCE research team will endeavour to pioneer innovative solid electrolyte materials tailored for the advancement of next-generation all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries.
Community lead
University of Bath: Frank Marken, Andrew Rhead
University of Bristol: Steve Eichhorn
Cardiff University: Stefano Leoni, Bo Hou
University of Exeter: Zhenyu Zhang (PI), Xiaohong Li
Awarded
June 2024
Physical, psychological and social factors influencing musculoskeletal injury and wellbeing in Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional students
Generator
Overview
This project aims to develop a survey for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional students to understand physical, psychological and social factors influencing musculoskeletal injury and wellbeing.
Community lead
University of Bath: Carly McKay
Cardiff University: Rebecca Hemming (PI)
University of Exeter: Richard Kyle
Awarded
June 2024
Universal Design for Learning: Supporting Inclusive Learning and Teaching for All
Development Award
Overview
This project aims to support educators at GW4 member institutions to improve their understanding of inclusive education and universal design for learning, leading to improved teaching and supervision approaches that recognise and celebrate diversity.
Community lead
University of Bath: Momna Hejmadi
University of Bristol: Emma Jenks, Dave Gatrell
Cardiff University: Ceri Morris
University of Exeter: Vrinda Nayak (PI), Rachel Griffiths
Awarded
May 2024
Exploring the Role of Caste in Economic Welfare
Development Award
Overview
The community will organise a workshop to understand the complex linkages between the caste system in India and economic growth.
Community lead
University of Bath: Javier Rivas, Pardeep Attri
University of Bristol: Erlend Berg
Cardiff University: Indrajit Ray, Tommaso Reggiani
University of Exeter: Rakesh Banerjee (PI), Sanchari Roy, Surajeet Chakravarty
Awarded
April 2024
South West England and De Cymru Human-Computer Interaction Community (SWEDC-HCI)
Development Award
Overview
The community will bring together academics in Human-Computer Interaction from universities across the South West of England and De Cymru area to build strong local connections across research groups.
Community lead
University of Bath: Jason Alexander, Ollie Hanton
University of Bristol: Elaine Czech (co-PI), Oussama Metatla, Anne Roudaut, Paul Marshall
Cardiff University: Kathy Stawarz, Sandy Gould, Nervo Verdezoto Dias
University of Exeter: Andrew Howes
and including University of the West of England: Cameron Steer (co-PI), Tom Mitchell
Awarded
March 2024