CoSTAR Showcase Labs: Createch infrastructure and commercialisation

What the assessor looks for

• be timely, given current trends and context
• meet the evidenced needs of clearly identified user groups
• have measurable impact
• enable high quality and important research
• meet the strategic aims of the funder or government
• offer training opportunities
• enhance, benefit and complement the existing landscape
• support innovation in research
• be of international importance (if applicable)
• identifies the potential local, regional or national impacts, both direct and indirect, and who the beneficiaries might be
• enhances the UK’s research and innovation capabilities through local, regional or both activity

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• a credible management plan including strategic and operational matters
• if applicable, a legal model
• details of governance
• feasibility of the project plan including a work plan, milestones, and deliverables in the form of a Gantt chart or similar
• identification of risks and appropriate mitigation in the form of key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine the delivery of outputs and outcomes
• plans for support and maintenance of the proposed infrastructure over the estimated life span, identifying future needs and potential upgrades
• details of access and usage particularly where a culture of infrastructure sharing may extend use to the research community
• training and development of staff and those who may interact with the infrastructure, including Research Technical Professionals
• a description of the working environment
• identification of how accessibility and inclusiveness have been incorporated into the design of the project
• plans for operational sustainability and legacy beyond the end of UKRI funding. These could include cost recovery models, securing additional funding, development or expansion after the initial period of funding
• has been designed so that it will generate local, regional and national impacts

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage)
• the right balance of skills and expertise
• the appropriate leadership and management skills and your approach to develop others
• contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community
• contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
• the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
• contributions to the wider research and innovation community
• contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• the relevant ethical and RRI considerations, including both the research or topic area itself and the design and delivery of the project
• the wider implications of the proposed work, and how you will maximise the positive societal, environmental, and economic benefits arising from the project, while minimising unintended negative impacts, such as research misuse or accidental harm
• how you will manage these considerations throughout the lifecycle of the project
• any legal and ethical considerations of collecting, releasing or storing the data (including consent, confidentiality, anonymisation, security and other ethical considerations and, in particular, strategies to not preclude further reuse of data)
• formal information standards that your proposed work will comply with
• human participants
• genetically modified organisms

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• project staff
• significant travel for field work or collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences)
• any equipment that will cost more than £25,000
• any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
• all facilities and infrastructure costs
• all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’
• details of the equipment requested
• details of the service or maintenance service requested (if applicable)
• details of any cash contributions to the equipment from other sources reasons for choosing a quoted equipment (versus other quotes)
• reasons for requesting a particular specification of equipment or a particular manufacturer
• are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
• represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• is as economically, environmentally and socially sustainable as possible
• delivers large scale societal, environmental and economic benefits
• will have its lifetime maximised, including stating what the expected lifetime is and, where relevant, how the asset will be sustainably decommissioned
• how long-term operational and maintenance costs, including staffing, will be supported
• how the proposed asset will be integrated into an existing UKRI service, facility, equipment pool, or similar
• how the proposed asset is complementary to UKRI or host institute carbon reduction targets
• if relevant, how the proposed asset contributes to a broader approach to environmental sustainability, such an enhancing biodiversity or clean air, as well as reducing carbon emissions
• your plans for sustainability and legacy beyond the end of UKRI funding. These could include cost recovery models, securing additional funding, development or expansion after the initial period of funding
• how you have considered equality, diversity and inclusion, including equitable access, in the design and planned use of the asset to maximise benefit to the UK environmental sciences community

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• manage the outputs of the project, including any intellectual assets and intellectual property and its protection (if applicable)
• have freedom to operate
• protect the foreground IP or market position
• disseminate and communicate the outputs of your project in a timely manner without compromising future IP protection
• access potential future investments, if required

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

What the assessor looks for

• area studies
• cultural and museum studies
• development studies
• drama and theatre studies
• human geography
• information and communication technologies
• languages and literature
• law and legal studies
• library and information studies
• political science and international studies
• social anthropology
• theology, divinity and religion

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.