EPSRC new investigator award: applicant-led mode

What the assessor looks for

• is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s)
• has the potential to advance current understanding, or generate new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area
• is timely given current trends, context and needs
• impacts world-leading research, society, the economy or the environment
• identify the potential local, regional or national impacts, both direct and indirect, and who the beneficiaries might be
• is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
• is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
• uses a clearly written and transparent methodology (if applicable)
• summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed (if applicable)
• will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
• describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work
• demonstrate access to the appropriate services, facilities, infrastructure, or equipment to deliver the proposed work

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

What the assessor looks for

• the name and title of the head of department (or equivalent) providing the written statement
• how your expertise fits within the wider interest and strategies of the research organisation and department
• development and training opportunities to be provided by the organisation and considering your career trajectory, how they form a cohesive career development package tailored to you
• mentoring and support arrangements proposed and how they are appropriate to you, include the name of any current or future mentors
• financial support to be provided, including the contribution to your salary, and how this improves the application
• provide clarity on any provision by the university of a suitable doctoral student supervision opportunity. This could be from a UKRI training grant or similar, or an individual funded student through other means

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

What the assessor looks for

• have not previously applied to EPSRC as a project lead (or if you have, your grant is within the exceptions)
• have not previously applied to an EPSRC New investigator Award scheme, whether successful or unsuccessful
• have not currently got an application for a UKRI Type 1: Early Independence Fellowship or a UKRI new investigator award that is currently being assessed
• are not an established researcher, or someone who has demonstrated sustained career independence, vision and leadership, at odds with the aim of the scheme
• consider yourself to be an early-career individual (someone who has capacity to use the funds available to transition to independence, establish their own research group and develop their own, independent research vision, per the scheme aim)
• have not led a single award valued at over £175,000 full economic cost (or GBP equivalent)
• have not held a position where you supervised postdoctoral staff for more than 12-months (cumulative)
• have not met the aims and ambitions of this opportunity through other means
• do not hold, or have not previously held, a comparable grant designed to support early independence and leadership, per this award (for example, other council New Investigator Awards; Wellcome Early Career Award)

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

What the assessor looks for

• long-term career goals and chosen career route
• plans to develop your own research profile
• independence, as the sole intellectual leader of the proposed work
• plans to secure further grant support during or after this award
• plans to establish and lead a research team
• demonstrate how you will instigate positive change in the wider research and innovation community, for example through Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), advocacy or advisory roles, stakeholder engagement, participation in expert review, influencing policy, public engagement, or outreach

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 and 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’
• are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
• represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
• maximise potential outcomes and impacts

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

What the assessor looks for

• confirm the partner’s commitment to the project
• clearly explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the work to them
• describe any additional value that they bring to the project
• have a page limit of two sides of A4 per partner

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

What the assessor looks for

• name of facility, copied and pasted from the facility information list (DOCX, 42KB)
• proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility information list
• confirmation you have their agreement where required

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