Overview

The 1851 Research Fellowship in Design is intended to enable those at a more advanced stage in their career to explore important current issues, selected by the Commission.

Applications are welcomed from post-graduates, researchers, practitioners or professionals on a career break.

The Fellowship runs for two years and is funded at £50,000 pa.

Applications are open

2026 Research Brief

Deep design & human creativity in an age of AI and uncertainty
(Please view the full research brief by clicking on the link below)

Funding: £50,000 per year for 2 years
Closing Date: 15 September 2026
Interviews: 17 or 24 November
Fellowship Start: By 31 December 2026

Introduced in 2006, awards have been made for research into:

  • Biodiversity by Design awarded to Henry Hosker 2024
  • Design: Waste Not Want Not awarded to Robert Charles Johnson 2022
  • Design for Resilience awarded to Aran Dasan 2020
  • Design and ‘Fake News’ awarded to Jennifer George 2018
  • Healthier Cities awarded to Dr Julia King 2016
  • Techno Push / Consumer Pull awarded to Jacqueline Cole 2014
  • 3D Printing – A Genuine Industrial Revolution awarded to Jo Hutchings 2012
  • Connecting the New Economy with the Old awarded to Michael Korn 2010
  • The Link between Technology and Productive Industry awarded to Adrian Westaway 2008
  • The Future of Business in Design awarded to Professor Tom Barker 2006

Case Studies