1851 Research Fellowships are intended to give early career scientists or engineers of exceptional promise the opportunity to conduct a research project of their own instigation; an ultimate objective is to contribute to the knowledge base required for a healthy and innovative national culture. Around eight awards are made each year.

Changes to the application process for engineering projects

In 2021 a separate competition was introduced for researchers in the core subjects of Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Aeronautical Engineering submitting applications which address the primary infrastructure needs of modern society: the buildings we live and work in, transportation of many forms and the machinery and plant which supply our energy needs. Those interested in this award should see the Brunel Fellowship. Pure and applied scientists, as well as engineers of any discipline proposing research outside the constraints of the Brunel award, should apply for consideration for a Science and Engineering Research Fellowship.

Applications are Open

Do you have 3 years or less post-doctoral research experience and want to conduct innovative research of your own instigation?

Fellowships are held from 1 October in the year of award (or such date in 2024 as agreed with the fellow), for a period of typically 3 years, and offers cannot be deferred to a later year.

Closing date: 8 January 2024 (Midday)

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  • Dr Emma Banks

    Illuminating the mechanistic basis of virus-like gene transfer between bacteria

  • Dr Alison Cribb

    Ecosystem engineers, resilience, and climate change through Earth history

  • Dr Larissa Gomes Franca

    Stimuli-responsive liquid crystal host materials for energy upconversion systems

  • Dr Freya Johnson

    Antiferromagnetic materials for fast and energy-efficient computing

  • Dr Dean Lomax

    Novel Imaging Elucidates Hunting Behaviours of Giant ‘Sea Dragons’

  • Dr Giulia Rubino

    Undoing Quantum Operations using Integrated Photonics Technologies (UQIPT)

  • Dr Lucas Sá

    Order and chaos in dissipative quantum matter

  • Dr Benito Wainwright

    How does evolution break functional barriers to fine-tune adaptation?

  • Dr Dan Wilson

    Transition-Metal Main-Group Cooperativity: A Strategy for Catalytic Transformations with Ammonia