Call for Applications: Green Future Fellowships (UK)

The programme will support at least 50 exceptional scientists, researchers and innovators (10 a year for five years) to transform their pioneering engineering innovations into climate solutions with real-world impact.

The programme is open to anyone with a transformative idea that has the potential to make a significant and lasting impact on global climate resilience. The novel technologies supported by the Green Future Fellowship programme will:

• be practical and scalable
• reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• help the UK adapt sustainably to the impacts of climate change.

Innovations at all stages of development are eligible, from basic principles to proof of concept, demonstration, and application. As well as funding for their fellowship, Green Future Fellows will also be provided with:

• mentorship from an Academy Fellow with relevant expertise to their programme of work, to provide independent advice and guidance throughout the duration of the award
• bespoke support package, including training opportunities
• global talent visa support for applicants based outside the UK
• access to the Academy’s Awardee Excellence Community.

Funding Information

• Individuals will receive a 10-year award with funding of up to £3 million.

Eligibility Criteria

• Awards must be held at a UK-based organisation. This may be a university, research institute or company. For for-profit organisations, special rules on the types of application and funding allowed will apply. Applicants may propose hosting the award within a new startup company that will be created for the project. In this case, additional financial and reporting requirements will apply, to be set out if a full application is invited.
• There are no limitations on the career stage of applicants. Applicants are not required to hold a PhD.
• Applications are welcome for innovations at all stages of development, from basic principles to proof of concept, demonstration and application with no restrictions based on Technology Readiness Level (TRL). Applications must be centred around enabling and driving scalability of the proposed climate technology solution and demonstrate excellence or the potential for excellence in engineering or technology.
• Proposed projects must demonstrate the potential to deliver impact that benefits the UK, alongside any global impact.
• The Green Future Fellowship should be the applicant’s primary source of employment. Applicants are eligible to hold other awards but must be able to dedicate the majority of their working time to Green Future Fellowship programme of work.
• Green Future Fellowships can be led by individuals from non-engineering backgrounds or disciplines, but they must provide clear evidence of how their research or innovation promotes engineering excellence and supports engineering outcomes.
• There are no nationality or age restrictions for applicants. Applicants based outside the UK are eligible to apply. If successful, non-UK-based applicants will need to find a suitable UK-based host organisation.
• There are no restrictions on the number of applications an organisation can submit.
• Non-UK-based applicants:
  • Green Future Fellowships must be held at a UK-based organisation, but the Academy welcomes applications from applicants based outside of the UK. Non-UK-based applicants do not need to have secured a UK-based host organisation at the application stage.
  • If successful, non-UK-based applicants would be required to find a suitable UK-based host organisation and relocate to the UK. The expectation is for non-UK-based applicants to start their award within one year of receiving the offer in principle.
• Part-time and flexible working:
  • The Academy is keen to support applicants to achieve a balance between their personal and work demands. They are happy to discuss individual requirements and consider part-time and other flexible working arrangements.
  • The Green Future Fellowship should be the applicant’s primary source of employment. Green Future Fellowships can be held part-time, and applicants are eligible to hold other awards, but applicants must be able to dedicate the majority of their working time to the Green Future Fellowship programme of work.
  • Applicants with multiple sources of employment or those unsure if they meet the criteria should contact the Academy for guidance before applying.
  • Green Future Fellows should be entitled to maternity, paternity, adoption and sick leave under the host organisation’s normal conditions of employment. The Academy will extend the duration of the Green Future Fellowship pro-rata to take into account such periods of leave.

Assessment Criteria

• Expressions of interest will be assessed against the following criteria:
  • Candidate’s motivation and experience:
    • The extent to which the candidate’s expertise, experience, and ambitions align with the goals of the Green Future Fellowship programme.
  • Innovation and novelty:
    • Clear articulation of what makes the proposed approach or solution better compared to other technologies, the key challenges and the envisioned realworld impact.
    • Understanding of how the project advances the current state of knowledge or technology
    • Demonstration of excellence, or potential for excellence, in engineering or technology.
  • Impact on climate mitigation and/or adaptation:
    • Evaluation of how well the project supports climate mitigation and/or adaptation efforts
  • Routes to success: Impact and value:
    • The scalability of the innovation and its potential for adoption, considering factors that may facilitate or hinder integration into current ecosystems and market readiness.
    • Within the duration of the award, clear plans for commercialisation and/or the sustainable continuation of the technology or innovation by other means.
    • Articulation of the value of the innovation and potential for public benefit.
  • Long-term vision and sustainability:
    • Clear articulation of the long-term vision to sustain and grow the impact of the innovation with an understanding of funding opportunities beyond the Fellowship.
    • The potential for public benefit from the project to UK society and beyond.

Application Requirements 

• Applications will be assessed through a two-stage application process:
  • Stage one: expression of interest: In the expression of interest applicants will be required to provide a brief outline of their motivation, innovation, climate impact, routes to success and long-term vision. Applicants will not be required to provide any details on project costs at this stage. Each question has a specified word limit, with a maximum overall word count for the expression of interest of 2,000 words.
  • Stage two: invited applications: This part of the application process will require invited applicants to submit a more detailed application including a breakdown of the required costs.

For more information, visit Royal Academy of Engineering.