Introduction
Helping to future-proof the UK's cultural heritage
The Science and Heritage programme will provide a focus for those wishing to engage with science and heritage and ensure that knowledge is disseminated widely so that our cultural heritage is in better shape to confront the challenges of the 21st century.
Background
The Science and Heritage Programme is funded by the AHRC and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and is supported by Research Councils UK. It takes forward recommendations made by the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee report on science and heritage of November 2006 which concluded that there was a compelling need for a comprehensive national strategy for heritage science which covered both immoveable and moveable heritage.
The Programme
This joint five year research programme has a dual purpose: it will provide funding opportunities for high quality research to increase our understanding, and improve the resilience of cultural heritage in the face of 21st century challenges. It will also develop the heritage science community by funding networks and other awareness-raising and capacity building activities.
The Science and Heritage Programme full Specification (108kb) provides full details of the aims and research themes of the programme.
Science and Heritage Commissioning Panel
The Science and Heritage Commissioning Panel comprises leading figures across a range of science and heritage disciplines and organisations. The Panel considers the peer reviews and applicant responses for all eligible proposals, awards a final grade reflecting both quality and fit to the aims and objectives of the Programme, and ranks in order of priority for funding. A list of the members of the Commissioning Panel is available.
Science and Heritage Awards
Recent Awards
The AHRC / EPSRC Science and Heritage Programme is pleased to announce awards for seven Interdisciplinary Research Grants and nine Post doctoral Fellowships under the most recent Calls.
Details of Interdisciplinary Research Grants Awards (89kb)
Details of Post doctoral Fellowships Awards (89kb)
Science and Heritage Cluster Awards
Thirteen Research Clusters, funded previously, are now underway..
Details of Science and Heritage Cluster Awards (59kb)
Collaborative Research Studentships
Eight Collaborative Research Studentships, funded under the first call of the programme, are now underway. These awards offer doctoral students the chance to conduct their research in collaboration with a non-academic body, and to gain experience of work outside the academic sphere.
Details of Science and Heritage Collaborative Research Studentships (24kb)
Programme Director
Professor May Cassar
Science and Heritage Programme Director
020 7679 1780
AHRC contacts
The AHRC work with the RCUK Shared Services Centre (SSC) to deliver all of our funding activities. All queries regarding eligibility for funding and applications in progress and also queries regarding current awards, should be directed to the SSC team dealing with your subject area using the contacts page.
EPSRC Contact
Dr Louise Tillman
Portfolio Manager Mechanical and Materials Engineering
01793 444510
Find out more
Full details about the programme, including contact details and current funding opportunties are at www.heritagescience.ac.uk.
Funding Opportunities:
The Autumn 2008 edition of EPSRC's magazine Pioneer includes an article about the Science and Heritage Programme entitled 'Building a future for the past'.
About AHRC Initiatives
This programme is one of the AHRC programmes which opens up opportunities for research that has intellectual and wider cultural, social or economic urgency and that the Council considers is best supported by concentrated investments. It will also assist researchers working on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary areas which do not fit into conventional funding opportunities.