Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/S00713X/1
Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment (ACCE)
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Professor W Dawson, University of Liverpool, Institute of Integrative Biology
- Grant held at:
- University of Liverpool, Institute of Integrative Biology
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Earth
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Freshwater
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Community Ecology
- Conservation Ecology
- Population Ecology
- Environmental Planning
- Ecosystem Scale Processes
- Abstract:
- The ACCE DTP (Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment) combines the complementary academic strengths of world-class research groups from the Universities of Liverpool, Sheffield and York, together with the unique scientific expertise and resources of NERC's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and the Natural History Museum (NHM). Each institution undertakes cutting-edge research to tackle environmental biology questions of global significance, and we have an established track record of successful student supervision and a clear commitment to equality, diversity and a supportive working environment (as evidenced by our holding 3 Athena SWAN Gold awards) that ensures all students reach their full potential. Our vision is to provide a multidisciplinary training environment to develop researchers of the future equipped to solve fundamental and applied environmental and ecological questions of national and global importance. To achieve this we have developed a training program built on the on-going successes of ACCE by: - Expanding our research excellence. The ACCE partnership has been strengthened by the inclusion of the NHM. Their natural history collections and expertise will enhance the ability of ACCE students to investigate the past, present and future dynamics of biodiversity. - Growing our student training program. In response to student feedback we have developed additional modules and mechanisms to deliver training in knowledge exchange and evidence synthesis, and have extended our quantitative skills program. - Driving end-user engagement throughout our multidisciplinary research and training program. We have developed a strategic end-user focus built around co-developed Highlight project themes that enables cohorts of students to conduct research of societal and economic value. - Configuring our operational management to maximise support for end-user engagement and cohort building, including dedicated academic and administrative support to facilitate student training and end-user involvement. ACCE brings together academics with outstanding track-records of internationally-leading research in fundamental and applied science aligned closely to NERC's remit. This integrated group generates critical mass in environmental biology, working from molecular to global scales. Our focus is on the living component of the natural environment, providing ACCE students with a coherent focus, delivered through four inter-linked research foci that reflect our collective research excellence: (1) securing ecosystems and their natural capital; (2) predicting and mitigating impacts of environmental change; (3) understanding the dynamics of biodiversity; and (4) investigating mechanisms of evolutionary change. These four research foci are delivered by embedding students within a multidisciplinary training environment that combines generic and specialist training programmes tailored to student needs, with opportunities to interact with researchers from other institutions, and end-users from our panel of ~30 co-funding, CASE and collaborative partners. We expect at least 40% of ACCE studentships will be supported by our end-user partners, who will be fully involved in co-developing projects, including defining annual Highlight Themes selected by end-users as key strategic areas with knowledge gaps that ACCE science can fill. Students will also have opportunities to undertake bespoke training events and carry out internships with our end-user partners, providing experiential training for all ACCE students. We request funding for 20 PhDs per year, which will be supplemented by 8 studentships funded by ACCE Host Institutes, plus additional studentships co-funded by our end-user partners. The ACCE DTP will provide students with a world-class training environment, enabling them to become leaders of the next generation of environmental scientists, equipped for careers in science-based industry, academia and beyond.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/S00713X/1
- Grant Stage:
- Awaiting Event/Action
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training (R)
- Grant Status:
- Active
- Programme:
- DTP2
This training grant award has a total value of £9,996,694
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - DSA | Total - Other Costs | Total - Fees | Total - RTSG | Total - Student Stipend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £47,977 | £461,949 | £1,724,752 | £1,001,000 | £6,761,017 |
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