EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) have recently set up a service to advise researchers on proposals which take an interdisciplinary approach.

Often you may find that you have an idea for a research project but are unsure which Research Council is best placed to fund it, possibly because the research draws on expertise or methodology of more than one academic discipline. The Cross Discipilinary Interfaces Programme (C-DIP) ask you to submit an informal two-page outline of your proposal by email. C-DIP will then consult with colleagues in EPSRC and across other Research Councils to advise on the best way to proceed.

C-DIP’s Gavin Salisbury comments: “If the outcome is that your proposal would best be submitted to another Research Council, we will put you in touch with a suitable contact person to discuss your ideas further.”

In the first instance, we would advise that you contact the Research Office here for advice about your potential bid. It may be that we are aware of an interdisciplinary scheme which would be a good fit for your research. If not, you may wish to prepare a brief outline of your research project and send it to either Gavin Salisbury (gavin.salisbury@epsrc.ac.uk) or Mark Orme (mark.orme@epsrc.ac.uk) at C-DIP for further advice and comments.