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The UCL Research Domain spans over 400 researchers, research groups, activities, partners and wider stakeholders across and beyond UCL, some of whom are listed below.
UCL Activities and Groups
The Met Office Partnership (MOAP)
The Met Office Academic Partnership (MOAP) is a cluster of research excellence that brings together the Met Office and institutions who are among the leading UK Universities in weather and climate science through a formal collaboration to advance the science and skill of weather and climate prediction. UCL’s contribution, which spans a wide range of disciplines, including environmental sciences, planetary physics, mathematics and statistics, will be led by Joint Chair, Professor Serge Guillas (UCL Statistical Science).
Through the partnership, UCL will build on existing projects with the Met Office by bringing together an interdisciplinary team of researchers from at least three faculties and eight departments to energise and modernise data science in weather and climate modelling to help tackle global issues. This includes sharing expertise in computer simulations, spatial data, trends and extremes, as well as research on space weather, including the development of techniques and data analysis for model validation, weather forecasting and climate projections.
The South East and London Water Alliance SEAL
The South East and London Water Alliance (SEAL) aims to link a diverse of community of experts across London and the South East. The common mission of the network is generating transformative research and operational and policy impact which shifts the perspective from water as an essential resource to water as a fundamental agent of change
UCL Grand Challenges
UCL Grand Challenges convenes and cultivates cross-disciplinary collaborations that explore interconnected solutions in six areas related to matters of pressing societal concern. UCL Grand Challenges aims to bring researchers together from across UCL, setting the agenda for future research, while building bridges with external partners. Since 2009, UCL Grand Challenges have changed the way researchers investigate the world's problems, facilitating hundreds of new connections between researchers from across the university, at all levels. Grand Challenges is an initiative of the UCL Vice-Provost (Research) which seeks to bring UCL’s academic expertise to bear on pressing societal challenges by integrating knowledge and evidence from across disciplines.
The Energy and Development Group
The UCL Energy and Development Group is an interdisciplinary hub for research connecting energy and sustainable development in the Global South. It aims to foster collaboration between researchers, practitioners and local stakeholders for research impact. The Group’s activities focus on informing and empowering efforts to deliver Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, which calls for action to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Our work recognises the holistic and indivisible character of the SDGs, and emphasises interdisciplinary research designed to clarify synergies and trade-offs between efforts to achieve SDG7, and the delivery of all 169 Targets recognised in the 2030 Agenda.
Sustainable UCL
To change the future, you have to make change possible. Sustainability is at the heart of the way we operate. From our education and our research to our campus and community, we’re committed to defining what’s next and creating new possibilities. And we’re inviting everyone to play their part- It’s time to make change possible at UCL.
Find out more and take action here
LEAF
The LEAF initiative will help you improve the sustainability and efficiency of your laboratories. LEAF is now available for any research institution looking to improve their sustainability, including outside of the UK.
If you are interested in taking part, contact Martin Farley for an introduction and information on how to get involved or find out more online.
UCL Climate Hub: a community for change
Now more than ever, the world looks to powerful research communities like UCL to lead the push for change, mobilising large, diverse groups of committed people, backed by excellent scholarship, to effect concrete impact in the world. As a community of staff, students, citizens and partners, UCL is addressing the climate challenge on multiple fronts; ranging from what we can achieve today, to pioneering future system change, and putting sustainability at the heart of our campus.
We can all play our part. Get inspired by the extraordinary breadth of climate-focused activity taking place at UCL and find out how you can get involved here.
Person Environment Activity Research Laboratory (PEARL)
PEARL (Person-Environment-Activity Research Laboratory) — UCL's first net-zero carbon in-use building — will be a unique, urban prototype laboratory for the creation of fullsize environments to test how people use infrastructure and cities. Opening in 2021, this unique facility will explore the ways in which people interact with their environment. It will allow researchers to engage with the public to discover what activities people want or need to do, and the ways in which the environment helps or hinders them. From this knowledge researchers will then be able to apply and test the ways in which the environment can be designed to enable people to live with a greater quality of life.
UCL Anthropocene
The Anthropocene is the name for a proposed geological epoch, but it also marks a series of emergencies and unpredictable events which UCL researchers are working to articulate and address together. UCL Anthropocene works as a virtual school by assembling projects, people, courses, and events from across the social sciences, arts, humanities, life, environmental, and health sciences to articulate and address the problems that the Anthropocene poses for our collective future.
Additional UCL Support
UCL Public Policy
UCL Public Policy connects UCL researchers, staff and students with policy professionals to inform policy with evidence. UCL Public Policy builds engagement between researchers at London's Global University and policy professionals. Activities include convening academic-policy roundtables, publishing Research Insights briefings, managing a Policy Fellowships programme, supporting internal capacity to engage with public policy and holding public events to help bridge the gap between new research and policy.
Find out more and contact the team here
UCL Innovation and Enterprise
Every thriving business, life-saving medicine and revolutionary technology begins as an idea. UCL Innovation and Enterprise work with UCL staff, UCL students and organisations to turn knowledge and ideas into the solutions that benefit us all. Their work is at the heart of UCL’s ambition to change the world for the better.
See what they're doing to help make this happen and find out how you can get involved.
UCL Public Engagement Unit
The UCL Public Engagement Unit exists to champion this founding principle. Public engagement means many things to many people but at its core is the idea of two way dialogue connecting higher education research and teaching with the world outside. The Public Engagement Team are here to help UCL staff and students listen to and engage with communities.
UCL Partnerships and Collaborations
UK Water Partnerhsip
UCL is a member of the UK Water Partnership (UKWP) which brings together a diverse water sector and related organisations in a single coherent alliance, promoting mutual understanding, cooperation and coordination. Together with members, UKWP support research excellence, promote collaborative innovation and drive economic growth in the UK water economy.
Thames Estuary Partnership
The Thames Estuary Partnership (TEP) is a charity bringing Thames estuary stakeholders together to work towards the best social, economic and environmental outcomes for the Thames. Hosted by University College London (UCL), TEP has been building networks, delivering projects and facilitating partnership programmes for the past 20 years.
The London Climate Change Partnership
UCL is a member of the London Climate Change Partnership - the centre for expertise on climate change adaptation and resilience to extreme weather in London. LCCP is comprised of public, private and community sector organisations that have a role to play in preparing London for extreme weather today and climate change in the future and have worked to increase climate resilience within and between sectors in London since 2001
Early Career Groups
The Environment Domain Early Career Network (EDEN)
Provides support to researchers in the early stages of their career in environmental research at UCL. The network provides a platform for early career researchers to meet their peers, share ideas and form new collaborations. EDEN is open to all environmentally-focused researchers at UCL, who identify themselves as early career resarchers, including PhDs, post-docs, fellows and newly appointed lecturers. EDEN aims to connect all early career researchers with an interest in environmental studies to promote multi-disciplinary research and provide a platform for peer support, career advice, mentoring, training and funding information.
View our dedicated EDEN pages here
Students: Research and Activities
The London NERC DTP
The London NERC DTP is a partnership of eight prestigious research organisations across London, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council with the aim of attaining new standards of excellence in environmental science research training, and deliver a transformative inter-disciplinary experience for PhD students in the heart of London. The DTP currently funds over 140 PhD students in the natural sciences. The London NERC DTP partners are University College London, Birkbeck University of London, King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, Royal Holloway University of London, Brunel University London, the Institute of Zoology, the Natural History Museum.
The Climate Action Society
Founded on the principle of Global Goal 13 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Take urgent action to combat climate change, the UCL Climate Action Society (CAS) aims to organise forums, panels, internships, research opportunities and socials. Fashion, finance, medicine, engineering, consultancy - whatever you study and whatever you're interested in, there's a place for you on the CAS team!
The Green Economy Society
The UCL Green Economy Society was established in 2010 with three core goals: Increase awareness of sustainable development where green economy is the
determining driver; Offer a platform for multidisciplinary discussion of green economy issues; Introduce students to careers in the environmental jobs sector as well as firms who believe strongly in the concept of sustainability.