Join our one-day workshop to find collaborators and develop your interdisciplinary research muscle. You'll design a research activity together on the day, have two weeks to submit your application for funding and have 5 months to conduct exploratory research activities.
About the Program
The BEAMS Positive Futures program is a UCL Research Culture funded initiative that supports the development of inter-disciplinary research skills for Early Career Researchers via a workshop and small grants funding scheme. Expressions of interests are invited from ECRs (individuals who have less than 7 years postdoctoral experience since completing their PhD), Technical Support and research supporting Professional Services staff across the three BEAMS faculties (Built Environment, Engineering, Mathematical & Physical Sciences) and successful applicants will be invited to take part in the Positive Futures program 2025-26.
The program includes a one-day workshop, which aims to foster interdisciplinary research collaboration across the BEAMS faculties, widen researchers' networks and build collaborative research practices. The workshop has been designed to guide participants through collaborative research planning and help develop strong interdisciplinary project proposals.
In addition to the workshop, the BEAMS Positive Futures program is offering small grants of up to £5,000 for impactful, interdisciplinary activities that support their newly identified research interest. This program aims to support participants in building collaborative research partnerships, testing new ideas whilst developing skills around funding proposals and project delivery.
Deadline for Expressions of Interest: Tuesday 11 November 2025, 3pm GMT
| Date | Event |
| 7-Oct-25 | Expression of Interest (EOI) call opens across BEAMS faculties |
| 11-Nov-25 | Deadline: EOI call closes |
| 17-Nov-25 | EOI applicants informed of outcome. Successful applicants invited to workshop. |
| 14-Jan-26 | Positive Futures Workshop |
| 21-Jan-26 | Optional seed award application writing session |
| 30-Jan-26 | Deadline: Seed award applications to faculty |
| 05-Feb-26 | Faculty review panel meets |
| 06-Feb-26 | Seed award funding confirmed to project teams |
| 22-Mar-26 | PF award check in 1 |
| 03-May-26 | PF award check in 2 |
| 03-May-26 | Additional funding call |
| 14-Jun-26 | PF award check in 3 |
| 31-Jul-26 | Deadline: Projects complete and final report due |
How to Apply
1) Read the Positive Futures Call Guidance and Terms of Reference.
2) Complete the expression of interest form by 11 November 2025, 3pm GMT.
Applications for projects costing up to £5,000 will be considered under this call. Due to the UCL fiscal year-end, all funding must be spent, and expenses must be identified and invoiced by 31st July 2026.
The BEAMS Positive Futures program is open to all early career research staff (ECRs), research supporting professional services staff and technical support staff within the three BEAMS faculties of the Built Environment, Engineering and Maths & Physical Sciences. All justified direct project costs must be in line with the UCL expenditure policy are eligible.
Examples of costs that can be included:
· Events funding
· External speakers
· Travel expenses (e.g. for external speakers)
· Research/ event management assistance
· Catering: events under 3 hours £7pp, half day events £20pp, full day events £30pp.
· Prizes
We are not able to fund:
· Costs that are already included in a research or teaching grant
· Teaching time buyout
· External venues
· Vouchers for internal participants
Please note: project delivery may require significant time allocations, and your project planning should include an appropriate schedule to account for this.
Additional Requirements
All successful Expressions of Interest applicants will be invited to attend a one-day workshop on 14th January 2026. (Mandatory)
A second workshop will be offered for participants to attend to work on the research proposal application on 21st January 2026. (Optional)
All participants will be required to complete a program evaluation form at the end of the project cycle (Mandatory)
What is the aim of the BEAMS Positive Futures Program?
The program supports development opportunities for early career staff to develop skills related to interdisciplinary research practices and developing research projects. By providing both training (via the workshop) and applied learning experiences (via the small seed funding), the program aims to provide an opportunity for early career staff to develop the requisite skills for developing and submitting proposals for future funding calls.
Who can apply to be involved in the program?
The program is open to ECRs within the BEAMS faculties, as well as technical support and research supporting staff from across the Built Environment, Engineering, Mathematical & Physical Sciences faculties.
What is the maximum funding available per project?
Up to £5,000 per project in round one of the program. There will be a further opportunity to apply for additional funding for team projects after 12 weeks.
Do I need to provide a standalone Worktribe?
You are not required to submit a standalone Worktribe.
What types of projects are eligible?
Please review the Call Guidance document and Terms and Conditions document provided for further information.
We asked attendees of the BEAMS Positive Futures 2024-25 cohort for feedback on their experience.
“I learned that successful collaboration requires creating a shared language and aligning expectations early on. Disciplines often have different priorities, methods, and timescales; taking time to build mutual understanding is crucial. I also saw how interdisciplinary teams can generate more innovative solutions than a single discipline working in isolation, especially when tackling complex social and environmental issues. Overall, the key lesson has been that building trust across disciplines and sectors, scoping proposals with both ambition and feasibility in mind, and managing resources with accountability are all critical skills for leading larger, more complex research projects in the future.” Bartlett ECR
“'This was my first ever experience of producing a research proposal and project timeline. It was invaluable to learn firsthand from some of the more experienced group members about how the process unfolds and how different group members coordinate their specific expertise to the task.” MAPS ECR