Close
Fellowships
- 1851 Research Fellowship of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
Who are the fellowships aimed at?
The Fellowships are offered to postdoctoral chemists with a maximum of two year postdoctoral experience of research at the beginning of the fellowship. As candidate are in the early stages of their career, the fellowship helps to initiate a programme of original and independent research.
Internal sift
Each year UCL Chemistry welcomes expressions of interest for the Ramsay Fellowship scheme. To ensure that the Department of Chemistry supports the best candidates for the fellowship scheme, we carry out a competitive internal sift. Prospective candidates will be shortlisted following the deadlines below:
Deadline for expression of interest 1 October 2024 Decisions made and candidates informed 4 November 2024 Call closing date 6 January 2025 How is the internal sift conducted?
Each expression of interest is reviewed independently by two reviewers in the department who are chosen based on the subject area of the candidate’s proposal.
The reviewers grade the expression of interest against four criteria:
- Scientific track record
- Quality of research proposal
- Independence
- Match to department
While the candidate’s match to department is important, the first three criteria are deemed more important in the review process. The internal sift is coordinated by the department’s Fellowship Lead (Stefan Howorka) and Director of Research (Christoph Salzmann) along with the Senior Research Administrator.
Finding a UCL Chemistry sponsor
We kindly ask that candidates wishing to express an interest in the scheme do so by approaching an existing member of academic staff who will act as their sponsor. This sponsor will submit your expression of interest on your behalf. Our academic staff can each sponsor one applicant per round. Please look at our research page for more information about our academics.
Instructions for the expression of interest
By 12:00 BST on 1 October 2024, please ensure that your UCL Chemistry sponsor has emailed the Chemistry Research Admin inbox (research.chem@ucl.ac.uk) with the following:
- Candidate’s name, contact email address, Google scholar profile link (or equivalent)
- Project title
Attachments:
- Candidate’s short proposal including: summary, objectives, scientific and societal impact, and methodology (one A4 page max.)
- Candidate’s academic CV (two A4 pages max.)
- Candidate’s short cover letter explaining why they would like to host the award in UCL Chemistry – referring to the specific expertise/equipment or the research environment in the department (one A4 page max.)
All attachments must be formatted as follows:
- Font no less than Arial pt 11
- Margins no less than 2cm
- Page limits should be observed – only content that falls within these limits will be submitted for review so please ensure you meet these requirements
If you require any information in the meantime, please email the Chemistry Research Admin inbox (research.chem@ucl.ac.uk). We look forward to receiving to hearing from you!
- EPSRC, ERC, RAEng and other selected fellowships
Interested candidates are requested to contact Professor Stefan Howorka (s.howorka@ucl.ac.uk) approximately three months before the intended submissions deadline with a two page summary or a complete research proposal, a copy of their CV and a letter outlining why they think UCL Chemistry is the place to pursue their research.
Before you contact us, please make sure you satisfy the eligibility criteria for the fellowship you intend to apply for.
An internal panel composed of members of the Research Committee will then consider the applicants and select which to support. Selected candidates will be provided with an internal mentor, may be provided examples of successful proposals and will be assisted in the costing of their proposal by our Research Administration Officer.
EPSRC Open Fellowship
We welcome expressions of interest for the upcoming round of the EPSRC Open Fellowship scheme.
The fellowship
Who can apply?
The Open Fellowship is aimed at a broad variety of researcher profiles beyond postdoctoral level:
- researchers who are close to their first academic appointment
- researchers who are leading in an area of technical development
- highly experienced researchers
It is expected that the candidate will already have been in receipt of significant funding (usually defined as a project with: >£100k FEC, PDRA time, or capital equipment) or leading in an area of technical development. Please read the call page carefully to ensure you are eligible to apply.
Grant value
There is no stated maximum grant value. All grants will be funded at 80% of the FEC.
Part-time fellowships
Please note the guidance regarding part-time fellowships – especially for those who do not work part-time. “In exceptional circumstances, if you do not work part-time, you may hold our fellowship for between 50% and 100%, of your time. This must be clearly justified in your application. However, the total fellowship duration will be fixed at five years.”
Open Fellowships (Department sift)
Deadline for EoI (UCL) 10 July (midday) Candidates informed 21 July Applications finalised 17 August Call closing date 28 September How is the Department sift conducted?
Expressions of interest are graded against four criteria:
- Scientific track record
- Quality of research proposal with a focus on a new transformative research idea
- Independence
- Match to department
While the candidate’s match to department is important, the first three criteria are deemed more important in the review process. The internal sift is coordinated by the department’s Fellowship Lead (Stefan Howorka) and Director of Research (Christoph Salzmann) along with the Senior Research Administrator.
Next steps
By 12:00 BST on 10 July, please could candidates email the Chemistry Research Admin inbox (research.chem@ucl.ac.uk) with:
Information
- Candidate’s name, contact email address, and Google scholar profile link (or equivalent)
- Project title
Attachments:
- Candidate’s short proposal (one A4 page max.) including: summary, objectives, scientific and societal impact, and methodology
- Candidate’s academic CV (two A4 pages max.)
- Candidate’s short cover letter (one A4 page max.) explaining why they would like to host the award in UCL Chemistry (they may wish to comment on specific expertise/equipment or the research environment in the department)
All attachments must be formatted as follows:
- Font no less than Arial pt. 11
- Margins no less than 2cm
EPSRC Postdoctoral Fellowship
The fellowship
Who can apply?
Postdoctoral fellowships are aimed at early career researchers who have not previously held a significant grant (usually defined as those that included PDRA time, capital equipment or were over £100,000 full economic cost (FEC))
For this round you can only apply for postdoctoral fellowships in the following areas of EPSRC research:
There are no eligibility rules about how many years of postdoctoral experience you need. You do not need to hold a permanent academic position to be eligible for postdoctoral fellowships.
Grant value
Applicants can apply for up to three years' worth of funding. All grants will be funded at 80% of the FEC. EPSRC will not fund costs for additional researchers besides or individual items of equipment over £10,000 (including VAT).
Department sift process
Prospective candidates will be shortlisted following the deadlines below:
Deadline for EoI (UCL) 10 July (midday) Candidates informed 21 July Applications finalised 17 August Call closing date 28 September The deadline for our internal sift is 10 July (12:00 BST). This is the deadline by which we ask existing academic members of staff to inform us of any suitable candidates they think should be considered for application. Any Expression of Interest received after this time will not be considered.
Finding a UCL Chemistry sponsor
We kindly ask that candidates wishing to express an interest in the scheme do so by approaching an existing member of academic staff who will act as their sponsor. This sponsor will submit your expression of interest on your behalf. Our academic staff can each sponsor one applicant per round. Please look at our research page for more information about our academics.
How is the Department sift conducted?
Expressions of interest are graded against four criteria:
- Scientific track record
- Quality of research proposal with a focus on a new transformative research idea
- Independence
- Match to department
While the candidate’s match to department is important, the first three criteria are deemed more important in the review process. The internal sift is coordinated by the department’s Fellowship Lead (Stefan Howorka) and Director of Research (Christoph Salzmann) along with the Senior Research Administrator.
Next steps
Therefore, by 12:00 BST on 11 July, please ensure that your UCL Chemistry sponsor has emailed the Chemistry Research Admin inbox (research.chem@ucl.ac.uk) with the following:
Information
- Your name, contact email address, and Google scholar profile link (or equivalent)
- Project title
Attachments:
- A short proposal (one A4 page max.) including: summary, objectives, scientific and societal impact, and methodology
- An academic CV (two A4 pages max.)
- A short cover letter (one A4 page max.) explaining why they would like to host the award in UCL Chemistry (they may wish to comment on specific expertise/equipment or the research environment in the department)
All attachments must be formatted as follows:
- Font no less than Arial pt. 11
- Margins no less than 2cm
If you require any information in the meantime, please email the Chemistry Research Admin inbox (research.chem@ucl.ac.uk). We look forward to receiving to hearing from you!
Other Fellowships
Interested candidates are requested to contact Professor Stefan Howorka (s.howorka@ucl.ac.uk) approximately three months before the intended submissions deadline with a two page summary or a complete research proposal, a copy of their CV and a letter outlining why they think UCL Chemistry is the place to pursue their research.
Before you contact us, please make sure you satisfy the eligibility criteria for the fellowship you intend to apply for.
An internal panel composed of members of the Research Committee will then consider the applicants and select which to support. Selected candidates will be provided with an internal mentor, may be provided examples of successful proposals and will be assisted in the costing of their proposal by our Research Administration Officer.
- Royal Society University Research Fellowship
In July the Royal Society’s University Research Fellowship (URF) scheme will open for applications.
The fellowship
Each year we welcome expressions of interest for the URF. Applicants should be exceptional postdoctoral researchers with between three to eight years of actual research experience since their PhD by the closing date of the round (i.e. date on which the degree was approved by the board of graduate studies). Career breaks will be taken into consideration (see the Royal Society’s page for more information).
Department sift timescales
Prospective candidates will be shortlisted following the deadlines below:
Deadline for expression of interest (UCL) 8 July 2024 (12:00 BST) Applications finalised (UCL hard deadline) 15 August 2024 Call closing date 7 September 2024 (15:00 BST) The deadline for our internal sift is 8 July 2024 (12:00 BST). This is the deadline by which we ask existing academic members of staff to inform us of any suitable internal candidates they think should be considered for application.
How is the internal sift conducted?
Each expression of interest is reviewed independently by two reviewers in the department who are chosen based on the subject area of the candidate’s proposal. The reviewers grade the expression of interest against four criteria:
- Scientific track record
- Quality of research proposal with a focus on a new transformative research idea
- Independence
- Match to department
While the candidate’s match to department is important, the first three criteria are deemed more important in the review process. The internal sift is coordinated by the department’s Fellowship Lead (Stefan Howorka) and Director of Research (Christoph Salzmann) along with the Senior Research Administrator.
Finding a UCL Chemistry sponsor
We kindly ask that candidates wishing to express an interest in the scheme do so by approaching an existing member of academic staff who will act as their sponsor. This sponsor will submit your expression of interest on your behalf. Our academic staff can each sponsor one applicant per round. Please look at our research page for more information about our academics.
Instructions for the expression of interest
By 12:00 BST on 8 July, please ensure that your UCL Chemistry sponsor has emailed the Chemistry Research Admin inbox (research.chem@ucl.ac.uk) with the following:
Information:
- Your name, contact email address, and Google scholar profile link (or equivalent)
- Project title
Attachments:
- A short proposal (one A4 page max.) including: summary, objectives, scientific and societal impact, and methodology
- An academic CV (two A4 pages max.)
- A short cover letter (one A4 page max.) explaining why they would like to host the award in UCL Chemistry (they may wish to comment on specific expertise/equipment or the research environment in the department)
All attachments must be formatted as follows:
- Font no less than Arial pt. 11
- Margins no less than 2cm
If you require any information in the meantime, please email the Chemistry Research Admin inbox (research.chem@ucl.ac.uk). We look forward to hearing from you!
- Royal Society’s Career Development Fellowship (CDF)
In November the Royal Society’s Career Development Fellowship (CDF) scheme will open for applications: https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/career-development-fellowship/
The fellowship
The Career Development Fellowship (CDF) is a four-year, postdoctoral research fellowship that aims to support the retention in STEM of researchers from underrepresented backgrounds. The scheme will initially run as a pilot with researchers from Black heritage.
Candidates are eligible if they:
- Self-identify as being from a Black heritage including mixed Black background;
- Have a PhD or will have one by the time the funding starts; but have less than 24 months post-doctoral experience.
Both UK and non-UK domiciled researchers who wish to conduct their research in the UK are eligible.
Department sift timescales
Prospective candidates will be shortlisted following the deadlines below:
Deadline for expression of interest (UCL) 17 November 2023 (12:00 BST) Decisions made and candidates informed (UCL) w/c 20 November 2023 Applications finalised (UCL hard deadline) 10 January 2024 Final submission deadline 24 January 2024 The deadline for our internal sift is 17 November 2023 (12:00 BST). This is the deadline by which we ask existing academic members of staff to inform us of any suitable internal or external candidates they think should be considered for application.
How is the internal sift conducted?
Each expression of interest is reviewed independently by two reviewers in the department who are chosen based on the subject area of the candidate’s proposal. The reviewers grade the expression of interest against four criteria:
- Scientific track record
- Quality of research proposal with a focus on a new transformative research idea
- Independence
- Match to department
While the candidate’s match to department is important, the first three criteria are deemed more important in the review process. The internal sift is coordinated by the department’s Fellowship Lead (Stefan Howorka) and Director of Research (Christoph Salzmann) along with the Senior Research Administrator.
Finding a UCL Chemistry sponsor
We kindly ask that candidates wishing to express an interest in the scheme do so by approaching an existing member of academic staff who will act as their sponsor. This sponsor will submit your expression of interest on your behalf. Our academic staff can each sponsor one applicant per round. Please look at our research page for more information about our academics.
Instructions for the expression of interest
By 17 November 2023 (12:00 BST), please ensure that your UCL Chemistry sponsor has emailed the Chemistry Research Admin inbox (research.chem@ucl.ac.uk) with the following:
Information:
- Your name, contact email address, and Google scholar profile link (or equivalent)
- Project title
Attachments:
- A short proposal (one A4 page max.) including: summary, objectives, scientific and societal impact, and methodology
- An academic CV (two A4 pages max.)
- A short cover letter (one A4 page max.) explaining why you would like to hold the fellowship at UCL Chemistry (you may wish to comment on specific expertise/equipment or the research environment in the department)
All attachments must be formatted as follows:
- Font no less than Arial pt. 11
- Margins no less than 2 cm
If you require any information in the meantime, please email the Chemistry Research Admin inbox (research.chem@ucl.ac.uk). We look forward to hearing from you!
- UKRI Future Leader Fellowships
The Department of Chemistry welcomes expressions of interest for the UKRI Future Leader Fellowships scheme.
About the scheme
Round 9 of the Future Leaders Fellowship scheme is open for applications. Projects can last for up to four years, with the option to apply to renew for a further three years. There is no minimum or maximum award value.
What are the eligibility criteria?
The eligibility criteria are quite broad for this scheme, but it is primarily aimed at “early career researchers and innovators who are transitioning to or establishing independence”. Indeed, “Applicants who have already achieved research or innovation independence (for example, by securing funding aimed at this career stage, or by already managing their own significant programme of work within a business) should not apply. Senior academics and innovators are not permitted to apply.”
How many Chemistry applicants can there be?
UCL as an institution can only submit 10 applications for round 9. As a result, a UCL-wide review and selection process is being coordinated by the Research Coordination Offices. The Department Chemistry can only nominate one candidate for the internal selection process. Hence, the call is highly competitive and potential applicants should consult the database of existing fellows to learn about the expected research profile: https://www.ukri.org/publications/future-leaders-fellowships-database-of-fellows/
Department process
To select the Department’s candidate, we will adhere to the following timescales:
Deadline for expressions of interest (Chemistry) 29 February 2024 (midday) Decisions made and candidates informed (Chemistry) 7 March 2024 (midday) Deadline for nomination (MAPS) 22 March 2024 (midday) UCL Faculty Nominations deadline 10 April 2024 (midday) Next steps
If you would like to be a candidate supported by UCL Chemistry, submit by 29 February midday your Expression of Interest (EoI) comprising your narrative CV:
UCL-internal applicants: Submit your application data and upload the completed EoI form to the central submission platform for internal applicants.
External applicants: Submit your application data to the central submission platform for external applicants. Please also send your completed EoI form to ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk.
Expression of Interest form UCL internal FLF Expression of Interest (EoI) form
A webinar on narrative CVs is organised by UCL Careers on the 13th February: What's the Story with Narrative CVs? | UCL Careers 13th Feb 11-12.30. UCL MAPS faculty is running an event on fellowship and for networking on 19 February ( MAPS ECR Forum Event- Planning Your Academic Career: Early Career Fellowships)
Meet our Royal Society University Research Fellows
- Dr Adam Clancy
- Liquid molecules adjacent to a solid surface arrange differently to the molecules in the middle of a liquid, and are different again when we put an electrical charge on the solid surface. How they reshuffle is important for understanding how a wide range of real-world systems behave, from batteries to paint. We have a good idea of how the molecules arrange when you have a large, flat surface, but the behaviours are known to change as the surface gets smaller, towards the size of the liquid molecules themselves. Unfortunately, for these small surfaces the arrangement becomes very difficult to measure, as the surfaces are usually no longer flat and/or there is very little surface to measure. I use nanomaterials – materials with widths comparable to the liquid molecules – dissolved in liquids which allows us the vary the chemistry, shape, size, and electrical charge of the surface, to understand how changes to the surface modify how different liquids behave. Beyond understanding their interesting physical properties, these liquid-dispersed nanomaterials are also incredibly useful for creating next generation energy devices from solar cells to batteries, to fibres which store energy as you twist them.
- Dr Michael Booth
- DNA and RNA form the basis for many therapeutic and experimental technologies, including gene editing and silencing, several aspects of nanotechnology, aptamers and their applications, and cell-free protein expression. It would be advantageous to control the function of these technologies, as this would greatly expand their application in biology and medicine by reducing toxic on/off-target effects and systemic toxicity. The main focus of our research is the generation of remote-controlled nucleic acids under the control of various stimuli, including temperature, magnetism, enzymes, chemical signals, and multiple wavelengths of light. These nucleic acids will be optimized to function with molecular machines, drug delivery, sensing, and siRNA and CRISPR technologies. In the future, this universal chemical method for controlling DNA and RNA structure and function may form the basis of controllable therapeutics and new technologies for basic research.
