Future research and innovation leaders backed through flagship fellowships

UKRI’s flagship scheme invests in outstanding individuals across the UK and, for the first time, five of the awards will support new research and innovation leaders based directly in businesses.

The business-based fellows will work on a wide variety of projects including improving mobile phone infrastructure, finding sustainable replacements for materials used in building aircraft, and developing innovative products by combining social science with creative design.

Fellowships have long been used to support up-and-coming researchers in universities. The funding of fellows based directly in businesses is new, marking a milestone in the provision of long-term funding for the most promising researchers and innovators in industry. Helping to foster new research and innovation career paths will increase the movement of ideas and people between the business and academic sectors; breaking down barriers and developing new ways of working.

The 90 UKRI Future Leaders Fellows have been announced today alongside ten Ernest Rutherford Fellows. The Ernest Rutherford Fellowships, managed by UKRI’s Science and Technology Facilities Council, support future scientific leaders in areas such as astrophysics, nuclear physics, theoretical particle physics and cosmology at an early stage of their career. Read more