The RSE has announced funding for 27 research projects across the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, medicine, arts, humanities and social sciences.

Over half a million pounds will go towards funding high-quality research in Scotland.

The funded research included projects looking at decision fatigue in general practitioners and refugee integration in Scotland.

The RSE has announced the details of 27 exceptional researchers who are recipients of the RSE Research Awards programme Autumn 2021 call. Through the awardees, 10 of the 15 Scottish universities are represented, with funding totalling over half a million pounds.

With an average grant value of £19,000, projects range from refugee integration in Scotland to examining polarisation and harassment in the Scottish Local Elections to decision fatigue in general practitioners; some projects also support international collaboration between researchers in Scotland and Italy, Malawi, Singapore, Spain and the United States of America.

The RSE Research Awards Programme continues to sustain the talent pipeline of Scotland’s vibrant research and innovation sector by supporting high quality research work in the sciences, the arts and humanities, and the social sciences. This funding enables awardees to deepen their knowledge through research which tackles global challenges, supports career development, and makes significant benefits to society and the economy. On behalf of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, I send my congratulations to all of our award winners, wish them well with their work, and thank them for their contributions.

Professor Charles W. J. Withers FBA FRSE, Research Awards Convener, Royal Society of Edinburgh

The RSE Research Awards programme runs in spring and autumn twice a year. The funding programme aims to support Scotland’s academic researchers, nurture promising talent, stimulate research in Scotland, and promote international collaboration, which will be of lasting benefit to the individuals and communities concerned and to broader society.

The full list of autumn 2021 RSE Research Awards are as follows:

RSE International Joint Projects

  • Dr Mazheruddin Syed, University of Strathclyde
    Cloud Connected Geographically Distributed Laboratories for Validation of Complex Power and Energy Systems.

RSE Personal Research Fellowships

  • Dr I Safak Bayram, University of Strathclyde
    Smart Charging Algorithm Design for Human-in-the-Loop Electric Vehicle Parking Lots
  • Professor Tanja Bueltmann, University of Strathclyde
    Transeuropean Scots: Scotland’s European Diaspora Post-Brexit in Longitudinal Perspective
  • Dr Rachel Douglas University of Glasgow
    Reimagining Haiti: Decolonial Visions
  • Dr Chris Guiver, Edinburgh Napier University
    Optimal and robust methodologies for nonlinear control systems with applications to the control of renewable wave-energy converters
  • Dr Akin Iwilade, University of Edinburgh
    Mass Offending Bodies: Youth gangs, violence and crowds in an African city (MOBS)
  • Dr Hadi Mehrpouya, Abertay University
    Gaming in the times of Surveillance Capitalism: A study of player governance in emerging social gaming environments

RSE Research Network Grants

  • Dr Nicholas Jenkins, University of the West of Scotland
    Developing & Consolidating The Multi-Species Dementia International Research Network
  • Dr Thomas Rice, University of St Andrews
    The Lost World of Filmstrips
  • Nina Vaswani, University of Strathclyde
    Co-designing Socially Just Justice for Young Adults in Conflict with the Law

RSE Research Workshop Grants

  • Professor Mervyn Bain, University of Aberdeen
    A Soviet Global Legacy at 30
  • Professor Jennifer Davidson, University of Strathclyde
    Quality of Alternative Care for Children: A Global Perspective
  • Professor Paul Freathy, University of Stirling
    The importance of the informal food economy to Scottish island communities in the Western Isles
  • Dr Katie Garner, University of St Andrews
    Sounding Scotland’s Waters, 1800-1900: History, Literature, Science
  • Emilia Pietka-Nykaza, University of the West of Scotland
    Refugee integration in Scotland, long-term perspective

RSE Small Research Grants

  • Dr Walt Adamson, University of Glasgow
    Are dogs a reservoir for human African trypanosomiasis infection?
  • Dr Julia Allan, University of Aberdeen
    Work is hard and time is short: decision fatigue in general practitioners
  • Dr Mia Burleigh, University of the West of Scotland
    Exercise training and the oral microbiome – contributions of bacteria to cardiovascular and oral health.
  • Professor Matthew Cartmell, University of Strathclyde
    Terrestrial measurement of frame-dragging
  • Dr Rohit Dasgupta, University of Glasgow
    Faith and Fashion in the South Asian Muslim Diaspora: Identity, Decoloniality and Consumption in Glasgow
  • Dr Dominic Hinde, University of Glasgow
    Press Support Models in Small Countries: A Swedish case study
  • Dr Eleanor Lawson, Queen Margaret University
    Edinburgh MRI modelled speech corpus
  • Professor Mitsuhiko Ota, University of Edinburgh
    The Edinburgh Child Language Corpus
  • Dr Denise Risch, Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
    Unlocking the acoustic repertoire of Atlantic white-sided dolphins to better understand an understudied species
  • Dr Wolfgang Rudig, University of Strathclyde
    Polarisation and Harassment: A Survey of Scottish Local Election Candidates 2022
  • Dr Shaista Shirazi, University of Glasgow
    Impact of parental awareness on STEM subject and career choices of children
  • Dr Samuel White, University of the West of Scotland
    Using Human Rights Treaties in Scottish Courts