PETRAS National Centre of Excellence Strategic Research Fund Call
The PETRAS (privacy, ethics, trust, reliability, acceptability, and security) National Centre of Excellence for IoT Systems Cybersecurity aims to build the UK national capacity needed to create a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the opportunities and threats that arise when edge computing nodes are deployed, and when AI and Machine Learning (ML) technologies are migrated to the periphery of the internet and into local Internet of Things (IoT) networks.
PETRAS has now launched the second call under its Strategy Research Fund (SRF) programme to support proposals from eligible UK higher education institutions for collaborative projects in cybersecurity of devices and networks at the edge of the internet research to be undertaken jointly with user partners. The ambition is to make a step change in scope, enabling trustworthy AI embedded in IoT networks to deliver safe and highly functional solutions.
The award will fund 15-20 projects for a maximum of 18 months. Proposals are encouraged that include themes that address IoT systems research challenges at the intersection of any two PETRAS Centre ‘Lens’ and ‘Sector’ descriptors, and which include emerging technologies that support IoT deployed at the ‘edge’ of the internet. Proposals are welcomed that take a cross-disciplinary viewpoint, while those that address purely technical or social dimensions will also be considered.
Each project should involve at least one, and ideally two or more, User Partner(s) from industry and/or public sector with strong background in the Centre’s research programme. Proposals must be co-created with the User Partner(s) and be convincing of the depth of the partner commitment. Whilst matched funding by user partner(s) is not required, it is highly recommended.
Applicants may only apply once as a PI or CoI, and cannot be involved in more than one proposal. Projects must be led by a PI eligible to hold an EPSRC grant. The PI will be responsible for the delivery of the project work and required reporting requirements.
£4.5million is available for the second call at 80% full Economic Cost (fEC), bringing the available total to £3.6 million. This is expected to fund approximately 15-20 projects. This estimate is roughly based on an 18-month project employing a post doctorate research associate (PDRA) fulltime with associated Principal Investigator (PI) costs, consumables and travel.
Intent to Bid forms should be submitted online by the 9 September 2020 deadline.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit outline applications, which should be submitted by the 10 November 2020 deadline. Invited applicants will then be asked to submit full proposals by the 26 January 2021 deadline. Projects are expected to start during July-September 2021.
More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.