Proposals for 2027 ABEL Ayrton-Blériot Engineering Lab

 

  • Call issued by: ABEL - Date: 1 October 2026
  • Format of applications: PDF (single file for all documents, max 10 MB)
  • Language: English
  • Deadline: 15 November 2026
  • Decision will be made by 15 December 2026

The Ayrton-Blériot Engineering Lab is pleased to announce a Call for Proposals to support innovative research, collaborations, and exchanges in the field of Engineering. This initiative aims to foster interdisciplinary approaches that address global challenges, generate new knowledge and technical innovations at the frontiers of engineering under the pillars of the International Research Center: Sustainability, Connectivity between people and systems, and Health.

We invite proposals for:

  • Workshops (hosted at Imperial; in-person or hybrid)
  • Short visits (research exchanges, seminars, collaborations)
  • PhD or Post-doc mobility (research stays, joint supervision, or training)

Eligibility: Faculty members, PhD students and Post-docs.

  • Applicants must be affiliated with Imperial College or CNRS Labs (UMR and UPR).
  • Each proposal must be jointly developed by partners from Imperial and CNRS. The project team must include at least one eligible applicant from each institution.
  • Proposals must clearly align with one or more of the thematic areas (see below).
  • Activities must be organized and finalized within the calendar year 2027.
    Grants will be managed by either Imperial or CNRS.

Proposals should align with one or more of the following thematic areas:

  1. Optimizing processes and systems for better efficiency and sustainability
  2. Development and characterisation of new materials and metamaterials
  3. Pioneering light-based technologies for communication and sensing
  4. Translating quantum science into practical applications
  5. Engineering approaches to early disease diagnosis and therapeutics

A single project can combine experiments, simulations, and data science by integrating artificial intelligence across all engineering disciplines.

 

Application Process

  1. Proposal Form (see template attached to the call):
    • Title of the project + Type of proposal (Workshop/Short Visit/PhD or Post-doc Mobility)
    • Thematic area(s)
    • Abstract (300 words max)
    • Objectives and expected outcomes (max. 2 pages)
    • Detailed work plan (dates of activities)
    • Budget breakdown
  2. Supporting Documents:
    • CV of the principal applicants (and key participants, if applicable)
    • Letter of Support from the home institution (Director of CNRS Lab. Head of Department. or Research director at Imperial)
    • Host PI confirmation (for Short Visits and PhD or Post-doc Mobility)
  3. Optional Attachments:
    • Tentative list of participants (for workshops)
    • Preliminary data or past work (if relevant)
  4. Obligations: Successful applicants must submit a final report within 30 days of project completion. Successful applicants must acknowledge ABEL funding in all publications, presentations, and other media related to the project.

 

Types of Proposals

1 - Workshops

Objective: Organize thematic workshops to disseminate research, foster collaboration, or prepare proposals for research calls. Workshops will be organized at Imperial College.

Scope:

  • Duration: 2 days to 1 week
  • Format: In-person or hybrid
  • Participants: 15–60 attendees (presence of young scientists is encouraged)

Funding: Maximum award per proposal €10,000 or £8,000 (co-funding is encouraged for longer workshops).
Note: Indirect costs (overhead) are not eligible.

  • Venue costs at Imperial
  • Co-funding for travel grants for participants (if applicable)
  • Catering and materials

Deliverables:

  • Workshop report
  • Proceedings or white paper
  • Proposals to national or international calls
2 - Short Visits and seminars

Objective: Facilitate short-term research exchanges to strengthen collaborations, share expertise, or initiate joint projects. Seminars or lecture series.

Scope:

  • Duration: 2-3 days to one week maximum
  • Activities: Seminars, Lab visits, joint experiments or simulations, knowledge transfer

Funding: Maximum award per proposal €2,400 or £2,000
Note: Indirect costs (overhead) are not eligible.

  • Travel costs and local transport
  • Accommodation and daily expenses

Deliverables:

  • Joint publication or technical report
  • Seminar or lecture series
  • Collaboration agreement or follow-up project proposal
3 - PhD and post-doc Mobility

Objective: Support PhD students in conducting part of their research in a host institution to enhance their expertise and international exposure. This can be extended to post-docs.

Scope:

  • Duration: 1 week to 1 month
  • Activities: Research stays, joint supervision, access to specialized equipment or datasets

Funding: Maximum award per proposal €3,600 or £3,000
Note: Indirect costs (overhead) are not eligible.

  • Travel costs and transportation
  • Daily expenses and accommodation
  • Health insurance

Deliverables:

  • Research progress report
  • Joint publication or conference presentation
  • Thesis chapter or contribution to doctoral work

Contact

For inquiries, please contact:

eric.climent@cnrs.fr / f.xie@imperial.ac.uk