NESTA: Crucible 2009

Crucible 2009 offers early-career researchers in science, technology, engineering, maths and social sciences a unique opportunity to take risks and develop new collaborations across disciplines.

What is Crucible?
Ever wondered what a space scientist and a biologist might have in common or how an artist could help a particle physicist? Crucible 2008 is your chance to stop wondering and discover what great minds can do when they spend three weekends together.

Crucible is a unique programme, designed to stimulate innovation by bringing together budding researchers from different disciplines to develop new ideas and explore the wider potential of their work.

Do you have the kind of brain we're looking for?
This year we're looking for 30 early-career researchers in science, technology, engineering, medicine, maths, science policy and social sciences. They must have a high level of achievement and an ongoing commitment to a career in research (within academia or industry). We're particularly interested in people who have an interest in science and society beyond their own research.

How can you take part in the experiment?
Go to our website and fill in the online application form before midday on 30 January 2009. It's as simple as that.

Our programme will involve three residential weekends:

• Lab 1: 18 - 20 April 2009, London area
• Lab 2: 26 - 28 June 2009, North of England/Scotland
• Lab 3: 9 - 11 October 2009, West of England

We'll pay for all residential costs, including accommodation and catering, travel costs and other reasonable costs such as childcare.

"Not only did Crucible help me to see the wider context of my work – making me better able to argue the case for it – it made me realise the way I could work with researchers in different disciplines to come up with more compelling research projects and approaches."
Gabriel Cavalli, Lecturer in Materials Chemistry in the School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences at the University of Surrey.

“Crucible has made me feel more confident in what I am doing. I have made new networks and found new people to collaborate with that I hope will help in my quest for an independent career.” 
Dr Melissa Grant, University of Birmingham.

Please see www.nesta.org.uk/crucible for more details.