Tag: Research Staff

New Doctoral Theses: access and alerts

Looking for Imperial theses? Explore and download theses via the Library’s guide:

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How to subscribe (Imperial users)

  1. Go to Spiral: https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk
  2. Open the collection you want to follow (e.g., “Physics PhD theses”).
  3. Click “Subscribe” and choose your preferred frequency.
  4. Manage your preferences here: https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/subscriptions

Introducing dAIsy – Imperial’s New GenAI workspace

dAIsy is Imperial’s new Generative AI platform, designed to give you safe, easy access to multiple AI models (such as GPT, Claude, Deepseek, and others) through a single interface.

dAIsy is built to support teaching, learning, and research while ensuring data protection and institutional compliance.

Why use dAIsy?

  • Private and secure – your data stays protected. All your prompts and chat history are stored securely in Imperial’s cloud.
  • Build your own agents – You can define instructions or behaviours suited to your specific needs.
  • Advanced developer role available on request – if you want to go deeper.

Imperial offers licensed AI models to promote equitable access and, alongside Microsoft Copilot, dAIsy supports our commitment to harnessing AI’s transformative potential responsibly and effectively.

Further support

Disability History Month (November 2025)

The Able network and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust I-CAN network are collaborating on several events for Disability History Month.

  • Friday 21 November – Online coffee morning
  • Tuesday 25 November – Therapy dog session (Charing Cross Hospital)
  • Thursday 4 December – Reflecting round (online)
  • 19 December – Imperial Health Charity Creative Workshop (online)

Find out more and sign up for the events

Sustainable Christmas Tree Building Activity (25 & 27 Nov 2025)

This year, Imperial is consolidating the number of traditional Christmas trees across our campuses, and embracing creative alternatives like trees made of books and Tetrapaks. It’s all part of our commitment to reducing waste and promoting biodiversity!

We need your help! Come along to South Kensington Campus for two exciting tree-building sessions:

  • Tuesday 25 November, 12–2pm
    Library Café Book Tree – Help build a Christmas tree made entirely from reused books.
  • Thursday 27 November, 12–2pm

Queens Tower Rooms Tetrapak Tree – Join us in crafting a tree from clean Tetrapaks and reused boxes. (Make sure to bring your cleaned Tetrapaks or any delivery boxes you want to contribute!)

Any questions, please get in touch with sustainable@imperial.ac.uk

 

European Talent Academy Call Opens for 2026 (deadline: 01 Dec 2025)

Join an exciting European opportunity for Early Career Researchers (eligibility of at least 2-7 years post-PhD). For the 6th year in a row, Imperial partners with the Technical University of Munich, in Germany and Politecnico di Milano in Italy to offer a year-long leadership and networking training programme aiming to accelerate consortia-building and bridge the gap towards European funding.

This year, the programme is building on the new Centre for Health Resilience in a Changing Planet, launched between TUM and Imperial, with the following theme: 2025 theme: Smarter and healthier cities on a changing planet.

The programme offers 3 in-person workshops in London, Munich and Milan,  an individual visit to one of the partners, external training and a mentorship programme with senior academics. The programme will prompt you to create groups, connect, and work towards a research proposal.

Deadline to apply: 1st of December, 5 p.m. GMT

Please find the call and application form attached here: European Talent Academy | Administration and support services | Imperial College London

If you have any questions, contact: l.genin@imperial.ac.uk

 

Applications for Conception X are now open (Deadline 16 Dec)

Conception X is Europe’s largest community for entrepreneurial researchers. Designed to fit around your research timeline, Conception X programmes help PhD students, postdocs and early-career researchers translate cutting-edge research into real-world impact. Visit their website to learn more. 

Their two-track approach supports researchers who are ready to move fast towards their first raise as well as  those who are looking to explore research commercialisation – allowing you to move at a pace that works for you. From day one, Conception X connects you with industry decision-makers and investors, helps you become eligible for innovation grants, awards and equity investment, and provides access to tailored coaching and networking opportunities. 

Top performing founders are invited to pitch to the Conception X Angel Syndicate and  XTX Ventures, with the potential to receive up to £250k in investment. 

Since launching in 2018, Conception X has helped more than 600 researchers  launch deeptech startups based on their research, creating over 190 companies that have raised £147+ million in early-stage investments and grants. 

Next step: Join a Discovery Session

Register for a Discovery Session to hear from Conception X alumni, learn more about available pathways and ask any questions. You can apply via the Conception X website when ready.

Application deadline: 16 December 2025.

Research Industry Challenge (26 Nov & 8 Dec 2025)

If you’re an early-career or a PhD researcher, from any discipline, join the Developing Business-Aware Academics team to spark ideas and explore industry perspectives in an informal and collaborative environment with engineering services company, Babcock.

From gently removing marine creatures from dock foundations in an environmentally friendly way to developing tiny drones with HD cameras as well as new ways to scan ships in murky waters and the unenviable task of unblocking submarine toilets! They would love to hear from you if you think your research could shed an innovative light on these challenges.

Join DBAA for a free online communications workshop on Wednesday 26 November at 10:00am and an in-person introduction to networking and research challenge event in Exeter, on Monday 8 December from 10:00-13:00 including lunch.

Find out more about the events and research challenges on offer here.

If you want to know more about IP, commercialisation and industry partnerships contact the appropriate enterprise team member within your faculty.

The Collaboration Kickstarter Seed Fund (Application deadline: 12 Dec 2025)

One of the successful projects part of ‘Collaboration Kickstarter’ which seed funded participatory research projects. This project was by the Interaction Foundry in the Dyson School exploring ‘Psychological Ownership’ amongst refugees and asylum seekers.

The Public and Community Engagement team are very pleased to announce the return of the Collaboration Kickstarter, a seed fund that brings together Imperial researchers and community groups to collaboratively design and deliver research.

This year the fund will be open to applications from 3rd of November until 12th of December 2025 and will award grants of up to £10,000.

Applications should demonstrate that they are use participatory research approaches and be submitted jointly with a Northwest London community partner(s).

If you have an idea for a Kickstarter project, we recommend booking a one-to-one support and advice session to discuss it with our team before applying.

If you would like to know more about whether the fund is right for you, you can join our online information and Q&A webinar on Wednesday the 5th of November, 12pm – 1pm.

GOT A PLAN FOR A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT? 

The Collaboration Kickstarter brings together researchers and community groups to collaboratively design and deliver research. If you want to know if the fund is right for you, come along to our online Q&A webinar.

Already got an idea? We recommend booking a one-to-one advice session before applying.

Imperial CREST Academy – Mentor Year 12 Students

The Imperial CREST Academy helps to match academic mentors to teams of Year 12 students who are undertaking a CREST Gold Project (or an Extended Project Qualification), which can be thought of as a scientific Duke of Edinburgh award, run by the British Science Association. The projects help the students go beyond school curriculum and get a small taste of scientific research. It is also hugely helpful for the students when applying to university as it helps with their personal statements and also gives them more breadth of knowledge and understanding should they be interviewed for a place at University.

The CREST Academy is run by Prof Cecilia Johansson (National Heart and Lung Institute) and myself, Simon Foster (FoNS & Imperial Space Lab). The Academy has been running for 13 years and has helped hundreds (possibly now thousands) of students undertake a CREST project and have gained a vital glimpse into the world of scientific research and academia.

The role of the mentor is to guide the project, initially helping to shape the project into something that can be conducted by the students in 70 hours (the rough allotted time for the project) and to give general scientific guidance. This is usually quite light touch and involves 2-3 meetings (in person or virtually) along with occasional emails. You will not be required to ensure the students are working on the projects or ‘push’ them, along, as this is the responsibility of their teacher. I have mentored a number of projects over the years and always found them immensely satisfying and they have had a huge impact upon the students. Based up my experiences, the time commitment is approximately 3-5 hours over the academic year (20 – 30 mins per online meeting and reading and responding to occasional emails).

If this might be of interest we will be holding an introduction an online Teams meeting on Friday 24th October at 11am top take you through the scheme: This link will take you to the meeting  Join the meeting now and if you email me, I can add you to the meeting invite. A recording of a previous intro meeting can be found here:  CREST chat-20221104_113001-Meeting Recording.mp4

You can also look at the projects interested and submit your interest in mentoring a project here https://imperial.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0cz4YjDGrPemOlo

Launch of New Interdisciplinary Research Community

We are pleased to invite you to a networking and discussion event to mark the launch of a new interdisciplinary research community at Imperial. This network brings together researchers working in the fields of limb loss, physical rehabilitation, and prosthetic technologies, with the aim of fostering collaboration and advancing shared challenges across disciplines.

Event Highlights:

  • Welcome and introductory talk outlining the network’s aims and objectives
  • Expert speakers
  • Small-group discussion on current challenges in the field
  • Opportunities to identify areas for collaboration and future initiatives
  • Informal networking and drinks reception

We hope this event will serve as a springboard for new connections and collaborative projects across Imperial.

To confirm your attendance, kindly fill out the RSVP form by the Friday, 31st Oct, 2025.