The cohort that will attend the first SCAF residential retreat has been confirmed. Twenty-three SCAF members from different disciplines and sectors will gather at the Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment on the shores of Loch Lomond from the 3rd – 6th March. We look forward to hearing more about the work written and the new ideas exchanged at the retreat! 

With the ARCs completing their second year in 2025, the Alliances for Research Challenges (ARCs) in Brain Health, Energy, Homes and Livelihoods, Food, and Quantum came together in January to explore further opportunities for collaboration, support for major funding bids, and shape their collective and individual future directions. Plans include a cross-ARC webinar series, a position paper on interdisciplinary research and culture, and a range of joint initiatives, including funding incubators and training sessions. The first joint activity with SRAEHL is underway, with a collaborative sandpit on the topic of decarbonising health and social care. 

Group Photo - Alliances for Research Challenges

(Pictured left to right: Dr Sam Bayliss, Prof Emilie Combet, Prof Mette High, Sheena McGowan, Gayle Erwin, Dr Laura Haag, Millie Mather, Dr Ashley Lyons, Dr Jack Brennan, and Prof Terry Quinn) 

SCAF continues to foster interactions between members - at our second online networking event, 13 attendees from academia and the private sector came together for a dynamic online meet and greet. We welcomed new people, and discovered areas of common interest whilst catching up with those we’ve come to know quite well. This is a fast-paced hour, focused on discovering what others do, and potential synergies – the next meeting will be on 01/04 at 12pm – register here to join. 

Finally, our photography and art competition Food for Thought: Capturing the Big Picture closed on January 31st. Launched on World Food Day (16/10), we invited people of all ages across Scotland to creatively explore different perspectives around food - its role in identity, culture, place, and connections between people and research topics. In the coming weeks, we will start the evaluation  of the entries, and will plan the showcasing of the perspectives captured in the submitted photos and selecting the winning entries. Thank you to all who participated! 

 

First published: 3 February 2025

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