ERA Energy Research Accelerator

Nurturing Sustainable Campus Eco-Systems: Charting a Green Net-Zero Future for UK Universities.
2024-06-03 - 2024-06-04 | Cranfield University, College Road, Wharley End, Bedford, MK43 0AL, United Kingdom
Together, let us chart a course towards a green, net-zero future for UK universities, where sustainability is not just a goal but a way of life. Join us for this exciting conference to see how you can make a difference to your campus. Find out more and register here.

2024 Birmingham Decarbonisation Summer School: 17 to 21 of June 2024
2024-06-17 - 2024-06-21 | Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
The 2024 Birmingham Decarbonisation Summer School: Accelerating Energy Transition towards Net-Zero is a five-day event that will bring doctoral and postdoctoral researchers together to propose a technical solution and business model for a decarbonisation challenge. Accepted applicants will be pooled into interdisciplinary teams of up to 5 members each and will compete by pitching their proposal to a judging panel by the end of the summer school. The winning team will receive a lot of kudos and a £500 prize to be split amongst the team members (up to £100 per person, this may take the form of vouchers). Places are awarded via a competitive application process, application deadline is Tuesday 4 June 2024.
More details on the summer school and the application process are available at www.cdice.ac.uk/2024bdss/. The application form is available via C-DICE’s researcher development platform Inkpath, direct Inkpath link is here.

AI for Researchers: A Beginner’s Guide
2024-11-06 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London) | Virtual event
We have collaborated with the Centre for Postdoctoral Development in Infrastructure Cities and Energy (C-DICE) to host an AI for beginner’s workshop.
This workshop is for you if you want to use Generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, Claude) in your research but you’re not sure where to start!
It is a workshop for AI beginners, not AI experts. You do not need to have any experience of using Generative AI to attend the workshop.
We will explore a range of GenAI tools for general users and researchers, and consider how they work, how you can optimise them for research tasks, effective prompt engineering, and how you can understand AI outputs. We will also discuss the ethics of Generative AI and guidelines for their use in research.
A recent ‘Nature’ article found that 25% of researchers sampled were already using AI to write grants. The pace of AI change is rapid in areas like content production and data analysis. Being up-to-date with how you can use these tools is becoming essential for researchers.
This workshop will help you to become more aware of the potential uses of AI tools in your research.
(Chat GPT-4 helped to write this workshop summary!)
Booking:
Booking is via Inkpath (the C-DICE researcher development platform) if you are not registered with Inkpath follow this link for information on how to register www.cdice.ac.uk/programme/inkpath/ .
To reserve your place login to Inkpath then click here to book your place.
Date and time:
Friday 17th May 2024, 10:00-12:00, Online via Zoom.
Presenter biography:
Dr Naomi Tyrell is the founder of ‘Research Your Way’ and has over 20 years of research and evaluation experience.
​Naomi has led research projects funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, European Commission, British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, University of Plymouth, charitable trusts and the National Lottery. She is currently a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth.
You can see Naomi’s published, peer-reviewed journal articles, books and book chapters here and here.
researchyourway.com

Impacts of Energy Transitions and Mining Geographies in the Global South
2024-11-25 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual event
The Veil of Progress: Unveiling Overlooked and Unforeseen Impacts of Energy Transitions and Mining Geographies in the Global South.
Join us for a webinar examining Kenya’s journey toward net zero, focusing on environmental justice and sustainable practices. Charity Mbaka will discuss the impacts of Kenya’s renewable energy transitions on local communities and the need for equitable, place-based solutions. Lindah Nelimah Wakhungu will address the environmental and health consequences of small-scale mining, exploring sustainable practices that protect both ecosystems and communities. The session will conclude with a Q&A and panel discussion, offering insights into achieving net zero with justice and sustainability at the core.

ERA Retreat - Cultivating Excellence: Navigating Research Culture and Responsibility
2025-02-13 - 2025-02-14 | Loughborough University, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
Join us for a two-day event designed specifically for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, focused on enhancing your understanding of research culture and responsible research practices. Cultivating Excellence: Navigating Research Culture and Responsibility offers an opportunity to learn from experts and engage in interactive discussions aimed at equipping you with the knowledge and tools to thrive in your academic journey.

Day One: Research Culture
The first day will focus on understanding and developing a positive research culture. You’ll learn how to foster collaboration, promote inclusivity, and cultivate a supportive academic environment that encourages innovation and personal growth. Sessions will cover practical strategies to navigate the challenges of research life while maintaining well-being and professional excellence.
Day Two: Responsible Research
The second day will focus on responsible research, drawing on the EPSRC’s Framework for Responsible Innovation. You’ll explore how to anticipate the potential implications of your research, reflect on the ethical and societal dimensions, and engage with a broad range of stakeholders. Through workshops and expert-led discussions, you’ll learn how to embed these principles into your research to ensure it is ethically sound, socially beneficial, and sustainable. Key areas will include anticipating risks, taking a reflexive approach to your work, and developing strategies for open and transparent communication.

This event is an invaluable learning opportunity for researchers at the early stages of their careers. Whether you’re working towards your doctorate or building your post-doctoral profile, this event will provide you with key insights and practical guidance to support your development as a responsible researcher.

ERA Doctoral Showcase @ ERA UK Energy Innovation Expo'26
2026-06-16 | Vaillant Live, Derby, DE1 1LA, United Kingdom
The ERA Doctoral Showcase provides an opportunity for PhD or EngD researchers from ERA partners to present their research to the wide range of experts, researchers, industry specialists and government representatives attending the ERA Energy Innovation Expo’26 on 16th June 2026 at Vaillant Live, Derby. Around 10 doctoral researchers will be chosen to give lightening presentations (3 minutes, 3 slides consisting of one title slide and 2 content slides), on the main stage of the conference. Our aim is to showcase the brilliant energy and net-zero research taking place across the ERA partnership.
Presenters will receive coaching and support for their presentation through a workshop, 1:1 mentoring and live rehearsal time provided by the ERA Skills team.
To express your interest in presenting at the ERA Energy Innovation Expo ’26 Doctoral Showcase, you are invited to fill in the following simple on-line form: ERA Energy Innovation Expo’26 – Doctoral Showcase – Fill out form .
Expressions of Interest must be submitted by: 12 noon, Monday 23rd March 2026.
Eligible applicants will then be contacted and asked to provide their presentations slides. Final choices for presenters will be based on the submitted slides.
Further information on East Midlands Tech Week, of which the ERA Energy Innovation Expo’26 forms part, can be found at: East Mids Tech Week | Explore, Connect, Innovate Today
The call for expressions of interest is open, and I really hope that you will consider taking up the opportunity to showcase your research to this conference. Conference attendance is free and there may be some financial support available to presenters where the cost of travel or caring responsibilities e.g. childcare are a barrier to attendance (subject to separate application).
