Sandpits

What is a sandpit?

A sandpit is a residential interactive workshop over 5 days involving 20-30 participants, the director, a team of expert mentors and a number of independent stakeholders. An essential element of a sandpit is a highly multidisciplinary mix of participants taking part, some being active researchers and some being potential users of research outcomes, to drive lateral thinking and radical approaches to addressing particular research challenges.

The sandpit is an intensive discussion forum where free thinking is encouraged in order to delve deep into the problems on the agenda and uncover innovative solutions. Each sandpit is led by a director, whose role is to define the topic and facilitate discussions at the sandpit event.

The process can be broken down into:

• Defining the scope of the issue.
• Agreeing a common language and terminology amongst people from a very diverse range of backgrounds and disciplines.
• Sharing understanding of the problem domain, and the expertise brought by the participants to the sandpit.
• Taking part in break-out sessions focused on the problem domain, using creative and innovative thinking techniques.
• Capturing the outputs in the form of a research project.

Sandpits are intensive events. For the well being of participants, the venues offer opportunities for relaxation, and the timetable includes informal networking activities as a break from the detailed technical discussions. (For further information on the psychology behind sandpits see the article "Sandpit Psychology" by Bharat Maldé.)

Owing to the group dynamics and the continual evaluation it’s not possible to dip in and out of the process. Participants stay for the whole duration of the sandpit event.

The aim of the sandpit is not to spread the funding evenly across the participants. It may be that no new ideas arise from the sandpit, or it may be that only one or two projects are successful. A variety of outcomes are possible, ranging from a single large research project, to several smaller projects, feasibility studies, networking activities, overseas visits and so on. The outcomes are not pre-determined but are defined during the sandpit. The funding available is only allocated to the outputs of the sandpit.

How to get involved

You can get involved by applying to attend a sandpit. There is an open call for participants for each sandpit event and you can sign up for alerts on the EPSRC website.

Apply to take part in a Sandpit

The right mix of people determines the success or failure of these events. We need people from a range of disciplines and backgrounds (from the arts, humanities and social sciences to engineering, physical sciences and mathematics) and they will need to have the right mix of personal attributes. We also seek people who are at different stages in their careers: sandpits are not just aimed at those with senior academic posts.

The whole Sandpit approach is about bringing together people who would not normally interact. We are looking for people who can bring new thinking to an existing problem. You do not need to have any prior knowledge of the problem domain, but will need to demonstrate an enthusiasm for working at the interface between disciplines.

The criteria for selecting sandpit participants are:

• The potential to contribute to research at the interface between disciplines
• The ability to work in a team
• The ability to explain research to non-experts
• The ability to develop new and highly original research ideas

Eligibility for Funding

Only eligible researchers in UK institutions may ultimately receive funding from a successful Sandpit event (see EPSRC Funding Guide for more information on eligibility). European and even global interactions may be valuable for the event and could be discussed as part of the planning. Industrial participation is not required but, if appropriate, a Sandpit event could be enriched by collaboration.

Topics

Current topics

For a list of Sandpits currently taking place please see Future Calls.

Previous topics

For a list of previous Sandpits please go to Grants on the Web or take a look at the case studies below and in the IDEAS Factory brochure.

Sandpit experience and impact

The Sandpit has made a real impact on the scientific landscape. It has stimulated new research and opened doors to exciting collaborations. Those who have experienced it continue to be influenced by its ethos of ambition and adventure.

The IDEAS Factory Sandpit mechanism is unique and has already shown a universally positive impact for those attending. The sandpit has established independent and sustainable research communities; created an observable culture change amongst participants who are embracing creativity and originality; facilitated an increase in the capacity of multidisciplinary researchers and their interactions in the UK.
Independent Sandpit Evaluation Panel

Case studies

• A magnetic approach to gun crime
• Bridging the global digital divide
• Evolving robotic culture
• Hot house consortium tackling climate change
• Mapping the underworld
• Tackling gun crime
• The psychological impact of disaster