Research areas

Algebra, geometry, topology and number theory (AGTN)
Under review: The portfolio covers research in most fields of algebra, geometry, topology, and number theory.
Related themes: Global uncertainties, ICT, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Analytical science
Under review: Analytical Science is hugely reliant on Analytical qualitative and quantitative equipment of all types such as NMR, Mass Spec, Crystallography.
Related themes: Healthcare technologies, Physical sciences

Antihydrogen
Maintain: The goal is to revolutionize the study of antimatter physics by the production of atomic systems containing antiparticles that can be used to test some of the most fundamental laws of nature.
Related theme: Physical sciences

Architectures and operating systems
Maintain: Research relating to the operational structure of a system and the software which runs on it to ensure, for example, correct resource management and execution efficiencies.
Related theme: ICT

Artificial intelligence technologies
Maintain: This encompasses the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques including research into areas such as scheduling and planning, intelligent and expert systems (inc. decision support), machine learning and agents.
Related themes: Healthcare technologies, ICT, Mathematical sciences

Assistive technology, rehabilitation and musculoskeletal biomechanics
Under review: Engineering solutions for rehabilitation, therapy and independent living.
Related themes: Engineering, Healthcare technologies

Bioenergy
Maintain: Bioenergy includes the following topics: combustion of biomass, biomass to liquid biofuels, gasification of biomass and co-firing.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering

Biological informatics
Reduce: The focus of this research area is the understanding of information processing in natural systems.
Related themes: Healthcare technologies, ICT

Biomaterials and tissue engineering
Maintain: Application of engineering methods to create environments to promote cell or tissue growth and function in vivo and in vitro, and application to principles of tissue growth, function and performance.
Related themes: Engineering, Healthcare technologies

Biophysics and soft matter physics
Under review: Biophysics and soft matter physics.
Related themes: Healthcare technologies, Physical sciences

Built environment
Maintain: Research into the design of buildings and the urban environment, and the construction processes involved.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Healthcare technologies, ICT, LWEC, Manufacturing the future

Carbon capture and storage
Maintain: Research regarding the capture of carbon dioxide from power station and other sources, including air capture, transportation of the CO2 and different utilisation and storage options, and related public engagement.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Physical sciences

Catalysis
Grow: Structural and kinetic studies to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in catalytic reactions, preparation of novel or improved catalysts and the development of new catalytic processes.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Physical sciences

Chemical biology and biological chemistry
Under review: Application of chemical techniques for the understanding of biological processes and the synthesis of biologically active and biological molecules.
Related themes: Energy, Healthcare technologies, Physical sciences

Chemical reaction dynamics and mechanisms
Under review: Study of rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions in gas and solution phase and at surfaces, including kinetics and thermodynamics. This area also includes physical organic chemistry.
Related theme: Physical sciences

Chemical structure
Under review: Determination of chemical structure by spectroscopic, diffraction and thermodynamic techniques.
Related themes: Engineering, Physical sciences

Clinical technologies (excluding imaging)
Maintain: Clinical Technologies covers a broad variety of areas which include sensors, devices, instrumentation and modelling.
Related themes: Engineering, Healthcare technologies

CMOS device technology
Reduce: This theme covers modelling, fabrication and processing of novel CMOS based devices and circuits.
Related themes: ICT, Manufacturing the future

Coastal and waterway engineering
Under review: Research relating to the operational structure of a system and the software which runs on it to ensure, for example, correct resource management and execution efficiencies.
Related themes: Engineering, Global uncertainties, ICT, LWEC, Mathematical sciences

Cold atoms and molecules
Reduce: This includes theoretical and experimental studies of properties and applications of Bose-Einstein condensates and Fermi gases, as well as methods for cooling atomic and molecular species to sub-millikelvin temperatures.
Related theme: Physical sciences

Complex fluids and rheology
Maintain: Characterisation, modelling, formulation and processing of complex fluids such as creams, pastes and emulsions, including understanding the effects of additives. Rheological properties and their measurement is included.
Related themes: Engineering, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Complexity science
Under review: Complexity science explores the emergent behaviour of complex systems by focusing on interconnections of the system components and systems architecture, rather than the individual components themselves.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, ICT, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Computational and theoretical chemistry
Under review: The study of chemical structure, bonding and reactivity in chemical systems using mathematical and computational methods or the development of such methods.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Physical sciences

Condensed matter: electronic structure
Under review: This area encompasses research into electronic structure phenomena aimed at understanding how quantum properties emerge in novel materials.
Related theme: Physical sciences

Condensed matter: magnetism and magnetic materials
Under review: Research into magnetic materials and fundamental principles of magnetism.
Related themes: ICT, Physical sciences

Continuum mechanics
Under review: This portfolio covers research into modelling materials as a continuous mass.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, ICT, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Control engineering
Under review: The development and application of control theory to engineering systems and problems.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Healthcare technologies, Manufacturing the future

Conventional generation and combustion
Reduce: Research covering the chemical reaction mechanisms involved in combustion processes to fundamental, generic and applied research in coal, gas and oil combustion in power generation.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Mathematical sciences

Databases
Under review: Database research focuses on the theoretical foundations of databases and related research into database management systems, distributed information management and query languages such as XML.
Related theme: ICT

Digital signal processing
Grow: Concerns the theory and design of digital signals (i.e. audio, video, image, communication, sonar, radar and medical) for ICT applications.
Related theme: ICT

Displays
Under review: Research on the design and use of novel or improved optoelectronic devices or systems to display text, graphics, images and video information on a screen.
Related themes: ICT, Physical sciences

Electrical motors and drive / electromagnetics
Under review: The design, manufacture etc. of electromechanical systems with associated drives and controls.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Manufacturing the future

Electrochemical sciences
Under review: The study of novel chemical reactions of anions, cations, electrolytes and the development of electrodes. Elucidation of reaction rates and mechanisms of electrochemical systems. Does not include fuel cells research.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Physical sciences

Energy efficiency (end use energy demand)
Grow: This embraces energy efficiency measures, reduction in demand for energy, and reduction in demand for energy services / mobility - all of which will contribute to reducing carbon emissions from energy use.
Related themes: Digital economy, Energy, Engineering, Manufacturing the future, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Energy networks
Maintain: This research topic focuses on the effect of increases in the use of renewable energy sources on the existing energy supply network and how future network technologies will deal with these challenges.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Global uncertainties, ICT

Energy storage
Grow: This topic includes electrical and heat storage as well as other forms such as kinetic energy storage.
Related themes: Energy, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Engineering approaches to manufacturing operations
Reduce: Quantitative engineering approaches towards operational processes within a manufacturing enterprise.
Related themes: Engineering, Manufacturing the future, Mathematical sciences

Engineering design
Maintain: Tools and methods for modelling, optimising and reasoning regarding the engineering of products, processes, systems, and product-service systems.
Related themes: Digital economy, Engineering, Healthcare technologies, ICT, Manufacturing the future

Fluid dynamics and aerodynamics
Maintain: All aspects of fundamental fluid dynamics research applied to aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, turbulence and areas relevant to process engineering such as multiphase flows.
Related themes: Energy, Mathematical sciences

Fuel cell technology
Maintain: The study of electrochemical devices which generate electron flow through an internal redox reaction.
Related themes: Energy, Manufacturing the future

Functional ceramics and inorganics
Under review: The synthesis, characterisation and theoretical understanding of functional ceramic and inorganic materials.
Related themes: Energy, ICT, Physical sciences

Graphene and carbon nanotechnology
Maintain: The synthesis, characterisation and theoretical understanding of graphene, carbon nanotubes and other carbon based nanomaterials.
Related themes: ICT, Physical sciences

Graphics and visualisation
Maintain: The synthesis and manipulation of visual content. Research in this topic could include rendering, augmented reality, virtual reality, visualisation of information, animation and visual computer languages.
Related themes: Digital economy, Healthcare technologies, ICT, Manufacturing the future

Ground engineering
Maintain: Engineering research into geotechnical structures built on, in and of the ground.
Related themes: Engineering, Healthcare technologies, LWEC

Human communication in ICT
Under review: Closely related to speech technologies and natural language processing, this research area covers research into how humans communicate and how this can be used to improve the design and implementation of ICT systems.
Related themes: Digital economy, ICT

Human-computer interaction
Under review: Human-Computer Interaction describes the study of how humans interact with computers and how to design computer systems that are effective for humans to use.
Related themes: Digital economy, Healthcare technologies, ICT, Manufacturing the future

Hydrogen and alternative energy vectors
Reduce: This topic relates to the study of alternative energy carriers (e.g. hydrogen) and the research into the utilisation, generation and storage of these carriers.
Related themes: Energy, Physical sciences

ICT networks and distributed systems
Maintain: All aspects of networks that relate to the inter-communication (wired or wireless) of computers, devices and sensors.
Related themes: Digital economy, Healthcare technologies, ICT

Image and vision computing
Maintain: The theory and fundamental underpinning of image and vision computing in both 2D and 3D, colour and monochrome.
Related themes: Digital economy, Healthcare technologies, ICT, Manufacturing the future

Information systems
Under review: This area describes research into the management, retrieval and representation of information and knowledge.
Related themes: Digital economy, Healthcare technologies, ICT, Manufacturing the future

Light matter interaction and optical phenomena
Under review: Light Matter interaction includes theoretical and experimental research in atom-light interactions, laser trapping, optical spanners and traps and atomic optics.
Related themes: ICT, Physical sciences

Logic and combinatorics
Under review: This sub-theme focuses on discrete mathematics.
Related themes: Digital economy, Global uncertainties, ICT, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Manufacturing technologies
Maintain: Research focused on key enabling technologies that will allow manufacturing processes, products and systems to function with high precision, efficiency, reliability and repeatability.
Related themes: Engineering, ICT, Manufacturing the future

Marine wave and tidal
Maintain: The study and research of devices and systems to capture and utilise the kinetic or oscillatory energy of bodies of water.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering

Materials engineering - ceramics
Reduce: Understanding, modelling and processing of ceramics with respect to the properties and material behaviour and development of novel materials.
Related themes: Engineering, Manufacturing the future, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Materials engineering - composites
Maintain: Understanding, modelling and processing of composites with respect to the properties and material behaviour and development of novel materials.
Related themes: Engineering, Manufacturing the future, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Materials engineering - metals and alloys
Maintain: Understanding, modelling and processing of metals and alloys with respect to the properties and material behaviour and development of novel materials.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Manufacturing the future, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Materials for energy applications
Under review: The synthesis, characterisation and theoretical understanding of functional materials to be used for energy applications.
Related themes: Energy, Physical sciences

Mathematical analysis
Under review: Mathematical analysis has close connections with all the other mathematical portfolios: it is the branch of mathematics most explicitly concerned with the notion of limit.
Related themes: Digital economy, Energy, Mathematical sciences

Mathematical aspects of operational research
Under review: This includes the developmment of mathematical techniques for the analysis, modelling and solutions of the problems of operations, management administration, especially those of business, commerce and industry.
Related themes: Digital economy, Engineering, ICT, Manufacturing the future, Mathematical sciences

Mathematical physics
Under review: This portfolio has a strong mathematical focus aimed at developing new mathematical techniques for problems inspired by or relevant to mathematical physics.
Related themes: Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Maths of computing
Maintain: Research which explores the mathematical concepts of number representation and the performance of arithmetic by computers.
Related themes: ICT, Mathematical sciences

Medical imaging (including medical image and vision computing)
Under review: Research and development of of new and existing medical imaging instruments and signals for therapeutic, monitoring and diagnostic purposes.
Related themes: Engineering, Healthcare technologies, ICT, Physical sciences

Metamaterials and other photonic materials
Under review: Research into the synthesis, characterisation and theoretical understanding of photonic materials i.e. materials which can mould the flow of light under certain conditions.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, ICT, Physical sciences

Microelectronics design
Under review: Research covering all aspects of microelectronics design.
Related themes: ICT, Manufacturing the future

Microsystems
Under review: This incorporates microfluidics, microelectromechanical devices, microengineering, micromachining and microfabricated devices.
Related themes: Engineering, Manufacturing the future

Mobile computing
Under review: Refers to computing that can be transported and used in a number of different environments.
Related themes: Digital economy, Healthcare technologies, ICT

Modelling theory and IT systems
Under review: Research relating to computer modelling techniques which can be applied to computer modelling generally is included in this area and may include research to improve simulation efficiency and performance.
Related themes: Digital economy, ICT, Mathematical sciences

Music and acoustic technology
Maintain: This area includes the development of algorithms, signal processing techniques, user interfaces or software to support music or sound based interactions between humans and computers.
Related themes: Digital economy, ICT

Natural language processing
Under review: Natural Language Processing (NLP) aims to accomplish human-like language processing, and encompasses both language understanding and language generation.
Related themes: Global uncertainties, ICT

Non CMOS device technology
Maintain: Research concerning new device or circuit concepts and architectures beyond or integrating with current CMOS technologies.
Related themes: Energy, ICT, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Non-linear systems
Under review: This portfolio covers research into dynamical systems and has close links to other areas of pure and applied mathematics.
Related themes: Engineering, Healthcare technologies, ICT, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Nuclear fission
Maintain: Nuclear Fission power generation including waste clean-up, decommissioning, regulation, public acceptability, existing operations, new nuclear build, advanced reactor technology, fuel cycle and geological waste disposal
Related themes: Energy, Global uncertainties, Manufacturing the future

Numerical analysis
Under review: This portfolio covers research into algorithms that use numerical approximation for the problems of mathematical analysis.
Related themes: Digital economy, Energy, Engineering, ICT, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Optical communications
Maintain: Techniques for the transport of information by means of photons using optical fibre and through free space.
Related theme: ICT

Optical devices and subsystems
Maintain: Planar wave-guide and fibre-based devices.
Related themes: Healthcare technologies, ICT, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Optoelectronic devices and circuits
Maintain: Research into semiconductor-based structures, devices, lasers, LEDs, photodiodes, amplifiers, detectors, receivers and switches.
Related themes: Energy, ICT, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Particle technology
Maintain: Growth, formation, processing, measurement, characterisation and multi-scale modelling of dry or wet particulate systems and fluid-particle systems.
Related themes: Engineering, Healthcare technologies, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Performance and inspection of mechanical structures and systems
Maintain: This theme is about the development, analysis, monitoring and optimisation of mechanical structures and systems.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Healthcare technologies, Manufacturing the future, Mathematical sciences

Plasma and lasers
Under review: This research area covers work into high temperature and high density plasmas either magnetically confined or produced by high power lasers.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, ICT, Physical sciences

Plasmonics
Under review: This area concerns the physics of plasmons (density waves of electrons, created when light hits the surface of a metal under precise circumstances) including how it might be used to encode and transmit information.
Related themes: ICT, Physical sciences

Polymer materials
Under review: Research into the synthesis, characterisation and theoretical understanding of novel polymer materials.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Healthcare technologies, Physical sciences

Process systems: components and integration
Maintain: This theme focuses on the design, operation, modelling, control and optimisation of chemical, physical and biological bulk product processes that are conducted continuously or repeatedly.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Healthcare technologies, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Programming languages and compilers
Under review: Research in this area relates to the development of programming languages, the processing of these through compilers and the generation of code.
Related theme: ICT

Quantum fluids and solids
Under review: The theoretical and experimental study of superfluids, typically helium.
Related themes: Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Quantum optics and information
Grow: Includes Quantum information processing; Quantum Metrology; Quantum error correction, Quantum optics, Cavity Quantum electrodynamics and Quantum state characterisation.
Related themes: ICT, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Resource efficiency
Maintain: Engineering and physical science approaches to designing out waste, managing waste and recycling material resources.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, LWEC, Manufacturing the future

RF and microwave communications
Grow: In the context of communications, this also includes techniques and applications that utilise and propagate communication frequencies (i.e. UWB) and related research around wireless and satellite technology.
Related themes: Healthcare technologies, ICT

RF and microwave devices
Grow: This research topic covers the design and development of novel RF and microwave device architectures.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, ICT, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Robotics
Maintain: Robotics covers the engineering elements of robotics, automation and autonomy, incorporating robot control, which may be based on Artificial Intelligence.
Related themes: Engineering, Healthcare technologies, ICT, Manufacturing the future

Sensors and Instrumentation
Maintain: An area that cuts across the remit of EPSRC, encompassing the design, development and engineering of instrumentation and sensors, which underpin a range of research areas, but may address a specific application.
Related themes: Engineering, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Software engineering
Under review: The design, implementation and maintenance of software, Research in this area aims to develop reliable, efficient and maintainable software.
Related theme: ICT

Solar technology
Maintain: The research and development of devices to harness incident solar radiation and conversion to other vectors or direct use.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Speech technology
Reduce: This encompasses the recognition, understanding and synthesis of human speech, using a range of techniques.
Related themes: Global uncertainties, ICT

Spintronics
Under review: The study of spintronic materials and the physical phenomena underpinning this, including research into spin polarisation and spin and charge transfer.
Related themes: ICT, Physical sciences

Statistics and applied probability
Grow: This covers research in statistical methodology and applied probability and is generally defined as the development of mathematical models for investigating phenomena "involving some form of randomness or noise".
Related themes: Digital economy, Mathematical sciences

Structural engineering
Maintain: Research into the behaviour of civil engineering structures.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, LWEC, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences

Superconductivity
Under review: Research into the synthesis, characterisation and understanding of the properties of novel superconductor materials and devices.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Physical sciences

Surface science
Under review: Research into the physical and chemical phenomena that occur at the interface of two phases.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Physical sciences

Sustainable land management
Under review: Research relating to the sustainable use, management and modelling of land and the urban environment.
Related themes: Digital economy, Energy, Engineering, LWEC

Synthetic biology
Grow: This concerns application of engineering tools and principles to the design and manufacture of biologically based parts, devices and systems that do not exist in the natural world, and redesign of existing biological systems.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Healthcare technologies, ICT, Manufacturing the future, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Synthetic coordination chemistry
Under review: The design and synthesis of novel coordination complexes and ligands and/or development of novel methods for the synthesis of coordination complexes and ligands.
Related themes: Energy, Physical sciences

Synthetic organic chemistry
Reduce: The design and synthesis of novel organic molecules and/or the development of novel methodology for the synthesis of organic molecules.
Related themes: Healthcare technologies, Physical sciences

Synthetic supramolecular chemistry
Under review: The study of the design and synthesis of chemical systems using molecular self-assembly and molecular recognition.
Related theme: Physical sciences

Theory of computation
Under review: The study of computation through the use of abstract models.
Related theme: ICT

Transportation operations and management
Under review: Engineering solutions for monitoring, controlling and improving traffic flow across all modes (rail, road, water etc.).
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Global uncertainties, ICT, Mathematical sciences

UK Magnetic Fusion Research Programme
Under review: This research area relates to the six-year investment made by EPSRC to the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE), for the continuation of the UK Magnetic Fusion Programme.
Related themes: Energy, Physical sciences

Verification and correctness
Grow: This research area aims to prove the validity of a system or the correctness of theory.
Related theme: ICT

Vision, hearing and other senses
Maintain: Basic studies of the biology and psychology of human vision, hearing and other senses, especially touch, to underpin the design and implementation of human computer interfaces.
Related theme: ICT

Water engineering
Grow: Design and optimisation of technologies relating to water resource management, treatment and distribution systems, including assessment and control of water quality.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, LWEC, Physical sciences

Whole energy systems
Grow: This area concerns the sociotechnoeconomic analysis of the whole UK Energy System from supply of fuels for generation of energy through to end use of energy.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering, Mathematical sciences, Physical sciences

Wind power
Maintain: The study, design, development and research of machines to harness the kinetic energy of large volumes of moving air, whether natural or forced.
Related themes: Energy, Engineering