York Environmental Sustainability Institute - YESI

22/10/2026

Do you have a creative research idea that can spark curiosity in our city? 💡

Submissions are now open for the York Festival of Ideas 2027 programme. University of York staff and researchers across all disciplines are invited to propose engaging public events that bring research to life for local audiences.

Whether it is an interactive session, a panel discussion or a creative display, this is your chance to share your passion with the wider community.

🗓️ Festival dates: Saturday 5 June 2027 to Friday 18 June 2027
⏰ Proposal deadline: Monday 2 November 2026 at 10:00am

Find out more and submit your proposal here: https://buff.ly/esYSgcy

21/10/2026

How can music help us feel the profound environmental changes happening around us? 🎶

Gambut is a striking musical composition created through a collaboration between Rhythm in Bronze and Ángel Cataño Flores, inspired by vital tropical peatland research led by Thomas Smith. The piece moves through three distinct sections, taking listeners from the vibrant soundscape of a healthy rainforest to the impact of industrial disturbance and fire.

Brought to life with support from the YESI International Fellow Scheme, this project shows how creative expression and environmental science can join hands to communicate climate reality on a deeply human level.

🌿 Co-created by Rhythm in Bronze and Ángel Cataño Flores
🌏 Grounded in tropical peatland research from Southeast Asia
🎥 Accompanied by fieldwork footage from real monitoring campaigns

Find out more and listen to the performance here: https://buff.ly/gWNi5Lk

**** Content Warning: The following video contains images of enviro...

21/10/2026

Good climate conversations start with empathy and effective tools. 💬

Join York CliConnect in central York for a practical two-hour workshop designed to help everyone navigate meaningful climate discussions. Grounded in research from Climate Outreach, the session provides practical framing strategies to make everyday conversations more constructive and engaging.

It is a fantastic opportunity for community members, students and researchers to build confidence in talking about climate solutions together.

📅 Sunday 1 November 2026
⏰ 2:00pm to 4:00pm
📍 Micklegate Social, York

Join us and register here:https://buff.ly/YLhfaWw

20/10/2026

Navigating new research funding landscapes is always easier when we do it together. 🚀

This interactive workshop offers a practical roadmap to explore high-risk, high-reward funding through the Advanced Research and Invention Agency. Designed for researchers from all disciplines, the session helps translate proposal concepts into ARIA terms while setting realistic expectations for rapid timelines.

You will hear directly from University of York awardees, collaborate in a radical concept lab and enjoy a shared lunch with colleagues.

📅 Wednesday 4 November 2026
⏰ 10:00am to 1:00pm
📍 In-person at B/T/005, The John Currey Room, Biology Building, Campus West, University of York
🥪 Complimentary lunch provided

Find out more and register here: https://buff.ly/GWtA2fn

20/10/2026

Valuing the natural world is at the heart of building resilient communities. 🏝️

We are delighted to welcome environmental economist and University of York alumna Dr Nesha Beharry-Borg for a fascinating session on biodiversity in Caribbean economies. Drawing from her work with the Caribbean Development Bank and UN system, she will explore how nature-based investments protect essential ecosystem services.

This talk offers a wonderful opportunity for staff and students to gain practical insights into development finance and natural capital strategies for Small Island Developing States.

📅 Wednesday 21 October 2026
⏰ 12:30pm to 2:00pm
📍 In-person at ENV/105x, the environment building, Campus West, University of York and online

Find out more and register here: https://buff.ly/c6mZXMY

19/10/2026

Pioneering environmental research starts with bringing passionate people together. 🌿

Our YESI Fellows scheme helps university staff and partners spark brand new ideas across traditional academic boundaries. We support short-term, high-impact projects that accelerate real sustainability solutions.

Whether you are co-creating knowledge across faculties or building deep collaborations with external partners, these Fellowships offer the space to address urgent environmental challenges together.

💡 Pioneering interdisciplinary research support
🤝 Open to University of York staff and collaborators
🎯 Focus on solution-led sustainability projects

LAST CHANCE TO APPLY, CLOSING THIS FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER 2026: https://buff.ly/q5GqXgf

16/10/2026

Calling early career researchers in Yorkshire and Humber! 🌿

Seed funding is now available through the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network to support activities that strengthen research capacity across SHAPE disciplines. This fund offers a fantastic opportunity to build new collaborations, enhance your research portfolio, and expand your network.

Take the next step in your research journey with direct support for your collaborative projects!

📌 Funding details:
💰 Up to £5000 per project
📅 Deadline: Wednesday 18 November 2026
🔗 Find out more: https://buff.ly/7CDYKZp

A nine month programme aimed at fostering the development of new research initiatives while supporting the career progression of Early Career Researchers (ECRs).

16/10/2026

A transformative opportunity to lead UK climate adaptation evidence and action! 🌧️

ESRC and Defra are inviting applications to establish and lead a new What Works Centre for a Climate Resilient UK. The centre will collaborate with key stakeholders to generate, synthesize and mobilize evidence to inform adaptation interventions across the country.

Help shape how the UK builds resilience against changing climate impacts!

📌 Funding overview:
💰 Funding Amount: £21.1m
📅 Deadline: Tuesday 15 December 2026
🔗 Find out more: https://buff.ly/uLmrnOk

16/10/2026

Major funding call: establishing Centres of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation across the UK! 🏥

The MRC, MHRA and Office for Life Sciences are looking to establish four new centres bringing together academia, industry, regulators, healthcare providers and public partners. The focus spans four themes: data-driven approaches and AI, prevention and early detection, personalised healthcare, and novel platform technologies.

If you are planning to apply or collaborate on an application, please drop a line to [email protected] to connect with university support.

📌 Call summary:
💰 Total Fund: £20,000,000
📅 Deadline: Tuesday 12 January 2027 at 4:00pm UK time
🔗 Find out more: https://buff.ly/eiDbvUh

16/10/2026

Exciting fellowship opportunities for early- and mid-career humanities and social sciences researchers! 🌍

The British Academy Global Innovation Fellowships, hosted in partnership with Carnegie, enable UK researchers to build career links across the creative, public, private and policy sectors. Successful applicants will address vital challenges across key focus areas including Sustainability, Climate and Geopolitics.

Expand your networks and make a lasting policy or sector impact through this international scheme!

📌 Opportunity details:
💰 Up to £150000
📅 Deadline: Wednesday 18 November 2026
🔗 Find out more: https://buff.ly/5ef21ti

The objective of the Global Innovation Fellowships is to provide opportunities to UK-based early- and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors to address challe...