Particle X Climate

Monday grant digest

Week of 28 September

Two blind search passes merged (UK/UKRI and EU/international). Overlap between passes: none — coverage, not corroboration. Eligibility tags assume a possible Applicant PI / project lead (PhD Dec 2022; postdoc at a UK host). GO only when the call text itself allows a postdoc Applicant PI; MAYBE only when unsure. Finished mail goes to a fixed list.

Grant hunting tip of the day: GO means the call text said so — not that you felt lucky.

— The Devil

Highlights

Solar Radiation Management (SRM) research programme [single-source]

  • Funder: Simons Foundation (Mathematics and Physical Sciences)
  • Deadline: 6 October 2026, 12:00 noon ET (LOI); full proposal by invitation 17 February 2027
  • Eligibility: NO-GO as Applicant PI — call requires tenured/tenure-track (or equivalent) in a PhD-granting department. Named modeller on a faculty-led LOI is a different role.
  • Fit: Direct fit for SAI/MCB/CCT lab and modelling science.
  • Why it might not fit: Very short runway to the LOI; lab/modelling only, no in-situ release.

https://www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/solar-radiation-management/

ERC Starting Grant 2027 [single-source]

  • Funder: European Research Council (Horizon Europe)
  • Scheme: ERC-2027-STG
  • Deadline: 14 October 2026
  • Eligibility: GO — call allows a single PI with a UK (Associated Country) host; PhD Dec 2022 is inside the 0–10 year window. A host letter is still required to submit.
  • Fit: Bottom-up route for SAI microphysics, UKESM/UKCA/GLOMAP, atmospheric composition, or nuclear-war climate effects.
  • Why it might not fit: High excellence bar; need host commitment in time.

https://erc.europa.eu/apply-grant/starting-grant

Exploring the frontiers of environmental research 2026 [single-source]

  • Funder: NERC (UKRI)
  • Deadline: 12 November 2026, 16:00 UK time
  • Eligibility: MAYBE — all career stages encouraged; the host must confirm a postdoc can be project lead on the contract.
  • Fit: Strong for novel SAI/SRM aerosol microphysics or Earth-system modelling within NERC remit.
  • Why it might not fit: Small award (£100–200k); mandatory distributed peer review; not a fellowship.

https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/exploring-the-frontiers-of-environmental-research-2026/

Research Fellowships [single-source]

  • Funder: The Leverhulme Trust
  • Deadline: 5 November 2026, 16:00 UK time
  • Eligibility: MAYBE — possible if the UK post lasts beyond the fellowship; official page not fully verified here.
  • Fit: Protected time for SRM/SAI modelling, aerosol chemistry, Earth-system modelling, or nuclear-winter climate research.
  • Why it might not fit: Teaching-relief emphasis may not match a modelling-heavy case.

https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/research-fellowships

Pushing the frontiers of environmental research [single-source]

  • Funder: NERC (UKRI)
  • Deadline: Open — no closing date (applicant-led)
  • Eligibility: MAYBE — open in principle at any career stage; the host must confirm project-lead rights on a postdoc contract.
  • Fit: Main NERC discovery-science route for UKESM/UKCA/GLOMAP-style modelling.
  • Why it might not fit: Long assessment (~9 months); broad NERC competition. Still open from a recent shortlist.

https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/pushing-the-frontiers-of-environmental-research/

ERC Consolidator Grant 2027 [single-source]

  • Funder: European Research Council (Horizon Europe)
  • Scheme: ERC-2027-COG
  • Deadline: 12 January 2027, 17:00 CET
  • Eligibility: NO-GO — consolidator window for WP 2027 is PhD defence 1 Jan 2012–31 Dec 2021; Dec 2022 is too recent.
  • Fit: Would suit later group-building on atmospheric composition / SAI / UKESM if in window.
  • Why it might not fit: Career-stage miss.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/ERC-2027-COG

Other relevant

Advancing atmospheric and aerial autonomy [single-source] — NERC (UKRI)

  • Deadline: 21 October 2026, 16:00 UK time
  • Eligibility: MAYBE (host PL check). Weak remit fit unless there is an autonomous observing angle.

https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/advancing-atmospheric-and-aerial-autonomy/

EPSRC new investigator award: applicant-led mode [single-source] — EPSRC (UKRI)

  • Deadline: Open — no closing date
  • Eligibility: MAYBE — early-career first EPSRC lead; strict first-grant rules + host confirmation.

https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/epsrc-new-investigator-award-applicant-led-mode/

Future Leaders Fellowships: round 12 (pre-announcement) [single-source] — UKRI

  • Deadline: Not yet published
  • Eligibility: MAYBE — call text and dates not out; institutional sift likely.

https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/future-research-and-innovation-funding-opportunities/

Closing knowledge gaps on Earth system science (HORIZON-CL5-2026-08-Two-Stage-D1-06) [single-source]

  • Deadline: Stage 2: 8 October 2026, 17:00 CEST
  • Eligibility: NO-GO unless a Stage 1 invitation is already held.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL5-2026-08-Two-Stage-D1-06

Extreme events modelling (HORIZON-CL5-2027-01-D1-07) [single-source]

  • Deadline: Opens 17 November 2026; closes 4 March 2027
  • Eligibility: MAYBE — consortium partner role, not a solo postdoc Applicant-PI route.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL5-2027-01-D1-07

Palaeoclimate / Earth system dynamics (HORIZON-CL5-2027-01-D1-08) [single-source]

  • Deadline: Opens 17 November 2026; closes 4 March 2027
  • Eligibility: MAYBE — consortium partner role.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL5-2027-01-D1-08

Next generation climate scenarios (HORIZON-CL5-2027-01-D1-13) [single-source]

  • Deadline: Opens 17 November 2026; closes 4 March 2027
  • Eligibility: MAYBE — consortium partner role.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL5-2027-01-D1-13

NSF Geosciences Core Research (NSF 26-516) [single-source]

  • Deadline: Rolling
  • Eligibility: NO-GO as a UK host lead — US organisations submit.

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/geo-core-geosciences-core-research-atmospheric-geospace-earth-ocean/nsf26-516/solicitation

ERC Advanced Grant 2027 [single-source]

  • Deadline: Opens 27 May 2027; closes 26 August 2027
  • Eligibility: NO-GO for now — established-leader scheme; unrealistic with PhD Dec 2022.

https://erc.europa.eu/apply-grant/advanced-grant

Items marked [single-source] appeared in only one of the two blind passes and were kept.

Mrs. Vanguard