Enabling Research Access Grant – Apply for Instrument Time

Advanced Imaging of Materials

Through a Welsh Government Enhancing Competitiveness grant, AIM provides a proportion of instrument time for "free at point of use" pump-priming access for academic users in Wales to state-of-the-art imaging and characterisation equipment, plus expertise at the AIM Facility. 

The objectives of this project are to enable users in Wales to have access to advanced characterisation and expertise, support collaborative science, enhance project conception leading to competitive funding bids to UKRI with partners at Welsh HEIs. We focus our activities on WG strategies and user-driven research ideas that map onto the UKRI strategic delivery plan and themes of societal importance. Examples of grants we have supported through this process include an EPSRC First Grant, COVID-related rapid research grant, and Diamond Beamtime applications.

The value of any granted instrument time will be calculated and the information provided to successful PIs as equivalent grant income.

We function as the STFC Beamline-Bridging Facility and can therefore support applications for access to STFC central facilities such as Diamond Light Source, ISIS Neutron Source, Central Laser Facility etc. through the production of preliminary characterisation/analysis.

Whilst this application process is designed purely for academic research conducted in Welsh Universities, we also have separate access and support for industrial users through our B4I scheme.