What we do
Cambridge Zero Research helps identify, catalyse and support the development of new climate-related research projects and collaborations across the University and to amplify their impact. We connect researchers from across disciplines and departments and work with them to shape and develop impactful research proposals related to climate science and societal responses to climate change, recognising that climate change cannot and should not be addressed in isolation from broader aspects of human wellbeing and sustainability.
How do we do this?
We advertise relevant Research Funding opportunities through our Research Mailing List and, where useful, we support the development of collaborative interdisciplinary research proposals in response to those opportunities. This often involves collaborations that span departments and disciplines and involve external partners.
To help catalyse, connect and develop research communities around particular issues, we organise internal and external-facing Research Events, including Research Symposia and collaborative Workshops. The following provides details of upcoming and previous events, which cover broad themes such as climate and health; energy materials for net-zero; the built environment, and environmental displacement and migration.
Past Events:
- Workshop: Environmental, social and ethical dimensions of materials for net zero, Friday 24th March 2023
- Workshop: Energy materials for net zero: what can modelling do for you? Thursday 23rd March 2023
- Workshop: Circular Economy and Waste, Monday 13th March 2023
- Research Symposium: Climate & Disease, Wednesday 7th December 2022
- Research Symposium: Behavioural Change & Education, Monday 21st November 2022
- Research Symposium: Carbon Capture & Climate Repair, Tuesday 8th November 2022
- Research Symposium: Economic & Societal Change, Friday 28th October 2022 - Summary Article
- Workshop: Health & Climate, Wednesday 30th March 2022
- Workshop: Environmental Displacement and Migration: Drivers, Impacts, Solutions, Friday 25th March 2022
- Workshop: Food & Land Use Transition, Tuesday 15th March 2022
- Workshop: Decarbonising the Built Environment, Tuesday 8th March 2022
- Research Symposia Series Michaelmas 2021
- Research Symposia Series Lent 2021
How we can help
If you have an idea for a research proposal but need others to help, Cambridge Zero can introduce you to other like-minded Cambridge researchers, helping you to build a team around common research interests. We can also provide coordination and facilitation enabling you to work collaboratively, identify funding opportunities and create interdisciplinary grant applications. If you are an Early Career Researcher thinking about your next project, we can help to introduce you to potential PIs or to join relevant research networks already in place. Please contact: info@zero.cam.ac.uk
Please join the internal Cambridge Zero Research Mailing List to keep up to date with the latest research-related news, events and opportunities from Cambridge Zero. This mailing list is open to any staff and students at the University of Cambridge who are interested in Cambridge Zero's research work.
If you are not based at the University of Cambridge but would like to get in touch to discuss potential partnerships and collaborations, please email info@zero.cam.ac.uk and we will get back to you.
Cambridge Zero exists to support climate and net-zero research, education, and engagement across the University, but is not an academic department, and so cannot host large grants or take the lead PI role on a proposal. You will need to find a Cambridge department willing to host the grant application. However, we may be able to help with this using our networks.
Research Themes
Research Centres
We've also been involved in launching a number of innovative new research centres recently including:
Centre for Landscape Regeneration
Institute of Computing for Climate Science
Cambridge Centre for Carbon Credits
Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge
Postgraduate Academy
Cambridge Zero has recently launched a new Postgraduate Academy, which will bring together postgraduate students from across all disciplines at the University of Cambridge who are working on, or have a research interest in, climate change and net-zero.
The Academy is open to postgraduates of any discipline, providing a space to connect, discuss, and collaborate. It will host a year-round calendar of events including opportunities to get involved with Cambridge Zero activities, workshops and personal development programmes to develop research and communications skills, as well as socials, presentations and networking events.
Want to find out more, join our mailing list: Sign Up
Or watch our launch video:
Current Projects
Monitoring energy efficiency of buildings using thermal infrared space telescopes
Cambridge Zero is working with Prof Ian Parry from the Institute of Astronomy and Dr Ronita Bardhan from the Department of Architecture on this ambitious project. The University of Cambridge was awarded a share of over £7 million in funding meant to put the UK at the forefront of the latest advances in space innovation.
Learn more about this project here: Cambridge Research
Climate Risk project with UK Universities Climate Network (UUCN)
Cambridge Zero is a founding member of the UUCN, formerly known as the COP26 Universities Network. This project involves Dr Emily Shuckburgh, Luke Kemp (CSER) and Dr Erik Mackie leading on a series of outputs including briefing papers on Tipping Points and Cascading Risks, a Toolkit on Climate Risk Communication, as well as a series of podcasts. Listen to the first episode, with more to follow soon.
We are also working on a further report on Climate Risk Decision-making as part of this project.
University Research
Cambridge Zero connects research groups and institutes across the University, joining up their research and policy expertise. This includes* researchers and projects within:
* not all of the research conducted by these groups is relevant to Cambridge Zero.