UGPN Research Projects
Find out more about the collaborative research supported by the UGPN seed fund.
Research Collaboration Fund
About RCF
The Research Collaboration Fund (RCF) provides an annual seed-fund for international joint research addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UGPN has been instrumental in catalysing bilateral and trilateral research teams to work together on global challenges, foster emerging talent, and nurture impact and innovation with stakeholders in industry and policy.
Researchers from North Carolina State University (NC State), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), and the University of Surrey (UoS) can apply jointly to RCF's calls. We welcome engagement and co-creation with stakeholders in industry, policy, or community, and we encourage projects that support early-career researchers in building their global networks or enable the inclusion of PhD students for enhanced research training.
The 2024/2025 call is open from 15th April - 20th June 2024.
To apply and for more information, please visit the RCF webpage.
2023/24 Projects
In the academic year 2023/2024, UGPN partners have awarded funding for 8 new project teams to undertake cutting-edge research on a range of topics, including health, clean energy, and gender equality. Projects are addressing challenges such as the use of AI for sustainable healthcare and precision medicine; access to menstrual health and hygiene in low- and middle-income regions; and animal welfare in livestock production.
Re-invigorating Trust in Representative Democracies (ReTRUST)
Collaboration between Surrey & NC State
Main objectives
- Analyse strategies to boost trust in democracies both horizontally
(within society) and vertically (towards the state). - Redevelop deliberative and participatory spaces, both physical and digital, to increase civic empowerment, democratic and policy output ownership, reduce inequalities in civic participation and increase inclusion.
- Co-create/co-design trust-boosting strategies providing a more integrated/dynamic model of representative democracy.
Research leads
- Theofanis Exadaktylos - University of Surrey
- Andrew J. Taylor - NC State University
Women in WASH: Focus on Taking Action in Menstrual Hygiene Management
Collaboration between Surrey, NC State & USP
Main objectives
- Disseminate information on menstruation hygiene management (MHM).
- Bring perspective to the US and Brazil on various levels of education to explore awareness of MHM, teach methods of best practices, and ensure knowledge of available resources to areas not likely to be targeted in the current literature.
Research leads
- Angela Allen - NC State University
- Kate Burningham - University of Surrey
- Gislene Aparecida dos Santos - Universidade de São Paulo
AI-powered technical and business innovation of circular fertilizer economy system
Collaboration between Surrey & USP
Main objectives
- Evaluate the economic viability, sustainability, and potential for business innovation and opportunities associated with the electrochemical urea synthesis with carbon utilization (EUS-CU) technology.
- Addressing food security as a crucial global challenge.
Research leads
- Lei Xing - University of Surrey
- Erick Giovani Sperandio Nascimento - University of Surrey
- Mateus C Gerolamo - Universidade de São Paulo
From data to diagnosis and cure: Non-communicable diseases collaborative research for delivery of sustainable precision medicine
Collaboration between Surrey & USP
Main objectives
- Harness niche areas in engineering, biology, and medical technology to influence and develop new standards and policies that can be sustained by healthcare services.
- Determine how emerging technological advances can be enhanced and embedded to deliver superior healthcare locally and globally.
Research leads
- Kamalan Jeevaratnam - University of Surrey
- Valeria Aoki - Universidade de São Paulo
- Roger Chammas - Universidade de São Paulo
Engagement and Exploration of Joint Development and Evaluation for Sustainable use of AI in medicine
Collaboration between Surrey & NC State
Main objectives
- Develop deep learning models for clinical natural language processing that prioritise sustainable use of computational resources and developing models to reduce carbon footprint.
- Advance the field of clinical NLP and disseminate findings to the wider scientific community.
Research leads
- Sameneh Kouchaki - University of Surrey
- Maria Mayorga - NC State University
- Osman Ozaltin - NC State University
Waste-to-resource: End-of-life PET plastic-derived ethylene glycol Electrolysis for the co-production of sustainable chemicals and green hydrogen (PETECH)
Collaboration between Surrey & USP
Main objectives
- Develop an electrolysis process that can effectively valorise ethylene glycol (EG) into value-added chemical glycolic acid while co-produce green hydrogen.
- Design earth-abundant metal oxide electrocatalysts with high
selectivity and activity, by correlating the catalyst structure and the performance, and unravelling the reaction mechanism at the oxide/electrolyte interface using complementary operando techniques.
Research leads
- Hui Luo - University of Surrey
- Germano Temiliosi Filho - Universidade de São Paulo
- Pablo Sebstian Fernandez - Universidade de São Paulo
Development of a swine production cost calculation tool to address future changes in animal welfare policy and legislation for Brazil and the US
Collaboration between NC State & USP
Main objectives
- Develop a tool for calculating swine production costs.
- Provide valuable support to Brazilian and US swine producers
navigating legislative changes. - Generate crucial information for producers to accurately assess production costs and facilitate informed decision-making.
Research leads
- Monique Pairis-Garcia - NC State University
- Sarah Rhea - NC State University
- Cesar Garbossa - Universidade de São Paulo
Reliable Pathways to Net Zero under data scarcity: shallow geothermal heating and cooling at urban scale
Collaboration between Surrey & USP
Main objectives
- Explore the impact of data scarcity on reliably characterising geothermal energy resources under cities.
- Involve data procurement, numerical simulations, and statistical analyses to assess the reliability and resilience of the geothermal energy supply.
- Develop a methodology for generating reliable maps of the shallow geothermal resource under changing climatic conditions and uncertain subsurface states, and producing maps for two cities.
Research leads
- Monika J. Kreitmair - University of Surrey
- Nikolas Makasis - University of Surrey
- Adrian Torrico Siacara - Universidade de São Paulo
Previous projects
The UGPN facilitates the meeting of minds of international academics who collaborate on research, learning and teaching; and whose shared research expertise enables innovative solutions to issues of global importance.
Bamboo for Sustainable Construction and Quality of Life Improvement
Collaboration on Construction Engineering between NC State, USP, UOS and UOW during the 2022 call.
Main objectives
- Use of bamboo as a sustainable, carbon-sequestering construction materials.
- Understand the challenges that can impact construction with this material.
- Raise awareness of bamboo to architecture, building and engineering professionals.
Outcomes
- Experimental work in the laboratory and the field on natural and engineered materials under mechanical, environmental loadings. Investigation on the influence of cracks.
- Results used to develop mathematical models of constitutive relationships and structural performance of bamboo.
- A joint project on nature-based, sustainable building materials, led by Dr. S. Alireza Behnejad at Surrey and academic colleagues in Brazil, has resulted in several master classes, short courses, and student-led feasibility studies, including an integrated design module that has enriched USP’s undergraduate civil engineering degree since 2022.
- Industry engagement to promote the sustainable development of the bamboo industry in Brazil, including industry associations like INBAR (International Bamboo and Rattan Organization) and NOCMAT (International conference on non-conventional materials and technologies).
- Dr. Alireza Behnejad has been invited to join the INBAR Taskforce on bamboo construction.
Research leads
Dr. S. Alireza Behnejad
School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Surrey
Prof. Holmer Savastano Junior
School of Engineering
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Universidade de São Paulo
Prof. Moe Pourghaz
Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
NC State University
Prof. Neaz Sheikh
School of Civil, Mining, Environmental and Architectural Engineering
University of Wollongong
This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Moving the needle in WaSH R&D and impact: Global sharing of challenges and solutions
Collaboration on water and sanitation between NC State, USP and UoS during the 2022 call.
Main objective
- Analyse factors that could facilitate universal access to WaSH (water, sanitation and hygiene) by 2030.
- Understand the role of citizens, technology, governments and economy on supporting WaSH.
Outcomes
- Engage with key players in the water and sanitation sector and visit their facilities in Brazil, the UK and the US.
- Workshop held in São Paulo (Brazil) on neglected and unconventional ideas to address problems in WaSH.
- Initial development of a long-term education plan, including a collaborative online learning (COIL) effort among the 3 universities on environmental science and water.
- Launch of "Multi-National Sustainability Project", a joint module linking Surrey's BSc in Environment and Sustainability with USP's undergraduate degree in Environmental Management, which will provide students at both universities with the opportunity to study together in the virtual classroom and benefit from new cultural perspectives and regional insights.
Visit to SANASA's "Sala de Situação" in São Paulo, Brazil.
Visit to SANASA's "Sala de Situação" in São Paulo, Brazil.
Workshop held at USP in February 2023. São Paulo, Brazil
Workshop held at USP in February 2023. São Paulo, Brazil
Research leads
Dr. Francis L. De Los Reyes
Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
NC State University
Prof. Tadeu F. Malheiros
São Carlos' School of Engineering
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Universidade de São Paulo
Dr. Jonathan Chenoweth
School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering
.......
University of Surrey
This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
Incorporation and maintenance of carrion microorganisms in blowflies
Collaboration on Biology and Veterinary between NC State, UoS and UOW during the 2021 call.
Main objectives
- Assess the incorporation and maintenance of carrion microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, accessory genes) in blowflies in natural environments.
- Sample collection of Silver Gull carcasses carrying blowfly larvae and microbiome characterization.
Outcomes
- Large amount of data that provides novel insights into microbial exchange between host carcasses and carrion-breeding flies.
- Establishment of a new collaboration at the intersection of existing skills and study systems - useful for future joint projects.
Research leads
Dr. Bethany Hoye
School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences
University of Wollongong
Aram Mikaelyan
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
NC State University
Dr. Daniel Horton
School of Veterinary Medicine
University of Surrey
This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Punishment, Families and Communities in the context of England and Brazil
Collaboration on Human Rights and Social Justice between USP and UoS during the 2022 call.
Main objective
- Address key challenges of prisoner re-entry and the possibilities of differences in the processes and outcomes in Brazil and UK.
- Understand the impact of geographical layout, race, social class, culture and politics on the prisoners (on re-entry), families and wider communities.
Outcomes
- Mobility of PhD student, with the start of the first fieldwork with possible visits to UK prisons.
- Visit to the Association of Family and Friends of Prisoners (AMPARAR) in São Paulo, Brazil. During the visit, members of AMPARAR, mostly mothers of incarnated individuals, shared their experiences and information on the functioning of the Brazilian system, incarceration conditions, post-incarceration experiences, and the role of families in this process.
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Project meeting to discuss the criminal justice systems of São Paulo and London, Guildford, UK
Project meeting to discuss the criminal justice systems of São Paulo and London, Guildford, UK
Research leads
Dr. Maria Adams
Department of Sociology - Centre for Criminology
University of Surrey
Prof. Daniel McCarthy
Department of Sociology - Centre for Criminology
University of Surrey
Bruna Gisi
Department of Sociology
Universidade de São Paulo
Prof. Marcos Alvarez
Department of Sociology
Universidade de São Paulo
This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
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Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
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