The following news is an extract from the RICHeS announcement published on July 15th. Read the original news here: https://www.riches.ukri.org/news-and-events/riches-access-fund-opens-heritage-science-infrastructure-to-new-users-across-the-uk/
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Over £500,000 has been awarded through the first call of the RICHeS Access Fund to 43 organisations across all four nations of the UK, enabling them access to specialist heritage science facilities, collections and expertise that would otherwise have been beyond their reach.
The successful organisations include museums, galleries, libraries, archives, charities, community organisations, freelancers, independent researchers and universities. Many are accessing this kind of scientific infrastructure for the first time, having previously lacked the resources, networks or institutional pathways to work with advanced heritage science facilities. For many award holders, this is the first opportunity to undertake this type of research without requiring affiliation to a university or an Independent Research Organisation (IRO).
The RICHeS Access Fund was created to remove those barriers, opening participation in heritage science to a far wider range of organisations. By providing access support, the RICHeS Access Fund is enabling organisations of all sizes, including those outside traditional research environments to ask new questions, develop innovative approaches and contribute to the UK’s heritage science capability.
The response to the inaugural RICHeS Access Fund call was exceptionally strong, reflecting both the demand for specialist facilities and the appetite, across organisations of every size, to put scientific research to work answering new questions about the UK’s shared heritage.
The projects now underway will:
- Uncover new evidence about historic objects, buildings and archaeological sites
- Improve conservation methods for nationally significant collections
- Investigate the impacts of climate change and environmental conditions on heritage
- Apply advanced imaging and scientific analysis to reveal previously hidden information
- Create new digital resources and research data that will benefit future generations
Projects will draw on facilities and collections distributed throughout the RICHeS network, reflecting the breadth of expertise available across the UK’s heritage science infrastructure.
Professor Meggen Godek, RICHeS IHQ, said: “RICHeS is incredibly proud that our network of facilities and expertise is going to be able to contribute to so many meaningful projects across the UK. Unlocking the potential of our past through heritage science is just the start and we look forward to seeing how the successful applicants will use these new revelations and breakthroughs to tell new stories, protect heritage and develop impact for their communities.”
