The KE Hub is inviting expressions of interest to join new KE Hub IS-8 Community Teams. These teams will bring together experts from academia, business, industry, charity, and government to help maximise mathematical sciences knowledge exchange opportunities across the IS-8 Areas of the Modern Industrial Strategy, and UKRI’s Wider Priorities.
With UKRI aligning substantial investment to these high-growth sectors, there is a significant opportunity for the mathematical sciences community to influence innovation, productivity, and economic growth. KE Hub IS-8 Community Teams will help ensure these opportunities are identified, shared and acted upon.
What will KE Hub IS-8 Community Teams do?
KE Hub IS-8 Community Teams will:
- promote emerging funding opportunities and identify gaps;
- draft strategy notes, and deliver briefings to relevant academic and BIG stakeholders;
- convene and lightly coordinate other relevant academic activity including occasional community discussions;
- support dialogue between academia and BIG;
- organise a KE Hub Sandpit relevant to their Area, and draft the resulting position paper;
- identify opportunities for utilising KE Hub pre-existing schemes;
- help articulate the contribution of mathematical sciences to industrial strategy priorities (in collaboration with the Academy for Mathematical Sciences).
These are strategic, catalytic, and community-facing groups designed to stimulate activity rather than act as advisory committees. For more details, please see the Terms of Reference
Who should apply?
We welcome expressions of interest from anyone with relevant expertise and a passion for strengthening mathematical sciences knowledge exchange. Each KE Hub IS-8 Community Team will include academic and non-academic co-Chairs, additional members representing a breadth of expertise, and a member of the KE Hub Management Team. Co-Chairs will be appointed by the KE Hub from those expressing interest.
The expected commitment for members is around 1–2 hours per week on average (excluding participation in the Area Sandpit). Teams will meet online at least quarterly. Appointments will normally be for one year, with the first teams being established by 1 October 2026, and all teams being established by the end of the year.
The KE Hub is committed to building diverse KE Hub IS-8 Community Teams. Selection will take into account disciplinary breadth, geographical diversity and equality, diversity and inclusion principles. We particularly encourage women and /or candidates from a Global Majority background to apply for this role as they are currently under-represented at senior levels within the Mathematical Sciences KE landscape.
Why get involved?
This is an opportunity to:
- help shape the mathematical sciences contribution to the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy;
- influence emerging knowledge exchange opportunities;
- build connections across academia, business, industry, charity, and government;
- contribute to national strategy and community leadership;
- help ensure the mathematical sciences play a central role in delivering innovation and economic growth.
How to get involved
If you'd like to help shape the future of mathematical sciences knowledge exchange in one of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy priority areas (and UKRI’s Wider Priorities), we'd love to hear from you. Submit an expression of interest today by filling out this form. The closing date is 21 August 2026.
Please share this opportunity with relevant colleagues.