Funding opportunities
NERC has a number of funding opportunities which enable NERC scientists to work with you:
Collaborative Awards in Science & Engineering (CASE) Studentships
CASE enables the placement of a PhD student within your company for 3 to 18 months. The focus of the research is determined by your business. For example, Scotgold Resources are working with the University of Leicester to help pinpoint potential gold mining regions 
within the Scottish Highlands.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)
These six month to three year projects put a researcher into your businesses to improve your competitiveness, productivity and performance. For example, AWE worked with Brighton University to reduce legacy ground contamination .
NERC has a current KTP targeted call, in the area of offshore renewable energy supply chain. The closing date is 24 April 2012.
Business Placement Internships
This new scheme enables researchers to work directly with your business to demonstrate how scientific knowledge, data and valuation tools can be used to benefit your business. Internships in ecosystem services were recently launched by the NERC Valuing Nature Network programme, which includes partners such as Atkins Global and the Mineral Products Association.
Knowledge Exchange Fellows
Fellows work for up to three years with businesses to identify knowledge gaps and accelerate access to NERC research. For example, a fellowship is being set up with Marks and Spencer. Fellows can also work with multiple organisations, our fellow at Durham University worked in partnership with nine oil companies, Geopressure Technology and Newcastle University to organise research into oil and gas reservoir overpressures .
Royal Society Industry Fellowships
These fellowships enable scientists to work on a collaborative project with your business, or your own scientists, to work with an academic institute for up to two years. Past partners have included Welsh Water, Rio Tinto, Arup Geotechnics and BP.
Full details of these Knowledge Exchange and other research funding streams, including how to apply, are available on the NERC funding pages.
Further examples of NERC engaging with business can be found on the case studies pages.