Opportunity spaces
Our opportunity spaces are critically important but underexplored areas of research that we believe are ripe for breakthroughs.
They each serve as a bedrock for multi-year programmes directed by our Programme Directors, as well as additional flares of seed funding to support researchers pursuing bold ideas.
Even if you are new to a topic, we urge you to dive in below – a variety of perspectives are just what we need to change what’s possible.
Scalable Neural Interfaces
Neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders have overwhelming societal and economic impacts. We need to build highly targeted, minimally invasive technologies that enable us to interface, at scale, with the human brain.
Programmable Plants
Plants enable human life and offer solutions to key challenges like food insecurity, climate change, and environmental degradation. Programmable plants can secure our future, ensuring food and a sustainable biosphere for future generations.
Mathematics for Safe AI
We don’t yet have known technical solutions to ensure that powerful AI systems interact as intended with real-world systems and populations. A combination of scientific world-models and mathematical proofs may be the answer to ensuring AI provides transformational benefit without harm.
Nature Computes Better
We can redefine the way computers process information by exploiting principles found ubiquitously in nature. In doing so, we can better understand how the natural world around us performs computation and build dramatically more efficient computers.
Scoping Our Planet
Current Earth system measurements have serious gaps that lead to uncertainties in weather forecasting and climate predictions. By harnessing the power of optics we can fill these gaps, equipping society to respond confidently to the climate crisis.
Smarter Robot Bodies
Throughout history, humans have used tools and machines to reduce the burden of physical labour. We are entering a new era with robots smart enough to act independently in complex and dynamic environments. But to reap the benefits of smarter machines, we need smarter bodies.
Future Proofing Our Climate and Weather
If an abrupt alteration in a climate system were to unfold, we would have no tools to mitigate the effects. Through research, we could understand the science behind how we might intervene to responsibly manage the climate and weather.