Key research themes

Our research focuses on some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today, from climate change to conflicts in the Middle East.

We believe the future of research lies in breaking down traditional barriers between academic disciplines, so that the bigger problems of the 21st century can be considered from human as well as physical perspectives. To enable this we have identified a number of interdisciplinary research themes, and have undertaken projects such as the Bridging the Gaps initiative.

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Climate change and sustainable futures

Climate change is one of the most significant phenomena of the 21st century, needing a truly interdisciplinary approach to tackle the issues it raises. We are at the vanguard of climate change research.

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Environment and Sustainability

Research on the challenges of environmental sustainability, causes of degradation and exploitation of the environment, living with change, the ability of society to maintain the environment.

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Extrasolar planets

Extrasolar planets exist outside Earth’s immediate solar system. By researching the atmospheres and underlying physics of these planets we can learn more about our own planet, its history, and its future.

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Functional materials

Invisibility screens for radar, artificial bone, solar panels, novel sensors; all rely on functional materials, whose properties derive from and are controlled by their underlying design.

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Global Uncertainties

Research addressing issues around insecurity, instability, uncertainty and rapid, far-reaching and sometimes unpredictable change in an increasingly inter-connected world.

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Identities and Beliefs

Looking at questions about human behaviour and social interaction: who we perceive ourselves to be, as individuals and groups, and how this shapes the way we behave and relate to others.

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Medical Humanities

This theme explores approaches to the relationships between individuals, communities and health by looking at the way accounts of social, political, cultural and historical contexts can enhance our understanding.

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Science, Technology and Culture

This theme investigates how life is understood and enacted in a post-genomic and post-human world and explores how expertise and responsibility are distributed in knowledge-based societies.

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Societal and Lifestyle Shifts

This theme analyses and connects change at individual, group, institutional, lifestyle and societal scales to understand the behaviour of people, social groups, and organisations.

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Systems biology

Techniques from mathematics and physics are accelerating biological sciences into the 21st century. From subcellular processes to entire ecosystems, we are developing models to understand systems at every scale.

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Translational medicine

Exeter is internationally recognised for clinical and translational research in diabetes, mood disorders and interventions to achieve behavioural change. Our research moves lab discoveries into clinical practice.