Major funding boost for 'Humanities and Science' programme

From October 2014, the four-year programme will encourage and enable scientists and humanities scholars to develop a wide range of joint research projects.

Dr Stephen Tuck, Director of TORCH, said: 'We are delighted by, and grateful for, the Mellon Foundation's support and we look forward to working with colleagues in the sciences as well as the humanities to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.'

The programme will include the provision of paired interdisciplinary doctoral studentships, Knowledge Exchange partnerships, and related workshops and lectures, with full details to be announced in due course.

Marcus du Sautoy, Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and a Professor of Mathematics at Oxford, is a prominent supporter of collaboration between science and the humanities. He said: 'With new perspectives come new questions and hopefully exciting new answers. Learning new languages and new ways of thinking requires time and investment on all sides, but this new collaboration will create the bridges to make this communication possible. It is very much at the heart of what Oxford is all about.'

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the world's leading funding body for the arts and humanities.

Any colleagues in the humanities or sciences who are interested in becoming involved in planning this programme should contact Dr Stephen Tuck or Victoria McGuinness, TORCH Business Manager.