Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

GW4 Alliance

@gw4alliance.bsky.social

490 followers 350 following 120 posts

An alliance of four of the most research-intensive and innovative universities in the UK: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do: gw4.ac.uk Sign up to our newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4tbuar5f

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Sep 5

Open to GW4 academics, PSS staff and PGRs (or studying at GW4 unis until June 2026).

Deadline to apply: Midday, Wednesday 22 October.

Don’t miss out! buff.ly/zbS1QJP

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Sep 5

You’ll also:

💡 Collaborate with GW4 colleagues in different roles

🎨 Experience creative forms of learning and facilitation

🌐 Join a network of peers across GW4 to share ideas and tackle challenges

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Sep 5

Participants will:

✅ Deepen understanding of the systems and behaviours that support research culture

✅ Develop new ways of thinking

✅Take part in practical knowledge-sharing

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Sep 5

Facilitated by @64M_Artists, the programme uses workshops and online check-ins to spark bold conversations and drive real change in research culture.

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Sep 5

How can individuals foster enhanced research culture, and institutions embed it meaningfully?

Exploring this, GW4 Re-Culture is now open for applications!

This creative, skills-based programme explores how we can build a flourishing research culture across GW4 universities: buff.ly/zbS1QJP

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Sep 3

Plus we're launching our new pilot programme 'GW4 Re-Culture' - a Research Culture Change Programme exploring enhanced research culture through creativity, collaboration and leadership development:

gw4.ac.uk/news/gw4-lea...

GW4 leads the way with new GW4 Re-Culture pilot programme - GW4

A novel research culture change programme that will provide opportunities for skills development, practical knowledge sharing and networking for researchers and professional services staff involved in...

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Sep 3

Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, #GW4Crucible 2026, offers an opportunity for #ECRs from a range of disciplines to come together and initiate new collaborations and research that will imagine new futures:

gw4.ac.uk/news/gw4-cru...

GW4 Crucible 2026 invites early career researchers to imagine new futures - GW4

GW4 Crucible offers a unique opportunity for future research leaders from different disciplines to come together and, for next year’s theme celebrating 10 years, develop innovative research imagining ...

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Sep 3

Kicking off the Autumn term with double the opportunity! 🍂
We’re thrilled to be launching  two transformative programmes designed to spark collaboration, innovation, and connection across our community: @uniofbath.bsky.social, @bristoluni.bsky.social, @cardiffuni.bsky.social and @exeter.ac.uk

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Aug 19

The study was first devised by researchers as part of a GW4 ReproWell Research Network, a GW4-funded research community:

gw4.ac.uk/community/17...

ReproWell Research Network - GW4

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Aug 19

The research project will use data from two large-scale surveys - @bristoluni.bsky.social Children of the 90s & Born in Bradford - to gain insights into factors that might cause heavy menstrual bleeding, including genetics, events in early life, diet, and reproductive history.

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Aug 19

HMB is estimated to impact around 15% of women worldwide, affecting not only physical and mental health, but also social lives, work, and personal relationships. Despite this, it remains a largely neglected area of women’s healthcare.

Image says: Waiting times for investigations into gynaecological conditions are unacceptably long, and effective treatments are often lacking...The Missed Vital Sign programme aims to identify better ways to diagnose and treat heavy menstrual bleeding; I’m thrilled to be contributing to the programme by generating much-needed data on menstrual symptoms, as well as the genetic and environmental factors that might be causing them.”

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Aug 19

The funding is part of @wellcomeleap.bsky.social The Missed Vital Sign - a $50million international research programme which aims to drive advances in effective treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding.

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Aug 19

Researchers from the #GW4Alliance unis of @exeter.ac.uk and @bristoluni.bsky.social have been awarded $4.5million to drive new research into heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) and its causes:

Read the latest: gw4.ac.uk/news/groundb...

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 29

Dr Sabrina Fairchild, GW4 Talent and Skills Manager, reflected:

“This programme offers a much-needed space for connection, reflection, and practical support, helping participants build confidence and strategies to navigate their careers on their own terms.”

gw4.ac.uk/gw4-connect/

GW4 Connect - GW4

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 29

📢 A new GW4 Connect initiative is now supporting neurodivergent ECRs across Bath, Bristol, Cardiff & Exeter unis.

This cross-institutional programme fosters peer support, shared learning, and inclusive practice; empowering researchers to navigate academic careers with confidence.

buff.ly/hyoiDmb

The image shows a series of 8 colourful silhouettes - they are orange, navy blue, light blue and green. Groups of people with shared interests or aims. Concept of the diversity of people's talents and skills associated with different brains. Inside the brains are different illustrations of things like cogs. The image is designed to represent groups of people with shared interests or aims. Concept of the diversity of people's talents and skills associated with different brains.

Reposted by GW4 Alliance

Exploring Pathways to CYP's Mental Health Network @gw4-cypmh.bsky.social · Jul 25

A fruitful day! Exciting ideas emerging through connections and amazing talks by Kelly, @abbeyjrowe.bsky.social
from Cardiff and Doretta, Siobhan from Exeter!
@gw4alliance.bsky.social @drjennyallen.bsky.social @amyshakeshaft.bsky.social @cassandralowe.bsky.social @foteini-tseliou.bsky.social

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 24

GW4 welcomes the Life Sciences Sector Plan and the government’s ambitious agenda for the UK to become the leading life sciences economy in Europe by 2030 and, by 2035, the third most important Life Sciences economy globally.

Read our full response: gw4.ac.uk/news/gw4-res...

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 21

Isambard-AI builds on the GW4 Isambard Supercomputer, which started as a GW4 collaborative research community, and was the world’s first Arm-based computer to go into production use – its success subsequently leading to additional funding for Isambard 2&3: gw4.ac.uk/news/cutting...

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 21

Huge congratulations to all involved! bristol.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...

UK’s most powerful supercomputer launches in Bristol

Faster, more accurate cancer diagnoses and new clean-energy innovations are some of the key breakthroughs now closer to reality as the UK’s most powerful AI supercomputer launches in Bristol today [Th...

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 21

Last week, #GW4 joined a special event at the National Composites Centre to celebrate the launch of Isambard-AI, the UK’s fastest supercomputer. 💻

Developed by @bristoluni.bsky.social w/ #HPE and #NVIDIA, this extraordinary facility will supercharge the UK’s research capabilities. 🚀🔬

The image shows Professor Simon McIntosh-Smith, Director of the Bristol Centre for Supercomputing, explaining some of the components of Isambard-AI.

The image shows the Isambard-AI sign, with the logos of the University of Bristol, the Bristol Centre for Supercomputing, UKRI, HPE, NVIDIA, arm, the NCC and DSIT.

The image shows the exterior of the National Composites Centre.

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 11

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 11

Deadline extended!

Global Majority PGRs — you now have until midday Friday 18 July to apply for GW4 Connect.

Join a 10-month programme designed to support your research journey, build community & centre your lived experience.

🔗 Apply here: buff.ly/XAnrfMe

#GW4Connect #PostgradSupport

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 9

The latest GW4 Newsletter is here!🎉

🔹 Meet our new Interim Head of GW4
🔹 Explore our new Collaboration Guide for practical advice on building successful research collaborations
🔹 Read our response to the UK government's Modern Industrial Strategy

📬 Don’t miss out: mailchi.mp/gw4/gw4-news...

The image says: GW4 Newsletter - Greater than the sum of our parts. www.gw4.ac.uk

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 8

🚨 Last Chance Alert! 🚨

Time’s running out to apply for the GW4 Connect Peer Support Programme; designed for postgraduate researchers from the Global Majority. Applications close midday TOMORROW (Wednesday, 9 July 2025). Don’t miss out!

GW4 Alliance @gw4alliance.bsky.social · Jul 4

Have you spotted our new online collaboration guide? It’s been designed to support productive and effective research collaborations and developed with input from researchers across #GW4. Take a look: buff.ly/RuOu8a1

The image is set against a blue background and shows the graphic of a lightbulb. There is a set of wooden blocks which make up an arrow, pointing towards the lightbulb. A hand holds the tip of the arrow, representing collaboration and progress.