When we designed the FeME Seed Funds, we asked a question funders don't always ask out loud: what would it take to fund engineering research the way we say it should be done — inclusively, participatively, with care? The answer turned out to be a series of small, deliberate choices. A Caring Pot that lets parents and carers actually participate. Funding that flows directly to small NGOs and independent practitioners, not just universities. Support built in from the start. Reporting that reflects the work, not the form. None of these are revolutionary on their own. Together, they shape who applies, who gets funded, and what the work can look like once the funding lands. This week's News & Insights piece walks through those choices — what they are, why we made them, and what we're still learning. Link to the article in the comments. University of Edinburgh School of Engineering James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow Heriot-Watt University
Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME)
Higher Education
A global network reimagining engineering for people and planet
About us
We believe that engineering should represent the society it serves. Our mission is to create an inclusive, resilient, and adaptable engineering to better confront climate change and biodiversity loss, recognising their disproportionate impact on women, children, and underrepresented communities. We champion and support their roles as agents of change across Scotland and around the world through education, partnership, research, and advocacy. Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME) is a Network Plus project funded by EPSRC, and a collaboration between the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Heriot-Watt. We have funding for 3 years to expand and nurture a network for researchers and practitioners working on these important challenges.
- Website
-
https://feme.ac.uk/
External link for Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME)
- Industry
- Higher Education
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Type
- Educational
- Founded
- 2025
Employees at Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME)
Updates
-
Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME) reposted this
1 day to go to the Community-Led Organic Waste Valorisation Training in Machakos, and I’m so excited for what’s ahead. This training, supported by the Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME) Data for Change seed fund, will bring together women and youth from Machakos to build practical skills in organic waste mapping, composting, biogas, and community-led action. It’s a chance to turn local waste challenges into meaningful opportunities for learning, livelihoods, and circular economy solutions. What makes this especially special is the focus on community ownership, practical learning, and real-world impact. I’m looking forward to the conversations, the hands-on work, and the energy that comes from creating change alongside the people most affected. #FeME #FeMESeedFund #DataForChange #Machakos #CircularEconomy #OrganicWaste #Biogas #Composting #CommunityLedChange #WomenAndYouth #Sustainability #WasteToValue
Meet the 2026 FeME Seed Fund cohort Nineteen projects. Four continents. One shared question: what does it take to make engineering more inclusive, more grounded in lived experience, and more responsive to the climate and biodiversity challenges we face? In early 2026, FeME awarded seed funding across three streams — Challenge Discovery, Data for Change, and Represent and Innovate — to teams working from Machakos to Milpa Alta, from the Lake District to Lin-Lin Island, from Fair Isle to Fancy. The projects share something simple but radical: they treat lived experience as technical expertise. Women smallholder farmers in Uganda. Indigenous communities in Yucatán. Youth in rural Bamenda. Island residents on Fair Isle and Shetland. People most affected by climate change shaping the engineering responses to it. Read about all 19 projects in our latest News & Insights piece - link to article in the comments. Over the next few weeks we'll be sharing more — how FeME funds differently, the women leading work across the network, and a view of climate-engineering challenges across the regions where these projects sit. The University of Edinburgh Heriot-Watt University University of Glasgow University of Edinburgh School of Engineering James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow
-
-
Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME) reposted this
The most uplifting grant funding announcement I have seen ever! Thanks to the colleagues across Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME) for making this happen and congratulations to all the seed funding recipients, I am so excited to see what comes next!
Meet the 2026 FeME Seed Fund cohort Nineteen projects. Four continents. One shared question: what does it take to make engineering more inclusive, more grounded in lived experience, and more responsive to the climate and biodiversity challenges we face? In early 2026, FeME awarded seed funding across three streams — Challenge Discovery, Data for Change, and Represent and Innovate — to teams working from Machakos to Milpa Alta, from the Lake District to Lin-Lin Island, from Fair Isle to Fancy. The projects share something simple but radical: they treat lived experience as technical expertise. Women smallholder farmers in Uganda. Indigenous communities in Yucatán. Youth in rural Bamenda. Island residents on Fair Isle and Shetland. People most affected by climate change shaping the engineering responses to it. Read about all 19 projects in our latest News & Insights piece - link to article in the comments. Over the next few weeks we'll be sharing more — how FeME funds differently, the women leading work across the network, and a view of climate-engineering challenges across the regions where these projects sit. The University of Edinburgh Heriot-Watt University University of Glasgow University of Edinburgh School of Engineering James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow
-
-
Congratulations to FeME specialist Larissa Naylor on this prestigious honour!
A researcher from the University of Glasgow’s School of Geographical & Earth Sciences has been named as the recipient of a prestigious award from the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Professor Larissa Naylor has received the Cuthbert Peek Award in recognition of her for her contributions to coastal geography, geomorphology and her application of research to address the ecological and climate challenges facing society.
-
Meet the 2026 FeME Seed Fund cohort Nineteen projects. Four continents. One shared question: what does it take to make engineering more inclusive, more grounded in lived experience, and more responsive to the climate and biodiversity challenges we face? In early 2026, FeME awarded seed funding across three streams — Challenge Discovery, Data for Change, and Represent and Innovate — to teams working from Machakos to Milpa Alta, from the Lake District to Lin-Lin Island, from Fair Isle to Fancy. The projects share something simple but radical: they treat lived experience as technical expertise. Women smallholder farmers in Uganda. Indigenous communities in Yucatán. Youth in rural Bamenda. Island residents on Fair Isle and Shetland. People most affected by climate change shaping the engineering responses to it. Read about all 19 projects in our latest News & Insights piece - link to article in the comments. Over the next few weeks we'll be sharing more — how FeME funds differently, the women leading work across the network, and a view of climate-engineering challenges across the regions where these projects sit. The University of Edinburgh Heriot-Watt University University of Glasgow University of Edinburgh School of Engineering James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow
-
-
Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME) reposted this
Applications are now open for FeME Steps 2026 — a five-week summer programme for students from the University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University. Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME) is a network working to reshape engineering so it can meet the climate and biodiversity crises in ways that are inclusive, just, and system-aware. Programme details: - Five weeks, 1 June – 10 July 2026 (around 40 hours total — roughly one day a week) - Multidisciplinary student teams working on real climate and sustainability challenges set by external partner organisations including Booth Welsh, NHS Lothian, BlazeBalm, Etex, and Cefas - Challenges range from landslides on the A83, to hospital waste, wildfire protection, glass wool reuse, and the future of Scottish seafood - Fully coached and supported, with direct access to the partner organisation - Open to any discipline, at any level — every team includes at least one engineer, but we actively want students from the arts, social sciences, design, humanities, law, business, and natural sciences - We particularly welcome applications from women and students from underrepresented communities - Financial support is available for caring responsibilities through FeME’s Caring pot Applications close Monday 11 May at 10am BST. Full information and application: https://lnkd.in/e9WQH7sg
-
-
Just a few weeks to go until No Boundaries: A Festival of Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration! Take a peek at the programme below, and see the full details here: https://lnkd.in/e6B69mRr Register now! 🎉 https://lnkd.in/eFyuBmfF Encarni Medina Lopez Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay Laura Colucci-Gray Ehtesham Ali Lisa Bradley Madeleine Dowek Raneem Knaj Nick Treanor Laura Whyte Sam Illingworth Marcus Russell Slater Elaine Heslop Jaime L. Toney Jack Boulton Coco Rawles Zita Borbala F. Dr Alison Halford University of Glasgow University of Glasgow Advanced Research Centre James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow The University of Edinburgh Heriot-Watt UniversityDiveIn CDT
-
-
Students at The University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, and Heriot-Watt University— this one's for you. Applications are now open for FeME Steps 2026 — a five-week summer programme where multidisciplinary student teams take on real climate and sustainability challenges set by external partner organisations. This year's partners and challenges are genuinely meaty: Booth Welsh — landslides on the A83, plastic in electronics, sustainable island ferries NHS Lothian — hospital waste sorting and medical packaging BlazeBalm — scaling a bio-based wildfire shield Etex / Superglass — repurposing glass wool scrap Cefas — bycatch and seaweed in Scottish diets You don't need to be an engineering student — in fact, we'd rather you weren't all engineers. Every team includes at least one engineer, but we're actively looking for students from the arts, social sciences, design, humanities, law, business, and natural sciences to bring different ways of seeing to these problems. We particularly welcome applications from women and students from underrepresented communities. Financial support is available for caring responsibilities through the FeME Caring Pot. 📅 1st June – 10th July 2026 ⏱ ~40 hours over five weeks, fully coached and supported ✍ Applications close Wednesday 6th May, 5pm BST More information and application linked in the comments. Watt Women in STEM FemEng: Empowering Women in Engineering Women in STEM University of Glasgow Edinburgh University Women in STEM University of Edinburgh Careers Service University of Glasgow Careers, Employability & Opportunity Heriot Watt Careers Service Centre for Sustainable Solutions Glasgow Changing Futures - University of Glasgow Edinburgh Earth Initiative Learning for Sustainability Scotland Heriot-Watt NetZero Society Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS) Edinburgh Climate Change Institute Engineers Without Borders Glasgow Food Security and Sustainability Society University of Edinburgh Social Responsibility & Sustainability Jeanne Michalon Jessica Chacko Sue Widdicombe Laura Colucci-Gray Lois Baker Encarni Medina Lopez Agnessa Spanellis Kirsty Pringle Desen Kırlı Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay Pei San E Christa Searle Larissa Naylor Yue Hu Lorna Jack Johanna Holtan
-
-
No Boundaries is officially open for registration! 🎉 Please join us for a one-day festival celebrating cross-disciplinary collaboration - connecting creative, academic, and professional perspectives to explore what's possible together. 🗓 Tuesday 26 May 2026 📍Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow Full details and registration link can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eEsnFana DiveIn CDT University of Glasgow University of Glasgow Advanced Research Centre James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow College of Science and Engineering Graduate School, University of Glasgow EPSRC Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay Johanna Holtan Encarni Medina Lopez Laura Colucci-Gray Pei San E Larissa Naylor Caroline Muellenbroich
-