Connect: Issue 65 by EPSRC

September 2008 Issue 65

Keeping you in touch with opportunities from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

www.epsrc.ac.uk

Creating a Hub of Digital Economy Research A £30m investment to create new ‘Research Hubs’ in Digital Economy has been announced by EPSRC. The hubs will be large, multidisciplinary research centres that will build capacity and expertise in this priority research area. A call for proposals has been issued and funding is available to support three hubs for five years – at up to £10m each for core activity. The closing date for proposals is 26 November. The Digital Economy (DE) is an RCUK cross-research council programme, led by EPSRC, supporting research into the transformational impact that ICT could have on lives, society, business and government. The novel, innovative and in some cases subversive design and use of new technologies can affect an individual’s life choices. It can change the way society interacts, offer new modes of interaction for government, revolutionise existing business processes and create new business paradigms. The early involvement of the user community is vital if new technologies are to be integrated successfully into technical solutions, products and processes. The ability to understand, model and rapidly implement these new opportunities requires a multidisciplinary approach to research, understanding: • • •

why the change is needed, who will be using the outputs and what the impact will be.

Challenges in the DE require input across a broad spectrum of subjects including researchers from the arts and humanities, medical sciences and economic and social sciences, in addition to engineering and physical sciences. A successful hub will demonstrate existing or proposed collaborations across disciplines and with end-users, ensuring an appropriate multidisciplinary perspective. The call for proposals follows a scoping workshop, held earlier this summer, to discuss the challenges, issues and opportunities the DE Programme faces.

Attendees included academics from a wide range of disciplines and research areas, representatives from the Research Councils, Technology Strategy Board (TSB), Financial Services Authority, NHS, BT, IBM, GSK and other companies. Through a series of networking and idea-generation exercises the delegates were asked to inform the DE Programme of the ‘Big Questions’ surrounding this area of research and also any potential ways of addressing these challenges to help to shape future activities within the programme. This work has helped shape the future plans for the DE Programme, including the call for Research Hubs. Further information: www.epsrc.ac.uk/digitaleconomy Contact: John Hand, john.hand@epsrc.ac.uk Pamela Mason, pamela.mason@epsrc.ac.uk

What is Digital Economy? DIGITAL ECONOMY is the novel design or use of technologies to help transform the lives of individuals, society or business. The research will understand these technologies and why change is needed, what the impacts will be and who will benefit. Research in this cross-research council area can be driven by economic, social or technical need. For example: Improving the treatment of patients with heart disease by using personalised computer models which can accept real time data (e.g. electrical patterns and blood pressure). Development of a computer tool incorporating GPS and barcode scanners to help children who cannot speak create a story about their day at school. An integrated transport system, connecting travellers, vehicles and services to provide personalised information that will help influence travel behaviour.

Inside 2 Masters Funding Routes

3 Cross-disciplinary Research

4 GSK Partnership

5 Calls

Forthcoming EPSRC funding opportunities

6 Commons Reception

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Support for masters training EPSRC’s current Delivery Plan 2008-2011 has provided an opportunity

Where masters-level training is intended to enable the better exploitation of the research that EPSRC funds, it might be suitable for inclusion in a Knowledge Transfer Account (KTA) business case. KTA business cases must meet the criteria of the call and should not be used simply as vehicles to secure funding for masters courses. The current call for KTA proposals is available on the EPSRC website. Please note that KTA applications are being coordinated on an institutional basis with a single integrated submission. This clarification on support for masters-level training is to emphasise that in future, EPSRC will only support masters training via these two routes. It is not a sign that EPSRC will no longer fund this type of activity. However, it does want to ensure that, where it is supported with EPSRC funding, masters level training acts in support of EPSRC’s broader research strategy.

to consider our role as a funder of masters training in light of developments in the organisation’s strategy. EPSRC has funded masters training – both taught and by research – for many years, although it is very much a minor player on the national field. It remains committed to the principle that researchers in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) are best placed to plan and manage masters training and to offer places to students directly. In the future, EPSRC support for masters training will be delivered by two routes. To determine the most appropriate source of EPSRC funding for masters, HEIs will need to consider their aims in offering the training. If a masters course is intended to act, or historically has acted, primarily as a preparation for doctoral training and you would like to use EPSRC funding for it, a Doctoral Training Account (DTA) is the most appropriate source. Provision for such courses will need to be found from within existing resources. While the relative priorities of masters and doctoral training within a DTA will be left to the grant holding institution to decide, we would like to highlight the value and flexibility of this mechanism in enabling the development of skills in new and/or interdisciplinary areas which may not be well-catered for at the undergraduate level.

South African Collaborations THE RESEARCH Councils’ Energy Programme is encouraging new and innovative collaborative projects with South Africa that focus on engineering and physical sciences. Projects that address the priorities identified by the UK Energy Research Mission to South Africa held in 2006 are particularly encouraged. At least £2m is available to support proposals submitted in response to this notice. Proposals are likely to include a significant proportion of travel and subsistence for investigators, PDRAs and PhD students. Funding is provided for the UK part of a collaborative project only, however, it can be used flexibly to support international collaboration according to the guide which is available at www.epsrc.ac.uk/International Activity/HowtoGetFunding/default.htm Contact: Hayley Dash, hayley.dash@epsrc.ac.uk

For DTA related enquiries contact: Ben Rendell, ben.rendell@epsrc.ac.uk For KTA related enquiries contact: Alex Hulkes, alex.hulkes@epsrc.ac.uk Further information: www.epsrc.ac.uk

Research to Enterprise Summit STUDENTS were encouraged to become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs at the first Research to Enterprise Summit, held in Manchester. The event was attended by around 500 postgraduate students and research staff. The aim of the summit, organised by Manchester Science Enterprise Centre (MSEC) and funded by EPSRC, was to inspire students to become more enterprising in whatever career they pursued. The event also marked the launch of the Research To Enterprise website (www.rte.manchester.ac.uk). Host Maggie Philbin, a former BBC Tomorrow’s World reporter, talked through a timeline of inventions such as the CD, the internet and DNA fingerprinting before showing clips of some of the more bizarre inventions that failed to make it. Rod Benson, founder of Imagen Biotech, based at the Manchester Bioscience Incubator, described his journey from PhD student and post-doctorate researcher in cell biology to AstraZeneca before forming his own company in high content biology. Alasdair Rawsthorne, professor in computer science at the University of Manchester, explained how he persevered for several years with his idea of creating a method of allowing PC software to be able to run on Apple Macs and vice versa, before creating his company Transitive, which now has more than 10 million customer deployments worldwide. Luke Johnson spoke about successes and failures during his entrepreneurial career and the importance of being prepared to take risks based on his experiences in charge of Pizza Express, Strada, The Ivy and now as chairman of Channel Four and Risk Capital Partners investment company. Further information: www.rte.manchester.ac.uk

Summit organisers and speakers

Researchers engage the globe EPSRC’s public engagement programmes are going global thanks

‘Face of the Future’, led by Dr Bernard Tiddeman at the University of St Andrews, is a collection of interactive exhibits to engage youngsters with computer vision technology, graphics and psychology related to facial images. The centre-piece is a morphing program that takes an image of a face and alters it in age, sex, race and ethnicity. Following tours of UK museums and science festivals, the exhibit moved to Spain, where it is being installed at Granada’s Parque de las Ciencias. It has also travelled to Portugal, where the team worked with a non-profit cultural organisation (Audiência Zero) on the European Council-sponsored ‘All Different, All Equal’ programme that highlights diversity. The University of Edinburgh’s SOUND project, led by Professor Clive Greated, has raised awareness of increased sound levels in the environment caused by new technologies. The project, which involves the UK’s National Physical Laboratory, examines how this affects everyday lives and how researchers are addressing the problems. The exhibition has already been shown at the Venkatappa Gallery in Bangalore earlier this year and is due to visit the Palace of the Republic in Minsk, with further international shows planned.

to two innovative projects. The projects, supported by the Partnerships for Public Engagement scheme, have reached Spain, Minsk, Portugal and India.

Contact: Hannah Foreman, hannah.foreman@epsrc.ac.uk Kate Miller, katherine.miller@epsrc.ac.uk

Left: Artwork from the SOUND project

New EPSRC Programme for Interface Support

C-DIP objectives • •

SUPPORTING world-leading research at existing and emerging crossdisciplinary interfaces will be the focus of a new EPSRC programme. Cross-disciplinary Interfaces (C-DIP) will develop and manage opportunities at the interfaces between disciplines, programmes and organisations. C-DIP will also lead strategic interventions by working with other EPSRC programmes to build on existing priorities and by exploring new horizons. The programme will also proactively manage relationships with other research councils and stakeholders. C-DIP priority areas, developed in conjunction with a number of programme Strategic Advisory Teams, will be supported through a variety of mechanisms including signposting. EPSRC continues to support research at the interface between all areas of engineering and the physical sciences and all areas of the life sciences in partnership with sister research councils. Kedar Pandya, who is leading the C-DIP programme, said: “We will be undertaking a series of university visits later this year to introduce our aims and the current activities of the programme in detail and to gain input into our future strategy and priorities.” Further details of current C-DIP activities and team contacts are available on the EPSRC website.

• • •

Fund transformative research at targeted cross-disciplinary interfaces. Support the next generation of talented cross-disciplinary researchers throughout their academic careers. Maximise knowledge exchange between academic disciplines. Contribute to knowledge exchange between academia and users of cross-disciplinary research. Identify emerging research and training opportunities at cross-disciplinary interfaces.

Current C-DIP Priority Areas • • • • •

Contact: Gavin Salisbury, gavin.salisbury@epsrc.ac.uk Kedar Pandya, kedar.pandya@epsrc.ac.uk

The interface between physics and the life sciences (in partnership with the Physical Sciences Programme). New mathematics for biology (in partnership with the Mathematical Sciences Programme). Complexity science. Engineering and physical sciences research pertaining to stem cells. Cross-disciplinary approaches to novel technology development.

Connect September 2008 Issue 65

Innovation Fellowships to help UK industry AN INNOVATION

Fellowship programme, to fund industry-based part-time PhDs in manufacturing, has been launched at the University of Nottingham. The fellowships have been funded by the Nottingham Innovative Manufacturing Centre (NIMRC) which is supported by EPSRC. The centre’s focus is to develop technologies, processes and systems for UK industry and strong industrial engagement is key to this. The new fellowships are aimed at manufacturers who want to undertake cutting-edge research, in collaboration with the centre, to benefit their company. Three fellows have already started their studies with the worldleading research centre: Paul Butler-Smith, director of Dimax Ltd, an advanced tooling company in Surrey, is developing abrasive tools for the machining of superalloys. Johannes Dedenbach, a manufacturing supervisor at Ford Motor Company, is investigating new joining methods for high strength steels. Bobak Ghavami, managing director, Precision Laser Processing Ltd, Rugby, is researching selective removal of coatings. Mr Butler-Smith said: “The NIMRC gives me an excellent opportunity with its infrastructure and contact network to develop my ideas for commercial activity. “I have gone through the inventive stage, designed new ways of developing diamond materials and looked at application possibilities in the workplace. “Now I need NIMRC’s technological expertise and equipment to prove my ideas. It’s high novelty in its approach to tooling

development, and I hope that new technologies will be developed by my company and eventually expanded into the local and international tooling industry”. NIMRC funds the university fees for each innovation fellow and provides a budget to support research-related expenses. Most importantly NIMRC provides the environment within the Faculty of Engineering and the Business School for industry-based fellows to combine world-class research with practical investigation of reliable, robust and economic manufacturing systems. Contact: Janet Walters, janet.walters@nottingham.ac.uk

Paul Butler-Smith is developing abrasive tools for the machining of superalloys

EPSRC and GlaxoSmithKline Partnership

HECToR User Group Meeting

EPSRC has formed a Strategic Partnership with GlaxoSmithKline

HECTOR, the UK’s principal national supercomputing service, will shortly celebrate its first birthday and a User Group Meeting will be held on 23 September 2008, at the National e-Science Centre in Edinburgh. The meeting will discuss experiences with the service so far and how it should develop to serve the needs of UK research in the future. There will be talks from users and the service providers, as well as an open forum to allow attendees to raise any relevant issues with the service partners and the research councils.

(GSK) to boost research in drug discovery and development. Total investment will be £10m over the next five years and will bring together academic and industrial expertise and resources to fund projects of mutual interest. GSK and EPSRC have worked together on opportunities for UK academics in the area of array chemistry, with projects being funded from joint calls for proposals in 2006 and 2008. Another joint initiative between EPSRC, GSK and Pfizer is in the area of flow chemistry, with funded grants due to be announced in late 2008. The new relationship will contribute to EPSRC’s objective of ensuring research realises its potential and give GSK access the best research and postgraduate skills in UK universities. EPSRC chief executive Professor Dave Delpy said that he was delighted to build on the existing relationship with GSK to continue to fund high quality collaborative research in one of the key business sectors for the UK. Malcolm Skingle, head of academic liaison at GSK, said: “Our business is based on innovative and creative medicinal chemistry. “We want to help EPSRC to keep pushing ahead with new initiatives and collaborations which ensure that knowledge and capability continues to expand at research and post graduate level.” The partnership builds on strong historical links between EPSRC and GSK. The first ever single company collaboration at EPSRC was in 2000 between EPSRC and GSK in the area of combinatorial chemistry.

Contact: Dai Jenkins, dai.jenkins@epsrc.ac.uk Further information: www.hector.ac.uk/support/cse/hug

Email alerts Register to receive latest funding opportunities YOU CAN now register on our website to receive a weekly alert containing details of our latest calls for proposals. To register visit: www.epsrc.ac.uk/emailalert

Contact: EPSRC – Zoe Brown, zoe.brown@epsrc.ac.uk GSK – Pauline Page, pauline.a.page@gsk.com

Connect September 2008 Issue 65

Calls Bridging the Gaps – Third Call for Proposals Closing date: 2 September 2008 This call aims to enable research organisations to build a programme of activities that will stimulate creative thinking, across disciplines, which reflect institutional strengths and strategies. Contact: bridgingthe.gaps@epsrc.ac.uk

HPC Software Development Call 2008/09 Closing date: 16 October 2008 This call invites proposals for development of HPC Software. The objective for the call is ‘ensuring better HPC software for future science’. Contact: Emma Jones, emma.jones@epsrc.ac.uk Royal Academy of Engineering/EPSRC Research Fellowships Closing date: 28 October 2008 The Royal Academy of Engineering and EPSRC are jointly offering up to ten Research Fellowships to outstanding researchers in engineering. Contact: Emma King, emma.king@epsrc.ac.uk

Energy & Equity and Sustainable Energy & Energy Security Closing date: 4 September 2008 EPSRC and ESRC are seeking to support a number of interdisciplinary Research Clusters under two key research themes: ‘Energy & Equity’ and ‘Sustainable Energy & Energy Security’. Contact: Neil Bateman, neil.bateman@epsrc.ac.uk

Energy Challenges for Complexity Science – Call for Proposals Closing date: 29 October 2008 We invite adventurous, cross-disciplinary proposals for research projects which develop and apply the tools and techniques of complexity science to energy research challenges. Contact: Gavin Salisbury, gavin.salisbury@epsrc.ac.uk

Science and Heritage Research Clusters Closing date: 4 September 2008 Funding for cross-disciplinary networks activities. Contact: www.ahrc.ac.uk/apply/research/sfi/ahrcsi/ scienceheritage/research_clusters.asp

Focussed-Ion-Beam Nanofabrication – Open Call for Access Closing date: 1 November 2008 Researchers from UK higher education institutions can apply for free access to use the focussed ion-beam nanofabrication facilities at the London Centre for Nanotechnology. Contact: www.london-nano.com/content/lcnfacilities/ crossbeam/epsrcaccess/

Organic Synthetic Chemistry Studentships – Call for Proposals Closing date: 9 September 2008 EPSRC, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca are working in partnership to support high quality research training in organic synthetic chemistry. Contact: Christina Guindy, christina.guindy@epsrc.ac.uk HPCx Complementary Capability Challenge Closing date: 11 September 2008 EPSRC has recently taken the decision to extend the HPCx service until January 2010. Grants will be awarded for a period of twelve months starting from 1 January 2009. Contact: Dai Jenkins, dai.jenkins@epsrc.ac.uk

Knowledge Transfer Accounts (KTAs) Closing date: 5 November 2008 We are inviting business cases from any organisation eligible to receive EPSRC grants but, to be successful in the competition, applicants will need to be able to point to a significant base of high-quality, EPSRCfunded research on which the proposed KTA will be able to draw. Contact: Alex Hulkes, alex.hulkes@epsrc.ac.uk

Career Acceleration Fellowships Outline Call Closing date: 23 September 2008 EPSRC invites outline applications for Career Acceleration Fellowships which provide up to five years funding to talented researchers at an early stage of their career. Contact: Tracy Hanlon, tracy.hanlon@epsrc.ac.uk

MRC, EPSRC and BBSRC Discipline Hopping Grant Scheme Closing date: 12 November 2008 The scheme is designed to encourage researchers to develop imaginative ways of using techniques or expertise from the engineering and physical sciences to tackle biological or medical research questions. Contact: MRC – Paula Clements, Paula.Clements@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk EPSRC – Caroline Batchelor, caroline.batchelor@epsrc.ac.uk BBSRC – Liz Hayes, elizabeth.hayes@bbsrc.ac.uk

Strategic Japanese-UK Cooperative Programme on Oxide electronics, organic electronics and spintronics Closing date: 30 September 2008 A call for collaborative UK-Japan research proposals. These are small projects focussed on people exchange. Contact: Simon Crook, simon.crook@epsrc.ac.uk

Digital Economy Research Hubs Closing date: 26 November 2008 Proposals for large-scale multi-disciplinary Research Hubs are invited to address the major challenges in the Digital Economy by building critical mass, capacity and expertise. Only one bid may be led by a particular institution. Contact: Pamela Mason, pamela.mason@epsrc.ac.uk John Hand, john.hand@epsrc.ac.uk

Postdoctoral Fellowships Call 2008 Closing date: 30 September 2008 We are offering Postdoctoral Fellowships in theoretical physics, theoretical computer sciences, mathematical sciences and life sciences interface to enable the most talented new researchers to establish an independent research career, shortly or immediately after completing a PhD. Contact: www.epsrc.ac.uk/callsforproposals/ postdoctoralfellowshipscall2008

Collaborative Research Opportunities in Energy with South Africa No closing date The Research Councils’ Energy Programme would like to encourage new and innovative collaborative projects focusing on energy related engineering and physical sciences with South Africa. Contact: Jason Green, jason.green@epsrc.ac.uk

Leadership Fellowships Outline Call Closing date: 9 October 2008 EPSRC invites outline applications for Leadership Fellowships which provide up to five years funding to talented researchers with the most potential to develop into the UK’s international research leaders of tomorrow. Contact: Tracy Hanlon, tracy.hanlon@epsrc.ac.uk

For up to date information and details of how to apply see www.epsrc.ac.uk

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Head of Information and Communications Technology Peter Hedges 01793 444217 peter.hedges@epsrc.ac.uk

Full House for Engineers

Head of Energy Multi-Disciplinary Applications Rachel Bishop 01793 444241 rachel.bishop@epsrc.ac.uk

‘ENGINEERING TOMORROW’ was the theme of EPSRC’s 2008 House

EPSRC Contacts Head of Materials Mechanical and Medical Engineering Annette Bramley 01793 444398 annette.bramley@epsrc.ac.uk

Head of Peer Review Susan Morrell 01793 444462 susan.morrell@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Digital Economy John Hand 01793 444394 john.hand@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Nanotechnology and Next Generation Healthcare John Wand MBE 01793 444335 john.wand@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Knowledge Transfer John Baird 01793 444047 john.baird@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Mathematical Sciences and Public Engagement David Harman 01793 444304 david.harman@epsrc.ac.uk

of Commons Terrace Reception, held in July. The event highlighted the importance of engineering to the economy, both now and in the future, and allowed senior business people, MPs and Government representatives to meet with EPSRC-funded academics. The evening began with talks by EPSRC chief executive Dave Delpy, chairman John Armitt, GE Aviation and EPSRC Technical Opportunities Panel member Alison Starr and Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, Baroness Morgan. Guests enjoyed the spectacular location as networking and discussions continued late into the evening.

Head of Energy Research Capacity Jason Green 01793 444208 jason.green@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Engineering for Sustainability Philippa Hemmings 01793 444378 philippa.hemmings@epsrc.ac.uk

Roadmap Round Two

Head of Cross Disciplinary Interfaces Kedar Pandya 01793 444317 kedar.pandya@epsrc.ac.uk

THE ROYAL Society of Chemistry will launch a second round of consultation as part of its roadmap project. In the July edition of Connect, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) called for readers to take part in the survey, its largest online consultation to date. More than 800 scientists from Europe and around the globe took part in the exercise and a second consultation period will open on 16 September for a period of two weeks. People are invited to view and comment on all eight RSC priority areas: Energy, Food, Future Cities, Human & Animal Health, Lifestyle & Recreation, Public Engagement & Trust, Raw Materials & Feedstock and Water. The RSC will use responses to create a roadmap of chemical science opportunities in relation to solving major global challenges. The two consultations, along with the ten expert workshops held earlier in the year, will then feed into the RSC’s final report which will be available online and on request towards the end of 2008.

Head of User Led Knowledge and Skills Alan Thomas 01793 442806 alan.thomas@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Infrastructure and International Jane Nicholson 01793 444065 jane.nicholson@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Physical Sciences Andrew Bourne 01793 444358 andrew.bourne@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Policy and Relationships for People Support Andrew Bourne 01793 444358 andrew.bourne@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Business Relationships Emma Feltham 01793 444321 emma.feltham@epsrc.ac.uk Associate Director Research Capability Neil Viner 01793 444310 neil.viner@epsrc.ac.uk Associate Director Mission Programmes Alison Wall 01793 444176 alison.wall@epsrc.ac.uk

Further information: www.rsc.org/roadmap

Associate Director Research Base Programmes Clive Hayter 01793 444440 clive.hayter@epsrc.ac.uk Associate Director Economic Impact Vince Osgood MBE 01793 444084 vince.osgood@epsrc.ac.uk Senior Manager International Edward Clarke 01793 444438 edward.clarke@epsrc.ac.uk Senior Manager Public Engagement Joanna Coleman 01793 444209 joanna.coleman@epsrc.ac.uk IDEAS Factory Contact Susan Morrell 01793 444462 susan.morrell@epsrc.ac.uk

For current grant maintenance and grant assessment enquiries Engineering Chris Elson 01793 444504 chris.elson@epsrc.ac.uk Technology Valerie Hibberd 01793 444560 valerie.hibberd@epsrc.ac.uk

Bioenergy Conference THE ERA-NET bioenergy project is holding a major conference in the Netherlands in October. The event will give researchers, funding agencies and industry representatives from across Europe the chance to reflect and learn from the successes achieved over the past four years and increase future cooperation. ERA-NET bioenergy is a network of national government agencies, including the UK Research Councils, and ministries responsible for coordinating and funding research efforts in bioenergy. The goal of this network is to strengthen national research programmes through enhancing cooperation and coordination between agencies. The conference will be held on 28 October 2008, in Amsterdam, registration by 30 September 2008. Contact: Matte Brijder, 00 31 30 239 7954 Rebecca van Leeuwen, 00 31 46 4202 240 Further information: www.eranetbioenergy.net/conference

Science Jo Garrad 01793 444348 jo.garrad@epsrc.ac.uk EPSRC, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1ET Telephone: 01793 444000 www.epsrc.ac.uk Editor: Christopher Buratta, christopher.buratta@epsrc.ac.uk Circulation amendments: connect@epsrc.ac.uk © Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 2008. ISSN 1476-6485 Material may be reproduced providing the source is acknowledged.