82 June 2011
www.epsrc.ac.uk
In touch with opportunities from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Implementing the Delivery Plan Chief executive David Delpy outlines the major features of the updated EPSRC Delivery Plan and explains the significance of sponsorship across the entire research and training portfolio.
we can to front-line activities, as we work towards ever-more efficient working patterns during a time of budgetary constraint.
EPSRC portfolio and requires a deeper, more dynamic partnership with the people and organisations we invest in.
At the heart of the new arrangements is a desire to:
“As we enter the new financial year we have published an online update of how we will be implementing our Delivery Plan for 20112015.
• build a complete and holistic view of both socio-economic challenges and research capabilities;
Sponsorship does not mean starting from scratch. We are not proposing the introduction of additional bureaucracy, an increase in regulations or micromanagement of all sponsored activities; neither are we changing the way we finance research projects and training.
The updated Plan, available exclusively online, expands on our three Strategic Plan goals: Delivering impact, Shaping capability and Developing leaders, and provides further details on some of the major themes we are funding, including Manufacturing the future, Healthcare technologies, Physical sciences, and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). The plan outlines the approaches we are using and clarifies the priorities we have identified with the help of the key members of the research community, strategic partners, government and others. It also includes information on engagement, our approach to transformational change and summary pages for universities and businesses, highlighting key points of interest for these communities. The plan update includes our revised organisational structure, which will be fully operational by October 2011. In order to continue funding research and training, we are working to an interim commitment budget for the first half of this year. Alongside this, we have also published our forecast spend on resource for this year. While the direction and ambitions we have embarked upon will remain for the entire spending review period, our priorities and portfolio will be dynamic. To this end, we are directing as much of our staff resource as
• focus our plans more on outcomes than inputs – whether considering research proposals or the shape of the landscape; • embed public engagement, crossdisciplinary interfaces and much of our work on impact into normal business, rather than manage them in separate organisational units; • maximise deployment of resources in research delivery within a context of constrained costs.
EPSRC Delivery Plan explains the significance of sponsorship across the entire research and training portfolio Sponsorship One of the core themes within this Delivery Plan is a move towards sponsorship. Sponsorship is not a new concept for the research councils, which have always made strategic decisions about the research and training they support, either in identified priority areas or through new initiatives, particularly those requiring interdisciplinary research and training.
The way we make payments to universities also stays the same, although we may wish to evolve more appropriate funding models for longer-term projects requiring critical mass and continuity of expertise. We also remain committed to peer review, which is central to our evaluation process and fundamental to EPSRC’s guiding principles. Continued on page 2.
inside 2 3 4
delivery plan continued
ICT Research: the next decade
innovative manufacturing centres launched
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equal but different
However, our new sponsorship approach applies for the first time across the whole 1
Delivery plan continued... At the core of this relationship, which complements our Shaping capability goal, is shared responsibility with the research community in determining research priorities, with EPSRC taking on more active leadership of the national research agenda in relation to its remit and portfolio.
our Delivery Plan, using the web site to communicate key developments as part of a phased roll-out. The next major update takes place in June 2011, when we expect to add the research and training landscape to take forward our goal of Shaping Capability and the rest of the theme plans.”
• summary pages for universities and businesses, highlighting key issues for these communities;
For EPSRC-supported researchers, sponsorship begins with a baseline agreement on desired outcomes, which will enable us to provide you with clear strategic direction and proactive help in determining aspirations, signposting priorities and opportunities and ensuring research and training are optimally resourced.
The information available now includes:
• a film with contributions from research leaders, which sets the context of our plans and direction of travel.
Our priorities and portfolio will evolve over time. We will fine-tune and periodically update the information on implementing
• information on engagement, organisation structure, commitment budgets for the first six months and forecast spend for the year; • our approach to transformational change, including further detail on our move from funder to sponsor; • further detail on our strategic goals: Shaping Capability, Delivering Impact and Developing Leaders;
• theme plans for Manufacturing the future, Healthcare technologies, Physical sciences and Information and Communication Technologies;
Further information: www.epsrc.ac.uk/plans/approach/ implementingdeliveryplan/Pages/ default.aspx
Investing in the engineering leaders of tomorrow Balloons, bombs, bones and bugs – just some of props that EPSRC’s new intake of Challenging Engineering researchers used to introduce their work at the 2011 Challenging Engineering grant holders’ workshop, held at the Cotswold Water Park. The Challenging Engineering scheme has been running annually since 2005, and plays an important part in EPSRC strategy by working with universities to support future leaders of research, allowing visionary academics the flexibility to build their own research group to tackle some of the biggest issues challenging society today. This year’s workshop allowed the new grant holders to network with one another and EPSRC staff, build relationships and discuss opportunities for training and networking. There was also an opportunity for them to raise current issues and influence EPSRC policy. This year’s event included sessions on: • Inspirational leadership;
Investing in the engineering
• leaders EPSRC’s of new fellowships; tomorrow
• Balloons, Creativity@home; bombs, bones and
• bugs Sharing best practice – experiences just some and of props that on Challenging Engineers, flanked by EPSRC leading Challenging Engineering awards; EPSRC’s new intake of Challengstaff, at the 2011 grant holders workshop. • A personal reflection on leadership by ing Engineering researchers used EPSRC Chief Executive Professoer David Dr Mordechai Haklay, to introduce their work at the Delpy. University College London
2011 Challenging Engineering
This year EPSRC has invested £10 million workshop, ingrant the newholders’ Challenging Engineeringheld at researchers, whoseWater individual research the Cotswold Park. projects span the breadth of EPSRC’s The Challenging Engineering portfolio, including Information and scheme has been running annuCommunications Technology (ICT); ally since 2005, and plays an imProcess, Environment and Sustainability; portant part in EPSRC and Materials, Mechanical andstrategy Medical by Engineering themes suchto assupworking Research with universities graphene, tissueleaders engineering, solid-state port future of research, quantum technologies, optical engineering allowing visionary academics and bio-surfactants, amongst others.
the flexibility to build their own research group to tackle some of Dr Ian Kinloch, the biggest issues challenging The University of Manchester society today. Dr Julian Jones, The new awardees are:
Imperial College London Dr Jennifer Hastie, University of Strathclyde
Dr George Constantinides, Imperial College London Dr Brian Gerardot, Heriot-Watt University Dr Russell Davenport, Newcastle University Dr Peter Martin, The University of Manchester Dr Allessandro Olivo, University College London De Eleanor Stride, University College London.
Further information: www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/grants/ newac/chaleng/cureng/Pages/ default.aspx
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The next decade What happens when the power goes out? Who has ethical responsibility for the robot? How do we avoid harming the patient? Just some of the topics discussed at the ICT Research: The Next Decade workshop, which brought together academics from across the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) research communities.
reflects the breadth and depth of the portfolio, and included:
Liam Blackwell, lead for Information and Communications Technology, says: “ICT research and training provides technologies and the skilled individuals vital to the prosperity of the UK, as well as the safety and wellbeing of its people. “We see it as critical to work with researchers to help shape capability in ICT research and training and develop a portfolio that reflects national ICT needs and stimulates new research opportunities.
Delegate Professor Mike Chantler, of HeriotWatt University, says: “From photonics devices to social networking, ICT has an incredible range. The workshop showed that it can be hard work to communicate with people from different cultures and using different terminology – but when you do make a connection, sparks begin to fly and exciting things start to happen.”
“The workshop was a way to increase the momentum of this process and enabled people to discuss the big questions: What should the priorities be for ICT research going into the next decade? How can ICT research contribute to future research challenges? “The event also confirmed the need to focus on specific goals, such as increasing support for early career researchers and emerging leaders, and engaging them more effectively in the development of priorities and strategy to establish a progressive research culture where researchers understand the need to make a case for funding, unfettered by traditional thinking.” Delegates were chosen from across the spectrum of ICT research, career stages and institutions and delegates were encouraged to think strategically about the whole ICT portfolio. Delegates were asked to identify important ICT challenges and put them into a political, economical, societal and technical context. The extraordinary range of subjects raised
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cyber security
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cheaper, faster broadband
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human-centric robots
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energy harvesting networks
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quantum systems engineering
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creating an ethical ICT framework
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intelligent web
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healthy ageing
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radio cognitive systems
Fellow delegate, Dr George Constantinides, from Imperial College London, agrees. He says: “I saw a lot of potential application areas for my work. There’s potential for many interesting collaborations to come out of the workshop – over and above its core objectives.” The workshop was part of a range of initiatives EPSRC is taking to involve the ICT community in the development of strategy, including EPSRC-funded networks, community forums, new networking activities, and a greater focus on strategy during visits to universities. Feedback from the workshop has been both enthusiastic and productive and has led to a number of applications for funding to pursue projects intended to help shape ICT capability. It has also led to support for three community building research projects.
EPSRC calls – stay connected Remember to visit our calls web pages to keep up to date with all the latest EPSRC funding opportunities. Accessing call information online gives you the greatest amount of time to respond. Also, why not subscribe to EPSRC’s e-mail alert service or RSS feed. You will then be notified of all new EPSRC calls as they are published. See box below for further information.
calls
ICT Research:
To find out more about EPSRC funding opportunities please visit:
www.epsrc.ac.uk/ callsforproposals or sign-up to e-alerts and RSS feeds.
considered by the ICT team and will be used to inform its strategic decisions in consultation with the ICT Strategic Advisory Team. The full report from the workshop, including a film from the event, can be found by following the link below.
Further information: www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/grants/ newac/chaleng/cureng/Pages/ default.aspx
Outcomes from the workshop are being
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June 2011 Issue 82
EPSRC Centres for Innovative Manufacturing launched EPSRC is investing £45 million in nine new national EPSRC Centres for Innovative Manufacturing, bringing the total to 12.
areas, focusing on key challenges facing major industry sectors by adopting original approaches to manufacturing not being addressed elsewhere.
The EPSRC Centres will undertake cutting-edge research to address major long-term manufacturing challenges and/ or emergent market opportunities, and will enhance the global profile and significance of UK manufacturing research.
EPSRC’s senior portfolio manager for innovative manufacturing, Anne Farrow, says. “These new national EPSRC Centres will not only undertake internationallyleading manufacturing research for the UK, they will also be actively working with industry in developing innovative solutions to their long-term needs.
As national facilities, EPSRC Centres for Innovative Manufacturing will create a nationwide network of expertise in manufacturing knowledge with outreach to other centres and relevant research groups. EPSRC Centres for Innovative Manufacturing are supported by leading industry partners and a range of hightech small and medium-sized enterprises across a whole range of sectors; in fact most of the research areas are potentially relevant to more than one sector which could result, as one of the Panel members assessing the bids said, in exciting and unexpected research outcomes. Each EPSRC Centre will receive five years’ funding, allowing for resources to undertake a suite of research projects and also enabling the Centre to retain key staff, undertake feasibility studies, network with other EPSRC Centres in the UK and overseas and ensure the research knowledge is appropriately disseminated. EPSRC support will also be used as a platform from which the Centres can secure further investment from industry and other funders. As national EPSRC Centres, it is expected they will act as leaders in their areas: be high profile, lead on workshops, open days and networks and drive forward the innovative manufacturing research agenda, influencing policy and contributing to national debate in manufacturing. In addition to training highly-skilled people to be the research and industry leaders of the future, the new EPSRC Centres will act as a national focus for research in specific
The new EPSRC Centres will have a high national profile, acting as leaders in their areas as they drive innovative manufacturing research into new areas, influencing policy and contributing to the national manufacturing debate.
Research areas include: Manufacturing tools and techniques, focusing on: • Creating ultra high precision manufacturing tools that can make products with nano-scale accuracy • Intelligent automation of manufacturing machinery • Advanced metrology – creating and developing a ‘factory on the machine’ New materials and structures, including: • Next-generation composite manufacturing • Advanced manufacturing of new photonic materials, fibres and components • Cutting-edge composite manufacturing processes; including additive manufacturing Next generation processes in: • Regenerative medicine • Emergent macro-molecular therapies • Continuous manufacturing
The emerging research and technologies developed through the EPSRC Centres will feed through to industry and the new Technology and Innovation Centres (TICs), which will play a key role in the next stage of the innovation chain. In turn the technologies and applications developed by industry and TICs will lead to new research challenges for the EPSRC Centres to address.
Sustainability, through:
If you are interested in getting involved with this initiative, please contact the centre directors. We will publish more details of the new EPSRC Centres in future issues of Connect. In the meantime, further information can be found at the web site to
Contact: Anne Farrow anne.farrow@epsrc.ac.uk
the right.
• Liquid engineering • Industrial sustainability • Through-life engineering services.
Further information: http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/research/ centres/innovativemanufacturing/ Pages/default.aspx
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New projects funded at Research Complex at Harwell EPSRC has announced an investment of £6 million to fund four major research projects at the Research Complex at Harwell. The five-year multidisciplinary projects are: • Catalytic science, consortium of 11 research organisations led by Professor Richard Catlow; • Phase modulation technology for x-ray imaging, led by Professor Ian Robinson and involving UCL, Sheffield and Diamond; • Dynamic structural science, consortium of nine research organisations led by Professor Paul Raithby; • Structural evolution across multiple time and length scales, led by Professor Philip Withers and involving Manchester,
Imperial, STFC Laboratories and the OU. A two-year project in in-situ processing, a consortium of seven research organisations led by Professor Alexander Korsunsky, has also been supported. Research groups will be taking up residency at the Research Complex at Harwell in spring 2011. The Research Complex at Harwell offers researchers in physical and life sciences opportunities for close interaction with Diamond, ISIS, the Central Laser Facility and other facilities at Harwell. As well as carrying out new, better or faster experiments with beam time, researchers at the Complex work in a strongly multidisciplinary environment. Stakeholders in the Research Complex include BBSRC, EPSRC, MRC, NERC, STFC and Diamond.
Research Complex at Harwell
Further information: www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/facilities/ epsrc/Pages/harwell.aspx www.rc-harwell.ac.uk/
Equal but different A new project to promote equality and diversity in higher education research careers is launched. A new project, Every researcher counts, led by Vitae and commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), is set to improve equality and diversity for research staff within the HE sector. Many of the challenges relating to equality and diversity are systemic within the HE sector, particularly for research staff. These can create a difficult environment for researchers, but particularly disadvantages some groups including women, disabled, black and minority ethnic researchers.
The project is aiming to develop a network of at least 50 individuals to act as Equality and Diversity Champions from over 50 different HEIs across the UK. Vitae, an organisation dedicated to realising the potential of researchers, is seeking nominations from Equality and Diversity specialists, widening participation staff, HR staff, academics, HEI senior managers or Principle Investigators (PIs). Champions will be expected to raise awareness of the researcher equality and diversity agenda within HEI’s, use and distribute resources to PIs and staff developers, attend regional train-the-trainer events, and provide feedback to the project team.
The project is an important part of the HEFCE implementation strategy for the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. More information about the Every researcher counts, its wider objectives and outcomes is available on the Vitae website www.vitae. ac.uk. For ECU guidance to HEIs regarding equality and diversity please visit: www.ecu.ac.uk
Further information: www.vitae.ac.uk www.ecu.ac.uk
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June 2011 Issue 82
EPSRC Contacts For further programme information: www.epsrc.ac.uk
Head of Materials, Mechanical and Medical Engineering Mark Claydon-Smith 01793 444440 mark.claydon-smith@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Information and Communications Technology Liam Blackwell 01793 444217 liam.blackwell@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Energy Multidisciplinary Applications Jason Green 01793 444208 jason.green@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 Next Generation Healthcare Rachel Bishop 01793 444335 rachel.bishop@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Nanotechnology Rachel Bishop 01793 444335 rachel.bishop@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 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 Head of Cross Disciplinary Interfaces Kedar Pandya 01793 444317 kedar.pandya@epsrc.ac.uk 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 Research Careers Strategy Lucy Brady 01793 444147 lucy.brady@epsrc.ac.uk Maggie Wilson 01793 444333 maggie.wilson@epsrc.ac.uk Head of Business Relationships Emma Feltham 01793 444321 emma.feltham@epsrc.ac.uk Senior Manager International Edward Clarke 01793 444438 edward.clarke@epsrc.ac.uk Senior Manager Public Engagement Jo Coleman 01793 444209 joanna.coleman@epsrc.ac.uk Michelle Lascelles 01793 444461 michelle.lascelles@epsrc.ac.uk IDEAS Factory Contact Susan Morrell 01793 444462 susan.morrell@epsrc.ac.uk
For current grant maintenance and grant assessment queries Engineering Chris Elson 01793 444504 chris.elson@epsrc.ac.uk Technology Valerie Hibberd 01793 444560 valerie.hibberd@epsrc.ac.uk Science Jan Tucker 01793 444046 jan.tucker@epsrc.ac.uk EPSRC, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1ET Telephone: 01793 444000 www.epsrc.ac.uk Editor: Mark Mallett, mark.mallett@epsrc.ac.uk Production Editor: Rachael Brown, rachael.brown@epsrc.ac.uk Circulation amendments: connect@epsrc.ac.uk © Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 2011. ISSN 1476-6485 Material may be reproduced providing the source is acknowledged.
New policy on
research data
EPSRC has introduced a new policy relevant to all whose research we support. The policy framework, developed in consultation with researchers and research users, sets out our expectations concerning access to and management of research data generated as a result of our funding. The expectations arise from seven basic principles which align with core RCUK principles on data sharing and the new policy reflects current UK legal requirements arising from the Freedom of Information Acts, the Environmental Information Regulations and the Data Protection Act. The first principle of the policy is that EPSRC-funded research data is a public good, produced in the public interest, which should be made freely and openly available with as few restrictions as possible in a timely and responsible manner. However, the framework also recognises the risk that inappropriate release of research data could damage the research process and the UK economy. Implementing the framework is expected to deliver significant benefits including: • increased research visibility, leading to growth of scientific reputations; • stimulation of new approaches to data collection and methods of analysis; • enabling independent validation of published results, improving the overall quality of research; • enabling re-use of available data for unforeseen research purposes, increasing the efficient use of public funding by avoiding unnecessary duplication. We recognise that it will take research organisations some time to ensure the availability of appropriate infrastructure and to align policies and practices with the framework. To allow for this, organisations are expected to undertake and complete full gap analysis and road mapping work by 1 May 2012 and to have achieved full compliance by 1 May 2015. EPSRC is liaising with universities over the details of implementation.
Contact: Ben Ryan ben.ryan@epsrc.ac.uk Further information: www.epsrc.ac.uk/about/standards/researchdata/ Pages /default.aspx
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