Dr Lorna Colquhoun Head of Research Development Interdisciplinary Research and the Changing Funding...
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Dr Lorna ColquhounHead of Research Development
Interdisciplinary Research and the Changing Funding Environment2 April 2009
2001-08 Comparative RAE Performance
Overall Russell Group
2001 15th 12th
2008 GPA 12th 9th
•33% (16 / 48) of UOAs were in top 5 on GPA
Research Income (£k)
Income by sponsor type
2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
RC 24,549 29,411 32,434 39,949
UK Govt 11,859 12,865 14,310 14,740
UK charity 18,185 20,698 21,014 21,477
Industry 6,266 6,243 4,792 4,959
EU 4,119 4,747 6,054 6,186
Overseas 1,728 1,924 2,486 3,203
66,706 75,888 81,091 90,515
Change 6% 14% 7% 12%
Big issues – Impact of Research
“Measurement” of impact as a key indicator increasingly popular (economic, political, social, etc.)
• Publications, citations• Novel compounds, devices, patents, licences, spin-
outs• Consultancy, policy development, press coverage,
conferences, training, outreach to communities, benefits to society
These are important measures of activity
But how do we capture, analyse, record and report them?
Interdisciplinary and large research grants in practice
Challenges• To stay ahead of the game• Be distinctive and retain high quality• Be capable of responding quickly – in or out?• Play to strengths and opportunities• Support (and reward?) those that lead this
What is Interdisciplinary Research?
•Interdisciplinary research is a mode of research that integrates information data techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts and / or theories from 2 or more disciplines to advance fundamental understanding or solve problems beyond the scope of a single discipline
•Problems of great societal importance
• inter – multi – cross• Quantitative vs qualitative• Closed vs open• Objective vs subjective
• Tradition – transition – transformation
Interdisciplinary research is a powerful tool
Money
•Cross Research Council initiatives – there is money out there
• Cross-Council Funding Agreement – August 2006
•Leverhulme Trust- special weight given to• originality of projects;• significance; • ability to judge and take appropriate risk;
• removal of barriers between traditional disciplines
•11
•DIGITAL •ECONOMY
•EPSRC lead•AHRC•ESRC•MRC
•ENERGY
•EPSRC lead•BBSRC•ESRC•NERC•STFC
•NANOSCIENCE THROUGH ENGINEERING TO APPLICATION
•EPSRC lead•BBSRC•ESRC•NERC•STFC•MRC
•RESPONDING TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES
•GLOBAL UNCERTAINTIES:•security for all in a changing world
•EPSRC •BBSRC•ESRC lead•NERC•STFC•MRC•AHRC
•LIVING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
•EPSRC •BBSRC•ESRC•NERC lead•STFC•MRC•AHRC
•AGEING: LIFE LONG HEALTH & WELLBEING
•EPSRC •BBSRC•ESRC•NERC•STFC•MRC lead•AHRC
Disciplinary
Knowledge depth/ innate knowledge
Language
Timescales
Funding
Review of apps
Institutional
Recruitment
Reward (promotion)
Departmental structures
Overhead distribution
Evaluation
Publication credit
RAE/REF
What makes it work (from developing your proposal to delivery)
• Common language• “Cross cultural competence”
• Common goals
• No bolt ons
• Iterative (shift in view)
• Leadership
• Developing your question together
Initial Stages: Building Bridges• Common problem(s) to solve• Leadership• Environment that encourages faculty/researcher collaboration• Establishing a team philosophy• Seed/glue money• Seminars to foster bridges between students, postdoctoral
scholars, and PIs• Workshops to foster bridges between investigators• Frequent meetings among team members• Think of the end at the beginning
Supporting the Project
• Good Research/project management
• Support project initiation and team building
• Seamless and flexible funding
• Willingness to take risks
• Recognize potential for high impact
• Involvement of funding organization
Facilities
• Physical co-location of researchers
• Shared instrumentation
• Enhance chance meetings between researchers, such as on-site cafeterias
Organization/ Administration
• Matrix organization
• Rewards for academic leaders who foster IDR
• Tenure/promotion policies for interdisciplinary work
• Utilize experts with breadth and IDR experience for assessment
• Professional recognition of successful practitioners of IDR
•Research themes
•Major initiatives: Underwritten £
•Research themes: Facilitators
•Termination process for themes
•Water
•Risk: BRISK
•Climate change
•2007 •2008 •2009
Making Interdisciplinary Research Work - UoB
Making Interdisciplinary Research Work - UoB
Institute for Advanced studies
• programme for interdisciplinary workshops
• Support for Research Themes
• Research Programme on IDR – Nexus
IA Sn sti tu te fo rdvan ced tud ies
U n iver si ty o f B r i sto l
Institute for Advanced Studies University of Bristol
www.bris.ac.uk/ias
Making Interdisciplinary Research Work - UoB
• The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN): supporting innovation in research, and education on a global scale, through interdisciplinary collaboration, faculty and student exchange and eLearning
• IAS/WUN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH WORKSHOP COMPETITION
•www.wun.ac.uk & www.bris.ac.uk/wun
Support for bids
• Training• Advice on sources of funding & fEC• Assistance with co-ordination of complex/multi-
disciplinary proposals• Advice on non-subject specific content of
proposals• Liaison with funders• Liaison with other University Support Services• Letters of support• Mock interview panels
Strategic development
• Institutional/Faculty visitshttp://www.bris.ac.uk/research/support/development/events/
• Statistics• External policy• Intelligence
http://www.bris.ac.uk/research/support/development/intelligence/safe/
• Major & Institutional bidshttp://www.bris.ac.uk/research/support/development/majorbids/safe/
• Capacity building
RED Research Development
• Lorna Colquhoun - Head of Research Development• Tom Bowker - RDM EU Support• Lindsey Gaunt - RDM FMD + FMVS • Simon Gray - RDM Science & Engineering• Jude Hill – RDM Social Sciences & Law• Isobel Howe - WUN Development Manager• Helen Jordan - RDM EU• Katie Powell - Research Development Associate (Med Vet Sci)• Kathleen Sedgley - Research Development Officer• Kerry Vernon - RDM Arts• http://www.bris.ac.uk/research/support/development/