Updated daily at www.ResearchResearch.com Founded by William Cullerne Bown 28 May 2014 Last orders at the Royal Institution’s bar – p4 Practical policy UCL department on providing friendly competition – p5 Longitude Room for social science? – p23 TSB does get research, insists chief But agency still has some way to go on creative industries

elations between the research councils and the R by Adam Smith [email protected] Technology Strategy Board may have been “slightly bizarre” in the past but are now very strong, the TSB’s for 2011-15 has no financial target but does mention a chief executive has said. desire for greater engagement with TSB programmes. In an interview with Research Fortnight, Iain Gray, The TSB’s delivery plan for the financial year 2014-15 whose 7-year term ends on 31 October, said there had is yet to be published. been a “definite change in the relationship”, with far The TSB is understood to be talking to the AHRC more cooperation now than in the TSB’s first few years. about becoming involved in the next round of the Senior research council figures agree. Chris AHRC’s Knowledge Exchange Hubs for the Creative Watkins, director of translational research and indus- Economy. These hubs, in Bristol, Dundee, Lancaster try at the Medical Research Council, says the TSB took and London, are funded with £16m from the AHRC some time to work out what it needed to do with the until 2015-16. They are seen as an obvious chance for research councils, but that the parties now “have a closer collaboration between the council and the TSB. much greater degree of discussion”. “The hubs would have had more money and sup- Celia Caulcott, executive director for innova- port from businesses had the TSB been involved,” says tion and skills at the Biotechnology and Biological Frank Boyd, director of the TSB’s Knowledge Transfer Sciences Research Council, agrees. She says the coun- Network for creative industries. He is working with the cil had to convince the TSB to work with bioscientists. TSB, research councils and the innovation agency Nesta “We were concerned that if we could not get the TSB to on an innovation roadmap for the creative industries. get to grips with biology then we might not have ful- The idea of the TSB being involved in the hubs filled our obligations,” she says, adding that TSB staff is similar to how the Catapult centres work, a model had to be shown the potential applications of biology. under review by technology entrepreneur Hermann “If you are an automotive engineer, you don’t neces- Hauser. Gray expects Hauser’s review, which is due this sarily see biology as a technology.” autumn, to support the public-private collaboration Caulcott joined the BBSRC just one year after the that underpins the catapults. Hauser is also said to be TSB was set up in 2007. She says the research councils considering expanding the types of body that work “were expected to commit a certain amount of their with the catapults to include, for example, research budget to working with the TSB”. The BBSRC com- and technology organisations. “That makes a lot of mitted to spending at least £50 million of its 2011-15 sense,” says David Bembo, who chairs the Association budget on this, and the MRC’s delivery plan for 2011- for University Research and Industry Links. 15 earmarks £133m for it. But Bembo suggests there is still work to be done “We’re not driven by artificial financial targets to convince some universities of the value of being now,” Gray says. “About 5 or 6 years ago, it was a involved. “There are some institutions that don’t think slightly bizarre relationship driven by targets.” they’re in the frame,” he says, adding that the TSB’s Gray says he would like the creative industries, and programmes are not always easily especially their senior business figures, to get more accessible to academics. “That’s a Every new opportunity involved with the TSB. And some people, including lesson the TSB could learn from the for research funding David Willetts, minister for universities and science, research councils.” from every sponsor in want the agency to work more closely with the Arts Caulcott, however, disagrees: the UK, EU, US & beyond and Humanities Research Council. “That view treats the TSB as a Every discipline The AHRC had a target of spending £3m on working research council, but it’s not a Every fortnight with the TSB in 2008-11. The council’s delivery plan research council.” Issue No. 435 2 editorial Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014

Edited by Ehsan Masood [email protected] Tel: 020 7216 6500 Fax: 020 7216 6501 Unit 111, 134-146 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3AR

elsewhere

“We’re quite astonished that The Times Staying put has taken the decision to put such a non-story on its front page.” Nicola Gulley, editorial director at the Institute of Physics, insists a climate change GO Science is better off outside the Cabinet Office paper was rejected from the IoP journal Environmental Research Letters because it failed to pass peer review, not because of MPs on the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee political concerns. Nature, 16/5/14. have long wanted the Government Office for Science to be transferred “Everything that I believe about out of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and into the democracy tells me that you cannot and Cabinet Office in the heart of the Whitehall machine. The committee’s should not have an entirely unelected part of a legislative process. On the other hand, report on its inquiry into government horizon scanning, published earlier it works. And it works extremely well.” this month, gave added urgency to this ambition. The departing chairman of the Environment The MPs fear that GO Science has become isolated in its two decades at Agency, Chris Smith, finds himself warming to the House of Lords. Politics Home, 15/5/14. BIS. Chief scientific adviser Mark Walport and his team do excellent work, they say, but then comes the sting: quoting cabinet secretary Jeremy “There has been a growing sense of Heywood, they claim the office’s “impeccable” work has “not always frustration and anger among black British academics over how our commu- translated into actual policy changes”. nities have been treated by the British As Whitehall speak goes, that is some indictment. To paraphrase the fic- university system.” tional Sir Humphrey Appleby: “These science chaps might be top-drawer, William Ackah, a lecturer in community and voluntary-sector studies at Birkbeck, but unless we can see them they haven’t a hope in hell of being heard.” University of London, calls for black studies So, should GO Science move down the road to become more visible? to be an option in UK higher education. The Certainly, the Cabinet Office is the place for cross-government Guardian, 14/5/14. policy. Its joint heads, Francis Maude and Oliver Letwin, are powerful “This is going to make an ‘us and them’ Conservative modernisers who have the prime minister’s ear. situation: the medical researchers will be One motivation for moving GO Science to BIS was to keep Whitehall laughing and the enabling scientists in maths, chemistry, physics and so forth science advice and the running of the research councils under one roof. will be suffering.” That carries less weight today, as the network of chief scientists and the Biologist Gustav Nossal thinks the research councils’ remit have both expanded beyond their 1994 borders. Australian government is dividing sci- ence by promising $20 billion for medical Walport himself has said that science funding is not his business. research while cutting funding in other But for the marriage to work, the Cabinet Office has to want GO Science areas. The Australian, 15/5/14. too—and there is little sign of mutual attraction (see Analysis, page 6). “We want to avoid a situation where we When Heywood created a cross-government facility for horizon scan- have two communities that don’t speak to ning last July, he chose the Cabinet Office even though the Foresight each other. We don’t want a ‘Google bus’ office at GO Science is a world leader in analysing the future. Going back type of scenario.” Jess Tyrrell, communications consultant for further, the Behavioural Insights Team, which pioneered the idea of the Centre for London think tank, explains testing policies before rolling them out, was also created in the Cabinet the idea behind a planned website that Office. This is not a party-political issue, as the original nudge unit was will help young people living in the Tech City area to benefit from education and job the last Labour government’s idea. opportunities. Wired, 14/5/14. Clearly, successive governments have opted to run fresh, more innova- tive policy-making initiatives away from BIS. That might seem like an argument for getting Walport’s team out of there, but grafting it onto the decade Cabinet Office is unlikely to make it more influential. Indeed, geographic location is rarely the main determinant in the pursuit of influence. There “It is simply fantasy that are other factors that Whitehall’s power brokers believe GO Science lacks. UK ministers are going to Jon Day, chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, summed up one control appointments to such factor in his evidence to the Commons inquiry. Horizon scanning, he said, needed “a senior champion” with cross-departmental influence. research ethics committees.” On balance, GO Science is better off where it is. Its users in research, Health minister Norman Warner denies business and elsewhere (including this publication) know its value. We that legislation on clinical trials will may not always agree with its conclusions, and more openness is always threaten the independence of decision- making bodies. welcome, but we all cherish it as a source of expertise and advice. A move could undermine its existing strengths without guaranteeing any boost Research Fortnight, 26 May 2004 in its political clout. Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 what’s going on 3 what’s going on

University donations hit all-time high UK universities received donations of £660 million in 2012-13, a 23 per cent increase on the previous year and the highest figure recorded by the annual Ross-CASE survey. However, the survey of 136 UK universities shows a divide between institutions, with three receiving more than £20m in cash income in 2012-13 and 34 receiving less than £100,000.

Science is more than a sausage machine, says former BIS insider The UK may be undervaluing the full range of benefits of funding a strong science base by focusing on the “sausage machine” that produces spinout companies, says a former government official. Speaking at University College London, Graeme Reid, who recently left his post as director of research funding at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, argued that the reasons to do science were much more than this simple metric.

New life for Millport Millport Marine Biological Research Station, off the west coast of Scotland, has relaunched with backing from the Scottish government, charities and local councils. The station was threatened with closure in 2012, when the University of London withdrew its funding. With a £4-million investment, the centre will be redeveloped and refurbished over the next 5 years.

NIHR to reward champions of clinical research Submissions are open until 20 June for an award scheme to recognise NHS trusts that have helped embed research into clinical practice. The competition, sponsored by the National Institute for Health Research, is being held in collaboration with the Health Service Journal. Entries should highlight an impact on clinical research in the past 12 months.

Public to choose topic for £10m Longitude prize A public vote will run until 25 June to decide which of six topics should be the focus of the £10-million Longitude prize. Voters can choose between the challenges of restoring movement to those with paralysis; flying without damaging the environment; helping people with dementia live independently for longer; ensuring everyone has nutritious food; preventing the rise of resistance to antibiotics; and ensuring everyone has access to clean water (see View, page 23).

HEFCW plans flat cash for research Most categories of research income from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales will remain unchanged in 2014-15, the council reported on 22 May. Total QR research income will remain at £71m, as will funding for the Sêr Cymru, or Welsh stars, initiative. Overall research funding will fall from £78.8m in 2013-14 to £78.5m in 2014-15, because of cuts to the budget for contributions to research initiatives including the Research Excellence Framework.

letters

On the case of equality sity is being achieved or that sanctions are carrots and sticks that will work to achieve not the answer. equality, and we have set out the ideas of Your editorial Where is Sally? [RF 14/5/14, The reality is more mundane. Athena p2] challenged government, parliament those in the field in our report Improving SWAN awards are for science depart- Diversity in STEM. and campaign groups on why they have ments. But research council grants are to argued against linking research grants to individuals and stretch across disciplines, the achievement of Athena SWAN awards. departments and universities. Naomi Weir You suggest that this is probably The Campaign for Science and Assistant director because those involved think that diver- Engineering and many others are seeking Campaign for Science and Engineering 4 news Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 news Royal Institution considers asset sale to stay solvent The Royal Institution is considering whether to sell some by Adam Smith [email protected] of its assets to reduce its debts and operating deficit, Research Fortnight has learned. high-end bar and kitchen, where a portion of fish and The Mayfair-based science communication charity has chips costs £13. The venues were developed in 2008 as been struggling with multimillion-pound debts for sev- part of a major refurbishment that put the institution eral years. Late last year, its board of trustees decided into financial hardship. to work alone on saving the institution after rejecting a The charity paid off one loan last year thanks to a rescue mission from the Royal Society. £4.4m donation from a European foundation, according Some of the RI’s plans for reducing the outstanding to its accounts, but a loan of £2m remains and is due debt and operating deficit were released to members at for repayment in June 2015. The organisation’s deficit the annual general meeting on 19 May. Ideas include stands at £400,000 a year. selling assets in order to pay off a loan and moving some In recent months, the RI has been sharpening its admin staff into smaller offices in the Grade I-listed online presence in its bid to become an international building to free up space for commercial tenants and science communication venue. A spokeswoman said charitable activities. that the RI’s membership had risen by 48 per cent in the The RI said in a statement that it was yet to decide past 18 months to an all-time high of 4,500, and that whether an asset sale would go ahead or which assets “engagement” with its YouTube channel had grown by it would sell. It has ruled out selling its building at 500 per cent. The charity is also preparing to announce 21 Albemarle Street in London. The charity’s accounts a five-year deal with a partner that will bring £500,000 for the year to September 2013 list heritage assets val- into the RI Masterclasses programme, which involves ued at over £5 million, including scientific apparatus scientists and engineers running interactive educational and instruments valued at £1m as well as printed works, sessions with schoolchildren. archives and images. However, a group of sceptical scientists is planning Michael Faraday’s induction ring, the first-ever elec- to demand better and more detailed plans. “There’s no tric transformer, is among the items. “Opinions will be substance to the RI’s plans,” said one scientist who did sharply divided on what should be sold,” says one mem- not want to be named. “They’ve clearly been written by a ber who attended the AGM. The RI may also close its well-oiled spin doctor.” Food security needs diverse approach Biologists and engineers must work with economists and by Helen Lock [email protected] policy researchers to achieve the agricultural advances needed to tackle threats to food security, the annual of food production on the environment was reduced. conference of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers The UK government’s global food security champion heard this week. Tim Benton said that public policy should “engender a Karl Ritz, professor of soil biology at Cranfield respect for food” to tackle the problem of people in the University, where the conference was held on 21 May, UK throwing away 20 per cent of their food and overeat- told Research Fortnight that more multidisciplinary effort ing by 20 per cent. “Simply growing more food is not was needed. He also says that the research councils always the answer,” he said. could always do more to fund cross-disciplinary work. Benton also said that engineering technology must Anne Miller, director of the Knowledge Transfer be used more effectively to gather data on land and Network for environmental sustainability, told the help farmers analyse the best spaces to get high yields. meeting that the Technology Strategy Board had six col- Benton’s own research, he said, uses remote sensing to laborative R&D calls coming up in the area of agricultural map vegetation in Yorkshire. technology. “Agriculture is high on the agenda for [the In a separate development,the Biotechnology and government] and the TSB,” she said. Biological Sciences Research Council announced on 23 Ritz and the other speakers said radical change was May that a £10-million joint fund had been set up with needed in agriculture so that enough food could be the Natural Environment Research Council, intended to produced for the global population while the impact help answer big questions in sustainable agriculture. Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 news 5

UCL policy centre promises practical approach and ‘friendly competition’ University College London’s science policy department by Rebecca Hill [email protected] plans to be more applied than some of its competitors and work to understand and improve the practices of researchers and policymakers, with another aim being policy-making rather than criticise them. to work with emerging economies that have an interest Jason Blackstock, acting head of the science, engi- in improving their science advisory systems. neering, technology and public policy department, told The department has been operational for nine months Research Fortnight that although he wanted to build and has more than 30 staff members. Its research agen- connections with groups such as the Science Policy da includes understanding leadership in cities, carrying Research Unit at the University of Sussex, he expected out longitudinal studies on energy, comparing the effec- “friendly competition” in some areas. tiveness of scientific advisory bodies, and science policy “We’ll focus on policy challenges and problems and issues such as badger culls and renewable energy. experiment with how to bring together scientists, poli- “We’re also going to collect perspectives from scien- cymakers and practitioners,” he says, on the question tists, scientific advisers and policymakers about where of how his department will stand out from other science the skills gaps are,” Blackstock says. “That will give us a policy centres. “It’s a very applied approach—as opposed better understanding of where miscommunications are to studying that interface.” and what training the next generation of scientists, poli- The department, which will receive about £3 million cymakers and knowledge brokers need.” each year from UCL for its first three years, as well as Part of the aim is to find ways for researchers to con- £3.5m from external funders for specific research pro- nect what they do; everyone has allocated time for grammes, will help UCL to challenge the established departmental research. “The idea is not to steer individ- science policy departments at the Universities of Sussex ual projects, but to link them together,” says Blackstock. and Manchester. Meanwhile, the department is also on a recruitment Blackstock adds that the department’s location drive as its programme of masters degrees in public in central London will allow it access international administration starts in September. Is science advice inherently politicised? Science and facts cannot be separated from policy-making by Rebecca Hill at Circling the Square in Nottingham and researchers’ values always affect their work, a confer- ence at the University of Nottingham heard last week. the values of that person. If so, that’s deeply unset- The Circling the Square conference, organised by the tling,” said Philip Moriarty, a physicist at Nottingham. university’s Science, Technology and Society Research Later, Tim Johnson, who studies the mathematics of Priority Group, was held from 20 to 22 May. finance at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, argued Its aim was to question how to align research, poli- that providing scientific advice was “not about produc- tics, media and impact, but recurring themes were the ing facts but about justifying the statements” that would divide between natural and social scientists and dif- influence policy. ferences of opinion about how scientific evidence is Others argued that the government must ensure sci- interpreted in policy-making. ence remains independent of political influences. “Not Speaking on the first day, Sheila Jasanoff, professor only is the Haldane principle something you stick to, you of science and technology studies at Harvard University, have to demonstrate you’re sticking to it with evidence,” and Chris Tyler, director of the Parliamentary Office of said Brian Collins, director of the centre for engineering Science and Technology, argued that scientific advice policy at UCL. He added that he would like the research was an inherently politicised process. and higher education funding councils’ definitions of “The idea that you can separate facts and policy is impact to be better aligned, saying he was “optimis- complete nonsense,” Tyler said. “Yes, there are some tic” that this could happen as part of the government’s cases where we think it’s more X than Y, but the vast longer-term science and innovation strategy. majority of science advice is not taking place in black Meanwhile, Jason Blackstock, acting head of University and white.” College London’s science policy centre, called for the However some audience members took umbrage at impact agenda to be redefined ahead of the next Research this idea. “My concern is this idea that all data is tainted Excellence Framework, suggesting that it should shift its and you can never disentangle scientific evidence from focus from economic growth to societal good. 6 news Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 analysis What future for Foresight? It may be respected around the world, but the UK government’s Foresight programme lacks policy influence at home. Rebecca Hill gathers views on whether a move to the Cabinet Office is what it needs to win friends in high places.

The UK’s Foresight programme, run from the Government change and horizon scanning for weak signals of change Office for Science, is, according to Peter Gluckman, that may be significant in 10 or 20 years. chief scientific adviser to New Zealand’s prime minister, Chris Hankin, director of the Institute for Security “one of the best, if not the best, in the world”. And yet Science and Technology at Imperial College London, led Government Horizon Scanning, a recent report from the the expert group on Foresight’s Future Identities report. House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, He says it “takes quite a long time for [such] thinking says Foresight has had relatively little demonstrable or to feed in, in an identifiable way, to policy”. Indeed, lasting impact on policy in the UK. GO Science recently decided not to evaluate the impact The MPs’ solution is to move Foresight closer to the of his report, which was published in January 2013, for establishment by relocating the whole of GO Science another 1 or 2 years. from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills “You have to keep observing the weak signals to to the Cabinet Office. But some experts contacted by see if they will emerge into strong trends—it can’t be Research Fortnight say they are not entirely convinced. a one-time collection,” adds Wendy Schultz, a futures “My take on it is that it was really important for GO researcher who was involved in the pilot project that Science to link with the director-general of knowledge became the Foresight programme’s horizon-scanning and innovation [at BIS],” says John Beddington, who database. “The concerning thing is that the notion stepped down after 5 years as government chief scientific that it has to be ongoing didn’t really embed itself in adviser in April 2013. “That contiguity helped a lot and it Foresight’s horizon-scanning centre.” outweighed the idea that the government CSA should be The rapid turnover of civil servants involved in the in the Cabinet Office.” programmes could also be an issue. “What distresses me Robert May, government CSA from 1995 to 2000, says: is not so much that it’s been done badly—some of it has “The notion that being in the Cabinet Office means being been done brilliantly—but the wasted opportunities,” more at the centre of things is a bit of a delusion. The Schultz says. “There isn’t a coherent approach, and important thing is that the CSA has good staff and is that’s partly because people are learning on the job.” aware of the game-playing in the civil service.” Meanwhile, the Cabinet Office launched its own hori- Luke Georghiou, professor of science and technology zon-scanning programme last year, and although the policy and management at the University of Manchester, MPs were critical of its lack of transparency and failure to says a move in the near future is unlikely. “With the involve external academics, it is not yet clear what rela- dynamics of the coalition, the structures are frozen tionship the two programmes will have. at the moment. Post-election, though, who knows? A Cabinet Office spokesman said its horizon-scan- Sometimes decisions are taken to create a bigger job ning team had been “brought together” with the GO for a minister, without the consequences Science team last month to “combine their strengths, ‘The wasted being fully thought through.” But he says expertise and networks”. He would not be drawn on the fact that Foresight survived cuts at BIS whether this amounted to an agreement to hold regular opportunities “shows it is good and valued”. meetings or a potential merger of foresight and hori- While those at the sharp end of policy- zon-scanning activities. and the lack making praise Foresight for the quality of Research Fortnight understands that the government of a coherent its work, some academics claim that policy- CSA Mark Walport is taking the MPs’ report seriously and makers have unrealistic expectations that there may be plans to mix things up. Asked about approach are and do not fully grasp the complexity of Walport’s plans, a GO Science spokeswoman says there futures research. Such studies involve are “no plans to review or change the role of Foresight”. distressing.’ gathering statistical data on the trends of More to say? Email [email protected] Research Fortnight funding opportunities 28 May 2014 every new opportunity every discipline

British Council researcher links US Department of Defense prostate focus points deadlines 9 workshops 1178508 cancer research programme: EPSRC/Japan Science and Technol- synergistic idea development award Opportunities from previous issues of 181840 Issue no. 435 Research Fortnight, listed by closing ogy Agency civil nuclear research programme 1179358 Wellcome/Department of Biotech- date. European Commission and nology India Alliance early-career associated funders marked EU. JRF action research on maximis- MOD Le TacCis assessment ing the local impact of anchor fellowships for researchers in India The Ministry of Defence Each entry is followed by a Web id institutions in the Leeds city region 1163313 Aquaexcel transnational access invites tenders for the 1179239 June Royal Historical Society Martin Lynn 13 1172088 provision of systems house scholarship 205708 EU Directorate-General for Employ- Agency for International Agency for International ment, Social Affairs & Inclusion support for Le TacCis improving expertise in the field of 5 Development emerging pandemic 10 Development emerging pandemic Morpheus programme threats programme 2, PREDICT-2 threats programme 2, preparedness industrial relations 1178874 1179215 1179315 EU European Food Safety Authority testing a procedure for the identifi- assessment phase one. American Heart Association excel- Ataxia UK awards 204659 lence in clinical practice award cation of emerging chemical risks in The budget is worth up to 1178159 Novo Nordisk Foundation challenge the food chain 1178908 programme 1178878 £20 million [12]. American Heart Association Kather- General Medical Council medical ine A Lembright award 1178200 Royal Society/India Department of revalidation 1178986 Science and Technology India-UK Mental Health Research UK/ TSB chemicals American Heart Association scien- scientific seminars 1178553 tific sessions awards 1178180 Schizophrenia Research Fund PhD The Technology Strategy Department of Defense peer-re- scholarship 1162590 EPSRC assistive, adaptive and viewed cancer research programme: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Board invites applications rehabilitative technologies sandpit career development award 1167540 1179060 Fisheries Japan international award for a call on substitutes Department of Defense peer-re- for young agricultural researchers ESRC centres and large grants viewed cancer research programme: 1173245 and additives to prevent 1178954 idea award with special focus Public Health Agency enabling chemicals to cause harm. EU Horizon 2020: Societal Chal- 1173791 research awards 1176632 lenges H2020-EE-2014 energy Agency for International Projects are worth up to efficiency – market uptake 1176430 Public Health Agency personal and 11 Development EPT-2, One Health public involvement 1177877 MOD innate response targets for Workforce 1179335 £60,000 [23]. therapy 1178604 Royal College of Radiologists Kodak American Association of Pharma- radiology fund scholarship 211449 Network of European Institutes ceutical Scientists graduate student NERC fellowships 1 for Advanced Study fellowships research award in analysis and Samsung Adcanced Institute of 1160080 pharmaceutical quality 195706 Technology functional materials The Natural Environmental - novel hard coating materials on Water Research Foundation inte- American Association of Pharma- optical substrate 1179048 Research Council and grating high-efficiency standards, ceutical Scientists graduate student the Economic and Social building codes, and technology into research award in drug discovery Samsung Advanced Institute of demand forecasting 1178815 and development interface 195711 Technology new display - visible or Research Council invite near infrared active light modula- British Society for Haematology American Association of Pharma- tion 1178851 applications for their 6 early-stage investigator start-up ceutical Scientists graduate student fellowship 1158508 research awards in pharmacoki- Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology big data and network - valuing nature programme EU Directorate-General for Employ- netics, pharmacodynamics, drug metabolism, clinical pharmacology data processing algorithm for large- discipline-hopping fellow- ment, Social Affairs and Inclusion scale data visualisation 1178965 information and training measures and translation research 195717 ships. The total budget is for workers' organisations 1161995 European Centre for Disease Preven- Abdus Salam International Centre tion and Control guidance, data 15 for Theoretical Physics Dirac medal £900,000 [29]. EU Directorate-General for Research 254891 and Innovation support services collection and scientific advice on for exploitation of research results tick-borne diseases 1179402 European Society of Cardiol- ogy travel grants for ESC congress EPSRC projects 1178938 JRF evidence review on locality and 1157973 The Engineering and Henry Moore Foundation confer- community resilience to climate ences, lectures and publications change 1179305 FDA data concepts and terminology standards for clinical research and Physical Sciences grants 1157850 TSB enhancing the value of interac- drug development (U24) 1179283 tions with digital content 1179241 Research Council invites Henry Moore Foundation small Muscular Dystrophy Association research grants 1174482 TSB innovation in location-based development grants 211079 proposals for its col- services 1179178 Japanese government MEXT post- Muscular Dystrophy Association laborative computational graduate scholarships 201089 TSB/BBSRC/Defra/Scottish Govern- research grants 211078 Novo Nordisk Foundation inter- ment crop and livestock disease projects. Up to £2 million challenges 1179411 Royal Institute of Philosophy bursa- disciplinary synergy programme ries 251919 is available [35.1]. 1178970 Wellcome seeding drug discovery 253953 Royal Institute of Philosophy Jacob- ScotGov Transport Scotland A90/ sen studentships 251918 BBSRC diet and health A96 Haudagain improvement – pre- Department of Defense prostate liminary ground investigation works 12 cancer research programme idea Society for the History of Technol- The Biotechnology and 1179461 development award 181018 ogy travel grants 200404 Tel Aviv University Raymond and Biological Sciences Beverly Sackler international prize Research Council invites Online Funding Search in biophysics 1166634 applications for the DRINC EMBL international PhD programme For full details of every funding opportunity, visit 16 257408 initiative. The budget is www.ResearchProfessional.com EPSRC conventional power genera- worth approximately tion 1179313 Online subscribers can view full details of any funding opportunity by EU European Oncology Nursing So- £3 million [48]. simply searching for the Web id number as free text in a funding search. ciety clinical travel grants 1157919 EU European Oncology Nursing Society research travel grants not to be Funding search 1172256 photocopieD Free text: 1234567 x Search European University Institute postgraduate research grants on For subscriptions call +44 20 7216 6500 European public finances 1162258 8 funding opportunities Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014

uk ScotGov seal investigations explore the scope for delivering effi- Email: ldewinter@theurologyfounda- The Scottish Government invites tenders ciency and effectiveness benefits through tion.org highlights for investigations into the interactions improved programme coherence, systems Deadline: 30 June 2014 [18] engineering, exploitation of impending between harbour seals and vessels in the technology shifts and optimisation of New opportunities from UK-based funders. Inner Moray Firth. These aim to provide Thyroid research the supplier base in order to enable bet- information on the movement patterns The British Thyroid Foundation invites Charitable grants ter command and control of Le TacCis. of harbour seals in the Moray Firth region applications for its nurse award. This is Estimated funding of between £10 million The Allen Lane Foundation invites appli- in order to understand how seals respond intended to improve care for patients and £20m is available for projects lasting cations for its grants. These support to vessel activity associated with marine with thyroid disorders. Two awards, worth for up to 12 months. general charitable causes across the and port developments. £500 and £1,000, are available. UK with a focus on asylum seekers and Web id: 1179600 Web id: 1179723 Web id: 1175728 refugees, homosexual and transgender Contact: Ian Bourne Deadline: 12 June 2014 [7] Email: [email protected] people, migrant workers, offenders and Email: issbatcis-comrcl-morpheus- Deadline: 1 July 2014 [19] ex-offenders, elderly and people expe- Education systems [email protected] riencing mental health issues or abuse. Deadline: 23 June 2014 [12] Rheumatology Single grants or multiple grants for up to The Department for International Devel- three years will be awarded, worth up to opment (DFID) invites tenders for a pro- Demining research The Royal College of Physicians invites gramme directorate for the effective applications for its John Glyn bursaries £15,000 each. The Engineering and Physical Sciences education systems research programme. in rheumatology. These support travel Web id: 1179474 Research Council, in collaboration with The tenderer will manage and deliver a and other costs associated with a visit Contact: Gill Aconley Find A Better Way, invites proposals research agenda that aims to understand to another centre in the UK or abroad, Email: [email protected] for funding on novel ways of detection for the purpose of learning new clini- No deadline [1] how to improve learning in developing for humanitarian demining. Proposals cal or research techniques relevant to countries. The research is expected to should focus on developing tools and rheumatology, and to bring these back to Biochemistry skills take place in up to five focus countries technologies capable of being deployed over eight years. the initial UK centre. Bursaries are worth The Association for Clinical Biochem- in the field to assist humanitarian demin- up to £2,000 for a period of one month. istry and Laboratory Medicine invites Web id: 1179727 ing operations. FABW will provide up to Fiona Morrison Web id: 1179657 applications for the CP Stewart memo- Contact: £1 million for this call. Email: [email protected] rial fund. This enables scientists to visit Email: [email protected] Web id: 1179605 Deadline: 1 July 2014 [20] laboratories within the UK or overseas Deadline: 16 June 2014 [8] Contact: Jenny Atkinson in order to learn specialised techniques, Email: [email protected] or to gain firsthand knowledge in a field Healthcare improvement Deadline: 25 June 2014 [13] Nursing history that would assist them in their studies. The Health Foundation invites applica- The Royal College of Nursing invites appli- Award amounts are determined on a case tions for its scaling up improvement TSB projects cations for the Monica Baly bursary. This supports activities related to the history by case basis. programme. This supports projects that The Technology Strategy Board invites Web id: 1179617 address an identified problem or potential applications for the following calls: of nursing, including courses, projects, No deadline [2] problem in health, or in health and social •R&D project creating UK capability research, and attendance at either nurs- care. Applications from primary, second- in low-carbon automotive technologies, ing history conferences or study days Travel grants ary and tertiary care are welcomed, or with total eligible project costs worth to present a paper. The award is worth The Association for Clinical Biochemistry across boundaries, with the exception up to £40m. between £300 and £1,000. and Laboratory Medicine invites applica- of individuals and sole traders. Funding Web id: 1179496 Web id: 1175107 tions for its education travel grants. These of up to £500,000 is available for seven •digital health in a connected hospital Deadline: 2 July 2014 [21] enable individuals to attend scientific projects for up to two years. competition, worth up to £1m per project. meetings and specialist training courses Web id: 1179629 Web id: 1179671 ScotGov schools survey relevant to their discipline but are not Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] The Scottish Government invites ten- intended to fund basic training. Grants Deadline: 16 June 2014 [9] Deadline: 25 June 2014 [15] ders for its Scottish schools adolescent of up to £300 will be awarded. lifestyle and substance use survey 2015. Web id: 1179619 Defra UK beef industry MoD information processing This aims to sample Scottish secondary No deadline [3] The Department for Environment, Food & The Ministry of Defence's Centre for school pupils and collect data on aspects Rural Affairs invites tenders for a project Defence Enterprise invites proposals for of health and lifestyle including smoking, Conference scholarship on improving the sustainability and com- its call on information processing and drinking and drug use. The estimated The Association for German Studies in petitive position of the UK beef industry sensemaking. This seeks solutions to value of the contract is between £20,000 Great Britain and Ireland invites appli- through selective breeding. This aims the challenges arising from future intel- and £25,000, and the project is expected cations for its postgraduate conference to promote sustainable intensification, ligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to commence on 1 September 2014 and scholarship. This covers conference fees recommend raising yields, increase the environment. The budget is £600,000. finish by 31 October 2016. of postgraduate students who are unable efficiency with which inputs are used Web id: 1179314 Web id: 1179604 to secure funding for attendance from and reduce the negative environmental Email: [email protected] Deadline: 9 July 2014 [22] other sources. effects of food production. The estimated Deadline: 26 June 2014 [16] Web id: 1179347 value of the contract is between £1 million TSB substitutes and additives Email: matthew.philpotts@manchester. and £1,5m for three years. NERC/TSB awards The Technology Strategy Board, in col- ac.uk Web id: 1179486 The Natural Environment Research Coun- laboration with the Home Office and the No deadline [4] Email: [email protected] cil and Technology Strategy Board invite Department for Business, Innovation Deadline: 17 June 2014 [10] applications for the algal bioenergy spe- and Skills, invites applications for its Genetics meetings cial interest group SPARK awards. These call on substitutes and additives to pre- The Genetics Society invites applica- Pilot training review aim to encourage new collaborations vent chemicals being used in the illicit tions for its new sectional interest group The Civil Aviation Authority invites ten- between the research community and manufacture of explosives or to cause grants. These support genetics research ders for a pilot training review. The ten- small to medium-sized enterprises based harm. This aims to identify substitutes or communities who wish to run regular derer will initiate a short review of recent in the UK. It is expected that six grants additives to potentially harmful chemicals series of meetings. Grants may support training studies, activities and potential of £5,000 plus any applicable VAT will and make them nonviable for dangerous speaker travel, accommodation, publicity improvements in pilot training in order be funded. or illegal purposes without obstructing or any other direct meetings costs. to inform policy on taking the matter Web id: 1179608 their legitimate uses. Up to £500,000 Web id: 1179467 forward internationally. The aim is to Email: [email protected] will be spent on phase 1 proof-of-concept Email: [email protected] improve safety for UK pilots and citizens. Deadline: 26 June 2014 [17] projects, each with a nominal maximum No deadline [5] The review should be completed within value of £60,000. nine months of commencement. Urology research Web id: 1179666 Metallurgy travel grants Web id: 1179688 The Urology Foundation invites applica- Email: [email protected] The Worshipful Company of Armourers Email: [email protected] tions for its smaller research projects Deadline: 16 July 2014 [23] and Brasiers invites applications for its Deadline: 18 June 2014 [11] fund. This seeks to improve services, travel grants. These support PhD students treatments and communications with Postgraduate bursaries attending conferences and industrial MOD Le TacCis assessment patients and carers. Nurse-led or clini- Queen Margaret University invites appli- placements. Grants vary in amount. The Ministry of Defence invites tenders cian-led patient projects are eligible. The cations for the Carnegie-Cameron taught Web id: 1179592 for the provision of systems house sup- maximum grant is £10,000. postgraduate bursaries. These support Email: [email protected] port for Le TacCis Morpheus programme Web id: 1179538 students who are planning to commence No deadline [6] assessment phase one. The tenderer will Contact: Louise de Winter their PhD degree. Candidates must be Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 funding opportunities 9

Scottish by birth or second generation, NIHR health technology Statistical theory prize or have been continuously resident in The Department of Health's National The Royal Statistical Society invites nomi- Scotland for a period of at least three Institute for Health Research invites nations for its research prize. This aims years. Three bursaries, worth £4,000 proposals for its health technology to recognise an outstanding published each, are available. assessment programme researcher-led contribution to statistical theory or appli- Web id: 1179685 workstream - domestic violence and cation. Candidates must be within eight Email: [email protected] abuse. This supports research evaluat- years of their first degree and be fellows Deadline: 25 July 2014 [24] ing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the society. The prize amount is £500. ISSN 1358-1198 of health technologies or interventions Web id: 1179595 Published every two weeks with FSA food research within domestic violence and abuse. Email: [email protected] breaks at Christmas, Easter and in The Food Standards Agency invites ten- Web id: 1179686 Deadline: 1 October 2014 [35] the summer. The next edition will ders for its call on food and you analysis Email: [email protected] be published on 11 June. and reporting. The tenderer will analyse Deadline: 8 September 2014 [31] EPSRC computational projects Letters to data and report findings from food and The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Fortnight you research waves three to five. BBSRC/NERC agriculture Research Council invites proposals for Unit 111, 134-146 Curtain Road, Web id: 1179573 The Biotechnology and Biological Sci- its collaborative computational pro- London EC2A 3AR Email: fsa.procurement@foodstandards. ences Research Council and the Natural jects. Funding enables major UK groups [email protected] gsi.gov.uk Environment Research Council invite in a field of computational research to Deadline: 30 July 2014 [25] Enquiries to proposals for the research grants from tackle large-scale scientific software development projects, maintenance, [email protected] their sustainable agriculture research and Tel +44 20 7216 6500 Scientific scholarships innovation club. These support research distribution, training and user support. Fax +44 20 7216 6501 The Association for Clinical Biochemistry projects that address the challenge of A total budget of up to £2 million is and Laboratory Medicine invites appli- resilient and robust crop and livestock available for networking, widening par- Editor Ehsan Masood cations for its scientific scholarships. production systems and fall within the ticipation and core support activities. Associate Editor Colin Macilwain These provide financial support to young remit of both BBSRC and NERC. The total In addition, 15 FTEs per year of technical Comment and Analysis Editor scientists who are new to the profes- budget of £3.5 million will fund projects computational support are available. John Whitfield sion and who are undertaking research at 80 per cent full economic cost. Work Web id: 1179782 [35.1] News Editors related to clinical biochemistry and labo- should be completed within a five-year Deadline: 7 October 2014 Miriam Frankel, Research Fortnight ratory medicine. Scholarships are worth period. John Bonner, acting, between £2,000 and £5,000. Web id: 1179785 Otology fellowship Research Fortnight Web id: 1179621 Email: evangelia.kougioumoutzi@bbsrc. The TWJ Foundation invites applications Inga Vesper, Research Europe Deadline: 1 August 2014 [26] ac.uk for its fellowship. This enables candidates Senior reporter Laura Greenhalgh Deadline: 11 September 2014 [31.1] to achieve otological training in a univer- Reporters NIHR public health sity overseas. The fellowship is expected Rebecca Hill, Helen Lock, Jenny The Department of Health's National European studies events to last six months to one year. Maukola, Penny Sarchet, Adam Institute for Health Research, under The University Association for Contempo- Web id: 1179597 Smith its public health research programme, rary European Studies invites applications Contact: Lidija Ivnik Chief Sub Editor Kris Pedder invites applications for the following for its small event grants. These enable Email: [email protected] [36] Sub Editor Martyn Jones calls: members of the association to organise Deadline: 29 October 2014 Funding Content Manager •researcher-led workstream - com- conferences or workshops that address Maya Berger munity pharmacy: harnessing the contemporary European studies. Grants Latin American essay prize potential for health and healthcare. The Society for Latin American Stud- Deputy Funding Content Manager of up to £1,000 are available. Yael Moscou Web id: 1179576 Web id: 1175707 ies invites applications for the Harold •domestic violence and abuse. Deadline: 12 September 2014 [32] Blakemore prize. This recognises a post- Funding Editors Anne-Dorte Web id: 1179684 graduate student for an essay in Latin Johannessen, Melinda Sulkama Email: [email protected] Support for expeditions American studies. The prize is worth £600. Editorial Researchers Deadline: 4 August 2014 [28] The Mount Everest Foundation invites Web id: 1179718 Laura Barclay, Rebecca Blease, Sarah Bowskill applications for its support for expedi- Contact: Astrid Boehm, Demeter Chanter, Email: [email protected] Sophie Declerck, Abdo Hussein, NERC fellowships 1 tions. This encourages expeditions that Deadline: 28 February 2015 [37] Mikael Järvelin, Hanna Krantz, The Natural Environmental Research explore mountain regions with educa- Jan Montwill, Tine Stausholm Council and the Economic and Social tional and research purposes in mind, Christiansen, Sanja Vlaisavljevic Research Council invite applications for and that relate to a wide range of areas Production Manager their valuing nature programme disci- including geography, glaciology and uk Katherine Lester pline-hopping fellowships. These enable the effects of altitude. Proposals must other Deputy Production Manager early-career environmental researchers focus on research. The Alison Chadwick Laura Kipp to develop social science and economic memorial grant is also available for an Renewed opportunities from funders based Technical Director Steve Potter expertise and early-career social scien- all-female expedition or a female member in the UK. Publisher William Cullerne Bown tists to gain natural science expertise, in of an expedition team. relation to the goals of the valuing nature Web id: 1179483 Catholic history bursaries Sales Director Nicky Cooper programme. The total budget for this call Email: [email protected] The Catholic Record Society invites appli- Sales Managers Alexander Nehm, is £900,000 and fellowships will be funded Deadline: 30 September 2014 [33] cations for the Andrew C Duncan Catholic Jon Thornton, Alison Warder at 80 per cent of full economic costs for History Trust bursaries. These enable Subscriptions up to 36 months. NERC fellowships 2 students from outside the UK to come to Web id: 1179341 +44 20 7216 6500 or email The Natural Environment Research Coun- Britain for a short time to study aspects of [email protected] Contact: Sarah Keynes cil invites applications for its independent the history of the Catholic Church in Great Email: [email protected] research fellowships in the priority area Britain since the Reformation. UK-based Advertising London Deadline: 14 August 2014 [29] of bioinformatics to deliver part of the students wishing to consult relevant +44 20 7216 6528 or email mathematics and informatics for environ- continental European archives are also [email protected] Marine sciences travel mental omic data synthesis research pro- eligible to apply. Awards are usually in the region of £500. Published by Research. Copyright The Challenger Society for Marine Sci- gramme. These aim to develop scientific © Research Research Ltd 2014. ence invites applications for its travel leadership among the most promising Web id: 1158356 awards. These aim to assist postgraduate early-career environmental scientists, by Contact: Alexandra Walsham All rights reserved students to attend scientific conferences giving them five years' support for devel- Email: [email protected] Reproducing Research Fortnight by or participate in cruises and field work in oping their research programmes, and to No deadline [38] photocopying, electronic or other means in any language without the UK and overseas. Awards of £200 will be establish international recognition. There permission of the publisher is illegal. granted for UK travel and awards of £500 are no funding limits, but no equipment Mathematics grants for international travel. The total budget costing more than £10,000 including VAT The Institute of Mathematics and its Please recycle after use. is approximately £1,700. can be requested. Applications invites applications for its Web id: 1179569 Web id: 1179554 small grant scheme. This aims to facilitate NOT TO BE PHOTOCOPIED Contact: Bee Berx Contact: Tracey Timms-Wilson research activity in all areas of applica- Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] ble mathematics. Research grants are Deadline: 15 August 2014 [30] Deadline: 1 October 2014 [34] worth up to £600. Applicants who wish to 10 funding opportunities Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 organise a conference with a mathemati- grant is worth £5,000 for one year. of the heritage, conservation and the Educational research cal theme may apply for grants of up to Web id: 1169090 historic environment. The Society for Educational Studies invites £1,200. The annual budget is currently Contact: Lynne Duncan Web id: 251045 applications for its small grants. These [email protected] £12,000. Email: Contact: Christopher Catling aim to stimulate research in education, [46] Web id: 254709 Deadline: 4 July 2014 Email: [email protected] particularly by those who are starting Email: [email protected] Deadline: 1 August 2014 [52] their research careers and are no more No deadline [39] RAEng fellowships than five years postdoctoral. Grants are The Royal Academy of Engineering invites Agriculture studentships worth up to £10,000 for one year. General practice grant applications for its distinguished visiting The Agriculture and Horticulture Develop- Web id: 147085 The Royal College of General Practitioners fellowship scheme. This enables an aca- ment Board invites applications for its Contact: Aidan Thompson invites applications for its practition- demic engineering department in a UK PhD studentships. These support post- Email: [email protected] ers allowance grant. This supports pro- university to host a distinguished visiting graduate students who are engaged in Deadline: 15 September 2014 [60] jects with direct relevance to the care of fellow from an overseas academic centre research projects relevant to the agricul- patients in the general practice setting. of excellence for up to one month. Fund- ture and horticulture sectors. Awards are Churchill fellowships ing for each fellow will not exceed £6,000. The grant is worth up to £1,000. worth up to £22,626 per year. The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Web id: 260314 Web id: 257266 Web id: 1174459 invites applications for its travelling fel- Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] lowships. These enable British citizens to Deadline: 7 July 2014 [47] No deadline [40] Deadline: 29 August 2014 [53] travel overseas to bring back knowledge and best practice for the benefit of others BBSRC young entrepreneurs BBSRC diet and health Spinal cord research in their UK professions and communities. The Biotechnology and Biological Sci- The Biotechnology and Biological Sci- The Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Grants usually support a stay of between ences Research Council, under its Innova- ences Research Council, together with Foundation invites applications for the four and eight weeks and cover travel, tion and Skills Group, and the University the Medical Research Council, the Engi- following grants: daily living costs and insurance. of Nottingham, under the Haydn Green neering and Physical Sciences Research •individual research grants, covering Web id: 203898 Institute, invite applications for their bio- Council and the Economic and Social the applicant's salary. Web id: 195013 Email: [email protected] technology young entrepreneurs scheme. Research Council, invites applications for •project research grants, covering Deadline: 23 September 2014 [61] This supports commercialisation of bio- its diet and health research industry club. the costs of personnel, equipment and science research among postgraduate This supports UK universities and research consumables. Web id: 257417 NERC fellowships 3 students and postdoctoral scientists. institutes with innovative basic research Email: [email protected] that addresses the theme of improving The Natural Environment Research Coun- Teams will develop a business plan for Deadline: 1 September 2014 [55] cil invites applications for its independ- a company based on a hypothetical but the understanding of the relationship between diet and health. A budget of ent research fellowships. These develop plausible idea based on real markets over TSB biotechnology scientific leadership among early-career the course of a three-day workshop. The approximately £3 million will support a The Technology Strategy Board, the environmental scientists by giving them winning team will receive £2,500 plus portfolio of projects at 80 per cent full Biotechnology and Biological Sciences five years' support for developing their a trip to the US and an invite to the UK economic cost. Research Council and the Engineering and research. There are no funding limits, but Bioindustry Association's gala dinner. Web id: 1173506 Physical Sciences Research Council invite no equipment costing more than £10,000 Web id: 1162612 Email: [email protected] applications for the industrial research including VAT can be requested. Email: [email protected] Deadline: 9 July 2014 [48] awards of their industrial biotechnology Web id: 210628 Deadline: 13 June 2014 [41] NIHR innovations catalyst scheme. These support projects Email: [email protected] that are beyond the proof-of-concept Deadline: 1 October 2014 [62] The National Institute for Health Research Chest, heart and stroke stage, build on recent discoveries to invites applications for the i4i inven- Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke develop new technologies or processes Hellenic studies invites proposals for its scientific research tion for innovation product develop- for industrial biotechnology, and that The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic grants. These support research in the ment awards. These support translational establish that there is a reasonable cer- Studies invites applications for its small areas of chest, heart and stroke illness. R&D projects aimed at cultivating new tainty that the process could be run com- grants. These assist projects and events in Only direct costs of research will be cov- techniques or technologies into innova- mercially. Projects may be worth up to £5 the field of Hellenic studies, with awards ered by the grants. tive interventions addressing existing or emerging healthcare needs. Up to 80 million. Up to 50 per cent of costs may be typically available for bursary schemes Web id: 184400 funded for large businesses and up to 60 for academic conferences, productions Frances Campbell per cent of full economic costing will be Contact: per cent for SMEs. The eligible costs of of Greek drama, Hellenic events, the [email protected] paid to academic or higher education Email: research organisations must not exceed development of school courses in Greek, Deadline: 30 June 2014 [42] institutions. Commercial organisations, research and technology organisations, 50 per cent of total costs. Projects should the purchase of books and other teaching last up to three years. Regional studies awards charities and NHS organisations and other materials, or summer schools. Grants usu- providers of NHS services will be paid up Web id: 1177308 ally range from £100 to £500. The Regional Studies Association invites to 100 per cent of their project costs. Email: [email protected] Web id: 1170149 nominations for the following awards: Web id: 1161176 Deadline: 3 September 2014 [56] Email: [email protected] •the Nathaniel Lichfield award, worth up Email: [email protected] Deadline: 1 October 2014 [63] to £700. Web id: 251992 Deadline: 9 July 2014 [49] Collections research •the Routledge RSA award for early- The Museums Association invites applica- Blindness prevention career excellence, worth £500. Prostate cancer awards tions to the Esmée Fairbairn collections The British Council for Prevention of Web id: 251994 Prostate Cancer UK invites applications fund. This supports time-limited collec- Blindness invites applications for the Email: benoit.sauvage@regionalstud- for the following awards: tions work that falls outside the scope of following awards: ies.org •pilot awards, worth up to £50,000 an organisation's core resources. Grants •fellowships, worth up to £63,333 per Deadline: 30 June 2014 [44] each over two years. Web id: 1160885 are worth between £20,000 and £100,000 year for up to three years. •project grants. Applicants request- for projects lasting up to three years. Web id: 1164815 General practice research ing more than £400,000 should contact Web id: 1163760 •research grants, worth up to £60,000 The Royal College of General Practition- the research team well in advance of the Contact: Charlotte Holmes each. Web id: 1164797 ers invites applications for its scientific deadline. Web id: 257547 Email: charlotte@museumsassociation. Email: [email protected] foundation board grants. These support Email: [email protected] org Deadline: 10 October 2014 [65] research relevant to the care of patients Deadline: 9 July 2014 [51] Deadline: 12 September 2014 [57] in the general practice setting. Grants are Architecture grants worth up to £20,000 each. British and Irish history Surgery grants The Society of Architectural Historians of Web id: 211485 The Marc Fitch Fund invites applications The Royal College of Surgeons of England Great Britain invites applications for the Email: [email protected] for its grants for individuals and organisa- invites applications for the following following grants: Deadline: 30 June 2014 [45] tions in the UK and Ireland. These provide awards: •publication grants, worth up to £500, funding towards the costs of publishing •the Ethicon Foundation Fund short- or in exceptional circumstances worth up Infection prevention grant scholarly work in the fields of British and term clinical visits, worth up to £400. to £1,000. Web id: 252609 The Infection Prevention Society invites Irish national, regional and local his- Web id: 1166550 •research grants, worth up to £500, or applications for its collaborative small tory, archaeology, antiquarian studies, •the Ethicon Foundation Fund travel in exceptional circumstances worth up to projects grant. This is given to a team historical geography, the history of art grants, worth up to £1,000. £1,000. Web id: 1179479 of up to five researchers to undertake a and architecture, heraldry, genealogy Web id: 254604 Contact: Jonathan Kewley piece of research focusing on any aspect and surname studies, archival research, Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] of infection prevention and control. The artefact conservation and the broad fields Deadline: 15 September 2014 [59] Deadline: 15 October 2014 [67] jobs 11

Policy, Management & Support – plus Expert Committees 28 May 2014

Highlights Physicists trapped at top and bottom of Project Manager £36,000-£40,000 university system plus bonus and benefits Imperial College London Physicists who start their careers in low-ranked by Adam Smith [email protected] Consultants research institutions rarely make it to the top, Closing date: 11:59pm, research suggests. The findings are based on a total of 425,369 A study of the authors of more than 400,000 papers by 237,038 physicists and from 4,052 05/06/2014 papers published in 11 physics journals has found institutions. The data were channelled Details: We are looking to recruit that movement between two distinct groups of through software that disambiguated author a Project Manager to join our physicists—those in the world’s elite universities and institution names. Authors with multiple expanding Project management and those in lower-ranked institutions—is rare. affiliations were counted as working at the team to assist the Director of “There is a clear distinction between these two institution listed first on the paper. Business Operations and the kinds of university that means it’s very difficult Deville says the work could inspire at least Head of Project Management to to move from one to the other,” says Pierre one policy recommendation: to encourage more undertake project management Deville, one of the authors of Career on the Move: exchange programmes between institutions. activities both within the College Geography, stratification, and scientific impact, Deville himself benefited from such an and externally, and also to published in Scientific Reports in April. “If you are arrangement after transferring from Louvain to identify opportunities and secure between the two, you have about the same chance the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the business for consultancy and of going into the top or the bottom group.” final year of his masters degree. “It was a huge testing services for the College Deville is a PhD candidate at Belgium’s Catholic change for me,” he says. “I met a lot of people and and its external collaborators. University of Louvain and a research scholar this is when I made the connection with this lab. Contact: Angela Fanning in the Center for Complex Network Research at Were it not for this kind of exchange, I wouldn’t Email: [email protected] Northeastern University in the United States. be here.” Head of External Relations The work was conducted under the supervision of Deville says that although there have been £46,400-£58,320 Albert-László Barabási, director of the centre. some papers on the mobility of scientists between University of Southampton The paper makes novel observations about countries, these are often based on small data sets Closing date: 07/06/2014 the perceived quality of the research produced and not linked to the issue of success. Details: Research and Innovation by physicists in the two groups. Deville and The group is looking at success in different Services has recently realigned colleagues discovered that citation numbers areas, including sports and film. For science, its core activities creating this decrease for physicists who move from the elite says Deville, the team is working on a data set of new and exciting position of group to the bottom group. One reason could be 50 million papers across many disciplines including Head of External Relations. that such academics lose the visibility provided by computer science, medicine and biology. A paper You will lead a team of very a high-profile university, says Deville. In contrast, by the group about where the success of particular dynamic and innovative physicists who move from the bottom to the top scientists comes from in relation to mobility is individuals focused on building group experience no significant gain in citations. under review. and maintaining relationships between the University’s Future departments should work on diversity from day one research and enterprise activities and stakeholders. Ensuring gender balance in a university by Adam Smith [email protected] Contact: Don Spalinger, for an department can be easy if you are starting from informal discussion scratch, says Michael Luck, head of the school 2012 and seven of its 12 researchers and teaching Email: [email protected] of natural and mathematical sciences at King’s fellows are women. Paula Booth, a professor of Tel: 023 8059 2392 College London. physical biochemistry at the University of Bristol, Luck is overseeing the creation of a chemistry will arrive in September as head of department. Head of Research department in his school. He says that a blank Mechanisms that help to promote equality at (part-time, 22.5 hours/ slate makes it possible to avoid the cultural and the department include: ensuring meetings are 3 days per week) structural barriers to building a diverse workforce. held during core hours, good practice around £33,000 pro rata “In many cases, the actions people take on maternity and paternity leave, targeting women in Sarcoma UK diversity are to address existing problems and to recruitment and not using language that defaults Closing date: 5pm, 18/06/2014 change things, and the most difficult aspect is to using masculine terms. Details: Sarcoma UK is looking changing a culture that has become embedded,” he Luck says many staff are junior enough to for a part-time Head of Research says. “We have an opportunity with the chemistry not have witnessed potentially discriminatory to manage and develop the department because it’s new. We’re making sure institutional practices yet. “They’re able to develop charity’s scientific and medical that the way we go about building this department the right culture and environment themselves,” research programme. It is a key is one in which we’re not changing practices but he says. new role at Sarcoma UK and doing things right from the start.” Staff on interview panels will be trained on comes at an exciting time of The previous chemistry department at King’s, in unconscious bias. Luck admits that the Harvard growth for the charity. The role the school of biomedical sciences, closed in 2003 Implicit Association Test, part of that training, is responsible for all elements of because of declining student numbers and reduced showed that he had a small gender bias. “It was our research work. funding at a time when several other chemistry interesting,” he says, “because I am now conscious Contact: Please visit www. departments around the country were also closing. of that issue. This training can tell you something sarcoma.org.uk/WorkForUs Construction of the new department began in about everyone, including yourself.” 12 jobs

EARMA Conference 2014: Widening Participation: excellence, impact and professionalism

The 20th Annual Conference of the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA) will take place from 30th June until 2nd July 2014 in Tallinn University, Estonia. The EARMA conference marks the start of Horizon2020 and will focus on the new challenges ahead in the context of a new approach, new compliance issues, international collaborations and the need for research and innovation management to foster professional development for all stakeholders. EARMA 2014 is being hosted by Tallinn University in their new, purpose built conference venue at the heart of their city centre campus. Tallinn itself is an intriguing city with a very long and interesting history. Making its appearance in 1013 Tallinn is a Hanseatic City, built on the Gulf of Finland, with the crisp and noble atmosphere of a Nordic capital. We cordially invite you and all delegates to this outstanding event and we look forward to meeting you in Tallinn. Early Bird registration is open now until April 30th, 2014 at: http://earma-tallinn-2014.com/ registration/ EARMA is twenty years old this year and to celebrate we are making a number of special travel bursaries available to EARMA members who want to participate in Tallinn. For full details please see the ‘Grants and Funding’ Page on the EARMA website. Specifically, there is an anniversary scheme which is a celebration of our 20 years but there is also the Widening Participation Travel Bursary to encourage people from just about everywhere to come to Tallinn. http://www.earma.org/GrantsFunding PU Conference Ad_Layout 1 26/02/2014 10:51 Page 1

Excellence in Practice

PraxisUnico Conference 12-13 June, Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel, Cardiff

Join us for this two-day flagship event. Insights from over 55 speakers, site visits, a gala dinner and an awards evening and a huge opportunity for networking. If you work within, or with, the research commercialisation sector, at any level, Excellence in Practice is for you – practical outcomes that achieve real impact, regionally, nationally and internationally. Two thought-provoking days of sessions, discussions, networking and special interest groups to inspire.

EARLY BIRD OFFER AVAILABLE BEFORE 1 APRIL 2014.

PraxisUnico is the UK’s leading organisation for commercialisation professionals. www.praxisunico.org.uk

Official media partner: Supported by: jobs 13

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS Meningitis Now (formerly Meningitis Trust and Meningitis UK): Research Grant Awards 2014

Applications are invited for grant aid from established research groups in the UK. The purpose of these The European Pain Federation EFIC® awards is to support studies with the ultimate aim of is pleased to announce: preventing all forms of meningitis and associated EFIC-GRÜNENTHAL GRANT disease in the UK (including meningococcal, RESEARCH GRANTS FOR CLINICAL AND pneumococcal and group B streptococcal infections). HUMAN EXPERIMENTAL PAIN RESEARCH 2014 Funding for grants up to a maximum of £100,000 per year, with the total grant not exceeding £250,000 ■ These biennial grants totalling € 200,000 from Grünenthal GmbH are supporting young scientists early in their career to carry out innovative over three years will be available for prevention- clinical pain research in any member country of EFIC® (see www.EFIC.org). focused research studies, including vaccine-related ■ Individual research grants are valued at up to € 40,000 per project for a research. Applications submitted elsewhere will be duration of up to two years. considered. ■ Research grants are intended for clinical and human experimental pain research. Research proposals on animals, computer simulations, cell lines Application forms can be downloaded from etc. will not be considered. our website: http://www.meningitisnow.org/how-we-help/ ■ The decision of the awards is made independently by the Scientifi c Research Committee of the European Pain Federation EFIC®. research/our-meningitis-research-grants/

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: December 31st 2014 Applications should be submitted by 17 August 2014 GUIDELINES, QUALITY CRITERIA, to: [email protected] ONLINE APPLICATION FORMS: www.e-g-g.info For further information, contact Jane Blewitt, CONTACT Mrs Gaby Erkens - E-G-G administration, c/o Grünenthal GmbH, Research, Information and Education Manager on e-mail:[email protected], phone: +49 241 569-1304 01453 768000 or email: [email protected]

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Cultural history aspect of physical diseases prevalent in last-mile infrastructure for rail freight. a fitness check of EU nature legislation. The Warburg Institute at the Univer- Wales. The fellowship covers salary and The tender aims to identify and ana- The contract is worth up to €600,000 sity of London invites applications for associated costs for up to two years, lyse market needs for information about (£486,500) over 15 months. last-mile infrastructure for rail freight in its short-term fellowships. These are together with a contribution, where Web id: 1179693 appropriate, to laboratory expenses. Europe. The total budget of the contract tenable for two, three or four months in Email: [email protected] is €750,000 (£608,300) over 15 months. the academic year 2015-2016, and enable Web id: 168654 Deadline: 30 June 2014 [87] [email protected] fellows to conduct research into cultural Email: Web id: 1179615 [76] Contact: Gerhard Troche and intellectual history. Fellowships are Deadline: 27 February 2015 Radiation award Email: [email protected]. worth £2,500 for two months, £3,600 for The Multidisciplinary European Low eu three months and £4,800 for four months. Vernacular architecture Dose Initiative invites applications for Deadline: 16 June 2014 [82] Web id: 208513 The Vernacular Architecture Group invites its MELODI award. This recognises young Email: [email protected] applications for its grants. These support researchers active in the field of low dose Deadline: 28 November 2014 [68] the study and presentation of vernacular Nursing travel grants ionising radiation. Normally one award architecture. Grants will be made in the The European Society of Cardiology's of €4,000 (£3,200) is given each year. Toxicology travel range of £500 to £2,000. Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Part of the award is expected to fund Web id: 254993 Allied Professions invites applications for The British Toxicology Society invites the winner's participation in the annual Email: [email protected] its travel grants. These enable members of applications for the Norman Aldridge MELODI workshop. Deadline: 28 February 2015 [77] the council to attend the congress in Sta- travelling fellowship. This enables a UK Web id: 1179628 vanger, Norway, running from 4 to 5 April scientist to advance their research in Email: [email protected] 2014. Each award is worth €500 (£400). toxicology by visiting key laboratories Byzantine studies Deadline: 30 June 2014 [88] Web id: 1175669 within or outside the UK. One award, The Society for the Promotion of Byzan- Deadline: 16 June 2014 [83] worth up to £500, is available. tine Studies invites applications for its EU emissions trading system Web id: 205256 conference travel grants. These enable The Directorate-General for Climate Email: [email protected] postgraduate students to attend confer- EU defence data Action invites tenders for an assessment Deadline: 30 November 2014 [69] ences and exhibitions abroad. Priority will The European Defence Agency invites ten- of the first years of the functioning of the be given to students who have had papers ders for its defence industry data figures new allocation system based on bench- Zoology award accepted for delivery at the conference. project. The tenderer will update defence marks. This assessment aims to document Web id: 1170863 industry data on the top five companies The Zoological Society of London invites the impact of the benchmark-based har- Contact: Ruth Macrides in each EDA member state and associated nominations for the Thomas Henry Huxley monised allocation system on European Email: [email protected] country ranked according to defence award and Marsh prize. This is awarded for industry. The contract is estimated to be Deadline: 1 March 2015 [78] sales. The tenderer will also update fig- worth up to €350,000 (£283,800). original work in zoology by a UK-based ures on the top 10 companies in each DID postgraduate research student. The prize Web id: 1179726 Medical fellowships taxonomy sector in the same countries Email: [email protected] is worth £1,000. and are expected to include total sales, Web id: 202537 The Foulkes Foundation invites applica- Deadline: 1 July 2014 [89] tions for its fellowships. These enable turnover and direct employment in the Email: [email protected] defence sector. Funding is worth €40,000 Deadline: 30 November 2014 [70] postdoctoral scientists to study medicine EU invasive alien species to become future research leaders. Fel- (£32,400) over six months. Web id: 1179526 The Directorate-General for the Envi- TSB biotechnology lowships cover personal maintenance for ronment invites tenders for its invasive up to three years. Email: [email protected] The Technology Strategy Board, the Deadline: 24 June 2014 [84] alien species — prioritising prevention Web id: 201993 efforts through horizon scanning. This Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Deadline: 15 March 2015 [79] Research Council and the Engineering EU monetary policy study aims to devise the necessary meth- odological framework to be able to select and Physical Sciences Research Coun- The European Parliament invites tenders Clinical pharmacology potential invasive alien species in order to cils invite applications for the follow- for the provision of external expertise The British Pharmacological Society screen for major future threats to EU and ing industrial biotechnology catalyst in the field of monetary and economic invites nominations for the Lilly prize. to prioritise future risk assessments on projects: affairs. The tenderer will support the work This is awarded biennially for distinction the worst potential invasive alien species. •late-stage experimental develop- of the European Parliament's Committee ment. Projects may range in size up to in clinical pharmacology over many years. The contract is estimated to be worth up The prize includes £2,000. of Economic and Monetary Affairs, mainly £10 million. Web id: 1177322 in the form of briefings, oral presenta- to €100,000 (£81,100) over nine months. •early-stage feasibility studies round Web id: 159900 Web id: 1179728 Contact: Paul Tizard tions and associated services. A maximum two. Projects are expected to range in size of 10 separate and individual framework Email: [email protected] up to £10m. Web id: 1177323 Email: [email protected] Deadline: 1 July 2014 [90] Deadline: 1 June 2015 [80] service contracts will be issued. Each •early-stage translation studies call. contract is worth €200,000 (£162,200) Total project costs should be between £2m for 12 months and may be renewed up to EU social policy innovation and £5m. Web id: 1177316 four times to a total of €1 million. The Directorate-General for Employment, •late-stage pre-experimental feasibil- europe Web id: 1179701 Social Affairs & Inclusion invites propos- ity studies call. Projects may range in size highlights Email: therese.lepoutre-dumoulin@ als for social policy innovations support- up to £1m. Web id: 1177321 europarl.europa.eu ing reforms in social services. This project Email: [email protected] New opportunities from European funders, Deadline: 26 June 2014 [85] aims to foster innovation and reforms in Deadline: 3 December 2014 [74] excluding funders based in the UK. the social services to tackle challenges EU listeria assessment and develop innovative responses cor- UK-Japan medical research EU energy policy The European Food Safety Authority responding to national, regional and The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation The Directorate-General for Energy invites invites tenders for a risk assessment on local realities and in line with the social invites applications for the Butterfield tenders for the smart cities and communi- listeria monocytogens in ready-to-eat investment approach. Grants are worth awards. These facilitate exploratory ties information system. The tenderer will foods. The aim of the contract is to provide up to €2 million (£1.6m). Proposals may exchanges and collaborations between provide the following services: gathering, EFSA with a quantitative risk charac- request up to 80 per cent of eligible costs. qualified professionals in Japan and the management and analysis of the data terisation of listeria monocytogenes in Web id: 1179695 UK, as well as investigation of scientific, from all demonstration projects managed various ready-to-eat food categories in Email: [email protected] clinical, social and economic aspects of by DG Energy or the executive agencies; the EU with focus on the retail stage. The Deadline: 30 July 2014 [91] medicine in which Japanese and British provision of interdisciplinary scientific maximum available budget is €85,000 scientists, practitioners and policy mak- expertise relating to EU energy and cli- (£68,900) over 18 months. EU dietary research ers may learn from each other. Awards mate change policies; dissemination of Web id: 1179520 The European Food Safety Authority are worth up to £5,000 per year over a results. The contract is worth up to €3.5 Contact: Rita De Bon invites tenders for its national dietary maximum period of three years. million (£2.8m). Email: [email protected] surveys. These aim to either adapt or Web id: 208775 Web id: 1179515 Deadline: 27 June 2014 [86] develop the methodology to be used in Email: [email protected] Contact: Sven Dammann these surveys according to the EFSA EU Deadline: 15 December 2014 [75] Email: [email protected] EU nature policy research menu methodology. Each contract is Deadline: 16 June 2014 [81] The Directorate-General for the Environ- worth up to €125,000 (£101,200). Medical fellowship ment invites tenders for its evaluation Web id: 1179634 The Royal College of Physicians offers its EU European rail research study to support the fitness check of the Contact: Krisztina Nagy Lewis Thomas Gibbon Jenkins of Briton The Directorate-General for Mobility and birds and habitats directives. The overall Email: [email protected]. Ferry fellowship to support medical Transport invites tenders for its study on aim of the contract is to assist the Euro- eu research within Wales, relating to any user-friendly access to information about pean Commission in the preparation of Deadline: 25 August 2014 [92] 16 funding opportunities Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014

Mathematical physics award Web id: 257408 EU industrial safety EU clean energy technology The International Association of Mathe- Contact: Meriam Bezohra ERA-Net SAF€RA invites proposals for EUREKA's cluster Eurogia2020 invites matical Physics invites nominations for its Email: [email protected] its joint call. This supports projects on applications for its funding call. This early career award. This recognises a sin- Deadline: 16 June 2014 [98] innovating in safety and safe innova- aims to foster multidisciplinary, inno- gle achievement in mathematical physics. tions in order to promote transnational vative, R&D programmes to build and The prize is worth €3,000 (£2,400). British-German exchange research in this field and to develop develop the future energy mix. Project Web id: 196798 The British Chamber of Commerce in solutions for sustainable growth and participants can apply for funding in their Contact: Manfred Salmhofer Germany Foundation invites applications enhanced competitiveness of European respective countries after obtaining the Email: [email protected] for its scholarships. These provide sup- industry. The total budget is approxi- EUREKA label. Deadline: 31 January 2015 [93] plementary financial support to students mately €2 million (£1.6m). The expected Web id: 1161448 undertaking master's courses in the UK funding per project is typically in a range Email: [email protected] or Germany. between €20,000 and €150,000 for a Deadline: 19 September 2014 [111] europe Web id: 184710 period between 12 and 36 months. Email: [email protected] Web id: 1175826 Research in Turkey other Deadline: 30 June 2014 [99] Email: [email protected] The Scientific and Technological Research Deadline: 10 July 2014 [104] Renewed opportunities from European Council of Turkey invites applications for funders, excluding funders based in the UK. Chemoreception grants its brain circulation scheme, co-funded by The European Chemoreception Research Cardiovascular exchanges Marie Curie actions. This aims to enhance Research in Germany Organisation invites applications for its The European Society of Cardiology invites career perspectives of experienced bilateral AChemS meeting grants. These The German Research Foundation invites applications for its first contact initia- researchers and assist them in obtaining enable young members of the organisa- applications for the Heisenberg pro- tive grants. These facilitate exchanges an independent research position. Awards tion to attend the AChemS annual meet- gramme. This provides young researchers between young scientists currently work- include a living allowance, travel and who are qualified for a professorship with ing. Preference will be given to students ing or studying in European institutions mobility allowance and a research cost the opportunity to prepare for a leading presenting abstracts. Two grants, worth and hosting laboratories in foreign coun- contribution. position in science and research, and €1,000 (£800) each, are available every tries within or outside Europe. Grants are Web id: 1173905 to use the time to work on an advanced year. worth up to €2,500 (£2,000). Email: [email protected] research topic. There are both profes- Web id: 259900 Web id: 1161384 Deadline: 19 September 2014 [112] sorships and fellowships available in the Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] programme. Deadline: 30 June 2014 [100] Deadline: 15 July 2014 [105] EU working conditions Web id: 208228 The Directorate-General for Mobility and Email: [email protected] EU disease analysis Migration fellowship Transport invites tenders for a study on No deadline [94] The European Food Safety Authority The Institute of Migration invites applica- the implementation of labour supplying invites tenders for the implementation tions for its migration fellow programme. responsibilities pursuant to the Mari- Cancer fellowship and testing of electronic submission in This aims to foster research and to pro- time Labour Convention 2006 within and Institut Curie invites applications for XML formats of zoonoses, antimicrobial mote professional development in the outside the EU. This aims to provide an its postdoctoral fellowship for foreign resistance and food-borne outbreak data field of migration research, to advance assessment on how the main labour EU scientists. This is aimed at young for- and updating historical datasets. This international research connections and and non-EU seafarers' supplying coun- eign postdoctoral researchers who are tender aims to test and implement elec- mobility among researchers, and to pro- tries are complying with the requirements interested in pursuing their research in tronic submission of zoonoses, antimicro- mote internationalisation of science. laid down in the Maritime Labour Conven- one of the research centre laboratories. bial resistance and food-borne outbreak Funding covers travel and accommoda- tion 2006. The estimated total budget is The grant is determined according to the data. The budget for this call is €400,000 tion costs for short stays at the institute €350,000 (£283,800) over 10 months. applicant's age and experience and is (£324,400) over two years. in Turku, Finland. Web id: 1173875 available for a period of one year. Web id: 1172435 Web id: 1177868 Contact: Giancarlo Crivellaro Web id: 181798 Contact: Krisztina Nagy Email: [email protected] Email: move-maritime-transport-and- No deadline [95] Email: [email protected] Deadline: 31 August 2014 [107] [email protected] Deadline: 30 June 2014 [101] Deadline: 25 September 2014 [113] Skin research award Curie fellowships Chanel Research and Technology invites Biotech SME award Institut Curie invites applications for Water resources prize applications for the CHANEL-CERIES The European Association for Bioindus- its sabbatical fellowships. These enable Stockholm International Water Institute research award. This honours the accom- tries invites applications for its most senior researchers to spend time working invites nominations for the Stockholm plishments of a researcher in dermatology innovative biotech SME award. This rec- at the Paris or Orsay laboratory of the water prize. This honours individuals, and encourages their continued work. The ognises European biotech SMEs that have institute. Fellows receive a monthly salary institutions or organisations whose work award is worth €40,000 (£32,400). developed novel ways of meeting our depending on their experience and return contributes broadly to the conservation Web id: 212822 societal, technical and environmental economy air travel. and protection of water resources and Email: [email protected] problems through the application of Web id: 189235 to the improved health of the planet's Deadline: 16 June 2014 [96] biotechnology. All candidates will receive Deadline: 1 September 2014 [108] inhabitants and ecosystems. The prize two year's free membership of EuropaBio includes US$150,000 (£88,900). Nuclear medicine awards and the overall winner will receive a prize Brain prize Web id: 203789 The European Association of Nuclear of €10,000 (£8,100). The Grete Lundbeck European Brain Email: [email protected] Medicine invites applications from junior Web id: 1162702 Research Foundation invites nomina- Deadline: 25 September 2014 [114] and ordinary members for the Eckert and Contact: Rosalind Travers tions for its brain prize. This recognises Ziegler abstract awards. These encourage Email: [email protected] one or more scientists who have made an Informatics and mathematics young and talented nuclear medicine Deadline: 1 July 2014 [102] outstanding contribution to European The European Research Consortium for investigators to present abstracts at the neuroscience. The research must have Informatics and Mathematics invites annual EANM congress. Up to five grants, Social sciences fellowships been conducted in Europe or in collabora- applications for the Alain Bensoussan fel- worth €1,000 (£800) each, are awarded The Internationales Forschungszentrum tion with European researchers. The prize lowship programme. This enables young every year. Kulturwissenschaften invites applica- is worth €1 million (£810,800). scientists to work on challenging prob- Web id: 197325 tions for its research fellowships. These Web id: 1159273 lems at leading European centres outside Email: [email protected] support postdoctoral scholars early in Email: [email protected] their own country in the areas of computer Deadline: 16 June 2014 [97] their careers, wishing to carry out projects Deadline: 2 September 2014 [109] systems and software, data management, that combine empirical investigation with information technology and mathemat- Molecular biology thoughtful theoretical work. Research Research exchange ics. Each fellow will receive a monthly The European Molecular Biology Labora- fellowships will be granted for one aca- The Canon Foundation in Europe invites allowance of up to €3,550 (£2,900) and tory invites applications for its interna- demic semester and consist of a monthly applications for its research fellowships. will be reimbursed for travel expenses. tional PhD programme. This supports allowance of up to €2,325 (£1,900), a These enable highly qualified European Web id: 254572 thesis supervision, a predoctoral course workspace with electronic facilities at researchers to pursue a period of research Email: [email protected] in molecular biology, or the opportunity the IFK, as well as a return ticket to and in Japan. Fellowships are worth up to Deadline: 30 September 2014 [115] to study for the EMBL international PhD. from Vienna and free accommodation in €27,500 (£22,300) per year or pro rata Funding lasts for three and a half to a studio apartment. over a period of three months to one year. Animal welfare award four years. The stipends are competitive Web id: 173462 Web id: 206648 Ludwig-Maximilians University invites by international standards and include Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] nominations for the Felix Wankel animal broad healthcare benefits and pension. Deadline: 1 July 2014 [103] Deadline: 15 September 2014 [110] welfare research award. This recognises Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 funding opportunities 17 scientific papers aimed at, or result- Hepatology fellowships Web id: 1160792 usa ing in, the replacement or reduction The European Association for the Study Email: banting@researchnet-recherch- of animal testing, fostering the idea of of the Liver invites applications for the enet.ca nih animal protection, ensuring the health following awards: Deadline: 24 September 2014 [132] and the appropriate housing of labora- •entry-level research fellow- Opportunities from the National Institutes tory animals, pets and livestock, or sup- ships, worth €30,000 (£24,300) each. Israel fellowships of Health. Recurring NIH calls include the porting core research for the purpose of Web id: 196096 The Lady Davis Fellowship Trust invites next closing date only. enhancing animal protection. The award •the Dame Sheila Sherlock EASL fel- applications for its postdoctoral fel- NIH StrokeNet clinical trials and is worth a maximum of €30,000 (£24,300) lowship programme, with grants worth lowships. These enable postdoctoral biomarker studies for stroke treatment, which may be divided among several €40,000 each. Web id: 196095 researchers to undertake research at the recovery and prevention (U01) prize winners. Email: [email protected] Technion Institute in Israel. Study areas PAR-14-220 Web id: 254682 NIH ref: Deadline: 30 November 2014 [126] include engineering, architecture and Email: [email protected] Web id: 1179611 town planning, science and medicine. Deadline: 15 July 2014 [137] muenchen.de The monthly stipend is US$1,250 (£700) Deadline: 30 September 2014 [116] Biochemistry grants Confirmatory efficacy clinical trials of The Federation of European Biochemical with a housing allowance of US$100 and a return airline ticket. The fellowship non-pharmacological interventions for Inflammatory bowel disease Societies invites applications for the fol- mental disorders (R01) lowing grants: period is one year. The European Crohn's and Colitis Organi- NIH ref: RFA-MH-15-340 •advanced lecture courses grants, Web id: 192789 sation invites applications for the follow- Web id: 1179609 worth up to €25,000 (£20,300) each. Email: [email protected] ing awards: Deadline: 30 November 2014 [132.1] Deadline: 30 July 2014 [138] •research grants, worth €20,000 Web id: 1179476 •combined practical and lecture cours- Exploratory studies of smoking (£16,200) each. Web id: 192551 Respiratory medicine cessation interventions for people with •inflammatory bowel diseases fel- es grants, worth up to €15,000 each. The Japanese Respiratory Society invites schizophrenia (R21/R33) lowship, worth €40,000 over one year. Web id: 212970 •special meetings grants, worth up to applications for the Harasawa fellowship. NIH ref: PAR-14-230 Web id: 194827 Web id: 1179704 •the N-ECCO travel awards, worth €40,000 each. Web id: 259690 This aims to foster young researchers and specialised respiratory clinicians from Deadline: 15 August 2014 [139] €1,500 each. Web id: 1167906 •workshop grants, worth up to €20,000 •travel grants, worth €1,500 each. each. Web id: 212967 countries other than Japan who wish to Exploratory studies of smoking Web id: 202384 Contact: Kinga Nyíri train in respiratory medicine in Japan. The cessation interventions for people with Contact: Edouard Louis Email: [email protected] maximum amount of funding is ¥1 million schizophrenia (R33) Email: [email protected] Deadline: 1 March 2015 [130] (£5,900), which consists of a stipend of NIH ref: PAR-14-231 Deadline: 1 October 2014 [120] ¥150,000 per month, plus ¥250,000. Web id: 1179709 Web id: 1166413 Deadline: 15 August 2014 [140] Women in science award rest of world Email: [email protected] Deadline: 31 December 2014 [133] B cell help immunology programme for The Federation of European Biochemi- Aids vaccine strategies (R01) Opportunities from funders outside of the UK, cal Societies, in collaboration with the Chinese studies fellowships NIH ref: PA-14-216 European Molecular Biology Organiza- Europe and the US. Web id: 1179552 tion, invites nominations for the women The Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for Deadline: 7 September 2014 [141] in science award. This recognises a major Research visits International Scholarly Exchange invites Fc receptor and antibody effector contribution made by a female scientist to The University of Sydney invites applica- applications for its dissertation and function in HIV vaccine discovery (R01) life sciences research in the last five years. tions for its international research collab- postdoctoral fellowships. The following PA-14-218 The prize is worth €10,000 (£8,000). oration award. This enables researchers fellowships are available: PhD disserta- NIH ref: Web id: 1179557 Web id: 258283 at any stage of their career to share and tion fellowships, worth up to €12,000 Deadline: 7 September 2014 [142] Email: [email protected] disseminate new and original ideas and (£9,700) for one year, support doctoral Deadline: 15 October 2014 [121] techniques, initiate and undertake col- candidates; postdoctoral fellowships, HIV vaccine vector-host interactions: laborative research, and facilitate inter- worth up to €18,000 per year for up to understanding the biology and Radiation oncology action and training of staff and students two years, support junior scholars in immunology (R01) The European Society for Radiotherapy at the University of Sydney. The award is Chinese studies. NIH ref: PA-14-215 and Oncology invites applications for worth up to AU$15,500 (£8,500). Web id: 1164811 Web id: 1179581 its mobility grants. These enable clini- Web id: 1173677 Email: [email protected] Deadline: 7 September 2014 [143] [email protected] Deadline: 15 January 2015 [134] cians and scientists working in the field Email: HIV vaccine vector-host interactions: of radiation oncology to visit another Deadline: 20 June 2014 [131] Inflammatory bowel disease 2 understanding the biology and institute to learn about or gain experience immunology (R21) The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of with different techniques and equipment. Australian fellowships NIH ref: PA-14-214 Canada invites applications for its inno- A maximum of €700 (£600) will be reim- The Australian Department of Industry, Web id: 1179575 bursed for travel, accommodation and per Innovation, Climate Change, Science, vations in inflammatory bowel disease Deadline: 7 September 2014 [144] diem costs. The annual budget is €50,000. Research and Tertiary Education invites research funding. This supports inno- Web id: 1176823 applications for its Endeavour research vative projects that refine hypotheses Natural Killer cells to induce Email: [email protected] fellowships. These support postgraduate or produce preliminary data that will immunological memory to prevent HIV Deadline: 30 October 2014 [122] students and postdoctoral fellows wish- help seed larger projects and have the infection (R01) ing to undertake short-term research potential to improve diagnosis, therapy NIH ref: PA-14-217 CERN doctoral programme towards a non-Australian master's, PhD and prevention of inflammatory bowel Web id: 1179555 The European Organization for Nuclear or postdoctoral research in any field of disease. Grants are worth up to CA$50,000 Deadline: 7 September 2014 [145] Research invites applications for its doc- study in Australia. Awards are worth up (£27,200) for up to one year. Clinical evaluation of adjuncts to opioid toral student programme. This enables to AU$24,500 (£13,400) for up to six Web id: 1176131 therapies for the treatment of chronic students preparing a doctoral thesis in months. Email: [email protected] pain (R01) Aids-related applied physics, engineering or comput- Web id: 201459 Deadline: 20 January 2015 [135] NIH ref: PAR-14-225 ing to spend up to 36 months at CERN. Email: [email protected] Web id: 1179642 The programme provides a monthly living Deadline: 30 June 2014 [131.1] Marine ecology Deadline: 7 September 2014 [146] allowance, insurance and a lump sum. The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences Sustained release for antiretroviral Web id: 259952 Canada fellowships invites applications for its grants-in-aid. treatment or prevention of HIV infection Deadline: 31 October 2014 [123] The Government of Canada invites appli- These aim to help defray the costs of BIOS (UM1) cations for the Banting postdoctoral in-house charges. Grants are intended as NIH ref: RFA-AI-14-008 Spinal cord injury fellowships. These support postdoctoral starter funds to help with costs, such as Web id: 1179606 applicants who will contribute to Cana- laboratory fees, boat rental or similar, The International Institute for Research Deadline: 18 November 2014 [148] in Paraplegia invites applications for its da's economic, social and research-based on projects that will lead to continued research grants. These promote basic and growth. Canadians may hold the awards research at BIOS. Applicants should pro- Diabetes impact award - closed loop clinical research related to spinal cord in Canada or abroad; non-Canadian vide part of their funding from other technologies: clinical, physiological and injury. Grants are worth up to CHF150,000 applicants must hold them at Canadian sources. Grants are worth up to US$3,000 behavioural approaches to improve type (€122,700) over a maximum of two years. universities, affiliated research hospitals, (£1,800) each. 1 diabetes outcomes (DP3) Web id: 194723 colleges or non-profit organisations. Fel- Web id: 186355 NIH ref: RFA-DK-14-014 Email: [email protected] lowships are worth CA$70,000 (£38,000) Email: [email protected] Web id: 1171114 Deadline: 31 October 2014 [124] per year for two years. Deadline: 15 February 2015 [136] Deadline: 24 November 2014 [149] 18 funding news Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014

usa policy diary Focus group wants more GM other June US funding opportunities available to UK 3 AMRC APPG on Medical Research research on BBSRC menu researchers. Summer Reception, London. Zonta International Foundation Jane M http://rsrch.co/1ftT3zK A focus group set up by the Biotechnology and Biological Klausman women in business scholarship 4 Free Workshop for SMEs on Sciences Research Council to look at nutrition and health has Web id: 1179284 Government Support for R&D&I, called for more studies on GM food and the role of food in No deadline [153] Havant. http://rsrch.co/RnTx1s mental health. The 19-member panel agreed with the BBSRC's Department of Defense prostate cancer • Future of UK and Scotland research programme idea development award Debate, London. research priorities but identified these as areas that needed Web id: 181018 http://rsrch.co/1o7LMsn more attention, as well as the side effects of additives in food. Deadline: 12 June 2014 [154] • Surveys for Enhancement Con- Department of Defense prostate cancer ference, Birmingham. research programme: synergistic idea http://rsrch.co/1nZnVxt First humanities festival awards project grants development award Researchers at 36 universities have won £3,000 to develop Web id: 181840 9 AMRA Conference. Learning Deadline: 12 June 2014 [155] from the Past; Preparing for projects for the UK’s first national humanities research festival. Department of Defense prostate cancer the Future, Blackpool. To 11. The festival, to be held from 15 to 24 November, aims to engage research programme biomarker devel- http://rsrch.co/1k6nv4d the public with humanities research, while highlighting its role opment award • Researcher Futures. Establish- Web id: 1166951 ing Yourself: Productivity and in cultural, intellectual, political and social life. It will be led by Deadline: 18 June 2014 [156] People, Chichester. the University of London’s School of Advanced Study. Department of Defense peer-reviewed http://rsrch.co/1jZJFqr medical research programme investiga- 10 Driving Economic Growth Charity backs collaboration in asthma research tor-initiated research award through Innovation, Research Web id: 1158210 and Development, London. Asthma UK has launched a research centre focused on Deadline: 20 June 2014 [159] http://rsrch.co/1gf4OYi translating research to help improve quality of life for people Department of Defense peer-reviewed med- with asthma. The Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, ical research programme clinical trial award 12 Gender and STEM: Where Next Web id: 1158211 for Universities? London. launched on 13 May, is a collaborative project between Deadline: 25 June 2014 [160] http://rsrch.co/1myjLs1 13 academic and NHS institutions led by the University of Department of Defense peer-reviewed • PraxisUnico Conference : Excel- Edinburgh and Queen Mary, University of London. medical research programme: focused lence in Practice, Cardiff. To 13. programme award http://rsrch.co/UMq8Z3 Web id: 1179482 • Missenden Centre: Special AstraZeneca and MRC to fund preclinical research Deadline: 25 June 2014 [161] Workshop for Research Support The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will contribute up Department of Defense peer-reviewed Staff, Great Missenden. To 13. medical research programme technol- http://rsrch.co/RmDsSn to £6 million to preclinical research projects in a joint fund ogy and therapeutic development award 16 APPG on Medical Research’s with the Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Web id: 1158212 Summer Reception, London. Biology. The MRC laboratory, based at the Cambridge Deadline: 25 June 2014 [162] http://rsrch.co/1ftT3zK Biomedical Campus that AstraZeneca plans to move to, will Department of Defense peer-reviewed orthopaedic research programme clini- 17 Royal Society Diversity Day, contribute up to £3m to the fund. cal trial award London. Web id: 255620 http://rsrch.co/1j38FgS Deadline: 27 June 2014 [163] 19 Royal Academy of Engineering PraxisUnico unveils shortlist for impact awards Department of Defense peer-reviewed Summer Soiree and Exhibition, A knowledge-exchange programme between the University orthopaedic research programme clini- Coventry. of Wolverhampton and partners in Nigeria is among the cal trial development award http://rsrch.co/hFtO4L finalists in the 2014 PraxisUnico Impact Awards. The aim Web id: 1172262 20 Inaugural CPD Forum Confer- Deadline: 27 June 2014 [164] ence - Professional Best Prac- of its scheme is to communicate and celebrate successes in Department of Defense peer-reviewed tice: Past, Present and Future, knowledge transfer. The winners will be announced at the orthopaedic research programme idea London. PraxisUnico conference on 12 June. development award http://rsrch.co/1ggJAOR Web id: 255637 • Science and Innovation Strat- Deadline: 27 June 2014 [165] egy Event, London. BBSRC updates funding priorities Department of Defense peer-reviewed http://rsrch.co/RPGaHD The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council orthopaedic research programme out- comes research award 23 National Astronomy Meeting, has revised its research priorities for responsive mode grants Web id: 1179502 Portsmouth. To 26. and identified four priority areas. These are combatting http://rsrch.co/1k6m8lY Deadline: 27 June 2014 [166] antimicrobial resistance; food, nutrition and health; Department of Defense peer-reviewed 24 Society of Biology Parliamen- orthopaedic research programme trans- tary Links Day, London. reducing waste in the food chain; and sustainably enhancing lational research award http://rsrch.co/1hAKofC agricultural production. Revisions have been made to some Web id: 1172261 • Global Universities of the previously listed priorities, and some have been merged. Deadline: 27 June 2014 [167] 21st Century, Liverpool To 26. Association for Library and Information http://rsrch.co/1rm2vYe Science Education/Eugene Garfield doc- Big data a potential spending priority for NERC 25 Developing Technology for Safe toral dissertation competition The Natural Environment Research Council has called on Web id: 213465 and Responsible Exploitation of Deadline: 30 June 2014 [168] Shale Gas. TSB Brokering Event, scientists to respond to a government consultation on Manchester. £1.1 billion of capital spending, indicating that big data, Food and Drug Administration develop- http://rsrch.co/1mOu2lV ment of an integrated mathematical environmental services and innovation centres in water, model for comparative characterisation 26 Masterclass for Women in of complex molecules (U01) Science with Maggie Aderin- soil, energy and environmental monitoring are all of Web id: 1179696 Pocock, Glasgow. particular interest. Deadline: 30 June 2014 [169] http://rsrch.co/1nZrljO Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 europe 19 europe

European roadmap for technology facilities needed, says lobby Dedicated facilities for technology development need by Laura Greenhalgh [email protected] the same support as scientific infrastructure if Europe is to combat a decline in industrial R&D, the European ple believe that we can survive from services and from Association of Research and Technology Organisations’ R&D. But there won’t be R&D if we don’t have industry,” annual conference was told. says Axel Greiner, president of the Federation of Upper At the event, held in Vienna on 8 and 9 May, par- Austrian Industry. ticipants called for the European Commission to design In 2012, the Commission set out a strategy to bolster an equivalent of the Esfri—European Strategy Forum industry by focusing on five Key Enabling Technologies: on Research Infrastructures—roadmap for technology photonics, nanotechnology, micro and nanoelectron- facilities to set out investment priorities. Technology ics, advanced materials and biotechnology. These will facilities should receive financing from Horizon 2020 receive €500 million (£405m) in the first two years of and be open to researchers and industries from all mem- Horizon 2020, and the Commission will also fund proof- ber states, they said. of-concept and demonstration projects. The Commission’s failure to fund technology facili- But this may not be enough, participants said. The ties as well as it does basic science infrastructure poses budget for Horizon 2020 is focused mostly on the a significant problem, the conference was told. “How European Research Council rather than industrial the budget is allocated demonstrates our intentions, research, and technology platforms—which provide and there I see a clear misalignment,” says Iñaki San facilities for companies to conduct laboratory testing, Sebastián, deputy managing director of Tecnalia, a tech- prototyping and demonstrations—are struggling. nology centre in northern Spain. “The European science “Science organisations have an Esfri list because they’re and technology system is not ready to reindustrialise excellent lobbyists,” says Gabriel Crean, vice-president Europe—we have to change a lot of things.” for technology at CEA Tech in Grenoble, France. “Now we Industrial competitiveness is declining in many mem- need the same for technology platforms.” The list would ber states, the meeting heard. And because most R&D identify the best facilities in Europe, which could then be is supported by industry, Europe is at risk of losing its funded by Horizon 2020, companies, national authorities research base if industrial output declines. “Many peo- and European Union structural funds.

Joined-up EU research association with Horizon 2020 as soon as possible. Leru europe information system proposed said it regretted that the country had not yet become in brief The European Union should a full associate member of the programme because of implement a Pan-European disagreements over immigration issues. This will also research information infrastructure to improve the have negative effects for researchers and students in development of policy in Europe, according to a study European Union member states, Leru said. by the Technopolis consultancy. The study found that research information systems were being used more fre- Universities propose ERA focus areas quently, particularly at public institutions, and enabled The next European Commission and Parliament should more efficient management, monitoring and bench- focus on six priorities to help create the European marking of research-related activities and outputs. Research Area, says a League of European Research Universities briefing paper. The topics are: anchoring the Commission issues state aid rules ERA in a strong international strategy; linking education, The European Commission has adopted revised state aid research and innovation; including the humanities and rules to update its stance on the role of public research social sciences; understanding Science 2.0; promoting spending in distorting fair competition. To encourage the enhancement of research integrity; and fostering spending on basic research, the threshold for aid award- effective science and society interactions. ed to R&D projects without Commission scrutiny has been doubled, from €20 million (£16m) to €40m. The thresh- Embargo periods should go, say libraries old for industrial R&D has also been doubled, to €20m. A group of six organisations headed by the Association of European Research Libraries has called on research Leru pleads for Swiss inclusion funders to eliminate the use of embargo periods in open- The League of European Research Universities has urged access publishing. Embargo periods dilute the benefits negotiators to resume discussions on Switzerland’s of open-access policies, the group said. 20 view Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 view from the top de fontenay & lim Obfuscation by collaboration

In the past 40 years, several trends in laboratory science sity; this suggests that universities make the promotion have made the career experience of today’s academic decision. But universities can no longer afford to fund scientists very different from that of their predecessors. the research programme of an unsuccessful scientist, so Laboratories have grown larger. Graduating PhD stu- they have to assess which scientists are likely to be suc- dents have become less likely to move directly into a cessful with funding agencies. junior faculty position; instead, it is increasingly com- Unfortunately, universities bear the risks of these mon to hold a succession of postdoctoral fellowships decisions but cannot capitalise on the reward. If a uni- before securing a more stable position. versity takes a chance on a young scientist who proves Many academic scientists exit to alternative careers to be a star, the scientist is likely to move to greener without ever attaining a tenured faculty position. And pastures or extract their market value in salary and recipients of large grants are getting older: the average conditions. age of grant recipients from the National Institutes of Increased uncertainty about the quality of junior Health in the United States, for example, has increased scientists may also lead to a reduction in the quality of by more than 10 years since 1980. entrants into science, as the prospects for a successful It is difficult to untangle the chain of causality in career become fainter. And it might mean that some these trends—what is a cause and what is an effect? young scientists never implement their best ideas as In fact, all these changes may have been caused by they lack the autonomy to pursue them. the increasingly collaborative nature of science. The Young scientists trying to generate a clear signal of lone inventor is a thing of the past and team production their quality have an incentive to move from one labora- has become the norm; one consequence has been that it tory to another, to produce quality research with several is harder for young scientists to prove their worth. teams. Moving between laboratories can enhance pro- Benjamin Jones, who studies management at ductivity as young scientists encounter different people, Northwestern University in the US, argues that team pro- skills and ideas, but it also has the potential to do the duction is a result of the cumulativeness of science: to opposite: seriously harm productivity. Some of the skills reach the knowledge frontier, you must now specialise developed in a previous laboratory will not be of use in a in a narrow field and collaborate with other specialists. new laboratory, and some of the materials the scientist The growing number of names on papers in every field, was working with will have to be left behind. There is including the social sciences and non-laboratory sci- some wastage of skills and knowledge in the process of ences, supports this idea. moving between laboratories. Team production presents universities and funding Another worrying possibility is positive feedback— agencies with a challenge. It may be possible to investi- where the larger laboratories necessitated by team gate how much time different authors have devoted to a production accelerate the use of teams in production. paper, but it is nearly impossible to determine who had The benefits of division of labour might in themselves the different insights. necessitate ever-larger teams in the laboratory, compris- This means that universities and funding agen- ing ever-more specialised individuals. cies have far less information about the true quality of Funding agencies, which aim to maximise the total junior scientists than they would if scientists worked output of science, may be better placed than universi- more independently. The result of this uncertainty is ties to take risks on young scientists. Thus one policy that fewer junior scientists will be grant- suggestion could be for funding agencies to provide ‘Universities ed tenure-track positions or large grants. more early signals to indicate which researchers they Senior scientists, on the other hand—the find promising. and funders safe bet—will receive more funding and Team production is a profound structural change in have larger laboratories as a consequence. science and its implications are still to be fully under- have far less Junior scientists will find that their pros- stood. Some of the consequences for the careers and information pects of joining the ranks of successful achievements of scientists are very serious and may senior scientists are dim. require a careful policy response. now on And who decides which junior scien- More to say? Email [email protected] tists are promoted? Is it universities or is it the quality funding agencies? Catherine de Fontenay is an economist at Melbourne of junior In many countries, postdoctoral fellows Business School; Kwanghui Lim studies management cannot apply for grants until they have and innovation at Melbourne Business School and the scientists.’ secured a tenure-track position at a univer- Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia. Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 view 21 alice bell view from the top Failure to engage The research councils work hard to encourage academics to open up to the public. They should practise what they preach, says Alice Bell.

On Thursday 6 February, I got a call from Greenpeace But panels and dialogues make for a small and con- to say it had been tipped off that Shell would be sign- trolled form of engagement, and using Gateway to ing a memorandum of understanding with the Natural Research requires a fair amount of inside knowledge. Environment Research Council the next day. Greenpeace That the user case study on the site is of a professional felt this warranted public debate and a report on its employed by BAE Systems to explore collaborative pro- Energy Desk news site. I agreed, and hoped to write a grammes is, I fear, indicative of the audience that RCUK post for The Guardian’s science policy blog. First, though, has in mind: limited, specialised and well funded, not we decided to give NERC time to issue its own statement. society at large. But NERC kept delaying the statement’s release. It I believe the engagement and communications suggested the news could go out at the weekend, but staff at the councils are willing and able to do more, if this wouldn’t work for Greenpeace. We hoped to see it senior management supports them. If you take public on Friday morning, then midday. At about 2pm, NERC engagement seriously, you need to give the staff who offered me an interview with its head of science, Iain can facilitate it the power to stand up to managers who Gillespie, but only if I waited until 3.30pm. I wanted to are scientists. Public engagement with science is about hear his point of view, but this seemed like an effort to more than presenting a good impression; it’s about facil- consign the story to the Friday evening news graveyard. itating robust debate. NERC issued a statement shortly after 2.30pm, con- Bringing transparency to research council decisions taining very little information. The full memorandum is not easy. Aspects of peer review are, by design, kept of understanding was released several weeks later. private and are hard for non-experts to understand. But Whether this was due to a freedom of information more could be done to open up what’s already acces- request is unclear, but it’s almost beside the point. If sible, and we could open up more of what’s closed. Peer your public engagement strategy induces such requests review is only a part of what the research councils do. from Greenpeace, it’s already failed. Research policy is detailed, complex and often boring. This is only one example of many where trying to find But so are high-energy physics, immunology and the out what’s going on in science policy has proved labo- sociology of social class; all of which researchers man- rious. This matters. Public engagement with research age to discuss with the wider world. UK academics can isn’t just about the work researchers do. With more and no longer get away with claiming that the public isn’t more research being directed in some way, from doctoral interested. Neither should their administrators. training centres to references to research priorities in At the very least, there should have been an embar- agreements such as that between NERC and Shell, it’s goed press release about NERC’s agreement with Shell crucial that the public can see decisions and even be early in the week. This would still, though, have been involved in making them. a rather old-school, protectionist model of media rela- UK scientists are world leaders at public engagement, tions. A more enlightened approach—which the research thanks in part to the research councils. But the councils councils are meant to be behind—would have been to are less successful at applying the idea to themselves. talk publicly about the memorandum of understanding They have taken some action. The Biotechnology for months, offering interested parties a and Biological Sciences Research Council has led public chance to comment. dialogues on topics including bioenergy and synthetic When I spoke to Gillespie, he laughed ’Engagement biology, and recently set up a Bioscience for Society off my suggestion that NERC should Strategy Panel. Research Councils UK has launched an have consulted on the memorandum of isn’t just about online Gateway to Research to share funding informa- understanding before signing it. But the giving a good tion, and the results of a competition to visualise these text of the memo includes a line about data have just been announced. The Engineering and agreeing to “influence academic behav- impression; Physical Sciences Research Council has been publishing iour” by articulating Shell’s needs. Is similar information online for 15 years. that really the sort of deal the councils it’s about should be keeping quiet? facilitating Alice Bell is an ex-academic and freelance science policy Something to add? Email comment@ writer and researcher. ResearchResearch.com robust debate.’ 22 view Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 view from the top marcus gibson Small shouldn’t mean invisible

Last month, Madeleine Atkins, the chief executive of Meanwhile at St Pancras, the Francis Crick Institute, a the Higher Education Funding Council for England, new biotech centre, is taking shape at a cost of £500 mil- told the Association of University Administrators’ con- lion. What London doesn’t need is yet another bio-centre. ference that links between universities and small and In 2003, my company campaigned for a building to be medium-sized businesses “could be better”. reserved to accommodate up to 1,000 start-ups, which She can say that again. the capital desperately needed. We lost. My company’s Gibson Index database tracks the for- Support and expansion of the UK’s entrepreneurial tunes of 48,000 high-growth, mostly technology-led, UK base is vital if we are ever to rebalance the economy. The small businesses. Some have good links with academic early 1990s was the golden age of the small hi-tech com- research, but the great majority have never received a pany in Britain. But after 1997, some 95 per cent of the call from a university. UK’s light manufacturing disappeared, blown away by a Universities are not organised for that purpose, but property boom and a flood of imports from Asia. the disconnect is still hugely disappointing. Pioneers at France, Italy and Germany did not permit Asian small businesses look askance at the trophy buildings imports to destroy vital areas of manufacture such as going up on university campuses; funding for small- consumer electronics, building products and toys—all business support schemes are miserly by comparison. of which once provided high levels of employment in Universities often claim to be central to their regional the UK. In 1995, there were more than 200 agricultural- economy when in fact an airport, a good road network, equipment manufacturers in the UK. Today, there are a solid further education institution or, in future, a uni- 15. Go to an industrial estate in the UK today and nearly versity technical college may be more important. all the firms you see will be distributors or assemblers. It’s no wonder UK students are avoiding masters cours- The good news is that the few small businesses left es. Relevance is everything—why not link an MSc course are world class. I have proudly witnessed standing- to a technical or commercial problem of a local small room-only presentations by the highly innovative business, like an extended version of the Technology medical-technology company Biocompatibles at the Strategy Board’s Knowledge Transfer Partnerships? Cleveland Clinic’s annual Medical Innovation Summit Another problem is that the results of university and by Next Generation Software at the Black Hat com- research are of no use to most small businesses. The cost puter security event in California. of integrating such innovation into the production line In the 1980s and 1990s, the Department of Trade and is often prohibitive—much to the surprise of the aca- Industry’s original Smart Award scheme was probably demics involved. About 90 per cent of the economy is the world’s most successful wealth creation programme. low-tech or no tech. The biggest area of UK manufactur- Payments of a few tens of thousands of pounds to each ing, and the fastest growing, is food and drink. firm triggered a wave of innovation around the UK. No Worse, the coalition’s industrial strategy appears other scheme has proved such an effective boost to small to small businesses to be just a job creation scheme businesses. Our database is packed with small business- for scientists. None of its efforts are focused on the es whose success was triggered by a Smart Award. real money-spinning industries and opportunities of Yet the budget of the successor programme, the Smart the future. The tens of millions pumped into univer- Award scheme of the TSB—the board of which comprises sity research on graphene is highly unlikely to yield mainly academics and former executives at big corpora- any reward to UK business; the Americans are already tions—has languished at about £20m annually. It should pushing ahead with stanene, a rival be at least £200m. single-layer material. Atkins’s words are welcome, but she may not realise ‘Support Rather than focus on tough areas the scale of the gap. It will take a major restructuring of such as manufacturing and engineer- university activity to meet the needs of small businesses, for the UK’s ing, the government places its faith and HEFCE and the research councils may have to reas- entrepreneurial in IT’s economic benefits—excessive sess universities so that their links with small businesses faith, as the disasters in the NHS have are more highly valued and credited. Universities should base is vital if shown. Ministers laud the digital- be celebrating high-value, super-exporting, solid tech- services industry in places such as east nology companies, not ignoring them. we are ever to London’s Tech City just as the last few More to say? Email [email protected] rebalance the manufacturing companies in inner London, such as Goss Electronics and Marcus Gibson is the founder of the Gibson Index of UK economy.’ Vitsœ, leave the capital. small businesses: www.gibson-index.com. Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 view 23 jack stilgoe view from the top Prize fight Even though the rebooted Longitude prize seeks scientific solutions to social problems, it’s premature to write it off as a folly, says Jack Stilgoe.

The UK government’s launch of a Longitude prize, ous when these had succeeded. Their goals were clear, 300 years after the original and this time packaged and they were achieved at vast expense. The Green with a special episode of the BBC’s Horizon programme Revolution in the mid-20th century was similarly expen- and an X-Factor-style vote, has kicked up a storm of sive but tied to a pressing social need, and the results of criticism. The prize has been attacked as shamelessly this effort to increase crop yields are still disputed. populist. The £10 million up for grabs is seen as either The problems facing the planet are ‘wicked’, not neat too small to truly make a difference or too big, diverting and tidy. Nevertheless, the lure of the technological fix resources away from more established research funding. remains strong. Some will be good, such as vaccines for In principle, the public is part of the solution as well. smallpox or polio. Some, such as Ronald Reagan’s star But Horizon tells us that this is a science prize, aim- wars programme, will be plain bad. Most will be ugly, ing to solve “the most pressing problem facing science solving some problems and creating others. Dan Sarewitz today”. A piece by Martin Rees in Nature represented it and Richard Nelson, writing in Nature in 2008, asked how as a search for the “world’s biggest science problem”. we could anticipate their success. They say that we need Looking down the list, the candidate challenges— to ask three questions: Does a proposed fix address the zero-carbon flight, antibiotic resistance, clean water, root cause of the problem? Can we tell when it’s worked? food security, paralysis and dementia—all look like Is the research and technology there already? social rather than scientific challenges. But the message The Longitude prize has been under discussion for a is clear: solutions will come from scientific rather than while, including an interesting exercise in public dia- social innovation. As science is increasingly institution- logue, only some of which is reflected in the final product. alised, professional, collaborative and capital-intensive, The report of the public dialogue, conducted on behalf of can amateurs compete? I think it is fanciful to imagine a Sciencewise, reveals some interesting concerns. solitary Professor Branestawm in a shed, able to change When asked about the challenges facing society, the world through research and invention. members of the public mentioned issues that were not I am more relaxed about the prize. It seems to be an obviously scientific, such as rising inequality. When interesting, disruptive addition to the research-fund- asked specifically about particular challenges and pos- ing toolkit, alongside more opaque mechanisms with sible technological solutions, people did not want the questionable success rates. As Arie Rip and Stefan prize to benefit big companies. They wanted ambitious, Kuhlmann argued recently in Research Fortnight’s sister radical, public-value research and innovation, which publication Research Europe [8/5/14, p8], research pol- sounds like grand challenge science. The question is icy desperately needs transformative change and novel whether this prize can deliver it. combinations of participants if it is to address grand Perhaps we should remember the original Longitude challenges. Prizes can be part of the system. prize. Horizon falsely described it as “the most famous I am concerned that the challenges are framed science prize in history” overseen by “a committee of sci- entirely in scientific terms, and that the judging panel entists”. Historian Becky Higgitt points out that the board is overwhelmingly scientific, but this is perhaps inevi- of Longitude comprised scientists, policymakers and oth- table. Politicians like science: it connects them to an ers with an interest in the problem, at a time when science optimistic, if uncertain, future and distracts from more was still mostly amateur and scientists were immediate policy concerns. It is more convenient, for still natural philosophers. ‘The public example, to see food security in terms of genetically ‘Winner’ John Harrison approached the modified crops than in terms of waste or inequality. But problem obliquely, with a beautifully accu- wants politicians must use history to lower their expectations. rate clock. Decades of disagreement followed ambitious, The Apollo programme and Manhattan project often about whether the problem had been solved, provide the model for challenge-based technologi- but Harrison did not have to wait for the prize radical, cal success. But, as David Collingridge described in his money. The committee had already given him 1980 book The Social Control of Technology, it was obvi- the grants to develop his work. That sounds a public-value bit like a research council, doesn’t it? research and Jack Stilgoe works in the department of science and Something to add? Email comment@ technology studies at University College London. ResearchResearch.com innovation.’ 24 interesting if true Research Fortnight, 28 May 2014 interesting if true

What’s in a name? Government influence on research Business, Innovation and Skills told us that Walport projects may be restricted by the Haldane principle but, would not be speaking to the press until the government according to one Oxford university professor, politi- had issued a formal response to the matter in question. cians have form when it comes to the names of research So much for being an “independent” adviser, then. funding bodies. Speaking at last week’s Circling the Square conference in Nottingham, Steve Rayner noted Fun in the Sun Last week, Robert West from University that ex-chemist Margaret Thatcher had insisted the College London released a study on how e-cigarettes word ‘Science’ be removed from the name of the Social are 60 per cent more likely to help smokers quit than Science Research Council. That’s “because whatever it is nicotine patches or gum. The Sun published a version that those people do, it’s certainly not science”, the PM of the research that was, shall we say, not completely apparently said. faithful to the original. It also broke an embargo. We understand the newspaper has since agreed to publish Title race Former chief scientific adviser Brian Collins, a more complimentary article about West and his forth- now an academic, says the trend for constantly changing coming book, so it seems that the Leveson report into the names of departments and agencies is “just to make the culture and practices of the press might be having sure no-one actually knows what’s going on”. That may an impact after all. be true, but we were hoping he might want to rethink the title of his department for science, technology, engi- Manhunt With every university claiming to be com- neering and public policy at UCL. There’s still time to mitted to equal opportunities, you might be forgiven come up with something snappier than “STEaPP”. for asking where all the men who are stopping 80 per cent of women from becoming professors are. On the Not-so-independent advice If you were wondering other end of the phone, it seems. One member of the why this week’s report on the future of Foresight (see species recently called the Research Fortnight offices Analysis, page 6) lacks on-the-record comment from complaining that there was too much positive cover- chief scientific adviser Mark Walport, rest assured that age of women and science. It sounded like the dying we did our best to ask. Staff at the Department for whimper of male privilege.

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