Dr Lorna ColquhounHead of Research Development

Interdisciplinary Research and the Changing Funding Environment2 April 2009

2001-08 Comparative RAE Performance

Overall Russell Group

2001 15th 12th

2008 GPA 12th 9th

•33% (16 / 48) of UOAs were in top 5 on GPA

Research Income 07/08, £91m

Research Income (£k)

Income by sponsor type

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

RC 24,549 29,411 32,434 39,949

UK Govt 11,859 12,865 14,310 14,740

UK charity 18,185 20,698 21,014 21,477

Industry 6,266 6,243 4,792 4,959

EU 4,119 4,747 6,054 6,186

Overseas 1,728 1,924 2,486 3,203

66,706 75,888 81,091 90,515

Change 6% 14% 7% 12%

Big issues – Impact of Research

“Measurement” of impact as a key indicator increasingly popular (economic, political, social, etc.)

• Publications, citations• Novel compounds, devices, patents, licences, spin-

outs• Consultancy, policy development, press coverage,

conferences, training, outreach to communities, benefits to society

These are important measures of activity

But how do we capture, analyse, record and report them?

Interdisciplinary and large research grants in practice

Challenges• To stay ahead of the game• Be distinctive and retain high quality• Be capable of responding quickly – in or out?• Play to strengths and opportunities• Support (and reward?) those that lead this

What is Interdisciplinary Research?

•Interdisciplinary research is a mode of research that integrates information data techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts and / or theories from 2 or more disciplines to advance fundamental understanding or solve problems beyond the scope of a single discipline

•Problems of great societal importance

• inter – multi – cross• Quantitative vs qualitative• Closed vs open• Objective vs subjective

• Tradition – transition – transformation

Interdisciplinary research is a powerful tool

Drivers

•Complexity

•Desire

•Need

•Power

•Money

Money

•Cross Research Council initiatives – there is money out there

• Cross-Council Funding Agreement – August 2006

•Leverhulme Trust- special weight given to• originality of projects;• significance; • ability to judge and take appropriate risk;

• removal of barriers between traditional disciplines

•11

•DIGITAL •ECONOMY

•EPSRC lead•AHRC•ESRC•MRC

•ENERGY

•EPSRC lead•BBSRC•ESRC•NERC•STFC

•NANOSCIENCE THROUGH ENGINEERING TO APPLICATION

•EPSRC lead•BBSRC•ESRC•NERC•STFC•MRC

•RESPONDING TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES

•GLOBAL UNCERTAINTIES:•security for all in a changing world

•EPSRC •BBSRC•ESRC lead•NERC•STFC•MRC•AHRC

•LIVING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

•EPSRC •BBSRC•ESRC•NERC lead•STFC•MRC•AHRC

•AGEING: LIFE LONG HEALTH & WELLBEING

•EPSRC •BBSRC•ESRC•NERC•STFC•MRC lead•AHRC

Barriers

What do you think? Your experiences....

Disciplinary

Knowledge depth/ innate knowledge

Language

Timescales

Funding

Review of apps

Institutional

Recruitment

Reward (promotion)

Departmental structures

Overhead distribution

Evaluation

Publication credit

RAE/REF

Impediments to IDR

What makes it work (from developing your proposal to delivery)

• Common language• “Cross cultural competence”

• Common goals

• No bolt ons

• Iterative (shift in view)

• Leadership

• Developing your question together

Initial Stages: Building Bridges• Common problem(s) to solve• Leadership• Environment that encourages faculty/researcher collaboration• Establishing a team philosophy• Seed/glue money• Seminars to foster bridges between students, postdoctoral

scholars, and PIs• Workshops to foster bridges between investigators• Frequent meetings among team members• Think of the end at the beginning

 

Supporting the Project

• Good Research/project management

• Support project initiation and team building

• Seamless and flexible funding

• Willingness to take risks

• Recognize potential for high impact

• Involvement of funding organization

Facilities

• Physical co-location of researchers

• Shared instrumentation

• Enhance chance meetings between researchers, such as on-site cafeterias

Organization/ Administration

• Matrix organization

• Rewards for academic leaders who foster IDR

• Tenure/promotion policies for interdisciplinary work

• Utilize experts with breadth and IDR experience for assessment

• Professional recognition of successful practitioners of IDR

•Research themes

•Major initiatives: Underwritten £

•Research themes: Facilitators

•Termination process for themes

•Water

•Risk: BRISK

•Climate change

•2007 •2008 •2009

Making Interdisciplinary Research Work - UoB

Making Interdisciplinary Research Work - UoB

Institute for Advanced studies

• programme for interdisciplinary workshops

• Support for Research Themes

• Research Programme on IDR – Nexus

IA Sn sti tu te fo rdvan ced tud ies

U n iver si ty o f B r i sto l

Institute for Advanced Studies University of Bristol

www.bris.ac.uk/ias

Making Interdisciplinary Research Work - UoB

• The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN): supporting innovation in research, and education on a global scale, through interdisciplinary collaboration, faculty and student exchange and eLearning

• IAS/WUN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH WORKSHOP COMPETITION

•www.wun.ac.uk & www.bris.ac.uk/wun

Overview of Research Development

Funding

opportunities

Support

for bids

Strategic

development

Support for bids

• Training• Advice on sources of funding & fEC• Assistance with co-ordination of complex/multi-

disciplinary proposals• Advice on non-subject specific content of

proposals• Liaison with funders• Liaison with other University Support Services• Letters of support• Mock interview panels

Strategic development

• Institutional/Faculty visitshttp://www.bris.ac.uk/research/support/development/events/

• Statistics• External policy• Intelligence

http://www.bris.ac.uk/research/support/development/intelligence/safe/

• Major & Institutional bidshttp://www.bris.ac.uk/research/support/development/majorbids/safe/

• Capacity building

RED Research Development

• Lorna Colquhoun - Head of Research Development• Tom Bowker - RDM EU Support• Lindsey Gaunt - RDM FMD + FMVS • Simon Gray - RDM Science & Engineering• Jude Hill – RDM Social Sciences & Law• Isobel Howe - WUN Development Manager• Helen Jordan - RDM EU• Katie Powell - Research Development Associate (Med Vet Sci)• Kathleen Sedgley - Research Development Officer• Kerry Vernon - RDM Arts• http://www.bris.ac.uk/research/support/development/

End