Research and Development Society Noticeboard

Opportunity: The Prime Minister's Council for Science and Technolgy - Independent Members (closing date 28 February 2010)

2010-12-20T20:21:00.000Z

The Council for Science and Technology (CST) is the Government's top-level advisory body on science and technology and reports directly to the Prime Minister.

This vacancy is for membership of the CST which meets four times a year - March, June, September and December.

The Council is looking to renew its membership from January 2011. We are looking for up to 10 new members from:

business - large and small; manufacturing. services and financial sectors.
academia - in particular physicial scientists (including information and communications technology), social scientists and an economists, and if possible a vice-chancellor
a science and society background
an education background

To apply or see further details, visit the Cabinet Office website.

Opportunity: NESTA Trustees (3 positions) - closing date 7 January 2011

2010-12-20T20:18:00.000Z

NESTA is an independent body with a mission to make the UK more innovative. Three trustee positions are available, to contribute broadly to the Board and the strategic direction of NESTA. All Trustees are required to represent NESTA and play a representative role to a variety of audiences, though especially in the sphere of their particular specialism and expertise.

The specific duties of Trustees are to:

Contribute to all aspects of Board business and strategic oversight;
Actively engage with key stakeholders in fields which are relevant to the business of NESTA, acting in an ambassadorial capacity as appropriate;
Provide specific sector expertise where the Trustee’s contacts and knowledge will be invaluable in supporting NESTA’s activities; and
Participate in Board decision making on the innovation agenda, and design of new programmes and partnerships.

Three Trustee positions are available:

The closing date for all applications is 7 January 2011.

Material scarcity – how might it affect your R&D?

2010-12-15T16:01:00.005Z

Please help the R&D Society and Materials KTN to create an event that is useful to you and your organisation.

Some materials are becoming scarce, or are in danger of becoming scarce in the near future. Some are well-known and frequently discussed - eg oil or natural gas. However, there is increasing awareness that other materials are in danger of becoming scarce, which has challenges and opportunities for future R&D and design.

The R&D Society and Materials KTN are planning to hold an event on this issue, and we would be grateful for your input at an early stage to help us in planning this, by answering a short survey on our website.

We’d be grateful if you could respond at your earliest convenience – preferably by 28 December 2010.

The 2010 R&D Scoreboard

2010-12-15T13:13:00.002Z

The latest – and last – R&D Scoreboard was published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on 25 November 2010. The R&D Scoreboard is an annual investigation of the top 1,000 UK and top 1,000 global corporate investors in research and development and is endorsed by a number of organisations, including the R&D Society. On publishing the Scoreboard, BIS announced that it was not going to publish any further editions. In 1 December 2010’s issue of Research Fortnight, David Kingham, past Chair of the R&D Society, commented on behalf of the Society that the Government does need to ensure it has methods to monitor the effects of its R&D policies.

The scoreboard shoes that the top one thousand UK companies invested more than £25.3bn on developing new products, services and productivity in 2009; spend by the UK companies listed decreased by 0.6 per cent in 2009 – a smaller decrease than some commentators thought would occur due to the economic downturn. The scoreboard found that the decrease was largely due to lower spend by firms in fixed line telecommunications, banking, aerospace and defence sectors, with automobiles and parts, software and computer services and technology hardware and equipment increasing their overall R&D investment in 2009. 78% of global R&D occurs in five countries: the US; Japan; Germany; France and the UK.

The 2010 R&D Scoreboard is published on the BIS website and is free to access.

Policy input: EU Framework Programme for R&D: Call for Evidence - closing date 4 January 2011

2010-12-15T11:12:00.000Z

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has published a Call for Evidence, inviting the UK’s R&D community to have their say on the European Union’s Framework Programme. The Framework is the EU's main mechanism for funding research, technological development and demonstration. UK participation in the current 2007-2013 iteration of the Framework Programme (known as FP7) has been strong – with UK researchers receiving €1.83 billion of funding from the €12.7 billion awarded to date.

BIS would like to hear from those with first-hand experiences of this initiative – academics, researchers and businesspeople – so that BIS can better equip the UK to maximise on the opportunities on offer and strengthen the UK's negotiating position in advance of the next Programme.

The main call for evidence document can be found at www.bis.gov.uk/fp8-call-for-evidence In addition, a more informal discussion is available via the Technology Strategy Board _connect platform.

The call for evidence closes on 4th January 2011.

Opportunity: Member of the Science and Technology Honours Committee, closing date 1 October 2010

2010-09-13T14:29:00.000+01:00

The Science and Technology Honours Committee is one of the eight specialist honours committees which consider candidates for honours recommended by members of the public, government departments and professional bodies. The Committee considers candidates for honours who work in the science community. The Committee selects those it wishes to recommend for inclusion in the list which the Prime Minister submits to The Queen for the New Year and Birthday Honours Lists.

The requirement is for a candidate who is an expert in the worlds of science and technology and who is to able to command the confidence of other experts in the sector. Members will be persons with a track record of success in their own fields who are well qualified to judge the relative merits of competing candidates for honours.

Full details of the honours system, membership of the Science and Technology Committee and the areas of work covered by each committee, can be found at www.direct.gov.uk/honours

Working arrangement: Part Time - Two days and some preparatory reading.
Remuneration: Unpaid but reasonable travel expenses will be paid
To find out more, and apply, visit the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website. Closing date 1 October 2010

Opportunity: National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI) Trustee, closing date 3 October 2010

2010-09-13T14:26:00.000+01:00

The Department for Culture Media and Sport invites applications for up to 6 Trustee vacancies at the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI). Trustees are appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of the Secretary of State.

The National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI) is Britain’s National Museum for science, technology, medicine, transport and media and is one of the world’s great museum organisations. It operates three of the top museum ‘brands’ in the United Kingdom: the Science Museum, the National Media Museum and the National Railway Museum.

NMSI Trustees have statutory duties, under the National Heritage Act 1983, for the general management and control of NMSI and for the well being of the collections in its care. They are expected to familiarise themselves with, make regular visits to and attend meetings at each of the museums in London, Yorkshire and Co. Durham.

Time commitment: 1-2 days per month (average).
Remuneration: not remunerated, however, reasonable expenses are paid.

To find out more and apply, visit the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website. Closing date 3 October 2010.

R&D Society: Government must maintain support for all areas of UK R&D, from academia to business

2010-09-09T10:29:00.009+01:00

In response to Vince Cable’s Science, Research and Innovation speech of 8 September 2010, Sir Richard Sykes, President of the R&D Society comments:

The Government must maintain the support of UK R&D - from academia to businesses large and small - if we are to prosper financially and socially in future. This includes maintaining investment in our world-class science base to attract investment and people from all over the world, and finding ways of encouraging businesses and academia to work together effectively.

Vince Cable asks how to encourage academics to collaborate with industry to maximise the benefit of their research. Universities cannot simply increase the commercial viability of their research by turning on a tap. They need encouragement and support to do so – but they also need businesses who are willing, able and capable of working with them. For academic-business links to succeed, businesses need encouragement too, especially now, when many are having to focus on short-term survival in place of longer-term, R&D-based investment. The commercial R&D sector has been under severe pressure in this recession, and we have seen several commercial R&D labs close or scale back in the UK over the past year.

Though Vince Cable did mention support for the Small Business Research Initiative, he omits to discuss how business might be encouraged to work with academia – for example R&D tax credits, networking support, skills transfer schemes. Businesses want to get on with their job in hand, so Government must be a supporting catalyst, not prescriptive – a midwife, not a nanny. This should not happen at the expense of support for business-business knowledge transfer - the Cinderella largely ignored by successive Governments, but one that powers much of UK innovation, especially around smaller enterprises.

The UK is an attractive place to do R&D, and Vince Cable is rightly proud that many multinational companies locate their R&D operations in the UK. But they will only do so whilst it is in their best interests to. Businesses have told the R&D Society about many different reasons why they choose the UK, and one of the most important is the high quality of UK universities. This provides local access to world-class research, and a regular supply of skilled graduates. We are very worried at the cuts to UK science hinted at in Vince Cable’s speech will have the double whammy of reducing the research and teaching capacity of UK universities and discouraging students from studying research-relevant subjects – resulting in more top performing graduates "heading straight for high finance rather than science and engineering", as Mr Cable laments. In order to maintain the flow of ideas to wealth in the long term, a broad portfolio of high-class 'basic' research must be maintained as the fruits of the future.

Royal Society Industry Fellowships - closing date 29 October 2010

2010-09-02T15:37:00.005+01:00

Applications are invited to this scheme, which promotes knowledge exchange between academia and industry by establishing personal and corporate links.
Funding is available to enable:

academic scientists to work on a collaborative project with industry, or
someone in industry to work on a collaborative project with a university or not-for-profit, non-publicly funded research organisation

More information is available on the Royal Society website. The closing date is 29 Oct 2010.

Society of Biology; Industry Survey - what do employers want from bioscience degree graduates?

2010-08-27T17:32:00.006+01:00

The Society of Biology is in the process of developing a pilot programme of Accredited UK Bioscience Degrees to help both employers and students identify bioscience degrees which provide graduates with the higher levels of skills needed to progress into scientific and research roles in industry and academia. The Society of Biology are adamant that industry and employer perspectives are considered as they develop our Accreditation design and have recently launched an Industry Survey on Accredited Degrees.

Society of Biology - Biology Degree Accreditation

The Society of Biology is currently developing criteria to accredit biological science degrees that will enable business to select those graduates with high quality practical skills more easily. The Society is aiming to pilot an accreditation process in 2010-2011 and will announce its accreditation criteria later this year. The Society is currently seeking the views of businesses on accreditation via a brief online survey.

Please take a moment to complete the Industry Survey on Accredited Degrees; it is an opportunity for your business’ needs to shape an Accreditation Programme which aims to help employers identify those bioscience graduates with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for employment in today’s bioscience-related industries.

Take part in the Industry Survey on Accredited Degrees before the end of December 2010.

Policy: Public consultation events on the Advanced Level Diploma in Science, c/d 4 May 2010

2010-05-04T19:28:00.001+01:00

From SEMTA: The Diploma in Science is an exciting new qualification aimed at 14-19 year olds. The Foundation and Higher levels will launch in September 2011 and the Advanced level in September 2012. It will provide students with a combination of essential science knowledge and skills that employers and education look for.

A 12 week public consultation is due to take place on the Advanced Level Diploma in Science Line of Learning Statement (the Vision) and, Line of Learning Criteria (knowledge, skills and understanding). The consultation period will run between 9^th February and 4^th May 2010. Participants will be able to either attend a regional focus group or to complete an online survey.

The regional focus groups run from 24 February to 22 April, and representatives from awarding bodies, colleges, schools, universities, employers and other organisations interested in shaping the new Diploma in Science are invited to participate in the consultation.

Details of the focus groups, and how to apply are on the Diploma in Science website.

Opportunity: The Shell and Institute of Physics Award for the Very Early Career Woman Physicist of the Year, cd 26 February 2010

2010-02-26T11:56:00.000Z

From the Institute of Physics: Applications are now being accepted for the Very Early Career Award 2010, the closing date for applications is 26 February 2010. For more information about the 2010 award and how to apply please download the poster and application form.

The Women in Physics Group annually invite applications from women at the start of their careers in physics who have made a substantial contribution to the subject and may also have undertaken activities to support and encourage others in the field. The prize is awarded annually to a woman who is within three years of completing her undergraduate degree in physics and who is either working as a physicist or is engaged in postgraduate study.

The winner will receive £1,000 donated by Shell and an award certificate at a major Institute of Physics Women in Physics event. As well as providing recognition of the winner's work through the prize money, the award will also provide valuable networking opportunities. Applicants therefore must be working in the UK or Ireland.

The Very Early Career Woman Physicist of the Year Award seeks to recognise the work done by physicists who are embarking on a career in physics and to promote the career opportunities open to people with physics qualifications.

Opportunity: TSB announces £13m crop protection R&D competition, c/d 25 Feb 2010

2010-02-25T16:04:00.000Z

The Technology Strategy Board has announced a new competition with £13m available for industry-led projects that will help growers respond to the challenge of increasing crop productivity whilst also reducing the environmental impact of crop production.

The competition opens on January 18th 2010 and aims to meet existing and new EU regulation on the approval and use of pesticides. This call is relevant to businesses and stakeholders across the agricultural supply chain, including those involved in the following sectors:

arable crops including wheat, barley, oilseed rape, potatoes and pulse crops
horticulture
grasses and forage crops
crops for biofuels, and other non-food uses
in the field or protected cultivation

Further information is available at the Technology Strategy Board website.

The Biosciences KTN, which is free to join, can help assist by providing advice on project scope and fit to eligibility criteria; identification of potential collaborative partners; confidential review of draft proposals.

Opportunity: I'm a scientist, get me out of here, c/d 19 Feb 2010

2010-02-19T09:48:00.000Z

Do you want to get into schools without having to leave the lab? Do you want to be sure there is a real educational benefit to what you are doing? Do you want to develop your communication skills, and possibly get awarded £500?

‘I’m a Scientist, Get me out of Here!’ get teenagers talking to real scientists, online, and learning about real science. Students have fun, but also get beyond stereotypes, learn about how science relates to real life, develop their thinking and discussion skills and make connections with real scientists.

You’d be making a difference. And you’d be learning too. Teenagers ask all sorts of questions - from the cheeky to the thought-provoking. They fizz with energy and can be infectious company. The students chose which scientist gets a grant of £500 for public engagement. This means they engage at a much deeper level, because they have a say over something real.

This award-winning event is funded by the Wellcome Trust, to promote public engagement with science. Find out more, or register to take part at http://imascientist.org.uk/for-scientists/

Policy input: Parliament enquiry into future of Bioengineering in the UK, c/d 4 December 2009

2009-12-04T12:50:00.000Z

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee is conducting an inquiry into Bioengineering and is seeking written evidence.

The Committee will be examining how the UK can maintain a globally competitive position in emerging and existing bioengineering research fields. The inquiry will focus on three areas: research, translation and regulation. The inquiry will take synthetic biology, stem cells and genetic modification (GM) as areas within which to explore the issues of research, translation and regulation.

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee is a Select Committee of Parliament, and scrutinises the work and policies relating to the Government Office for Science (GO-Science), and so the Committee can examine the activities of departments where they have implications for, or made use of, science, engineering, technology and research. Although its reports and recommendations are not binding, they must be responded to by the relevant government department, and are influentual.

For each inqury it undertakes, it gathers evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews. For each inqury it undertakes, it asks for written evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews.

Anyone may submit written evidence, which should be brief, written specially for the Committee, and should answer at least one of the following questions:

For the areas of synthetic biology, stem cells and GM:

What is the UK's research capacity?
How easy is it to translate and commercialise research?
How do UK and international regulations affect research and translation?
How can the UK maintain and grow its internationally competitive position?

Evidence for this enquiry should be submitted by noon on Friday 4 December 2009 in the format described on the Bioengineering inquiry webpage.

Opportunity: Research Council Board membership, c/d 13 November 2009

2009-11-13T18:00:00.000Z

The Research Councils fund research, research facilities and postgraduate training, and are funded by Government. Four Research Councils are seeking suitably qualified academics and experienced individuals from the industrial/commercial sectors to fill a number of Board vacancies.

These are renumerated, part-time positions, which will influence the future strategy and direction of the Research Councils, including their knowledge transfer role.

There are currently vacancies for the Arts and Humanties Research Council (AHRC), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC). Details of the vacancies can be found on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills website. The closing date for all vacancies is 13 November 2009.

Opportunity: Queen's awards for Enterprise, Innovation, c/d 30 October 2009

2009-10-30T14:00:00.000Z

Opportunity: Academic Enterprise Awards 2009, c/d 16 October 2009

2009-10-16T16:42:00.000+01:00

The Academic Enterprise Awards 2009 are open for nominations, closing date 16 October 2009. There are three types of award: four awards for spin-outs (for spin-out companies based on ideas developed at universities and public research institutes in Europe); one for fast start early-stage entrepreneurship (for a promising but as-yet unproven spin-out based on ideas developed at universities and public research institutes in Europe); and the Bridge Award for promoting entrepreneurship (to an individual who has done the most to promote policies for entrepreneurship in university or public research institutions) . Nominations close 16 October 2009, multiple nominations are permitted.

Funding: Royal Society Industry Fellowship Scheme, c/d 14 Oct 2009

2009-10-14T15:01:00.000+01:00

This scheme aims to enhance knowledge transfer in science and technology between those in industry and those in academia. It provides opportunities for an academic scientist to work on a collaborative project with industry, or someone employed in industry to work on a collaborative project with a university department or a not-for-profit research organisation. It is anticipated that fellows will establish personal and corporate links between the two sectors in the UK as a foundation for their long-term future development. These appointments are funded by the Royal Society, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, Rolls-Royce plc and Astra Zeneca.

The closing date for applications is 14 October 2009. See the Royal Society website for more details.

R&D Society PR: Universities need to change if they are to embrace the second phase of World Wide Web, issued 9 October 2009

2009-10-13T15:01:00.000+01:00

Press release issued by the University of Southampton, Friday 9 October 2009

Universities need to change if they are to embrace the second phase of World Wide Web

The challenges which face the World Wide Web in its next phase and the need for academics to embrace its further development will be outlined by Professor Dame Wendy Hall next week.

Professor Hall, who is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton’s School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) will receive the Duncan Davies medal and deliver the 2009 Duncan Davies lecture on the topic of Research 2.0: The Age of Networks at a Research & Development Society event at the Royal Society on Monday 12 October at 6.30pm.

The Duncan Davies Medal is awarded annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution toward making the UK the best-performing research and development environment in the world.

In her lecture Professor Hall will describe how since its inception the Web has changed the ways we communicate, collaborate, and educate and that it has now developed sufficiently to facilitate interdisciplinary research by international teams to tackle the major problems faced by the world today.

‘In a very short-space of time we have come to live in a web-dependent society within a web-dependent world,’ she will say. ‘There is a growing realization that a clear research agenda aimed at understanding the current, evolving, and potential Web is needed.’

She will go on to present the important of Web Science, which embraces the study of these phenomena and she will explore the opportunities and challenges posed by the increasing need for interdisciplinary research undertaken by international teams and the role that universities, governments and learned societies can play to facilitate such exciting and necessary developments.

‘The role of government is crucial in setting policies to create an environment in which such research can flourish but in the age of networks, universities may also have to radically change in order to facilitate such exciting and necessary developments and better train people to meet the needs of businesses in the future,’ she will say.

The 2009 Duncan Davies lecture on the topic of Research 2.0: The Age of Networks will take place at the Royal Society on Monday 12 October at 6.30pm at 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Professor Dame Wendy Hall is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom and was Head of the School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) from 2002-2007. She was the founding Head of the Intelligence, Agents, Multimedia (IAM) Research Group in ECS.

She has published over 400 papers in areas such as hypermedia, multimedia, digital libraries, and Web technologies

In 2008 she was elected as President of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and is the first person from outside North America to hold this position.

She was Senior Vice President of the Royal Academy of Engineering from 2005-2008 and is a Past President of the British Computer Society (2003-2004). She is a member of the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology, a member of the Executive Committee of UKCRC, and Chair of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Diversity Committee. She is a founding member of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council.

For further information about Professor Dame Wendy Hall, please visit: http://users.ecs.soton.ac.uk/wh/

2.For further information about the R&D Society Duncan Davies Medal, please visit: http://www.rdsoc.org/duncandavies.html

3.With around 500 researchers, and 900 undergraduate students, the School of Electronics and Computer Science at Southampton is one of the world's largest and most successful integrated research groupings, covering Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electronics, Electrical Engineering, and IT in Organisations. ECS has unrivalled depth and breadth of expertise in world-leading research, new developments and their applications.

4. The University of Southampton is a leading UK teaching and research institution with a global reputation for leading-edge research and scholarship across a wide range of subjects in engineering, science, social sciences, health and humanities.

5. With over 22,000 students, around 5000 staff, and an annual turnover of more than £370 million, the University of Southampton is acknowledged as one of the country's top institutions for engineering, computer science and medicine. We combine academic excellence with an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to research, supporting a culture that engages and challenges students and staff in their pursuit of learning.

The University is also home to a number of world-leading research centres, including the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, the Optoelectronics Research Centre, the Web Science Research Initiative, the Centre for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, the Mountbatten Centre for International Studies and the Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute.

Opportunity: Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowships, c/d 6 Oct 2009

2009-10-06T17:47:00.000+01:00

Each year the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust aims to award 100 Travelling Fellowships to British citizens. Each Fellow receives a grant to cover return and internal travel, daily living and travel insurance within the countries visited. Categories for application include Business & Finance and Science, Engineering & Enterprise. For further information and to apply, visit the Trust's website. Closing date 6 October 2009.

R&D Society news: David Fishlock, 1932 - 2009

2009-10-03T12:04:00.003+01:00

The R&D Society was saddened to learn of the death on Friday 18 September 2009 of David Fishlock, a longstanding R&D Society member and former editor and valued contributor to the R&D Society newsletter. He was well regarded as a science and technology writer, with an influential career including being technology journalist for New Scientist, science correspondent for the Financial Times and founder of R&D Efficiency. Obituaries have been published in the Times and the Financial Times.

Members may wish to note that Scott Keir, the R&D Society administrator has details of David Fishlock's funeral and an address for flowers.

Policy Input: Royal Society policy study: The Fruits of Curiosity: science, innovation and future sources of wealth, c/d 11 Sep 2009

2009-09-11T18:23:00.000+01:00

The Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science, has opened a major policy study, The Fruits of Curiosity: science, innovation and future sources of wealth, that will review the landscape for UK science and innovation policy and explore its direction over the next 10-20 years. They are requesting views on some important questions, to ensure that their recommendations take account of the UK R&D community.

The study will measure the different forms of value created by science, engineering and medicine for the UK’s economy and society and will consider the role that science will play in equipping Britain to meet future economic, social and environmental challenges.

The Royal Society believes that it is timely to review these issues ahead of the forthcoming General Election and Spending Round, and to seek to influence debates about what lies beyond the current 10-Year Investment Framework for Science and Innovation.

The Royal Society believes that if the study is to realise its full potential, it is vital that they draw on insights, expertise and experience from a variety of settings, and have asked the R&D Society to encourage our members and contacts to submit their views.

The Society has listed a number of questions they would like answered in a Call for Evidence (PDF). In your submission, you may answer as many or as few of the questions listed in the call for evidence as you feel able to. Key questions of relevance to R&D Society members and contacts include:

1. What role should curiosity-driven research play in the UK science base in the next 15-25 years?
2. Which elements of policy for science and innovation over the past 10 years have been successful and should be maintained? Where is there room for improvement?
9. How can we make research careers – within academia or industry – a more attractive option for young people, both within the UK system and from abroad?
11. Does the standard career-track model need to be re-evaluated? Should we take more account of the movement of skilled individuals between academia, industry and business?
12. How can we strengthen science and innovation in all parts of the private sector in the UK, and further improve the exchange of knowledge and expertise between the public and private sectors?
13. How can we improve the scale and contribution of private sector R&D?
14. What initiatives (e.g. tax credits) have been successful or not with regards to supporting innovative businesses in the UK? How can the UK better support business?
17. What role should public sector R&D outside the ring-fenced science budget (e.g. departmental spending, government procurement and national laboratories) play in supporting the UK science base?

Submissions (ie, your answers to any of the above questions), can be made by email to: fruitsofcuriosity@royalsociety.org preferably by 11 September 2009. In your submission, you should state if you do not want your name or your submission to be made public, and give a contact name and telephone number.

R&D Society PR: Dame Wendy Hall honoured for inspiring role in UK research and development, issued 10 September 2009

2009-09-10T09:00:00.000+01:00

Dame Wendy Hall honoured for inspiring role in UK research and development

Web pioneer and leading campaigner for women in science receives nineteenth Duncan Davies Medal from the Research and Development Society for making an outstanding contribution toward making the UK the best-performing research and development environment in the world.

Professor Dame Wendy Hall DBE FRS FREng is the recipient of the 2009 Duncan Davies Medal awarded by the Research and Development Society. Dame Wendy will accept the medal at a lecture she will give to the R&D Society on the evening of 12 October 2009 at the Royal Society, London.

The Duncan Davies Medal is awarded annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution toward making the UK the best-performing research and development environment in the world.

Dr David Kingham, Chair of the R&D Society, commented, "Dame Wendy is a leading academic researcher who is passionate about business, maintaining links and providing expertise to innovative companies large and small. Her work as a role model and advocate of fair opportunities for women in science and engineering careers is benefiting UK R&D well beyond her own subject area of web technology. She’s been an inspiration to both men and women in the UK, and we’re pleased to award Dame Wendy our highest honour."

On hearing of the award, Dame Wendy commented, “I’m deeply flattered by the offer of this award – I can’t believe the company I find myself in when I look at the list of previous recipients. I am pleased that this award recognises my commitment to attracting more women into computer science. I believe my research area of the semantic web will open up a whole new wave of businesses, applications, services and R&D processes in the future, which the UK could lead, if it takes advantage of the talents of the very best men and women. I look forward to discussing this at the R&D Society event in October.”

Dr Duncan Davies was the third President of the R&D Society, and began his presidency in 1982, shortly after retiring as Chief Scientist and Engineer at the Department of Trade and Industry. Passionately concerned about R&D in the UK, he took a very active interest in the work of the Society. His sudden demise in 1986 came as a harsh blow to the Society and to UK R&D. To acknowledge the debt that it owed to Duncan Davies's leadership, the Society decided to establish a medal in his memory. Dame Wendy joins an esteemed list of recipients including Sir David King, Sir Robin Saxby, Lord Kumar Bhattacharya, Dame Bridget Ogilvie and Lord Sainsbury.

Dame Wendy will speak on “Research 2.0: the Age of Networks” on 12 October 2009 at 6.30pm, where she will discuss the development of Web Science, the opportunities and challenges posed by the increasing need for interdisciplinary research, and how this may drive universities to radically change.

Notes for Editors

Biography: Professor Dame Wendy Hall DBE FRS FREng
Wendy Hall is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton and was Head of the School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) from 2002-2007. She has published over 400 papers in areas such as hypermedia, multimedia, digital libraries, and Web technologies.

She was Senior Vice President of the Royal Academy of Engineering from 2005-2008 and is a Past President of the British Computer Society (2003-2004). She is a member of the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology and a founding member of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council. In 2008 she was elected as President of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and is the first person from outside North America to hold this position.

She was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours list in 2000, and became a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in the same year. She was awarded a DBE in the New Year’s Honours list in 2009, and became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2009.

A longer biography is available at http://users.ecs.soton.ac.uk/wh/

Synopsis of “Research 2.0: the Age of Networks”
Full event listing at: http://www.rdsoc.org/09L7.html

Since its inception the Web has changed the ways we communicate, collaborate, and educate. In a very short-space of time we have come to live in a web-dependent society within a web-dependent world. There is a growing realization that a clear research agenda aimed at understanding the current, evolving, and potential Web is needed. Web Science embraces the study of these phenomena. In this seminar we will consider what Web Science is, and why it is important, as well as presenting ideas about how we can study the Web as both a technical and social phenomenon. We will use this discussion to explore the opportunities and challenges posed by the increasing need for interdisciplinary research undertaken by international teams to tackle the major problems faced by the world today. Researchers are increasingly using the power of social networking tools to undertake their work.

The role of government is crucial in setting policies to create an environment in which such research can flourish but in the age of networks universities may also have to radically change in order to facilitate such exciting and necessary developments and better train people to meet the needs of businesses in the future.

Opportunity: Exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2010, c/d 31 July 2009

2009-07-31T17:17:00.000+01:00

The Royal Society is inviting proposals from commercial and academic organisiations for the 2010 Summer Science Exhibition, its most prestigious annual event. 2010 is the Royal Society’s 350th anniversary and to celebrate, the Society is holding an extended annual Summer Science Exhibition at the Southbank Centre in London from 26 June - 4 July 2010. Surrounded by a packed 9-day festival of events, the Exhibition will form the high-profile centrepiece of the Society’s anniversary year.

More information about the Exhibition, including FAQs, selection criteria, and an on-line proposal form, is available at Propose an exhibit via the Society's website. Closing date 31 July 2009.

Opportunity: British Engineering Excellence Awards, c/d 31 July 2009

2009-07-31T16:20:00.000+01:00

The British Engineering Excellence Awards have been launched to celebrate the UK's engineering succeses. Entries will be scrutinised by a high level independent panel of judges, and winners will be presented with their awards on 1 October 2009 at the Globe, London.

The Awards are open to any business with a design engineering function, which has shown measurable innovation within the judging period of January 1st 2008 - June 30th 2009. Categories include Start Up of the Year, Small Company of the Year, Design Engineer of the Year and New Product of the Year.

The awards are free to enter, entries should be made online by the closing date of 31 July 2009.

Opportunity: BBSRC Strategy Panels and Research Committees, c/d 9 June 2009

2009-06-09T16:39:00.001+01:00

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is looking to appoint high calibre, committed individuals from the academic and industrial sectors to its Strategy Panels. The Strategy Panels advise BBSRC on how best to deliver world class basic and strategic science. There are seven BBSRC Strategy Panels, including Bioscience for Industry and Bioscience for Society.

Members are drawn from universities, research institutes, Government departments and industrial user organisations, and BBSRC is keen to appoint members to the Panels with experience of industry relevant to the BBSRC Mission, particularly in the areas of food security and bioenergy.

Appointments are for one year in the first instance, with a minimum time commitment of two two-day meetings a year and time for grant review. An attendance fee of £170 per day and reasonable travelling expenses is payable.

Further details, including the Expression of Interest form is available on the BBSRC website. The deadline for applications is 9 June 2009.

Opportunity: NERC’s Science and Innovation Strategy Board (SISB, c/d 8 June 2009

2009-06-08T10:38:00.001+01:00

NERC, the Natural Environment Research Council is inviting self-nominated applications for membership of its Science and Innovation Strategy Board from across the NERC science domain. The SISB is the key source of advice to NERC on science and innovation matters. For the 2009 round, applications from those with expertise in physics, atmospheric sciences, geo- and palaeochemistry, marine biogeochemistry, geophysics, ecology, solar and terrestrial physics or a relevant business sector background would be particularly welcome. All applications will be considered on merit. Deadline for applications, which should be made via the NERC website: 8 June 2009.

Opportunity: London Technology Fund Competition 2009, c/d 30 May 2009

2009-05-30T08:15:00.000+01:00

The London Technology Fund Competition 2009 is seeking entries. Prizes include a share of up to £1m in investment funding, over 100,000 worth of training and advice and a ‘speed dating’ event offering the opportunity to meet major technology corporates.The company must be based in London; be an SME; be at the seed stage (having an idea), start-up stage (prior to trading) or early stage of development (and still losing money at the pre-tax level); be operating in one of the following areas of technology: communications, computer (hardware, semiconductors and software), internet technology, other electronics related areas, biotechnology, medical (instruments, pharmaceuticals and healthcare), emerging technologies, energy, environment, physical sciences and engineering, new materials, and value added manufacturing. The deadline for submission of entries is 30th May 2009. Winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held on 4th November 2009.

Early applicants (those entering before the end of March) will also receive a free copy of the publication Sources of Finance and Advice for SMEs in London, which features the R&D Society.

Opportunity: Royal Society Hauksbee Awards, c/d 29 May 2009

2009-05-29T18:04:00.000+01:00

The Royal Society is delighted to invite nominations for the Hauksbee Awards; a new set of awards developed to recognise the unsung heroes of science, as part of the Royal Society’s 350th anniversary celebrations.

These awards have been created to recognise and reward individuals who excel in their roles supporting UK science. The awards are open to any individual working to support science research or education (eg laboratory technicians) in categories including universities, industry and the public sector.

Nominations are invited from senior colleagues and consist of a completed nomination form and a recent CV of the nominee. The winners will receive a Royal Society engraved bronze medal and a £500 gift, presented at an award ceremony in February 2010.

More information about the awards, including the nomination form and selection criteria can be found at royalsociety.org/hauksbee. The deadline for nominations is Friday 29 May 2009.

Event: research connection 2009, Prague, 7 and 8 May 2009

2009-05-07T08:31:00.000+01:00

The European Commission is holding a conference, research connection 2009, in Prague on 7 and 8 May 2009, for scientists, entrepreneurs and researchers interested in research and innovation. The European Commission budget for research and innovation is increasing each year, and the conference aims to give participants first-hand information about priorities, objectives and participation rules. The participation fee will be €50 for the two days. One-day passes will be available for €30.

Funding: Scottish Enterprise/RSE Enterprise Fellowships c/d 24 April 2009

2009-04-24T14:43:00.001+01:00

Researchers in Scottish universities can apply for a Scottish Enterprise/RSE Enterprise Fellowship to develop a spin-out business around technological ideas. These Fellowships will be tenable for a period of one year commencing on or around October 2009. The aims to increase the commercialisation of the Scottish academic research base, raise understanding of commercialisation throughout Scottish universities and research institutes, and to create sustainable companies with high-value jobs. The programme is funded by Scottish Enterprise and delivered by the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Apply via their website, closing date 24 April 2009.

UK Research Councils' Knowledge Transfer Portal and consultation launched

2009-03-26T22:45:00.000Z

The UK Research Councils, RCUK, have launched a Knowledge Transfer Portal to help researchers and businesses find funding for knowledge transfer opportunities. Intended as a 'one-stop-shop' to give details of all seven research councils' knowledge transfer schemes and activities and how to get involved into four areas: Collaborative Research; Collaborative Training; People Exchange; and Commercialisation and Development.

The Research Councils are also seeking personal responses to a consultation on their Knowledge Transfer schemes, activities and mechanisms. They would like individuals to complete 16 questions by June 2009 to report to the Research Councils Knowledge Transfer and Economic Impact Group in the Autumn. Responses may be made online.

R&D Society PR: Government must pick winners, issued 4 March 2009

2009-03-24T12:13:00.001Z

Government must pick winners

R&D Society meeting on "Why choose the UK as a location for corporate R&D?"
With Tony Meggs (Chair); Jackie Hunter, GlaxoSmithKline; Ric Parker, Rolls Royce; Michael Walker, Vodafone

The Government must be prepared to pick winners in its science and innovation policy if it is to get maximum economic benefit out of the excellent research base in the UK, concluded the latest R&D Society meeting, held on Monday night. There was clear support for the Government's new policy to pick winners in areas of high growth potential, where the UK has a competitive advantage and could realistically be number 1 or 2 in the world. However, there was concern about the decision-making process and about whether the Government could be sufficiently "joined-up" to follow through and purchase the results of the R&D.

The meeting was chaired by Tony Meggs, former Group Vice President for technology at BP. In his opening remarks Tony said that the UK needed to improve its cross-disciplinary and inter-university collaborations to be able to tackle major global issues, referring to his experience of this being done much more effectively in the USA. He also picked out new energy technologies for special attention, saying that "it is all very well for the Government to want the UK to be the leader in R&D for sustainable energy, but this needs to be supported by an industrial infrastructure and a strong Government policy to adopt new energy technologies".

Jackie Hunter, Senior Vice President of GlaxoSmithKline welcomed the Government's new focus on picking winning areas to support through its science and innovation policy. Jackie said "the UK needs to focus and to be prepared to seize opportunities" and added that "we need a thriving biotechnology industry supported by intelligent and strategic Government policy".

Ric Parker, Director of Research and Technology at Rolls Royce suggested that the Government should look at President Obama's substantial increases in the science budget and argued that maintaining current spending levels was not sufficient to maintain the UK's international competitiveness. He said that rather than reducing VAT, “the Government should invest in R&D to achieve the same short-term stimulus, but with long-term strategic benefits”.

Professor Michael Walker, Group R&D Director of Vodafone, was critical of short-term thinking in the UK and urged the Government to invest in opportunities with potential to be world leading. “If we have a world-leading position, we should invest in it.” While welcoming the Government's intention to pick winners, he urged that the Government take care to use the right processes. “The science and engineering base, including industry, must be heavily involved – they know where we could be better ”. Mike picked out Mobile VCE, the Virtual Centre of Excellence in Mobile & Personal Communications, supported equally by Industry and EPSRC, as a model for effective collaborative R&D.

The panel and event attendees praised the UK’s international strengths, especially our science base, which produces talented researchers and world-leading “blue skies” research. The UK’s multicultural society encourages and enables companies to bring researchers from across the world to UK-based research departments. Staff in companies and universities were also praised for their ability to accept innovative and creative methods of working together. However, this was tempered by concern that Full Economic Cost (FEC) requirements – where universities recover the full cost of research cooperation from research partners – could hamper university/business collaboration. Businesses appreciated the necessity to cover costs, but thought that an across-the-board requirement for FEC recovery did not recognise the full range of benefits that business-university collaboration brings. The meeting agreed that the Government should offer FEC “top-ups” of around 20% for university/industry collaboration, which would support industry, universities and stimulate economic growth.

Before the meeting, David Kingham, Chairman of the R&D Society said "Globalisation is a critical challenge, and a key opportunity for UK research and development. With companies now operating on a global scale, they can choose to locate their R&D functions anywhere in the world. Countries are competing to attract these high-value, high-skill jobs. The UK has a strong tradition of corporate R&D from British and foreign-owned companies and a world-renowned science base. But is that enough for the future?"

Reflecting after the meeting, David Kingham said: "The purpose of our meeting was to give originally British, but increasingly global, companies based on science and technology the opportunity to express their views on R&D in the UK. We were delighted by the forthright views expressed, but it does raise a concern about whether Government policy makers are really listening and paying attention."

David Kingham continued: "it is clear that while there is strong support for the Government to be bold and pick some winners, this should be extra investment in selected areas and not come at the expense of basic science. Meanwhile there are grounds for concern about the process for picking winners and about whether the Government will then be sufficiently joined-up to then purchase the winning new technologies that it has supported."

Notes for Editors

The Research and Development Society is a UK-based organisation which aims to promote the better understanding of R&D in all its forms and to make the UK the best place in the world for R&D. It is unique in the UK in covering all types of business and industry with an interest in R&D, enabling common issues and solutions to be discovered, shared and solved. With a membership spread across the full range of UK R&D community, it holds regular meetings on a wide variety of topics relating to innovation and R&D management best practice. The R&D Society’s administration is provided by the Royal Society, but the R&D Society is independent, being a company limited by guarantee funded and run by its members through a Board of Directors, chaired by Dr David Kingham.
Future meetings of the R&D Society in April and May will feature David Willetts, Shadow Minister of Science and Innovatuion and Lord Drayson, Minister of Science and Innovation, respectively.

UK R&D Scoreboard and EU Innovation Scoreboards published

2009-02-26T10:27:00.001Z

The 2008 DIUS R&D Scoreboard, which is endorsed by the R&D Society, published on 26 January 2009, reports on the patterns and trends of the 850 largest corporate spenders of R&D in the UK and the 1,400 companies in the world most active in R&D, based on R&D expenditure reported in company accounts.

The Scoreboard reports that the 850 top-spending UK firms spent £21.6 billion on R&D - a rise of 6.4 per cent on the previous scoreboard. The 1,400 companies in the world that spent the most on R&D increased their expenditure by 9.4% to £274 billion. 79% of this expenditure was by companies based in the USA, Japan, Germany, France and the UK. The figures were for the financial year before the current recession. The R&D Society has commented on the publication of the Scoreboard, urging the Government to maintain and improve their efforts to support UK R&D.

The EU Innovation Scoreboard, released 22 January 2009, compared the 27 EU countries' performance on innovation on 29 individual indicators of innovation, entrepreneurship and knowledge creation and intellectual property. The Scoreboard reports that the UK is one of six "Innovation leaders", grouped with Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Denmark.

The R&D Society provides short summaries of both these scoreboards, and other indicators of the UK's R&D performance on its website.

2008 R&D Scoreboard published - R&D Society comments "Government must help UK R&D"

2009-02-26T10:20:00.002Z

Responding to the publication today (26 January 2009) by DIUS and BERR of the 2008 R&D Scoreboard, David Kingham, Chairman of the R&D Society, commented "The overall rise in R&D expenditure by the top 850 UK companies of 6% to £21.6 billion is welcome news, and shows continued confidence in UK companies of the value of R&D to their business. The news that the top 88 UK companies, who also rank in the top 1,400 global investors of R&D, increased their R&D investment by 10.3%, is offset by the Scoreboard’s findings that the remaining companies outside the top 88 grew their R&D by just 1.2% - a fall in real terms."

David Kingham continued, "It is not clear from the Scoreboard whether this reflects cuts in R&D activity or smarter spending by these companies, increasing their R&D efficiency. Given that these figures are from a time period prior to the current recession, we urge the Government to keep a close eye on the R&D activities of UK companies, and maintain and improve their efforts to support UK R&D. "

David Kingham concluded, "We endorse the R&D Scoreboard as a useful tool to enable companies to benchmark their R&D efforts with their peers. Investment in R&D is necessary for the long-term growth of many companies, and now is not the time for the Government to be distracted by short term financial difficulties at the expense of long-term, R&D-based improvements."

Update 27 January 2009: Coverage in Research Fortnight, ScienceBusiness, and The Engineer.

Opportunity: Board Members - Technology Strategy Board, c/d 16 Feb 2009

2009-02-16T23:54:00.000Z

The Technology Strategy Board is an independent Government body with responsibility for encouraging innovation in the UK, through investment and development programmes such as the Knowledge Transfer Networks.

The Technology Strategy Board is governed by a Board chaired by Graham Spittle. Board members establish the overall strategic direction of the Technology Strategy Board. Several positions on the Governing Board are available.

They require Board members who have knowledge and experience of the exploitation of science, technology and new ideas by business knowledge and Board members with experience of a range of key specified technologies.

The role requires a time commitment of around eighteen days per year, for between two and four years and offers a remiuneration of £9180 per annum.

For full details of the role requirements and how to apply, see the Public Appointments website. Closing date for applications is 16 Feb 2009.

Opportunity: NESTA Trustee, c/d 13 Feb 2009

2009-02-13T19:49:00.000Z

NESTA, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, is a publicly-funded body responsible for fostering UK innovation.

They are seeking a Trustee with financial expertise who will also serve as Chair of the Finance & Audit Committee. Therole requires a commitment of 2.5 days per month for an appointment of four years, with an annual remuneration of £9000 plus travel.

See the Public Appointments website for full details of the role and application process. Closing date: 13 February 2009

Opportunity: East of England and East MIdlands RDA Board members wanted, c/d 11 February 2009

2009-02-11T19:40:00.000Z

The Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) are Government-funded bodies which work on a regional basis to further economic development and regeneration, promote business and employment and general regional economic development. The RDAs are goverened by boards of directors, which are appointed by BERR.

Two Regional Development Agencies require Board members - the East of England and the East Midlands. The position requires a minimum of two days a month for an initial period of three years, with a remuneration of £8,538 per annum.

They are looking for applicants with "sound, high level business background and are committed to, and enthusiastic about, the economic development and regeneration of your region" and "strategic thinkers with strong communication, representational and influencing skills, plus the capacity to provide critical challenge in order to help ensure the RDA delivers economic impact and value for money. ".

Please see the RDA Appointments website for details, including an email address and phone number to request an application pack. Closing date: 11 February 2009.

Event: Ministers taking questions on Science and Innovation, 28 January 2009

2009-01-28T12:02:00.000Z

10 Downing Street's Twitter account reports that:

How can science & innovation build a better Britain? Ministers taking your questions for panel debate Weds. Tweet q's to @sciencesowhat

To send in your questions, use (or sign up for) a free Twitter account and post a message beginning with @sciencesowhat followed by your question, eg:

@sciencesowhat My question?

Twitter messages must be no more than 140 characters long, including the "@sciencesowhat". And while you are there, remember that the R&D Society has a Twitter account - be sure to follow us for latest news.

Opportunity: I'm a Scientist, Get me out of Here!

2009-01-17T17:47:00.000Z

I’m a Scientist, Get me out of Here! is an online event for GCSE and A Level students, which gets young people talking to real scientists, learning about How Science Works (HSW) and science careers.

During the event, five scientists in each group compete for prize money to publicise their work. They put up information on the I’m a Scientist website and talk to school students online – answering questions and having live chats. The young people then vote for who they think should get the money.

Following a successful pilot project, I'm a Scientist... will run again in March and June 2009. They are looking for scientists to take part, talking to school students and developing their communication skills. Scientists are welcome to register their interest on the project website, which has full details of the role and requirements of the participating scientists.

Opportunity: NERC Peer Review College, c/d 9 January 2009

2009-01-09T17:00:00.000Z

NERC, the UK Government funding adgency for the natural and environmental sciences, is inviting nominations for membership to its affiliate Peer Review College to help review funding proposals. ‘Affiliate’ membership will be of interest to those individuals who use the results of research, commission or oversee research activities or undertake policy-making, business or regulatory activities. Affiliate members provide an important user perspective on the value and benefits of knowledge exchange (KE) activities, the aim of which is to encourage collaboration and interaction between research organisations and those who make use of research outcomes. Affiliate members will also have a key role in assessing the newly introduced KE plans for responsive mode applications. The closing date for nominations is 9 January 2009. Further information on the Peer Review College, and a nomination form, is on the NERC website.

Opportunity: Expert Group for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), c/d 5 January 2009

2009-01-05T17:35:00.000Z

New members are sought to join an Expert Group for Women in STEM which reports to the Government's Department for Innovation, Universities and skills (DIUS). The Group advises the Government on developments and strategy for women in STEM. The Group advises, participates and initiates activities to achieve a supportive workplace across all STEM employment areas (industry, government, NGOs academia and education).

Applications are welcomed from those in the STEM field and the wider science community with an interest in gender and diversity issues. Membership to the group is unpaid, although reasonable travel expenses for attending meetings will be reimbursed. The closing date for applications is Monday 5 January 2009. See the full advertisement for how to apply.

Policy input: E-Forum for Parliamentary Inquiry into Engineering, c/d 9 December 2008

2008-12-09T23:00:00.000Z

The House of Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee is conducting an inquiry into Engineering.

The Committee is keen to hear, via its new e-forum on engineering, directly from those who are studying engineering, are considering doing so, or who are working in engineering. The web-forum offers participants the opportunity to express their opinions on whether engineering a good career choice, what inspired them to consider a career in engineering, whether their education prepared them for a career in engineering and what they would do to improve engineering in the UK.

The House of Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee is a Select Committee of Parliament, and scrutinises the work and policies relating to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Although its reports and recommendations are not binding, they must be responded to by the Department, and are influentual. For each inqury it undertakes, it gathers evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews. In this case, the Committee is specifically seeking input from engineers in the UK.

Views posted online will inform the recommendations the Committee makes to the Government in its final report. It is therefore a valuable opportunity to contribute to the formulation of policy affecting the future of UK engineering.

The forum will run from midday on 28 October 2008 to 9 December 2008.

Opportunity: Queen's awards for Enterprise, Innovation, c/d 31 October 2008

2008-10-31T20:27:00.000Z

Businesses can apply for The Queen's Awards for Enterprise in one or more of three categories - International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development. Individuals can be nominated for The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion, which recognises people who have played an outstanding and significant role in promoting enterprise skills and attitudes in others in the UK. The closing date for applications, which can be made online, is midnight on 31 October 2008. Corporate member De La Rue received the Queen's Awards for Enterprise: Innovation 2007, for its StarChromeTM wide windowed optically variable banknote security thread.

Opportunity: Exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2009, c/d 20 October 2008

2008-10-20T17:00:00.000+01:00

The Royal Society is inviting proposals from commercial and academic organisiations for the 2009 Summer Science Exhibition, its most prestigious annual event. The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2009 will take place from Tuesday 30 June - Saturday 4 July at the Royal Society in London. The Royal Society’s Summer Science Committee selects around 20-25 teams to share the excitement of their research with a wider audience including the public, post-16 and potential university students, scientists, policy makers, MPs, captains of industry, representatives from funding bodies and research councils, teachers and the wider scientific community. It also attracts a great deal of media interest so it is a chance to really put your institution in the scientific spotlight. Typically, over 4,000 visitors attend the exhibition each year and in 2008 there were over 14,000 visitors to the Exhibition’s website. Propose an exhibit via the Society's website by the closing date of 20 October 2008.

Opportunity: ESRC Council Member vacancy, c/d 10 October 2008

2008-10-10T12:22:00.000+01:00

ESRC, the Economic and Social Research Council, has a vacancy for a Council member member from the private sector, to start in 2009. The requirements include substantial and ongoing high level management experience within the private sector and awareness of the impact of economic and/or social science research in the sector and in wider society. The role requires a commitment of around 28 days per year, and is paid. Details and an application form are on the BERR website. The closing date is 10 October 2008.

Opportunity: Design Council Board Member vacancy, c/d 5 October 2008

2008-10-05T12:30:00.000+01:00

The Design Council is the publicly-funded body responsible for promoting design in the UK, including the role of design in R&D. It is seeking a Board Member to help govern the organisation. Board Members should be successful and widely respected individuals with a significant track record of organisational leadership in the private or public sector, with a commitment to and appreciation of design. The time commitment is 8-10 days per year, and is unpaid. For further details, and to apply, see the Public Appointments website. Closing date 5 October 2008.

Opportunity: Academic Enterprise Awards Europe 2008, c/d 30 September 2008

2008-09-30T17:34:00.001+01:00

The Academic Enterprise Awards Europe 2008 are open for nominations, closing date 30 September 2008. There are three types of award: five awards for spin-outs (for spin-out companies based on ideas developed at universities and public research institutes in Europe); one for fast start early-stage entrepreneurship(for a promising but as-yet unproven spin-out based on ideas developed at universities and public research institutes in Europe); and the Bridge Award for promoting entrepreneurship (to an individual who has done the most to promote policies for entrepreneurship in university or public research institutions) . Nominations close 30 September 2008, multiple nominations are permitted.

Opportunity: Women of outstanding achievement 2009, c/d 19 September 2008

2008-09-19T18:00:00.000+01:00

The UKRC’s Women of Outstanding Achievement awards profile outstanding women within science, engineering and technology. There are three categories: 1 - Communication of SET with, and contribution to, society; 2 - SET discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship; 3 - SET leadership and inspiration to others. Six winners will be chosen. All women in science, engineering and technology and the built environment in the UK are eligible for entry. The UKRC is particularly keen for women in industry to be nominated.

Previous winners include Rebecca George of IBM, Ijeoma Uchegbu of the London School of Pharmacy, Julia King formerly of Rolls Royce, and Sima Adhya of QinetiQ. Nominations should be made using the nomination form, with a 600 word nomination statement explaining why the candidate should receive the award, and received by UKRC by 19 September 2008.

Events: UK - Tax Relief for Innovation, 15 September 2008, London

2008-09-15T10:21:00.000+01:00

UK Trade & Investment is running a seminar at Imperial College London on how to understand tax credits for companies who are being innovative. "With some of the most experienced companies in the country presenting at this seminar, and a High Court Barrister presenting on Intellectual Property Rights, the opportunity to learn about these systems and procedures through real life examples and experts in the field, will give you the edge over your competitors when it comes to applying for tax relief, protecting, exporting and profiting from your innovations." The seminar runs from 5.30pm to 8.30pm on 15 Seotember 2008 and costs £41.13 per person (including VAT). See PDF flyer or booking form for further information.

Funding: EU Eco-Innovation Funding Call, c/d 11 Sep 2008

2008-09-11T14:11:00.000+01:00

This call supports eco-innovative projects in different sectors which aim at the prevention or reduction of environmental impacts or which contribute to the optimal use of resources. The deadline for applications is 11th September 2008. Part of this call seeks:

Innovative building processes or products that reduce environmental impact and/or support a rational use of natural resources.
Green building techniques that leverage the use of recycled materials and renewable sources. New water-saving systems such as rainwater collection, grey water use, green roofs. Sustainable construction, maintenance, repair, retrofitting or demolition techniques.

There is more information and some useful guidance from a series of presentations (pdf files - UK in Farnham in May).

(Information courtesy of the MBE KTN)

Opportunity: O2 X Award for Technology & Innovation c/d 1 September 2008

2008-09-01T16:50:00.000+01:00

O2 is inviting entries from small businesses (1-50 employees) for the O2 X Awards. Prizes include £10,000 for the overall winner of the O2 X Entrepreneur of the Year Award, with four category winners (for Fashion, Food and Drink, Music, and Technology and Innovation) receiving business mentoring from an industry figure from their category and a profile within one of this year’s media partner publications, Grazia, Music Week, Observer Food Monthly or Shortlist. Entries should be made online by 1 September 2008.

Opportunity: Chair, Technology Strategy Board, c/d 29 August 2008

2008-08-29T17:00:00.001+01:00

The current Chair of the Technology Strategy Board is Graham Spittle, whose appointment is due to expire on 30 November 2008 and applications are being sought until 29 August 2008.

The Chair of the Technology Strategy Board is appointed by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills. The Chair’s role is, in general, to provide effective strategic leadership of the Technology Strategy Board and to speak on behalf of the Board. The Chair will work closely with the full-time Chief Executive Officer, who is the Technology Strategy Board’s Accounting Officer, and a Board of up to 14 members, leading the Technology Strategy Board in pursuit of its mission. The Chief Executive has executive responsibility for the day-to-day operations and administration of the Technology Strategy Board and also represents for the Board in public in relation to agreed policies and programmes. The role requires at least 24 days work per year, and is paid. Full details are on the Public Appointments website.

Policy Input: Royal Society policy study: Innovation in services, the role of science, technology, engineering & maths, c/d 18 August 2008

2008-08-18T18:00:00.001+01:00

The Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science, has opened a study on the role of science, technology, engineering & maths (STEM) in services sector innovation and has issued a ‘call for evidence’ to solicit views on some key questions. R&D Society members and contacts are encouraged to respond.

Services account for approximately 70% of the UK economy and include some of the country’s most innovative and highest performing sectors – financial services, business support services, retail and the creative industries among them. Although there is growing recognition of the importance of innovation in services, understanding of the role of STEM and other related disciplines in services sector innovation remains poor.

This policy study will consider evidence of interactions between STEM and services organisations with a focus on the nature, extent and role of these engagements in services sector innovation processes. The Royal Society is interested in areas of success, areas of current weakness and ‘fertile areas’ of the UK services economy, in which innovative capabilities could be scaled up or accelerated with the help of STEM.

The main objective is to develop policy recommendations on ways to enhance the contribution of STEM to services sector innovation.

Separate “calls for evidence” have been produced for firms (services organisations and trade bodies (from the private, public or voluntary sector)) and academics (research and academic institutions). These request answers to specific questions by email to nicola.berkley@royalsociety.org by 18 August 2008. You are encouraged to respond. You do not need to answer all the questions – you may answer as many or as few as you are willing or able to do. Indeed, if there are other important issues not addressed by the call for evidence, the Royal Society would be grateful to have them pointed out.

For firms, the most important questions are as follows – see the “call for evidence for firms (pdf file)” for details of all of them:

3. At which point(s) in your organisation’s value chain does STEM contribute to innovation? How does the STEM input at this/these point/s impact innovation in your organisation? If possible, please describe the importance of the contribution of STEM in comparison to other factors in innovation in your organisation.

4. What mechanisms does your organisation use to support engagement with the STEM community in universities and research institutes? (For example journals, industry-university consortia, conferences, collaborative research programmes supported by the Research Councils).

Do your organisation’s innovation needs steer research activity in academia? If yes, how is academic research changing in response to these needs?
Has engagement with the universities helped to shape the academic curriculum?

5. Please tell us about scientifically trained people employed in your organisation. Among other things we are interested in:

Numbers/proportions of employees who are STEM graduates or scientifically trainedT
The kinds of roles they occupy and how this has changed in the last five to ten years
Whether STEM graduates/postgraduates are meeting your requirements
Whether you expect your organisation’s STEM skills needs to change (qualitatively or quantitatively) in the next five to ten years (and if so, why)

6. Please tell us about the influence of service users or customers on innovation in your organisation. Among other things we are interested in:

Whether and how you involve users/customers in your innovation processes
How STEM can help your organisation to understand consumer needs and their responses to service innovations
Whether developments in STEM (e.g. ICT) are driving customer demand for, and consumption of, innovative services

7. We are interested in ‘fertile areas’ of the service economy in which the UK could develop, accelerate or scale-up innovative service capabilities. Please describe two or three important business opportunities or strategic challenges faced by your organisation that would require new or different offerings from the STEM community. If appropriate, please expand on any developments relating to innovative capabilities in the following areas (or any others):

Data – e.g. information management, data security, data analysis, data modelling and visualisation and supply chain logistics.
The interface between people and services – e.g. human responses and interactions with services and systems.
People and skills – the development and supply of appropriately skilled and entrepreneurial individuals.

9. What are the main barriers to further links between your organisation and the STEM community?

What steps could be taken by companies, universities or government to enhance the impact of STEM on innovation in the services sectors?

An electronic version of the call for evidence and more information can be found at: www.royalsociety.org/servicesinnovation The closing date for submissions is 18 August 2008 by email to nicola.berkley@royalsociety.org . The R&D Society office would welcome being copied in on submissions at rdsociety@royalsociety.org

R&D Society: Meeting fees waived for Individual Student members

2008-07-15T18:00:00.000+01:00

For a trial period, afternoon and evening meetings (excluding dinner) are free for Individual Student members.

Students at universities that are Corporate members pay the R&D Society Corporate member rate unless they are also Individual Student members.

This includes attendance at The 2008 Duncan Davies lecture: The challenges of the 21st century with Sir David King on the evening of Tuesday 15 July 2008, and the afternoon seminar ‘Green R&D’, Developing products for a low-carbon and sustainable future, also on 15 July 2008.

Individual Student membership is £15 for 1 July 2008 - 31 December 2008, and is open to all PhD, Masters and Undergraduate students - proof of status will be required. You can join online by credit or debit card, or follow with payment by cheque or cash.

R&D Society: Nominate now for the 2009 Duncan Davies Medal

2008-07-15T17:03:00.000+01:00

The Research and Development Society is accepting nominations for the 2009 Duncan Davies Medal.

Named in honour of past-President Duncan Davies, the medal is awarded annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution toward making the UK the best–performing research and development environment in the world. Previous recipients include Sir Richard Sykes, Sir Peter Williams, Lord Melvyn Bragg, Lord Sainsbury, Dame Bridget Ogilvie, Lord Kumar Bhattacharya, Sir Tom McKillop and Sir Robin Saxby.

The medal is presented at the Duncan Davies Medal Lecture, which is given annually by the recipient.

To nominate a recipient, complete the short nomination form by the closing date of noon on Tuesday 15 July 2008.

Policy input: Higher Education at Work – High Skills: High Value, c/d 7 July 2008

2008-07-07T18:00:00.000+01:00

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is consulting on its high level skills strategy, 'Higher Education at Work – High Skills: High Value'. The strategy wants to "equip the workforce with the skills required for an innovative and competitive economy." They define these as skills associated with higher education.

They are asking employers to answer questions such as

What incentives would encourage employers to be more involved in providing careers information, advice and guidance both before, and during university?
How can we encourage business people to be increasingly contributing directly to course content, design and teaching of university courses?
How can we do more to increase the level of STEM skills in the existing workforce?

You can find out more about the consultation at the'Higher Education at Work – High Skills: High Value'. To respond, fill out the Higher Education at Work online response form. You don't need to answer all the questions - answering only one or two questions is useful too. Responses are accepted until 7 July 2008.

Opportunity: London Technology Fund Competition 2008, c/d 30 June 2008

2008-06-30T16:50:00.000+01:00

The London Technology Fund Competition 2008 is seeking entries. Prizes include a share of up to £1m in investment funding, over 100,000 worth of training and advice and a ‘speed dating’ event offering the opportunity to meet major technology corporates.

The company must be based in London; be an SME; be at the seed stage (having an idea), start-up stage (prior to trading) or early stage of development (and still losing money at the pre-tax level); be operating in one of the following areas of technology: communications, computer (hardware, semiconductors and software), internet technology, other electronics related areas, biotechnology, medical (instruments, pharmaceuticals and healthcare), emerging technologies, energy, environment, physical sciences and engineering, new materials, and value added manufacturing.

The deadline for submission of entries is 30th June 2008. Winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held on 29th October 2008.

Events: John Denham, Ask the Minister web interview, closes 30 April 2008

2008-04-30T17:03:00.000+01:00

Do you have a question about the UK’s science policy? Scenta is canvassing for questions to ask Ian Pearson, the Minister for Science and Innovation with DIUS (the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills). The role of DIUS is to make Britain one of the best places in the world for science, research and innovation and to raise the level of education and skills to give the UK a competitive edge. Scenta will publish the best questions, along with the Minister's answer, on http://www.scenta.co.uk/.

You can submit a question via the Scenta website.

Opportunity: 2008 BA Media Fellowship scheme, c/d 31 March 2008

2008-03-31T18:00:00.001+01:00

Experience first hand how science is reported by spending 3-8 weeks on a summer placement gaining experience of working within a media organisation. Come away better equipped to communicate your research to the public and your colleagues. Learn to work within the constraints of the media to produce accurate, well-informed pieces about developments in science.

The BA Media Fellowships are intended to create a greater awareness and understanding of the workings of the media among practising scientists, clinicians, social scientists and engineers. The Fellowships provide placements working with a national press, broadcast or internet journalist. Previous hosts include The Guardian, The Times, BBC Radio and BBC News Interactive.

You are eligible to apply for the scheme if you:

are a scientist, clinician, social scientist or engineer
have a minimum of 2 years postgraduate experience in your field
are a resident of the UK
work at any level in an academic or research institution, industry, civil service or any other similar organisation

Details about the scheme, including an online application form can be found at www.the-ba.net/mediafellows Application deadline: 31 March 2008

Event: Open Innovation in Practice, London, 20 March 2008

2008-03-20T09:30:00.000Z

Open Innovation is a concept that in recent years has come to the forefront of innovation management. The concept of Open Innovation is that by looking outside their own boundaries, companies can gain better access to ideas, knowledge, technology and markets than would be the case if they relied solely on their own resources – a relatively uncomplicated theory which many people dismiss as being too simple or merely describing what they have been doing for years.

For the past two years, the Innovation Advisory Service for the South East of England has helped numerous companies to use Open Innovation to their advantage. Now there is an opportunity for companies to learn from this experience. On Thursday 20 March the Innovation Advisory Service South East is hosting a National Conference on Open Innovation in Practice at The Royal Society in London, where delegates will have the opportunity to hear from companies, both large and small, about how different elements of the Open Innovation model have worked for them.

The event includes speakers from General Dynamics UK, the Technology Strategy Board, Innovation Advisory Service South East, South East England Development Agency, BAE Systems; Thales Research and Technology and Balfour Beatty; and from growing innovative companies such as, Lein Applied Diagnostics; Jack Knight Designs Ltd and Wines Medical Ltd.

Further details, including the event programme, registration arrangements, and the cancellation fee are on the IASSE website.

Events: John Denham, Science and Innovation minister, webchat 13 March 2008

2008-03-13T13:30:00.003Z

John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skiils, will take part in a live webchat on 13 March 2008 at 13:30 GMT. John's remit includes increasing the supply of people in science, technology and engineering as well as developing a world-class research base in the UK. You can submit questions in advance of the event by entering your email address and clicking through to the question form. The website states that John "will take questions focusing on science and technology as the country celebrates National Science and Engineering Week from 7 to 16 March."

Funding: Royal Society Industry Fellowships 2008, cd 13 March 2008

2008-03-13T12:00:00.000Z

The Royal Society Industry Fellowship Scheme aims to foster knowledge transfer and exchange between academia and industry. The Fellowships provide the chance for scientists with permanent positions in industry or academia (or not-for-profit research organisations) to work for up to two years (full-time) or 4 years (part-time) in the other sector. The personal and corporate links forged will provide a foundation for future collaborative development. The fellowships are jointly funded with EPSRC, BBSRC, NERC, Rolls Royce plc and Astra Zeneca Ltd. Closing Dates: 18 October 2007 and 13 March 2008.

R&D Society in the media: Royal Society "A higher degree of concern" report published

2008-03-04T16:17:00.001Z

On 31 January 2008, the Royal Society published A higher degree of concern, the second and final phase of a project examining STEM higher education in the UK. It makes recommendations regarding how UK STEM higher education can remain fit for purpose into the middle of the next decade and beyond.

To enable organisations to submit evidence to the Royal Society's study, the Research and Development Society conducted a web-based survey of our members and contacts of the current and future needs of employers in science-based industries. The survey report, Higher Education in 2015 and beyond: will it meet our needs? is available for download for free from the R&D Society website.

One of the key findings of our survey was that respondents had no clear way of communicating their needs course curriculum organisers, but wanted to be able to. The Royal Society report (page 3) notes "emphasis needs to be placed on a collaborative approach to learning provision that ensures that businesses and other employers are engaged in curriculum development, course design and delivery."

The full report. A higher degree of concern, and a short executive summary, are available to download from the Royal Society website.

Funding: NERC Knowledge Transfer Call, c/d 4 March 2008

2008-03-04T16:00:00.000Z

NERC is inviting applications for the first round of the 2008 Knowledge Transfer Call, with a closing date of 4 March (4pm). The KT Call helps maximise the transfer of knowledge, people, skills and expertise between the UK's research base and the user community (public and private sector organisations). The Call is flexible, to cater for the many types of knowledge flow. The next round will have a closing date of 5 August. The KT Call is open to applicants based in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), NERC Research and Collaborative Centres, and Independent Research Organisations (IROs) approved by NERC. Applications should fall within the NERC science remit. Examples of networks which have been funded through the Knowledge Transfer Call, to exchange ideas and knowledge between the science and user communities are on the NERC website.

R&D Society events: Open Innovation afternoon seminar and keynote evening talk, 19 February 2008

2008-02-19T20:00:00.000Z

On 19 February 2008, the R&D Society's events examine Open Innovation - what it is, and how it can benefit your business and the UK economy.

In the afternoon seminar, Perspectives on Open Innovation - New approaches to the management and exploitation of R&D, four speakers, chaired by Dr Andrew Mackintosh, will focus on Open Innovation and different organisational perspectives. Between them, Richard Halkett, Executive Director, Policy & Research Unit, NESTA, Dr Neil A MacGilp, Group Technical Director, SABMiller, Professor Colin Whitehouse, Deputy Chief Executive of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, Dr Treve Willis, Director of the Innovation Advisory Service South East will introduce the concepts of Open Innovation, explain the approaches being taken to successful open innovation, and discuss the important role that Open Innovation has to play in future innovation policy,

The seminar will be followed by an evening talk and discussion dinner on "Philips and the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven - Opening up corporate innovation" with Dr. Ronald M. Wolf, Senior Business Development Manager, Philips. He will discuss Philips' Open Innovation and internal venturing structures, which are widely considered to be world-class.

The meeting fee for the afternoon event is £25 for R&D Society members, or £50 for non-members, including refreshments. The meeting fee for R&D Society members is £20 for the event only; or £65 for the event and dinner. For non-members and guests the meeting fee is £40 for the event only, or £85 for the event and dinner. Book by completing the online form and follow with payment online or by post.

Funding: 1851 Commission Industrial Fellowships 2008, cd 31 January 2008

2008-01-31T12:00:00.000Z

The 1851 Commission offers eight Industrial Fellowships to fund the placement of industry employees in UK universities, to conduct a research programme that will benefit both the company and the academic partner. The scheme is targeted to recent graduates in engineering, science or medicine, and all areas of industry are eligible. One Fellowship is offered in the electro-technology sector in cooperation with the ERA Foundation. The Fellowship contributes toward salary costs, university fees and overseas travel costs. Closing date for applications is 31 January 2008.

Policy input: Parliament enquiry into Biosecurity in UK research laboratories, c/d 26 January 2008

2008-01-26T12:00:00.000Z

The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is seeking written evidence for its enquiry on Biosecurity in UK research laboratories. Issues to be examined include the current capacity for research on dangerous pathogenic material in the UK and the capability to conduct research on the causative agents of disease that may emerge at a future time and the state of biological containment facilities in the UK. The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is a Select Committee of Parliament, and scrutinises the work and policies relating to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Although its reports and recommendations are not binding, but must be responded to by the Department, and are influentual. For each inqury it undertakes, it asks for written evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews. Anyone may submit written evidence, which should be written specially for the Committee, and should be brief. Evidence for this enquiry should be submitted by noon on Friday 26 January 2008 in the format described on the Biosecurity in UK research laboratories webpage.

Policy input: Parliament enquiry into renewable electricity generation technologies, c/d 15 January 2008

2008-01-15T12:05:00.000Z

The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is seeking written evidence for its enquiry on Renewable electricity generation technologies. Issues to be examined include the current state of UK research and development in, and the deployment of, renewable electricity-generation technologies; public funding, and other support, for the development of renewable electricity-generation technologies and incentives for technology transfer; the establishment and role of the Energy Technologies Institute; commercialising renewable technologies; and whether the UK has the skills base to underpin the development of renewable technology. The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is a Select Committee of Parliament, and scrutinises the work and policies relating to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Although its reports and recommendations are not binding, but must be responded to by the Department, and are influentual. For each inqury it undertakes, it asks for written evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews. Anyone may submit written evidence, which should be written specially for the Committee, and should be brief. Evidence for this enquiry should be submitted by noon on Friday 15 January 2008 in the format described on the Renewable electricity generation technologies webpage.

Opportunity: Industrial Mathematics Internships from Industrial Mathematics KTN

2007-12-31T12:00:00.000Z

The Knowledge Transfer Network for Industrial Mathematics has launched a new programme of Industrial Mathematics Internships. Each Internship is a collaboration between a host company, an Intern, and a research group within a university. This will allow companies and university research groups to promote direct knowledge exchange and develop long-term working relationships, through engaging a dedicated postgraduate researcher to work on a specific industrial project over a period of 3-6 months.

A pilot of 6 Internships will run between September 2007 and August 2008 and is jointly founded by EPSRC. Each Internship will last between 3 and 6 months and will be supported by one of the KTN’s Technology Translators. Apply through the Industrial Mathematics Internships website. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Policy input: Fast-track patent application process c/d 14 December 2007

2007-12-14T12:00:00.000Z

The Gowers Report on Intellectual Property recommended that the UK Intellectual Property Office (formerly the Patent Office) provide new accelerated services for processing patent and trade mark applications. The Intellectual Property Office are now consulting on proposed new fast track services for patents and trade marks, both of which will be available to all applicants upon payment of a fee. The consultation document lists several questions that they would like you to answer one or more of, by email or post, including which of their fee structures proposed you'd prefer, and what you think the minimum period for filing third party observations on patent applications should be. The deadline for responses is 14 December 2007.

Event: GenSight Executive Seminar: Optimising Portfolio Management through Effective Project Selection, 29 November 2007

2007-11-29T09:00:00.000Z

The theme of this day seminar at the Institute of Directors, London, will be how organisations can more strategically manage project portfolios to optimise constrained resources and achieve alignment with corporate goals. Attendees will leave this seminar with a wealth of stimulating ideas on how to enhance strategic alignment, flexibility, efficiency, risk reduction and value creation. Speakers will be addressing:

How to achieve portfolio balance to deliver strategic goals.
How to manage portfolio performance to reduce risk and increase value
Resource planning and optimisation methods
Enhanced governance
Accelerating project throughput
Enhancing information quality to improve project control

This event is free to attend, and is open to senior executives involved in New Product Development and R & D, Strategic Programme Management, Strategic Planning, Portfolio Management and Project Based Investment. To register, email terry.cummings@gensight.com with your name, job title, company details, phone number and that you saw details of the event on the R&D Society website.

R&D Society in the media: DIUS 2007 R&D Scoreboard

2007-11-28T14:15:00.001Z

The annual R&D Scoreboard, produced for the first time by the new Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, has just been published, with endorsement from the Research and Development Society.

It reports on the patterns and trends of the 850 largest corporate spenders of R&D in the UK and the 1,250 companies in the world most active in R&D in 2006, based on R&D expenditure reported in company accounts. It reports that the 850 UK firms spent almost £21 billion on R&D - a rise of 9 per cent. The 75 biggest firms increased their R&D spend by 12 per cent, in part due to the UK world-leading status in pharmaceutical R&D. This growth is mainly due to increases in the pharmaceuticals, fixed line telecommunications, and aerospace and defence and banking. These 75 firms account for two-thirds of the £21 billion spend, with the remaining 775 firms increasing R&D spend by only 3.4% compared with last year.

Figures for smaller firms show 95 more firms invested over £0.5m in R&D compared with last year, and invest more in R&D as a proportion of sales than their larger peers. Listed companies (ie those with shareholders) increased their R&D by 12.4% compared with a 0.9% increase for unlisted companies. The top UK sectors by R&D spend were pharmaceuticals, aerospace and defence, software, fixed line telecommunications, automobiles and banks. The sectors that saw the greatest increases in R&D expenditure were travel and leisure, fixed line telecommunications, mining, mobile telecommunications, household goods and banking.

Our event on 22 November 2007 will explore these issues and more. The Scoreboard is published for free on DIUS’s website.

Funding: Media Sandbox for South West England digital media R&D, c/d 29 Nov 2007

2007-11-28T12:00:00.000Z

Media Sandbox is a new commissioning scheme to support South West companies/organisations to research emerging possibilities in digital media. It is looking to make six catalytic investments in innovative Research and Development pilots which exploit opportunities in digital media presented by pervasive computing/wireless technologies. The scheme is an entirely unique opportunity for SMEs to collaboratively create radical new products and processes – pushing forward understanding and potential usage of next generation digital media. Applicants must attend a collaborative ideas lab on 29 November 2007 in Bristol. The projects
must be innovative and Research and Development based, with at least one partner based in the South West of England.

R&D Society event: Investing in R&D: the how, where, when, and why , 22 November 2007

2007-11-22T18:00:00.000Z

Why does R&D expenditure matter? How should executives manage their R&D investment? Should companies increase their R&D spending for greater returns? Should executives (and their company's shareholders) view R&D as an expense or an investment? With the recent publication of the 2007 UK R&D Scoreboard and the 2007 EU Scoreboards, which benchmark companies and countries on their R&D spend, Investing in R&D: the how, where, when, and why, seeks to draw out the key lessons from the scoreboards' tables, to celebrate companies that are leaders in their field, and to help companies understand why R&D expenditure matters.

Following an introduction from Mike Tubbs on the latest evidence for the links between R&D and business performance, a panel of senior executives from leading R&D-intensive UK companies will give their insights, including:

Richard Longdon, Chief Executive, AVEVA
Bill Stuart-Bruges, Development Director, Sondex
Brent Vose, VP of Oncology in Development, AstraZeneca

Following the presentations, a panel and audience discussion will explore the how, where, when, and why of investing in R&D.

Doors open for registration and coffee at 6pm. The meeting starts at 6.30pm with a drinks reception at 8pm. Book by completing the online form and follow with payment online or by post. The meeting fee is £20 for R&D Society members and £40 for non-members, including refreshments and wine reception.

Funding: SPARK Award Call 2007, c/d 16 November 2007

2007-11-16T12:00:00.000Z

The Electronics Enabled Products KTN, is pleased to announce a new call for SPARK awards aimed at building relationships between SMEs (Small to Medium sized Enterprises) and HEIs (Higher Education Institutes). The grants, which are of a fixed value of £5,000 each, will be awarded to the relevant HEI to tackle a problem of direct relevance to the SME. The grants aim to help the SME tackle a problem they are currently facing, and to lead to longer-term relationships between the educational institutes and the business community. Applications, which may be made online, are actively encouraged in the areas of design, development and manufacture of complex products with integrated electronic and mechanical function.

Opportunity: Exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2008, c/d 5 November 2007

2007-11-05T12:00:00.000Z

The Royal Society is inviting proposals from commercial and academic organisiations for the 2008 Summer Science Exhibition, its most prestigious annual event. The exhibition attracts a great deal of media interest and is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your research to the public, post-16 and potential university students, scientists, policy makers, MPs, captains of industry, representatives from funding bodies and research councils, teachers and the wider scientific community. The 2008 Summer Science Exhibition will take place from 30 June - 3 July at the Royal Society in London. The Royal Society’s selection committee selects around 20-25 teams to share the excitement of their research with a wider audience. The Exhibition makes a significant contribution to the Society’s work in encouraging public engagement with science and promoting science education. The large number of post-16 students attending the Exhibition also gives exhibitors a unique opportunity to influence and enthuse potential university students about careers in science. Propose an exhibit via the Society's website by the closing date of 5 November 2007.

Opportunity: Queen's awards for Enterprise, Innovation, c/d 31 October 2007

2007-10-31T18:00:00.001Z

Businesses can apply for The Queen's Awards for Enterprise in one or more of three categories - International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development. Individuals can be nominated for The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion, which recognises people who have played an outstanding and significant role in promoting the growth of enterprise and/or entrepreneurial skills and attitudes in others. The closing date for applications, which can be made online, is midnight on 31 October 2007. Corporate member De La Rue received the Queen's Awards for Enterprise: Innovation 2007, for its StarChromeTM wide windowed optically variable banknote security thread.

R&D Society event: How important is R&D? with David Edgerton, 30 October 2007

2007-10-30T18:00:00.000Z

R&D Society event: One of the great problems we have with science and technology is that elite discussion (let alone public understanding) is based on sometimes dubious assumptions rather than on the basis of evidence. A good example is the underlying assumption that national R&D spending correlates with national rates of economic growth. It does not, as I will show. But this is not an argument for the unimportance of R&D. Rather it suggests that R&D must be thought about in less nationalistic ways, for which there are other compelling reasons. Avoiding the naïve economics of R&D is essential to good policies for R&D. At the same time we need to recognise more clearly that doing R&D is far from the only way of changing either the world, or the performance of the British economy.

Speaker: David Edgerton, Hans Rausing Professor at the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, Imperial College London.

Doors open for registration and coffee at 6pm. The meeting starts at 6.30pm with a drinks reception at 8pm. Book by completing the online form and follow with payment online or by post. The meeting fee is £20 for R&D Society members and £40 for non-members, including refreshments and wine reception.

Opportunity: Non-Executive Member of Operating Committee, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, c/d 27 October 2007

2007-10-27T12:00:00.000+01:00

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is the government department responsible for productivity, business relations, energy and fair markets, and enterprise. The Operating Committee decides on BERR's operational activities - its processes and resources relating to people, planning, financial management, communication, project management, IT and property. BERR is seeking to appoint a new member of the Operating Committee, to provide 8-10 days support per year over the course of three years.

R&D Society in the media: Comment on Microsoft Startup Accelerator Programme

2007-10-19T14:38:00.001+01:00

Microsoft has launched a Startup Accelerator Programme for UK businesses, which will offer technical and commercial support to technology start-ups. Microsoft will provide bespoke non-financial support including software development resources, training, access to new Microsoft technologies.

For an article in the 4 October 2007 issue of IT Week, Martyn Buxton-Hoare of the Research and Development Society commented:

Many technology start-ups find it difficult to get the level of investment that's between that provided by friends, family, seed funds and business angels for proof-of-concept, and the level of funding offered by venture capitalists for large-scale development. So any new funding sources of £300k - £1.5M, or anything that would would encourage that level of investment, is welcome.

Start-ups with a web business model often aren't as well protected by patents as other technology companies, and are seen by investors as being at risk from copycats. If a corporate partner with muscle lends its name and reputation to the start-up, that will help reassure those investors, so attracting funding and deterring copycats.

Event: Innovation Forum: Walking the talk: increasing innovation in the media sector, 11 October 2007

2007-10-11T18:00:00.000+01:00

At this event we will bring together thinkers and doers from the media sector and beyond to look at the established and potential models for innovation in media, from traditional technology R&D to corporate development units; collaboration with universities and third parties to industry fora and consortia; design- and user-led-development to open innovation. We will review past revolutions in industry to better understand how innovation relates to broader dynamics in business and society. And we will consider contemporary barriers to innovation in the media sector, highlight best practice, give examples of success, point up areas of failure, and identify possible ways to increase innovation in media. The panelists are R&D Society member Dr Norman Lewis, Wireless Grids Corporation; Rachel Jones, Instrata Limited; Professor David Edgerton, Imperial College London (also speaking at the R&D Society on 30 October); Frank Boyd, Unexpected Media; and Lorenzo Wood, LBI International. Further details and booking information can be found on the event page.

Survey: Research and Development management, by Sensors & Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network (SIKTN)

2007-10-11T11:55:00.000+01:00

The Sensors & Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network (SIKTN) is carrying out a small survey into Research and Development management by leading UK organisations. The survey, run by Qi3, is centred around the size and nature of spending on research and development and the extent to which partnering and outsourcing are used to further R&D aims. Complete the short survey to receive a copy of the results.

Event: University of Cambridge Horizon Seminar: Energy in Cities, 10 October 2007

2007-10-10T12:00:00.000+01:00

Full programme details will be announced shortly. For more information, see the Horizon website. Confirmed speakers include:

Professor Peter Guthrie, Department of Engineering
Professor Marcial Echenique, Department of Architecture
Professor Gehan Amaratunga, Department of Engineering

Events: Chinese and Japanese Innovation, 2 and 3 October 2007

2007-10-02T12:46:00.000+01:00

Two events from the Asia Pacific Technology Network:

How Chinese Cost Innovation Is Disrupting Global Competition, London: 2 October 2007
Professor Peter Williamson, (Judge Institute of Management Studies, Cambridge) argues that the most innovative Chinese companies are leveraging their cheap-labour advantage, and Western companies which decide to re-focus on high-margin, specialist sectors are leaving themselves open to attack. John Frieslaar, Consultant - CTO Office Huawei Technologies (UK) Co will comment from the perspective of one of the companies under discusion.
Industry-Academia Collaboration in Japan : The Search for Innovation, London: 3 October 2007, with Dr Katsuhiko Yamashita, Chief Fellow, Corporate Technology Planning Division, Toshiba, Professor Sandro Macchietto, Professor of Process Systems Engineering at Imperial College London and founder of Process Systems Enterprise Ltd

Policy input: Government (DBERR): Simplifying Business Support c/d 14 Sep 2007

2007-09-14T12:00:00.000+01:00

Government wants to simplify the £2.5BN business support in England from around 3000 schemes to no more than 100 by 2010. The Simplifying Business Support consultation outlines and seeks views on the business support government might fund in the future. The majority of the questions posed are of general interest to all businesses. Of specific R&D relevance is that

The government is proposing that all business support it offers is in one of six themes, one of which is "Product development", which includes Connection with
knowledge institutions; Innovation collaborations; Innovation guidance and advice; and, Innovation finance.
The consultation asks several questions about whether the business support themes are the right themes, whether they adequately covers the key needs of business, and what publicly-funded business support is the highest priority?

Full details, including how to respond, are available at the Simplifying Business Support consultation website. As with all consultations, you do not need to answer all the questions listed when responding.

Funding: RCUK Business Plan Competition, cd 14 Sep 2007

2007-09-14T11:47:00.000+01:00

The Research Councils UK (RCUK) Business Plan Competition provides researchers who have ideas with commercial potential the skills, knowledge and support needed to develop a first-rate business plan. This is provided through expert trainers, coaches and mentors.

The competition is open to researchers based in UK Higher Education Institutions or Public Sector Research Establishments that are eligible to hold Research Council grants from across the whole spectrum of academic research within the remit of the seven Research Councils – from the arts and biosciences, to environmental physical and social sciences to technology.

Postgraduates, postdocs and academic staff who have a business idea arising from research and want to develop this further are encouraged to participate. Prizes of up to £25,000 will be awarded to the business plans judged to have the best potential to help turn business ideas into reality. Closing date 14 September 2007.

Member news: The Queen's Awards for Enterprise: Innovation 2007

2007-08-31T10:57:00.000+01:00

Congratulations to Corporate Member De La Rue for receiving the Queen's Awards for Enterprise: Innovation 2007, for its StarChromeTM wide windowed optically variable banknote security thread.

Policy input: Royal Society - Synthetic biology: call for views, cd 27 August 2007

2007-08-27T11:00:00.000+01:00

The Royal Society is seeking views on the emerging area of synthetic biology, to shape the focus of the Royal Society's policy future work in this important area.

Synthetic biology is an emerging area of research that can broadly be described as the design and construction of novel artificial biological pathways, organisms or devices, or the redesign of existing natural biological systems. Synthetic biology has the potential to lead to a wide range of useful applications, but it also raises a number of uncertainties including its possible impact on society, regulation and ownership, sharing and innovation frameworks (including intellectual property).

To contribute to the Royal Society's study, consult the instructions on the Royal Society website.

Survey: University use of IT for business engagement

2007-08-24T19:57:00.000+01:00

AURIL and JISC, the Joint Information Systems Committee, ask that Knowledge Transfer/Exchange practitioners in UK universities complete a short survey into the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in the Business and Community Engagement (which includes knowledge transfer, work-based learning, community links) activities being carried out in UK universities and colleges.

Policy input: Office of Science and Innovation’s Horizon Scanning Centre: Wider Implications of Science and Technology c/d 13 Aug 2007

2007-08-13T11:23:00.000+01:00

The Government's Horizon Scanning Centre is undertaking a survey to help it prepare better for the future by identifying the implications (both opportunities and risks) of new and emerging areas of science and technology. The survey is wide ranging both in terms of the technologies covered, and in the type of issues that they might raise (safety, health, ethical, environmental etc.). Closing date for participation: 13 August 2007.