From: Chris Taylor
Sent: 01 October 2006 23:01
To: 'allstaff@cs.man.ac.uk'; Carole Twining; Jim Graham; Neil Thacker; Susan Astley; Tim Cootes
Subject: CS_Newsletter_2006-10-02.doc
Use the Newsletter Archive link to access pdf and html versions of this newletter

 

 

MANCHESTER

           1824

School of Computer Science

Weekly Newsletter

2 October 2006

Contents

News from HoS

This Week

School Events

External Events

Funding Opps

Prize & Award Opps

Research Awards

Staff News

Vacancies

 

Links

Newsletter Archive

School Strategy

School Intranet

School Seminars

ESNW Seminars

NaCTeM Seminars

 

News from Head of School

Welcome to Informatics Staff

A warm welcome to academic and research staff from the School of Informatics (SoI) who formally joined us today, and thanks to all those who turned out to welcome them and other new staff on Friday.  I appreciate that the past few years – and the past year in particular – have been unsettling times for everyone associated with SoI, but we are determined to make a success of the new arrangements.  The School will do everything it can to provide a positive and supportive environment for those joining us, and I am certain that the reconfiguration opens up exciting possibilities for everyone involved with informatics (in its broadest sense) in Manchester.

MEng Presentation Day and Careers Fair

Congratulations to Linda Brackenbury, Alex Walker, Bernard Strutt and all who contributed to MEng presentation day and Careers Fair last Tuesday. The event was an outstanding success, and generated a great “buzz” in the School.  All the companies involved were fulsome in their praise of the professional way in which the day was run as well as by the high standard of the students they saw.  Special thanks to Sophia Lewis-Martyr and Sarah Lowe for their hard work and impressive organisation of the event.

Coffee Morning

The ACSO ‘Big Coffee Morning’ last Friday raised over £250 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Many thanks to all those who donated cakes or contributed generously in return for eating them.  Congratulations to ACSO for organising such a successful and enjoyable fund-raising event.

Postgraduate Admissions

We now have a clear picture of our PGT admissions, and the outcome is extremely encouraging.  We have exceeded both our home and overseas targets for 06/07, recruiting 44 home students (target 40), and 49 overseas students (target 38). This is a magnificent result, so congratulations to all those involved, but especially to Renate Schmidt and to Sue Wolfenden, Sarah and Bernard Strutt, who have taken the lead role in processing PGT admissions this year.  This has allowed us to apply criteria set by Course Directors more efficiently, resulting in a much more rapid turnaround of applications and, hence, a higher conversion rate.

University Open Day

The next University open day for prospective students will be taking place on Saturday 7th October.  As you are all aware, it is vital to the future health of the School that we attract as many as possible of the very best candidates to apply for a place on one of our UG programmes.   A good turn out of academic staff to chat with prospective students and their parents is known to have an important influence on conversion, so the School needs your help.  If you are willing to volunteer please let Sophia know – remember, it counts as academic load.

New Initiatives

I’d like to draw your attention to several initiatives which are potentially important to the School.  There is a new call for proposals under the IBM-UoM Partners Programme (details below), involvement in which is important in building a long-term relationship with the company.  I would strongly encourage you all to consider applying.  There is a new BBSRC Systems Biology call that will be of potential interest to many of you (details below).  Please note that Doug Kell is coordinating expressions of interest from the University. Finally there is a new internal call to bid for University funding to support innovative teaching and learning initiatives (details below), to which I hope we will respond.

 

Events this Week                                                               top

Knowledge Programming with FLORA-2                                                   4 Oct 06

Prof Michael Kifer. State University of New York

1415, Lecture Theatre 1.5, Kilburn Building

More Information

University Open Day                                                                                        7 Oct 06

Open day for potential applicants for our UG programmes.  It is important that we create a positive impression of the School, so please volunteer by contacting Sophia if you are able to participate.

Regular Seminar Series

See links in contents bar for information on seminar series organised by the School of CS, E-Science North West and National Centre for Text Mining.

 

Future School Events                                                        top

Retrenchments, Refinements, and the Mondex Electronic Purse    11 Oct 06

Dr Richard Banach, School of Computer Science

1415, Lecture Theatre 1.5, Kilburn Building

More Information

VOMs for GridPP and the NGS                                                                    13 Oct 06

An overview of the Virtual Organisation Membership Service and how it is being deployed for GridPP and the National Grid Service.

1400, Room 1.10 ESNW Access Grid, Kilburn Building

More Information

 

Future External Events                                                      top

Climate Warming / Climate Change                                                            9 Nov 06

Sir David King, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government

1430-1530, Whitworth Hall.  Email Lesley Sisson for tickets.

Young Engineers Presentations – House of Commons                     17 Nov 06

The annual poster presentation for Young Engineers at the House of Commons, coorganised by SET for Britain, is an opportunity to bring the work of the School to a different and important audience, enhance your CV and, potentially, win a prize.  It is relevant to all PhD students and junior RAs in the School, and those who have attended in the past have thoroughly enjoyed the event.

More Information

Grantsmanship Session                                                                              29 Nov 06

This popular one day course is aimed at new staff (young as well as recent Appointments who are new to the UK system) as well as more established members of staff who haven't had any recent interaction with the EPSRC either as applicants, grant holders or referee/panel members.

If you would like to register your interest please email Louise Rogers

 

Funding Opportunities                                                       top

Leonardo da Vinci Programme for Staff Exchange                              10 Oct 06

For the exchange of expertise, competencies, innovative methods and practices in relation to vocational training.  Exchanges do NOT need to involve two-way movement of staff.  Deadline for use of the funds and completion of exchanges has been extended.

More Information

RAEng/EPSRC Research Fellowships                                                     13 Oct 06

The Royal Academy of Engineering and EPSRC are jointly offering up to ten Research Fellowships.  These fellowships provide five years funding to enable outstanding researchers from all branches of engineering to establish an independent research career, normally shortly or immediately after completing their PhD.

More Information

Research Council Follow-on-Funds                                                         27 Oct 06

There is a call for proposals to be submitted to BBSRC and NERC for ‘Follow-on-Funding’. This funding is designed to bridge the gap between academic and industrial research, specifically for commercialisation projects.  Proposals need to be submitted via UMIP and generally require significant input from UMIP on the commercial exploitation and potential.

More Information

ESF Research Networking Programmes                                                 30 Oct 06

Bringing together nationally funded research activities for four to five years, to address a major scientific issue or a science-driven topic of research infrastructure, at the European level with the aim of advancing the frontiers of science. 

More Information

Royal Society Research Grants                                                                  1 Nov 06

Seed corn funding for new projects. For research scientists at an early stage of their career or established scientists wishing to change the direction of their research. 

More Information

Royal Society University Research Fellowships 2007                          1 Nov 06

More Information

EPSRC 2007 Senior Research Fellowships                                             1 Nov 06

Applications are invited for the 2007 Senior Research Fellowships exercise.  Senior Research Fellowships are awarded to outstanding academic scientists and engineers of international repute with a minimum of 10 years post doctoral experience.  Fellows will be released from their current teaching and administration loads to devote themselves to research for the period of the award (up to 5 years). 

 More Information

AHRC-EPSRC-JISC e-Science Research Projects Scheme                2 Nov 06

EPSRC is a partner in this new e-Science Initiative. The aim of the scheme is to advance research in the Arts and Humanities through the use and development of e-Science technologies.  In addition to a total budget of £2 million, six four-year PhD project studentships are available either as part of an e-Science Research Grant or as a stand alone.

More Information

EPSRC 2007 Advanced Research Fellowships                                      9 Nov 06

Applications are invited for the 2007 Advanced Research Fellowships exercise.  Advanced Research Fellowships are awarded to outstanding researchers with between 3 – 10 years of postdoctoral experience. Fellows are expected to devote themselves to research for the period of the award (up to 5 years), with the expectation that they will have established an independent research career of international standing by the end of the award.  Approximately 50 of these awards are made each year.

More Information

Teaching & Learning (T&L) Innovation Funding New                          20 Nov 06

The third round of bids for Teaching and Learning Funding for Schools is now open.

More Information

BBSRC Systems Biology (SABR) New                                                    27 Nov 06

Recently, the BBSRC announced a new Systems Biology call.  As Manchester already has a Systems Biology Centre (MCISB, see www.mcisb.org), we are in a very good position to apply for funding.  Dieter Weichart, on behalf of Prof. Doug Kell (Director of the MCISB), would like to take the initiative in coordinating potential SABR bid(s) from the University (but not bids to the related ESB initiative).  If you are interested in participating in a proposal please send a brief (few sentences) response to Dieter Weichart, cc to Douglas Kell outlining your proposed research.

More Information

IBM-UoM Partners Programme New                                                         30 Nov 06

Last year Kung-Kiu Lau became one of the first “University of Manchester-IBM Partners”. Academic staff are now invited to apply for the 2007/8 scheme.  It is important to the School that we grasp this opportunity to engage with the company, who have much to offer all our activities.

More Information

Royal Society Conference Grants                                                               1 Dec 06

The conference grants scheme supports UK based scientists to either present their own paper/poster or chair a session at an overseas conference, where conference participation is the main or sole purpose of visit. The objectives of this scheme are to enable scientists to disseminate research findings, establish collaborations and build international reputations.

More Information

Leverhulme Trust Research Leadership Awards                                   1 Dec 06

To support researchers confronted with the task of building a research team of sufficient scale to tackle an identified but distinctive research objective.  Each award will be at a level of up to £800,000 in total for up to five years of work. The intent is that the funds be used to provide each awardee with ten 'post-doctoral assistant years' and ten 'research student years' for the grant period, though other patterns would be permissible.

More Information

Toshiba Fellowhips  New                                                                             15 Dec 06

Toshiba in association with the EPSRC invites applications from European scientists to join one of its high technology research teams in Japan.

More Information

EPSRC ICT Platform Grants                                                                               Open

EPSRC invites outline proposals for its information and communication technology platform grants. Platform grants aim to provide world-leading UK groups with continuity of funding for strategic development, longer-term research and international networking.

More Information

Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chairs                                        Open

The Royal Academy of Engineering invites applications for its research chairs. 
Research Chairs are full-time professorial appointments, in any engineering-related subject. The academy particularly welcomes proposals of a multidisciplinary nature. Funding is provided for 5 years.

More Information

RAEng Industrial Secondment Scheme                                                          Open

An opportunity for university lecturers in engineering to gain state-of-the-art industrial experience.

More Information

BBSRC International Scientific Interchange Scheme (ISIS)                       Open

To help scientists make and establish new contacts with their international counterparts.

More Information

RAEng Global Research Awards                                                                      Open

Projects in centres of excellence overseas focussing on stimulating wealth creation and improvements in the quality of life.

More Information

EPSRC Engineering Visits                                                                                  Open

Support for salary costs and travel subsistence for scientists and engineers of acknowledged standing, either from within the UK or abroad, to visit the investigator's organisation.

More Information

 

Prize and Award Opportunities                                          top

We have acknowledged the need to raise the profile of the School both nationally and internationally.  Nominating individuals for awards, and working actively with others to ensure that deserving individuals are nominated is one way of doing that.

SIAM/ACM Award in Computational Science and Engineering        30 Sep 06

The contribution(s) for which the award is made must be publicly available and may belong to any aspect of computational science in its broadest sense. The award will include a certificate and a cash prize of $5,000.

More Information

ACM Turing Award                                                                                         31 Oct 06

ACM's most prestigious technical award is accompanied by a prize of $100,000. It is given to an individual selected for contributions of a technical nature made to the computing community. The contributions should be of lasting and major technical importance to the computer field. Financial support of the Turing Award is provided by the Intel Corporation.

More Information

ACM Grace Murray Hopper Award                                                             31 Oct 06

A prize of $15,000 awarded to the outstanding young computer professional of the year.

More Information

Computer Science Writing Competition 2006/07                                   31 Jan 07

We want unpublished articles of up to 750 words about research that’s part of any EPSRC-funded computer science project.  For this competition, computer science means the study of methods for acquiring, storing, processing, communicating and reasoning about information, and the role of interactivity in natural and artificial systems through the implementation, organisation and use of computer hardware, software and other resources.

More Information

 

 

Research Awards                                                               top

E-infrastructure Security Levels of Assurance

(Joint proposal with Manchester Computing)

Funding Body: JISC

PI: Ning Zhang

Award Amount: £160000

Low-Power Asynchronous Integration for Massively Parallel Computing

Funding Body: Industrial Technology Research Institute

PI: Steve Furber

Award Amount: £26364

 

Staff News                                                                           top

Awards and Promotions

None this week

Academic Arrivals

Colleagues from the School of Informatics – details circulated previously.

Dr Josh Knowles – Career Development Fellow – AI Group.

Dr Elzbieta Pekalska - EPSRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow – AI Group.

Technical Arrivals

Mr. Richard Hovey- Temporary Computer Officer

Academic Retirements

Prof Hilary Kahn – Appointed Professor Emeritua

Dr Mike Cunningham

Research Arrivals

Alex Rast – RA – APT (SpiNNaker Project)

Eustace Painkras – RA - APT (SpiNNaker Project)

Wei Xing – RA - IMG

Research Departures

None this week

Administrative Arrivals

None this week

Administrative Departures

Colin Wallis

Sabbatical Leave

Alasdair Rawsthorne: 80% secondment to Transitive Technologies
Oct 06 – Sep 07.

Alvaro Fernandes: IBM Almaden Research Centre US
Jul 06 – Dec 06.

Milan Mihajlovic: University of Maryland, College Park

Jul 06 – Dec 06

 

Vacancies                                                                            top

Academic Staff

None

Research & Technical Staff New

Research Software Engineer (PsyGrid) – ISBE

More Information

 

Software Developer in Electronic Assessment (ABC)

More Information

Management & Professional Staff

None

Administrative Staff

None