MANCHESTER

           1824

School of Computer Science

Weekly Newsletter

3 November 2008

Contents

News from HoS

This Week

School Events

External Events

Funding Opps

Prize & Award Opps

Research Awards

Staff News

Vacancies

 

Links

News Submissions

Newsletter Archive

School Strategy

School Intranet

School Seminars

ESNW Seminars

NaCTeM Seminars

 

News from Head of School

Signing On

As reported in the previous newsletter, the "News from Head of School" section of the newsletter is now under new ownership; this first issue will hopefully get to press before the new regime has done too much damage. It is hoped that the introduction of an "Apologies from Head of School" section can be deferred at least for a few issues! The briefing session on 22nd October that sought to outline some priorities and plans was quite well attended; the slides from the meeting are available for those who weren't able to attend. If you have comments or questions on the slides, plans, etc, please feel invited to send them in by email. Further details on ongoing activities to refine and implement the plans will appear in this space in forthcoming weeks.

Signing Off

The flip side to the previous item is that Chris and Roger have now stepped down as head and deputy, respectively. Clearly both have offered considerable service to the school in these roles. Inevitably, large scale organisational changes create significant challenges; in this setting the school is emerging from the last four years with important fundamental characteristics intact, and having benefitted from a range of developments in areas including recruitment, teaching and administration that provide a solid basis on which to build. Furthermore, the research base also seems to be in respectable shape, as reflected in an RAE return that showed significant progress against a range of measures. Not only this, Chris has also contributed directly to activities at Faculty and University levels that have helped both to overcome difficulties and create new opportunities. As such, I am grateful in taking over various responsibilities for the considerable efforts that many people have put in to make the school the place it is, and in particular to Chris and Roger for their careful stewardship in recent years.

Changes to Newsletter Format

For forthcoming Newsletters, we propose to only include items which are new to that week, with links in the Newsletter to the various other headings e.g. list of funding opportunities. If anyone would like to comment on this proposal, or has suggestions in terms of the content of the newsletter, please send comments to either Norman or Ursula by the end of the week.

Visit Days

Please could you remember, if you have not already done so, to let Michael Stead in SSO know of your availability for interviews for the forthcoming Visit Days.

Wear it Pink Day

Many, many thanks to everyone for supporting the Wear it Pink day on Friday. We raised a huge £501 for this very worthy cause.

 

 

 

 

Events this Week                                                              top

Theoretical results on artificial immune systems                                   3 Nov 08

Andrew Hone, University of Kent

1400, 2.15, Kilburn Building

More Information

Advanced Tools and Technologies for Collaborative Research                 6 Nov 08

JISC-sponsored roadshow event in collaboration with the e-Science North West (ESNW) Centre.  New tools are available to help researchers collaborate in multidisciplinary teams, often across institutions, and hence increase their competitiveness. This JISC sponsored roadshow for researchers and those providing IT support services, will introduce the infrastructure, and some of the tools and resources that have recently been developed to enable collaborative research.  Speakers will include Dr David Fergusson, Deputy Director, Training, Outreach and Education, the National e-Science Centre and researchers at Manchester who are working on projects to develop and demonstrate collaboration tools. These include myExperiment, a collaborative environment where scientists publish and share their workflows.

0930-1330, Atlas Rooms, Kilburn Building

More information, Programme & Registration

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

Children in Need                                                                                            14 Nov 08

We will once again be running our annual Children in Need Booksale and online auction.  Further details will be sent round in due course.  Books and auction items gratefully received in ACSO.

School Board Dates

26 November - UG Report
4 February - PG Report
25 March - External Affairs Report
6 May - Research Report
1 July - Resources Report

All meetings take place 1530-1700 in IT 407.

 

Future External Events                                                     top

Support for Academically-Led Conferences                                             Various

One-stop solution from STARS. The Division of Sport, Trading and Residential Services (‘STARS’) offers a one-stop solution for academics interested in attracting and organising conferences here at The University of Manchester, a service directly supporting the University's 2015 goal of achieving high international standing.

More Information

UMIP Premier Fund Masterclass                                                               25 Nov 08

Speakers: Alex Hoye, CEO of Lattitude Group, Paul Strzelecki, an experienced investor, and The University’s own Sharon O’Kane, Co-Founder of Renovo

UMIP is holding a masterclass for staff interested in finding out more about entrepreneurial activity here at the University.  The event is being organised by MTI Partners who are the managers of the £40 million UMIP Premier Fund which was launched earlier this year.

More Information & Registration

 

Funding Opportunities                                                      top

RAEng - Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowships                14 Nov 08

These Fellowships provide an opportunity for mid-career academics based in UK universities to be relieved of their administrative and teaching responsibilities, for between one academic term and a year, in order to concentrate on full-time research in any engineering discipline.  The award provides a grant to cover the cost of a replacement member of staff for the period of the Fellowship to carry out the teaching and administrative responsibilities of the researcher. A support fund of up to £2,500 is also available as part of the Fellowship.
More Information

HPC2-Europa2 Call for Applicants                                                           15 Nov 08

The HPC-Europa Consortium is happy to announce that the Transnational Access Programme will continue up to the end of 2012. This is an EC-funded programme of short collaborative research visits with access to Europe's biggest supercomputers.

More information

RAEng Research Student Development Fellowships                           1 Dec 08

These fellowships are worth £10,000 each and are intended to add value to PhD and EngD students by funding training and development activities which complement their research oriented education. The scheme is open to all research students who are entering their second year in the academic term beginning September/October 2008.  Deadline for applications: 1st December 2008.  For more information visit: More Information

EPSRC Follow on Fund Competition 2008/09                                         5 Dec 08

"Follow-on-funds" provide financial support for projects with a clear commercial concept to accelerate their progress towards commercialisation.  Funding is available for up to 12 months for typically over £100k based on research from ongoing or completed EPSRC supported projects.  An approximate total of £1.5M is available nationally with £4.5M of applications invited for consideration. 
Proposals need to be submitted via the University’s technology transfer company (UMIP). The University has been successful in 8 out of 11 proposals submitted during the past three years which has generated nearly £1 million of research income.  Grantholders interested in applying for this funding should complete the attached two-page form and send it to ian.proctor@umip.com before Friday December 5th 2008 (4pm).

More Information

Industrial Secondment Scheme                                                                        Open

The Industrial Secondment Scheme provides an invaluable opportunity for engineering teaching staff in Higher Education institutions to gain state-of-the-art industrial experience.  Applicable to engineers of all disciplines, the scheme's objective is to enable the secondees to impart the fruits of this experience to their students through teaching, through case studies using up-to-date material and, in the longer term, through course design. The benefits also accrue to the host organization which gains a temporary but highly qualified member of staff, and to the university which has the opportunity of strengthening its links with industry.

More Information

UoM Knowledge Transfer Challenge                                                               Open

The KT Challenge offers small grants for concept studies and feasibility studies. If you are interested in developing ideas in collaboration with an industrial partner – developing new technology, or applying existing technology in an industrial setting – please contact Constantinos Astreos.

EPSRC Encouraging Postdoctoral Mobility Between Disciplines           Open

EPSRC would like to encourage the transfer of outputs of research between different research disciplines as well as aiding the career development of EPSRC funded PDRAs. In the first instance an extra year of support will be offered. Transfers between the engineering and physical science disciplines and the life sciences are encouraged.  There are no closing dates for proposals.

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

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.

 

Research Awards                                                              top

None this week

 

Staff News                                                                          top

Awards and Promotions

None this week

Academic Arrivals

None this week

Academic Departures

None this week

Research Arrivals

None this week

Research & Technical Departures

None this week

Administrative Arrivals

None this week

Administrative Departures

None this week

Sabbatical Leave

Alasdair Rawsthorne: 80% secondment to Transitive Technologies
Oct 07 – Sep 08. - continuing

John Keane: Academic Year 2008/09

Len Freeman: April to Sept 2009

John Gurd: Academic Year 2009/10

Liping Zhao: Sept 2008 to Mid Jan 09, and Mid July 09 to mid Jan 10

Josh Knowles: Feb 2009 for 6 months

Rizos Sakellariou: Lent term 2008-09, Summer term 2008-09, Michaelmas Term 2009-10 (2 semesters)

Xiao-Jun Zeng: January 2009-April 2009

Ning Zhang: January 2009 – June 2009

 

Vacancies                                                                           top

Academic Staff

None

Research & Technical Staff

Postdoctoral Research Associate: Systems Biology
Closing date: 07/11/2008. Ref EPS/81233.

Management & Professional Staff

None

Administrative Staff

None