News from Head of
School
Research Distribution
As some of you already know – because I have been
asked directly – our research distribution is under pressure again this
year (this only applies to ‘old’ staff, since funding for ex-Informatics
staff will not transfer until next financial year). I am well aware
of the damage this could cause, and have the agreement of the Dean to put
in place an arrangement that will hopefully mitigate the worst
effects. The background to this is the general downward pressure on
University expenditure in this financial year. The situation has
been exacerbated for the School, because we have been told belatedly (ie
just before Easter) that the accumulated surplus which we have built up
from income on our ‘Endowment’ account cannot be carried forward from
previous years, due to a change in its status enacted (unbeknown to the
Department) ten years ago. Needless to say, we have asked for this
to be looked into as a matter of urgency. In the meantime, I have
discussed the situation with the Dean, and he has agreed that we can allow
essential expenditure to support research. What I propose is this:
we will make the full research distribution (and may even reinstate last
year’s) so as to keep a level playing field, but we will have to limit
expenditure to strictly essential items – particularly funding for
equipment and conference attendance for PhD students. This affects
expenditure against ‘XS7’ accounts – the individual and group accounts
into which the research distribution is transferred (these were sub
accounts of HA147 until the new codes were introduced this year) and the
‘STDSUP’ accounts – the research group accounts for student support (these
were sub accounts of AF000 until the new codes were introduced this year).
The Dean is understandably keen that we should control the resulting
expenditure, and has agreed to the distribution on the understanding that
we exercise control centrally. I would not be comfortable with this
under normal circumstances, but believe it is better than the alternative
of a complete freeze. We will announce the amounts to be distributed
to research groups as soon as possible. I have to ask that, with immediate effect, only ‘essential’
expenditure is posted to the relevant accounts, and that any
new commitment of over £100 is cleared first. Please send proposals
for expenditure from these accounts to Carmel by email, providing the
following information: research group, name of individual who will
benefit, account number from which expenditure is proposed, amount of
proposed expenditure, brief details of the purpose of the expenditure (in
the case of conference attendance, comment on the status of the
conference), and the consequences of not spending the money. This
can, and should, be kept very brief. The intention is to approve all
reasonable requests, and to respond in a week or less. I know that
this arrangement will not be met with enthusiasm but, hopefully, you will
agree that it meets an immediate need as best we can under rather
difficult circumstances. Finally, I can reassure you all that you
have not lost your individual or group reserves but, in future, we will
probably have to ask you to budget expenditure in advance.
Academic Staff Away
Days
As you know, the School has been planning an
away-event for academic staff – hopefully you will have reserved May
24th and 25th in your diaries. The purpose of the
event is to engage you all in thinking about the future goals of the
School and how they can be achieved. It will also provide an
excellent opportunity to get to know new colleagues – particularly those
who have joined us from Informatics. In the past, we have held such
events off-campus, allowing participants to step away from day-to-day
pressures and focus on longer-term issues. I continue to believe
that this is the ideal but, in the current financial climate, I do not
believe that the considerable expense involved would be justified,
particularly since it would inevitably ‘steal’ funds that might otherwise
be spent directly on supporting research. I have therefore come
reluctantly to the conclusion that we should make the planned event a
‘stayday’ rather than an ‘awayday’. We have therefore cancelled the
provisional hotel booking and have booked the Atlas Rooms and other
breakout space in the Kilburn Building. I hope that we can
all still treat the event as a ‘time-out’ even though we will be in the
building where many of us work every day. I am particularly
concerned that this change will reduce the social dimension of the event,
which I believe to be important – particularly when one of the objectives
is to get to know new members of staff. We will do what we can to
preserve this aspect by incorporating a social event on the evening of the
25th May, so please keep that free in your
diaries.
Google
Visit
Many thanks to all those who supported the visit
of Google to the School last week. It was excellent to see the first
Google tech talk so well attended – there are plans for another in the
autumn. Further information, especially in regard to the Visiting Faculty
programme and Research Grant Award nominations will be circulated by
Bernard this week.
Alumni PhD Scholarships
The Alumni of the University are offering
three-year studentships/ scholarships for current final-year undergraduate
students, current PGT students and graduates of the University of
Manchester in the
last four years who are considering PhD study at the University. The
topics are very restricted (for us) but we do have some relevant research
in the school. For 2007/08 the awards are linked to the following
philanthropic themes: World Poverty, Cancer 2015, Science 2015 (including
Photon Science, Energy and the MIB), Regenerative Medicine, Sustainable
Civil Society. These are described in more detail here.
If you have a PhD project related to one of these areas, could you provide
a title and a brief description to Sarah (slowe@cs.man.ac.uk) by the 30 April.
We will use this to attract students to apply for the scheme. Funding for
PhD students will be tight, so if you work in a relevant area and want a
PhD student, please respond.
Events this
Week
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Gaussian Process for 3D Human Body
Tracking
24 Apr 07
Character Animation and
Classification
Raquel Urtasun, MIT CSAIL
1400-1500, Room 2.19, Kilburn
More
Information
Systems Biology Mini-Symposium
New
24 Apr 07
Hiroaki Kitano, Systems
Biology Institute, Tokyo
Roger Brent, Molecular
Sciences Institute, Berkeley
Contact Dieter
Weichart for more information
1415, MIB, Main Lecture Theatre
Motivating Students to work in
Teams
24 Apr 07
Skills for the
Facilitator
This session, the second in a series of three*,
will concentrate on planning and
facilitation issues that you will need to bear in
mind when organising your students to work in teams. Please email EPS-TSU to reserve you place at
this event. Lunch will be provided.
1200-1330, George Begg C4
Automated Validation of Internet Security
Protocols New
25 Apr 07
Dr Luca Vigano. University of
Verona
1415, Lecture Theatre 1.5, Kilburn Building
More
Information
ISI Citation Workshop New
26 Apr 07
For those who have expressed an interest in this,
John Gurd will be providing guidance on using the ISI Web of Knowledge for
RAE.
1100-1300, IT103
PET
neurology
26 Apr 07
Prof Karl Herholz, School of
Medicine,
UoM
For more information, and to confirm attendance,
please contact Jonathan
Bevan
1600, WMIC, Palatine Road in Withington
(Christie
Hospital
site)
Enhancing Projects and
Dissertations
28 Apr 07
Enhancing projects and
dissertations – lessons from enquiry-based
learning
Dr Peter Kahn, Learning
Development
Do your students undertake project work or do you
ask them to complete a dissertation? This practical workshop will consider
how to improve project work and dissertations by drawing on ideas
developed within enquiry-based learning.
1400 – 1630, CEEBL, C24, Sackville
St Building
More
Information & 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
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UK e-Science Programme Awareness
Event
1 May 07
The UK e-Science programme has
enjoyed a high international profile since its inception in 2001. The
University
of Manchester has
played a major role in shaping the programme with major contributions,
e.g. in Astronomy, Bioscience, Computer Science, Medical Science, Physics
and Social Science. On 1 May 2007 The University of Manchester is
organising an awareness event to present opportunities for University of
Manchester
researchers to benefit from this high profile event and to demonstrate the
range of support for developing new collaborations and bids across the
full range of the Research Councils. There will be presentations and
demonstrations from successful projects and information about how to
utilise e-Science methods for future proposals and collaborations.
Registration is required. Email for further details &
registration
1300, ESNW, Kilburn (lunch
provided)
Microsoft Security Lecture
2007
1 May 07
The Computing Environmen':
It's more than Binary Code, It's About
Criminals!
Ed Gibson - Microsoft Chief Security Advisor
(CSA)
The School is delighted to be working with
Microsoft to bring Ed Gibson to the University. Ed, head of security for
Microsoft, will be giving a lecture on his experiences and views on
security in the IT world and how to combat organised crime on the
Internet. Further
Details & Registration
1730 coffee and registration, 1800
lecture
Post Grad Visit
Day
3 May 07
As a first step, please email Sue Wolfenden if you
are prepared to help. We are in the process of organising demos, but
would be grateful for other suggestions for the format of the
day.
OGF20/2nd EGEE User
Forum
7-11 May 07
OGF20, presented by the Open Grid Forum and
co-located with EGEE's 2nd User Forum, is the premier grid technologies
event of 2007. Come join the Open Grid Forum as we continue our mission to
accelerate grid adoption in science and industry. Venue: Manchester
Central
More
Information and Registration
Academic Staff Stay
Days
24-25 May 07
Following the success of previous events, we plan
to hold a two day stay-event for academic staff – on the 24-25 May 2007. We had
originally planned to hold the event off-campus, but financial pressure
has led us to stay on site. Please make a note of these dates in
your diary, including a social event planned for the evening of the
25th – details will follow nearer the event.
Post Grad Visit
Days
7 Jun 07
As a first step, please email Sue Wolfenden if you
are prepared to help. We are in the process of organising demos, but
would be grateful for other suggestions for the format of the
day.
University Graduation Ceremony for Computer
Science
13 Jul 07
UG & PG. Reception in School followed by
Graduation Ceremony at 1645.
UG
Exam Board
Dates
Various
15 Jun, 1000, IT 407: Internal Exams Board, 3rd Year
15 Jun, 1400, IT 407: Internal Exams Board, 2nd Year
15 Jun, 1500, IT 407: Internal Exams Board, 1st Year
19 Jun, 1400. IT 407: External Exams Board
PG
Exam Board
Dates
Various
24 Apr, 1400, Atlas Suite: Internal Exams Board
26 Apr, 1400, Atlas Suite:
External Exams Board
Future
External
Events
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Interested in Communicating with Young
People?
30-31 Apr 07
Training
opportunity
With support from the Royal Society and the Gatsby
Charitable Foundation, the Science Learning Centres have established a
course for researchers wanting to work with young people in schools.
This course will support scientists wishing to have direct contact with
children, either in a classroom setting, or in a setting with a larger
audience of school children such as an assembly or a lecture
demonstration. This course is free to active researchers, including
travel expenses. To register your interest or for more information, please
contact the course leader, Katy
Bloom at the National Science Learning Centre.
More
Information
Development of Novel Technologies
Meeting
30 Apr 07
Instrumentation for
measurement and quantification in biosciences.
Organiser: Prof Peter Fielden,
CEAS
The objectives of the meeting are to provide an
opportunity to meet with colleagues with similar interests; share skills
and expertise; provide a forum for discussion; determine what the needs of
the area are; examine areas for development, interaction and new
funding. Tea and coffee will be provided. So that we have an
idea of numbers, please email Rachel
Woolley if you intend to come
along.
1300, LG.011, MIB
System Identification and Experimental Design
1 May 07
How to best use your
data
Dr Martin Brown, Senior Lecturer in
EEE
MCISB website
1400, MIB
(Lecture Theatre)
COPYRIGHT...? Implications of How it Affects What
You Do
4 May 07
UMIP’s Commercialisation Best
Practice Seminar Series
Iram Kiani, Eversheds LLP,
Solicitors
A free seminar illustrating the issues associated
with copyright in teaching materials & e-delivery including issues
surrounding the publishing & dissemination of your work. More Information
0845-1130, Core Technology Facility (CTF)
46 Grafton
Street (off Oxford Rd)
Biomolecular Engineering & Systems
Analysis
21-22 May 07
Biomolecular engineering and systems analysis are
areas of great excitement and rapid development. At this conference,
presentations will be given by renowned academics in the fields of
nanodevices, systems biology, and innovative bioprocessing. The
keynote lecture on Innovation will be given by Professor Richard Darton
from the University of Oxford. More
Information.
Venue: MIB
Graduate Research
Conference
12 Jun 07
A showcase of
interdisciplinary graduate research
Postgraduates and post-docs from across the
sciences are invited to participate
in the Graduate Research
Conference. In association with the Faculty of
Engineering and
Physical Sciences, this inaugural conference aims to foster
interdisciplinary research excellence and promote transferable
research skills
at the University of Manchester. This year's
multi-disciplinary program will highlight the dynamic research undertaken
within: School of Physics and Astronomy, School of
Earth, Atmospheric
and Environmental Sciences, The Photon Science Institute & The Dalton
Institute.
9.30 - 18.00, Simon Building
More
Information
University Undergraduate Open Days
2007
22 & 23 Jun 07
The School has two 90 minute slots 1130-1300 and
1300-1430. Each slot involves a 30 minute presentation on the
attractions of studying here, a tour, demos, and a 'meet & greet'
session, where prospective students and their parents can meet staff and
existing students informally. If you are able to help out anytime
between 1000 – 1600 please
contact Sophia
or Bernard
in the External Affairs Office.
IAS'07
29-31 Aug 07
Information assurance and security has become an
important research issue in networked and distributed information sharing
environments. Finding effective ways to protect information systems,
networks and sensitive data within the critical information infrastructure
is challenging even with the most advanced technology and trained
professionals. The International Symposium on Information Assurance and
Security aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, developers,
and policy makers involved in multiple disciplines of information security
and assurance to exchange ideas and to learn the latest development in
this important field. Organised by Dr Ning Zhang,
IMG.
The Sixth UK e-Science All Hands
Meeting
10-13 Sep 07
The aim of the meeting is to provide a forum in
which e-Science projects
from all disciplines can be discussed, and
where the results from projects
can be demonstrated. The conference
will therefore feature presentations by
groups throughout the
UK who are active in e-Science
projects, in addition
to poster sessions, mini-workshop sessions,
project demonstrations,
tutorials, and birds-of-a-feather sessions.
The schedule will also include a
number of invited Keynote speakers
involved in leading Grid and e-Science
activities.
More Information
University Undergraduate Open Days
2007
6 Oct 07
The School has two 90 minute slots 1130-1300 and
1300-1430. Each slot involves a 30 minute presentation on the
attractions of studying here, a tour, demos, and a 'meet & greet'
session, where prospective students and their parents can meet staff and
existing students informally. If you are able to help out anytime
between 1000 – 1600 please
contact Sophia
or Bernard
in the External Affairs Office.
Funding
Opportunities
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European Research Council Grant
Schemes
25 Apr 07
The European Research Council (ERC) is the first
pan-European funding body set up to support investigator-driven frontier
research. The main aim of the newly-established body is to stimulate
scientific excellence by supporting and encouraging the very best, truly
creative scientists, engineers and scholars to be adventurous and take
risks in their research.
More Information
British Council Research Exchange
Programme
2 Jun 07
The Researcher Exchange Programme (RXP) is the new
initiative that aims to promote the development of scientific co-operation
and contacts between the UK and other countries.
The purpose of the Researcher Exchange Programme is to help develop new
research links between higher education institutions and research
laboratories in the UK and other countries. It aims
to encourage mobility and internationalism among early stage researchers
for the exchange of information, ideas and knowledge, and for
relationship-building.
More
Information
Technology Programme - Spring 2007
Competition
18 Jun 07
The latest Technology Programme call opens on
April 24th and has £100 million to allocate.
More
Information
UoM Simon Industrial and Professional
Fellowship
1 Jul 07
The regulations and faculty financial allocations
for the Simon Industrial and Professional Fellowship appointments during
the 2006/07 academic session are available here. Any
applications should be sent to Helen
Gleeson initially (not the Dean as stated).
Nominations must be received no later than 1 July 2007.
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
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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.
Philip Leverhulme
Prizes
15 May 07
Philip Leverhulme Prizes are awarded to
outstanding scholars (normally under the age of 36) whose work has already
been recognised at an international level, where further work of
particular promise can be confidently expected. Approximately 25
Prizes are available. For the 2007 competition the selected
disciplines are: Astronomy and Astrophysics; Engineering; Geography;
Modern European Languages and Literature (including English); Philosophy
and Ethics. Nominations for Prizes are to be endorsed by the head of
the nominee's institution (normally a university). Please inform
Helen
Gleeson of any nominations
made.
More
Information
IEEE Medal of Honour –
Nominations
1 Jul 07
The IEEE Medal of Honor is the Institute's highest
award. It is given for an exceptional contribution or an
extraordinary career in the IEEE fields of interest.
It is
presented only when a candidate is identified as having made a particular
contribution which forms a clearly exceptional addition to the science and
technology of concern to the Institute. Recipient selection is
administered through the IEEE Medals Council of the IEEE Awards
Board.
More
Information
Research
Awards
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None this week
Staff
News
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Awards and Promotions
None this week
Academic Arrivals
None this week
Academic Retirements
None this week
Research Arrivals
None this week
Research Departures
None this week
Administrative Arrivals
None this week
Administrative Departures
None this week
Sabbatical Leave
Alasdair
Rawsthorne: 80% secondment to
Transitive Technologies
Oct 06 – Sep 07.
Howard
Barringer: King’s College London &
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA)
Feb 07 - Sep
07
Vacancies
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Academic Staff
None
Research & Technical Staff
None
Management & Professional Staff
None
Administrative Staff
None
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