MANCHESTER 1824	School of Computer Science
Weekly Newsletter	12 Oct 2009
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 New Role for Chris Taylor as Associate Vice President for Research Congratulations to Chris Taylor on his appointment as an Associate Vice President for Research, where he will have responsibilities relating to research strategy and policy. As direct communication between schools and university senior management sometimes seems to be rather limited and unidirectional, this appointment may provide some opportunities for the school to participate more fully in relevant agenda setting activities. National Student Survey Following the previous article on our somewhat improved performance in NSS, the full results are now available at: http://www.unistats.com/ Events Network Diseases: Linking Developmental Changes in Brain Connectivity with Neural Dynamics 14 Oct 09 Dr Marcus Kaiser. Newcastle University 14:15, Lecture Theatre 1.4, Kilburn Building Seminars home page University Foundation day lecture 14 Oct The University marks its foundation each year with a Foundation Lecture given by someone of renown.  The President and Vice-Chancellor would like to invite as many members of staff as possible from across the University to attend this prestigious event. The 2009 Foundation Lecture will be delivered by Professor Sir John Sulston, Chair of the Institute of Science, Ethics and Innovation. The full programme is as follows: Reception: 4.00pm University Place Lecture: 4.30 pm University Place If you are interested in attending, please request a ticket by emailing Lesley Sisson with your name, School and address. Tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. EPS Lay Summary Writing Competition Workshop 14 Oct 09 See “Prizes” below MIB Explorations Across Campus 15 Oct 09 The MIB is holding an open event to raise awareness of its activities in the MIB Atrium and lecture theatre, with a view to identifying opportunities for collaborative research. We hope to be scheduling follow-up meetings at a school level shortly. Details of Thursday’s event are: 12.30 –Lunch 13.00 -Welcome address -Richard Winpenny 13.05 -Vicky Coker (SEAES)-Engineering novel functional materials using subsurface bacteria 13.25 -Sabine Flitsch (MIB) -Application of cytochromeP-450 in organic synthesis 13.45 -Ian Kinloch (Materials)–title to follow 14.05 -SteliosRigopoulos (MACE)-Population balance modelling of particulate systems in flows 14.25 -John McCarthy (MIB) -Man-made orthogonal biosystems 14.45 -Coffee break / Poster session 15.15 –David Broomhead (Mathematics) -It’s all in the timing: the calculus of events for systems biology 15.35 -Tom Waigh (Physics) -Enabling technologies in cellular biophysics 15.55 -Magnus Rattray (SCS) -Using models of transcriptional regulation to uncover gene regulatory networks 16.15 -Pedro Mendes (MIB) -Systems Biology Research at the MIB 16.35 -Erwin Reisner(Chemistry)-Bio-Inspired Visible Light Driven Hydrogen Production with [NiFeSe]-Hydrogenases 16.55 -General discussion led by John McCarthy 16.55 -Drinks reception To register for attendance please click here or email. EPS Public Engagement Networking Lunch for Researchers 6 Nov 09 12:00-14:00, Kanaris Lecture Theatre Public Engagement is becoming an increasingly important factor in grant applications (impact statements) and for the University of Manchester as it seeks to reach its 2020 goals - one key goal being social engagement. To help recognise and promote public engagement activity within the Faculty and encourage the sharing of best practice, the Faculty is hosting a networking lunch event in association with the Manchester Beacon. This event is open to all researchers (academics, post-docs and postgrads) across the Faculty. 12:00 Registration & Mini Public Engagement Survey 12:15 Welcome 12:20 Manchester Beacon & Public Engagement at the University 12:30 Lay Summary Writing Competition Awards 12:35 Public Engagement Showcase 12:55 Summary 13:00 Lunch & Table Discussions 14:00 End It aims to: 1. Enable researchers to network and share their experiences. 2. Promote a discussion of the benefits, barriers and support for public engagement within the Faculty. 2. Identify the range of public engagement activity taking place across the Faculty (who, type, audiences). 3. Give researchers the opportunity to help shaping the 2020 social engagement goal. 4. Provide an understanding of the Manchester Beacon's role in promoting and rewarding public engagement practice. To book email. Funding Opportunities Update in BBSRC Guidelines When adding related proposals to BBSRC applications please note that applicants must now also submit an interim or final report on any related BBSRC research grant currently held by any of the applicants or completed in the last twelve months. Any applications received which do not include this report will not be accepted until such a report is available. A similar sanction will also be applied if when applying for funding as a continuation to a current research project, applicants do not submit the interim or final report from the existing project. Royal Society Industry Fellowships Scheme Call for Applications 14 Oct 09 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 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. Applicants can be of any nationality and should be at a stage in their career when they would particularly benefit from establishing or strengthening personal and corporate links between the two sectors as a foundation for long-term future collaboration and development. They should hold a PhD or be of equivalent standing in their profession and hold a permanent post in either a UK university, a UK not-for-profit research organisation (e.g. the Marine Biological Association) or UK industry. Deadline for applications: Wednesday 14 October 2009 Further information BBSRC New investigator scheme 14 Oct 09 The BBSRC new investigator scheme assists early-career researchers to secure their first major element of funding for research. Applicants must not have received competitive research funding from any source, as a Principal Investigator, that included post-doctoral research assistant staff support costs. Committees assess applications against the same criteria as other responsive mode proposals; however, research potential rather than track record will be taken into account. This scheme operates in responsive mode. The next responsive mode deadline is 14th October 2009. More information Royal Academy of Engineering Distinguished Visiting Fellowship Scheme Call for Applications 31 Oct 09 Share expertise and harness world-class research capability by collaborating with international experts through the Distinguished Visiting Fellowship Scheme. The scheme provides funding to enable an academic engineering department in a United Kingdom (UK) university to be a host for up to a month to a Distinguished Visiting Fellow from an overseas academic centre of excellence. Deadline: 31st October 2009 More information Royal Academy of Engineering Research Exchanges with China and India Call for Applications 16 Nov 09 The scheme enables engineering researchers at UK Higher Education Institutions to travel to a Chinese or Indian Institution, and China/India-based researchers to spend time at a UK Institution. The main objectives are to: *    promote collaboration between high quality engineering researchers      in the UK and China/India. *    strengthen relations between leading partners in these countries      and support the expansion of international Networks of Excellence      in engineering research. *    allow researchers to gain international experience and access      world-class expertise. Deadline: 16th November 2009 More information Prizes EPS Lay Summary Writing Competition 16 Oct 09 This competition is for Research Staff & Postgraduate Researchers. Can you communicate your research effectively to others? Can you engage, inspire, or challenge the reader? Can you explain the science but avoid the jargon? Can you make people care about what you research and why? Then why not enter the EPS Lay Summary Writing Competition?  Just give us 250 words about your research and you could win prizes of up to £200.  You'll also be raising your own profile, that of your research and the University. Winners will be awarded prizes by Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, Deputy Vice President & Deputy Vice Chancellor - an advocate of good science communication at a Faculty-wide public engagement event. Full details and useful advice Lay summary writing workshop: - Wednesday 14th October 2009, 2-4, Sackville Street Building, room H8