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Department of CS newsletter
Published: Wednesday, 05 February 2020Weekly newsletter for the Department of CS
Department Newsletter - Contents
[ top ]News from Head of Department
Fire Alarms in the Kilburn Building
Users of the Kilburn Building will have experienced a fire alarm on Thursday, 30th January, at around mid-day that lasted nearly one hour. This wasn't very nice and caused significant disruption.
A fault was detected in an electrical riser in the loading bay and an electrician had to come to provide a remedy.
There was confusion as to the implications of the intermittent (i.e., on/off, not continuous) alarm. This sound means you prepare to leave the building and then you *must leave* the building once the alarm becomes continuous.
I realise the alarm is sufficiently horrid that if it sounds for any length of time you sometimes has to just leave the building. Nevertheless, some people I spoke to didn't know the implications of the intermittent alarm. It is important to know this difference.
I'll also take this opportunity to remind people that when evacuation of the building is necessary, then you *must* go five metres away from the building, not just hang around leaning on the walls etc. Having bits of disintegrating building fall on people is not good and it may be that emergency people need access to the building.
Robert.
Radina Ivanova
[ top ]News and announcements
Opportunity for engineering students to attend World Engineering Day (UNESCO HQ, Paris)
Would you like to pitch your idea at the celebrations of World Engineering Day at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris?
Young engineers below 35 (undergraduates, postgraduates, & early-career engineers) are invited to submit a 300 word abstract as to how a project they are working on (e.g. use of AI in healthcare) or an idea they have (e.g. increasing diversity in engineering), is addressing the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Finalists will be asked to submit a further 1000 words.
The winner will be funded to attend the World Engineering Day event at UNESCO HQ in Paris on 4th March 2020. Here, they will be presented with an award, and have the opportunity to pitch their idea to an audience which will include leaders of professional engineering intuitions and representatives of member states including ambassadors. Commended entries, and the winner, will have their work published in a publication that will be released at the UN STI event in New York, May 2020.
Please read more about this opportunity and submit your application via http://worldengineeringday.net/young-eng2020/
The deadline for entries is the 14th February 2020.
Karon Mee
New Guidance on Institutional Commitments for Research Bids
The Faculty has new guidance http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=46882 for requesting institutional commitment for research bids.
Research funders often request additional financial contributions (AFC) or ‘matched’ funding on grant applications to demonstrate partnership and evidence that the proposal is in line with our strategic priorities. This might take the form of financial contribution to equipment, a funded studentship, reduced overheads or PI time or other financial contribution.
The guidance has been developed with the Faculty Leadership Team and Heads of Department. It is intended to simplify the process of applying for AFC by making it clear what information should be included in a case for support. It also establishes a standardised process with clear timeframes for requesting additional financial contributions and institutional letters of support.
The Faculty is committed to supporting bids of this nature wherever possible. However, we do not have an unlimited budget and so it is important for budget holders to understand the strategic and financial case for AFC requests and to be able to prioritise requests where necessary. The guidance will be applicable for all new research bids which require AFC and/or institutional letters of support from 03-Feb-2020. Bids that are already in progress before this date will be handled as part of a transition phase as we begin implementing this guidance.
If you have any queries regarding this document or the process, please contact your Research Support Manager (sarah.chatwin@manchester.ac.uk) in the first instance.
Sarah Chatwin
School Leadership Team Meeting Summary - From the 30th January 2020
The link below is a summary of discussions of the School Leadership Team meeting on 30th January 2020.
https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/fse/school-engineering/leadership-team-summary/
University proposal to decarbonise its investment portfolio
Tell us what you think of our pioneering policy change to see disinvestment based on carbon intensity as well as fossil fuel reserves and extraction.
The main reason for the policy changes is a recognition that climate change is likely the most important issue facing our planet today.
The University has already recognised the climate emergency declared by the UK government, and also fully supports the targets agreed in the 2016 Paris Agreement that commits all signatories to action on climate change for the coming two decades.
In addition, the University has aligned itself to the zero-carbon target for 2038 set by the city of Manchester and this is embedded in the University’s new strategic plan (Our Future) .
Further strike dates declared by University and College Union
Fourteen days of strike action have been declared in February and March
The dates are as follows:
Strike action 20-21 February 2020
Strike action 24-26 February 2020
Strike action 2-5 March 2020
Strike action 9-13 March 2020
[ top ]Events
Training session with NICE, 28 Feb 2020 - Registration now open
We’re delighted that NICE will be delivering a training session, for researchers at all career stages across the University, on Friday 28 February 2020 in the Schuster Annexe. Talks will be from 9:30 – 13:00, with coffee on arrival and a networking lunch until 14:00.
Registration is via Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-can-i-work-collaboratively-with-nice-to-increase-my-research-impact-tickets-85225193849
Library Love Data Week
Love Data week is an annual social media event, to raise awareness and build a community to engage on topics related to research data management, sharing, preservation, reuse and library-based research data services. This year the Library have put together a programme of events during Love Data week, which runs from 10th – 14th February. If you can’t make it to one of our sessions then we will also be releasing a podcast, blog post and several 60 second videos about creating your Data Management Plan using DMPonline. And please keep an eye on our Twitter account for details: @UoMLibResearch
•Monday 10th February
13:00 – 14:00: DMP Writing Hour (GF Seminar Room)This session will provide attendees with dedicated time and space to make a start on writing their plan using DMPonline. There will be expert advice in the room should they get stuck on any sections. By the end of this session attendees will have made a significant start on completing their data management plans. Before attending this session, attendees should ensure they have created an account with DMPonline. Attendees should also bring their own laptop.
•Tuesday 11th February
14:00 – 15:30: Research File Management (GF Seminar Room)
This session will share good practice and conventions for research file management - crucial for not only saving you time later on, but it will also enable you to share your data which has been shown to lead to higher citations and improved visibility of your work. You will be given a range of practical tips and community accepted best practices which you can then apply to organising your own files in-session, with an expert in Research Data Management on-hand. Remember to bring your laptop and those disorganised files! Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.
•Wednesday 12th February
15:00 – 16:30: RDM Drop in: ask us anything (GF Seminar Room)
No booking required for this session, just turn up with your research data management questions. We will also have some of our research data management games set out to try. Come and see what Lego has to do with metadata, and play our file organisation game. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available.
The Turing Lecture 19th February 2020
Digital Twins: The Next Phase of the AI Revolution?
Headline Speaker: Mark Girolami
Description:
The idea of an Intelligent Digital Avatar conjures up many images from a complete virtual world that one can safely define, develop and play in to rogue robots running amok and destroying mankind. The reality is much less dramatic but no less far reaching and exciting.
This talk will discuss Digital Twins and chart their history to present day technological capability and present some of the advances being made and the opportunities along with the open challenges faced to realise the potential of Digital Twins.
[ top ]Research Funding Opportunities
Demonstrators addressing cyber security challenges in the Internet of Things: round 2
Manchester briefing event: 20-Feb-2020 (register)
Deadline: 15-Apr-2020https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/544/overview?elqTrackId=0C468F0B40C14878F9FB31159928DD88&elq=32e4c66a5dd241d3896f68c5caca5c04&elqaid=1377&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=753#summary
Innovate UK is to invest up to £4M in collaborative, business led research and development (R&D) projects. These projects should result in a new product or products, industrial process or service, which must be proven in as part of a demonstrator.
The aim of this Innovate UK competition is to solve industry-focused major cyber security-related challenges in the Internet of Things (IoT). We will show preference to projects that include a plan to test near-to-market interventions and experiments in real environments, in one of the following 2 themes:
1. Cyber resilient IoT systems for critical national infrastructures.
2. Secure and energy-efficient IoT systems in resource-constrained environments.Proposals should be for 18-24months, starting 01-Oct-2020 (in the range of £2-4M) and must be led by a UK registered business, must be collaborative and involve at least 1 SME, 1 academic partner.
UK Intelligence Community (IC) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Deadline: 06-Apr-2020
The Government Office for Science offers the scheme to early career researchers (up to 4 years postdoctoral experience) to promote unclassified basic research in areas of interest to the intelligence, security and defence community. Research topics 2020 include:
- Pattern detection (structural) within large complex network graphs
- An investigation of 5G technology and the threats it presents for the security community and identification of countermeasure opportunities
- Smart cities, multimedia mesh networking
- Automated component recognition for hardware assurance
- Improving energy storage and energy harvesting in IoT wireless sensor nodes
- Robust physical layer security for wireless communications
- Improving quantum and optical sensors using machine learning techniques
- Reasoning for autonomous domain specific robots
- Cyber influence on behaviour change: Prevalence, predictors, progress and prevention
- Explainable and trustworthy artificial intelligence
The full list is available through: https://www.raeng.org.uk/grants-prizes/grants/support-for-research/ic-postdoctoral?dm_i=4S2P,AF60,S4S4G,14CAP,1
Award Value: up to £200k for 2 years
RAEng Visiting Professors Scheme
Deadline: 03-Apr-2020
This scheme supports the appointment of senior industrial engineers as Visiting Professors in Engineering (and related) Academic Units at UK universities. This initiative aims to utilise the experience of the Visiting Professor to enhance student learning as well as the employability and skills of UK engineering graduates whilst strengthening external partnerships with industry.
Award Value: up to £10k per year for 3 years (max: £30k)Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship update – Jan 2020
The Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship scheme, which funds studentships (3 intakes of 5 students) in priority research areas identified by individual institutions, is now open for applications. Only one bid per University is allowed.
Manchester Doctoral College Strategy Group (MDCSG) and Research Strategy Group have decided that the University’s bid will be based around cross-University research activity, led by Professor Nancy Papalopulu in FBMH, on the application of mathematical theory to current topics in Social Sciences and Biology. This topic fits with the research priorities of all three Faculties, as well as other criteria imposed by the Leverhulme Trust, and the programme’s design will build on the team’s extensive experience gained through running other doctoral training schemes. Consequently, this proposal is considered a strong submission for the Leverhulme Trust funding and MDCSG will not be requesting EOIs from other sources for submission to this call.
Colleagues who feel that they could contribute to the University’s submission should contact Nancy Papalopulu (nancy.papalopulu@manchester.ac.uk) and cc sarah.chatwin@manchester.ac.uk; further information about the call can be found here: https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/leverhulme-doctoral-scholarships;
EPSRC IAA 8th Call for Proposals
Deadline: 16-Mar-2020
*N.B. projects awarded under the Call 8 deadline have an earliest start date of 01-Apr-2020 and must start as soon as possible as the EPSRC IAA funding needs to be spent by 31st March 2021*
**Application forms have been updated since the previous call, please ensure you use the new application forms on the following links. Any resubmissions should also use the new application forms**https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/rbe/beke/knowledge-exchange/iaa/
The EPSRC has awarded UoM an additional £0.8M to deliver an Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) between Apr-2020 and Mar-2021 that aims to increase and accelerate the impact of EPSRC research outputs from the university through a range of knowledge exchange activities. Running for 12 months, the IAA will aim to ensure that the university fulfils its strategic knowledge exchange objectives in the domains covered by EPSRC research.
Relationship Incubator Scheme (£10k, Open call)
Fostering new relationships between industry and academic researchers, creating opportunities for collaboration and exchange of knowledge and skills
Proof of Concept Scheme (£25k)
Support for the very early stage of transforming research outputs into commercial opportunities
Secondment Scheme (£50k)
Flexible support for secondments between The University of Manchester and businesses and other organisations
Applications are only permitted for projects focused on the exploitation / application of knowledge or technology generated through EPSRC-funded research at UoM. Eligible collaborators are UK-based businesses (including UK sites of international businesses), UK charities, and UK public sector organisations such as the NHS. Non-UK based businesses may be eligible where there is demonstrable evidence of the intention for inward investment during or beyond the lifetime of the project (e.g. establishing a UK site, job creation). If you have any queries regarding user organisation eligibility, please contact the Knowledge Exchange (KE) Team.
Do you have a potential project?
The KE Team provide active support for the development of EPSRC IAA submissions. Prior to applying, academics are strongly advised to contact a member of the KE Team for support (ke@manchester.ac.uk), and ideally at least 1 month before the call closing date.
Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowships
Stage 1 deadline: 24-Feb-2020
https://enterprisehub.raeng.org.uk/programmes/enterprise-fellowships/
This fellowship will provide up to £60k (not FEC) for academics who wish to have a spin out company and must be supported by the university through heads of departments.
"Enterprise Fellowships programme supports creative and entrepreneurial engineers who have an exceptional innovation that they plan to develop further. We equip you with the confidence, skills, experience and networks you need to bring your innovation to market.
To date, we've supported nearly 100 individuals to launch 75 companies. which have gone on to attract over £80 million in additional funding and create over 400 jobs.
The Fellowship is a prize awarded to the most promising engineering and technology entrepreneurs, and applications will be open twice a year."
RAEng staff will be happy to look at your proposals and help you to improve it before the formal submission.
This is a two-stage application, with the first stage (a few questions, reply from RAEng within 48 hours), deadline 24 Feb. and second stage (full proposal) 20 March.Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowships application - deadline 24 Feb. 2020
This is the link to the application.
This fellowship will provide up to £60,000 (not FEC ) for academics who wish to have a spin out company and must be supported by the university through heads of departments.
"Enterprise Fellowships programme supports creative and entrepreneurial engineers who have an exceptional innovation that they plan to develop further. We equip you with the confidence, skills, experience and networks you need to bring your innovation to market.
To date, we've supported nearly 100 individuals to launch 75 companies. which have gone on to attract over £80 million in additional funding and create over 400 jobs.
The Fellowship is a prize awarded to the most promising engineering and technology entrepreneurs, and applications will be open twice a year."
The Fellowships provide:
· Up to £60,000 equity-free funding
· Tailored mentoring and training
· PR, marketing and promotion
· Access to our drop-in workspace in central London
The Royal Academy of Engineering staff will be happy to look at your proposals and help you to improve it before the formal submission.
This is a two-stage application, with the first stage (a few questions, reply from Royal Academy of Engineering within 48 hours), deadline 24 Feb. and second stage (full proposal) 20 March.
Best wishes,
Professor Lin Li, FREng, Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation, Faculty of FSE
