Department of CS newsletter

With COVID and travel restrictions, we are becoming aware of more staff who are working overseas and it is timely for us to remind you of the following process for staff for whom this may be the situation.

Such appointments / arrangements can have significant contractual, financial, tax and pension implications for both the individual and the University. Therefore, it is vital that advice, guidance and approval is sought at the planning stage. You are reminded that all overseas appointments or arrangements for staff to work abroad require the approval of the Dean (at a VMG meeting), prior to the colleague beginning work overseas. This will be the case if, for example, you are considering: • recruiting an employee who lives and will continue to live and work abroad for the University, • sending an existing employee to be based abroad on an assignment or secondment for six months or more, • a request from an employee to work abroad for personal reasons (e.g. to work from home in another country).

Due to the complexity of employing staff overseas, it is important that advice is sought during the planning stage to ensure that country specific considerations, particularly on issues such as tax, social security and pensions, can be identified and that any associated costs can be budgeted for by the recruiting area. It is appreciated the pandemic has affected the number of colleagues working overseas. However, it is not expected to become the norm going forward. Therefore, managers are also reminded that, in the vast majority of cases, colleagues should be encouraged to relocate to the UK on a permanent basis as soon as possible. If this is not to be the case please can this be made clear on the documentation before it is sent to VMG.

Any questions should be directed to our HR partner Shona Garner and more detailed guidance is available here. Your assistance in ensuring we do not fall foul of any contractual, financial, tax and pension implications for either the individual or the University is appreciated.

Autonomy and Verification Group, Department of Computer Science Short-term (initially 6 months) post-doctoral research positions

Please direct both informal inquiries and CVs to: louise.dennis@manchester.ac.uk, clare.dixon@manchester.ac.uk or michael.fisher@manchester.ac.uk

I would like to welcome Angel Harper to our School Operations team in Computer Science. Angel has worked in the University in various roles since 2008 and brings a wealth of knowledge with her.

Her role prior to joining our team was as a Personal Assistant to Director of Modelling and Simulation Centre in MACE. Therefore she is already a part of the School of Engineering. Please feel free to drop her line and say hello. Angel.Harper@manchester.ac.uk

Michelle 

Check out the Wellbeing Wiki for useful contacts and a myriad of ideas, events, groups Wellbeing - School of CS Staff Wiki (manchester.ac.uk).

Highlight of the Week: 

University Zoom fitness classes

For more information

• Friends and family can join in the zoom sessions at no extra cost.
• If you are on campus and struggling to find a space to do your zoom session, we can help, just drop us an e-mail.

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ideas-forum-space-science-and-technology-at-uom-tickets-151774029207

About this Event: The University has a strong heritage of space research encompassing the pioneering radio astronomy work at Jodrell Bank, astrophysics, planetary science and cosmochemistry, space instrumentation and space technology development. With the planned launch of the University’s own satellite in June this year, and the establishment of the UK Space Agency backed North West Space Hub, its timely to reflect on the University’s capabilities, synergies between activities, and collaborative interdisciplinary research opportunities.

This Ideas Forum event will offer the opportunity for researchers to present their space relevant research capabilities through 5 minute expertise pitches, and then provide time to discuss potential research collaborations in a round-table session.

Confirmed pitches to date include:

Dr Peter Roberts (MACE) – orbital aerodynamics, space materials and Manchester’s first satellite

Dr Katie Joy (SEES) - Upcoming opportunities for collaborations in planetary exploration

Dr Gail Millin-Chalabi (SEED) – Earth observation and its commercialisation

If you are interested in taking advantage of one the 5 minute pitch slots, you can register your interest in the Eventbrite registration form. Please do so by 14th May so that we can collate and publicise the speakers in the lead up to the event.

The Rise of Shadow Infrastructure and Implications for Trust and Security Tuesday 18 May, 1 – 2pm

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-rise-of-shadow-infrastructure-and-implications-for-trust-and-security-tickets-152985683297

Workplace Security Cluster Seminar Wednesday 19 May, 12 – 1pm

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/workplace-security-cluster-seminar-tickets-152988975143

The Rise of Shadow Infrastructure and Implications for Trust and Security Thursday 20 May, 10:30am – 2pm

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/privacy-data-protection-and-trust-launch-webinar-tickets-153774280011

Find out more and contact the Centre for Digital Trust and Society via website, email or Twitter

Events: 13:00-14:00 on Friday the 25 June, 2 July and 9 July (via Zoom)

The University of Manchester Innovation Factory and FSE Business Engagement and Innovation Team are excited to invite you to three virtual workshops in June/July to help you identify opportunities and support IP commercialisation in Computer Science. The events are aimed at students, postdocs and academics working and studying in the Department and are being specially tailored with relevant agenda topics and speakers. 
 
Attending the workshops will help you identify ideas with commercial opportunity and inspire and lead to you to generate societal, environmental and/or economic impact. The three introductory events will be followed by on-going meetings and activities which will enable contact with dynamic tech companies, investors, big corporates, specialist IP lawyers as well as other organisations and individuals working in the tech/digital/AI space. 
 
Registration required: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/generating-commercial-impact-from-your-research-why-should-you-do-it-tickets-153442092429 .

On Thursday 18th March 2021 Digital Futures hosted the event ‘From Digital Futures to Digital Present: How has the Post-Pandemic World reshaped our digital lives?’. Dr Riza Theresa Batista-Navarro spoke on the potential of raising people’s awareness of the carbon footprint of their home-cooking. 

The talk is available: From Digital Futures to Digital Present: Dr Riza Theresa Batista-Navarro - YouTube

Call for participants in the Women in Higher Education Network’s ‘100 Black Women Professors Now!’ programme.

Deadline: 20-Jun-21

www.nature.com/collections/jcpghfmqlz/applynow
The Nature Research Awards for Inspiring Women in Science aim to celebrate and support the achievements of women in science, as well as those who encourage girls and young women to engage with STEM subjects and support them to stay in STEM careers. Winners will receive a prize of $40k (£28k), publicity and mentoring. 

The University is limited to 6 submissions. Please contact sarah.chatwin@manchester.ac.uk asap for full information on the internal sift process (deadline 27-May-21).

Apply for funding for high-risk decarbonisation research to develop or model:

• materials
• devices
• fuels
• technologies.

Mathematical, digital, artificial intelligence and software-based solutions are excluded.

Deadline: 23 June 2021
Turing Fellow Call 2021 | The Alan Turing Institute
A new call for Turing Fellows is launching for mid-to-senior career stage researchers are invited to apply. Both current Turing Fellows and new applicants are eligible to apply. Turing Fellows are scholars with proven research excellence in data science, artificial intelligence or a related field whose research would be significantly enhanced through active involvement with the Turing network of universities and partners. Successful applicants will be appointed as Turing Fellows for 12 months initially with all fellowships commencing on 01-Oct-2021.

Interested applicants with queries should contact their Turing University Lead (Prof. Magnus Rattray).

Deadline: 02-Jun-21

ESRC-ADR UK No.10 data science fellowships 2021 – UKRI

Opportunity for social science-focussed researchers with quantitative analysis experience to spend a year collaborating with 10 Downing Street’s data science team (10DS) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS):
•    Co-designing research and producing analysis using new and existing linked administrative datasets to inform policy in priority policy areas
•    Championing data science across central government and supporting wider knowledge exchange with researchers on effective policy collaboration and data analysis.
Maximum Award: £135k

A reminder that, during June 2021, the Kilburn building will be undergoing its statutory 5 year electrical safety inspection, and power outages will occur around the building. 

If you have a computer powered on in Kilburn that you either use remotely or provide services from, please fill in the short (couple of minutes) survey at:

https://www.qualtrics.manchester.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_9Z8hFVaARGsIWMu

The intention is that, once we have this information captured, affected users can be contacted with the timeframe(s) where their systems will lose power so they can shut them down safely, and staff on-site can power them up again if required. While we will try to bring systems back online as soon as possible, given the small number of staff available on site we can not give guaranteed restoration times.