-
School of CS newsletter
Published: Tuesday, 28 February 2017Weekly newsletter for the School of CS
[ top ]News from Head of School
[ top ]News and announcements
Collegues with contacts in Malawi
An exciting new student volunteer project is currently being set up by David Rydeheard and the Computing at School team that will see some of our students take their subject out to schools in rural Malawi this coming June. As part of this project, we would like to make some connections with universities in Lilongwe and therefore want know if any of our academics or staff have connections with HE institutions in Malawi they wouldn't mind sharing with the project team? All information and/or suggestions will be received with thanks.
Please email Karen Corless in ACSO if you are able to help.
Harassment/Bullying/Discrimination Support
We aim to make the School a pleasant and cooperative place to work and very much hope that this is the experience colleagues have of working or studying here. If staff and students experience any form of bullying, harassment and/or discrimination we would encourage you to report this so that any concerns can be addressed in an appropriate manner. The mechanisms for reporting any concerns and accessing support are outlined below and more detail can be found on the recently updated website 'Report and Support':
To report a bullying or harassment incident or concern through the Report and Support website there are two options:
report anonymously (which does not require any personal identifiable details).
speak to an advisor
The site also provides guidance for staff and students on what bullying and harassment is, what to do if you are experiencing or have witnessed this happening to someone else and sources of support and advice.
Alternatively there are a number of colleagues within the School with whom any concerns can be discussed – this could be your Line Manager, Head of Research Group, Head of Function, Head of School, Deputy Head of School, Head of School Administration – or our HR Partners, colleagues in Equality and Diversity etc.
Best wishes, Liz
Survey on international mobility of researchers
Deadline: 10 Mar 2017
The Royal Society is conducting a study on the international mobility of UK researchers, and we would like to invite you to participate: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MOHEI
It takes 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey is part of a larger Royal Society study being conducted by RAND Europe. The study will gather data on international mobility patterns for researchers in the UK, explore the incentives and constraints that shape those patterns, and collate the impacts of mobility on researchers and more widely. The Royal Society will be publishing the findings later this year and using them to inform their ongoing work providing advice to UK, European and international policy makers.
[ top ]Events
International Women's Day - Wed 8 March
The University of Manchester is an institute committed to gender equality and encourages positive action for advancing and supporting women. In celebration of International Women's Day on the 8 March, there are a number of events taking place across campus, please follow link for details and how to book places.
PGBiomed - call for abstracts
Submission deadline: 31 Mar 17
Event: July 2017 (Manchester)It is the 10th in a series of student run conferences in biomedical engineering, covering everything from Bioinstrumentation and Sensors, to Biomechanics, to Health informatics. The aim is to give early career researchers (mainly PhD students) the opportunity to present their work in a supportive environment, to build confidence and skills before a standard full conference presentation. The programme will include sessions on career development and several best presentation prizes will be available.
The call for abstracts is now live: http://ewh.ieee.org/sb/ukri/embs/pgbiomed17
Putting People @ the Centre of Data UoM interdisciplinary collaboration workshop
Event: 9.30am-3pm, 13-Mar-17 (The Studio, 51 Lever Street, Manchester M1 1FN)
This sandpit event aims to bring together researchers from across the broad spectrum of data science activity, from data engineering and machine learning to application areas including psychology and economics. The sandpit will aim to identify how to bridge the gaps between human, engineering and ICT approaches to develop truly effective, human-centred, pervasive capture and exploitation of data.
Dr Alistair Duke, Principal Researcher, Future Business Technology, BT Plc; one of the major partners in Manchester’s CityVerve IoT demonstrator will deliver a keynote speech discussing the project's Human-Centred Design. The main focus of the day will be to explore possible UoM interdisciplinary collaborations in the area of Human-Centre Pervasive Data Science. Particular areas of interest include device and sensor technology, human computer interaction, user experience, human factors, and adaptive systems that can be shown to be relevant to ubiquitous computing, such as the quantified self, affective systems, disruptive interaction modalities, wearable interactions, distributed interactions, and applied real-world sensing.
A draft agenda to this event is available here. Registration required.
[ top ]Funding Opportunities
UK Digital Economy Crucible 2017 Leadership Programme
Deadline: 5th March 2017
For Early Career Researchers (ECRs), interested in multidisciplinary research - apply for EPSRC-funded UK Digital Economy Crucible - a unique leadership development programme for ECRs from all disciplines to collaborate, network, and develop career-altering skills surrounding digital economy research that enriches people's lives. A series of residential-based programmes, held across four cities in the UK, provides the exclusive opportunity to interact with distinguished speakers in the field of digital economy and other crucial actors such as media (BBC, Channel 4 & Guardian), industry (Microsoft, NHS, DVLA, BBC R&D), research councils (EPSRC, AHRC & ESRC), general public and Parliament (Outreach and Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology). The cohort will also be able to pitch for seedcorn research funding exclusively available to them. For further information, including an application form, visit: http://cherish-de.uk/crucible/ Any questions, please contact : Tashi.gyaltsen@swansea.ac.uk Ph: 01792 606896
Digital Economy Fellowships (Early and Established only)
https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/skills/fellows/areas/priorityareas/digitaleconomy/
The RCUK Digital Economy Theme has recently announced a new fellowship priority area entitled Designing and exploiting digital systems for society and the economy. Applications to this priority area should explore the transformational use of new and emerging technologies to develop innovative solutions to societal or economic challenges, for example, better services, health and care provision, digital democracy and entertainment. Applications to this priority area should blend and balance understanding of the human, socio-economic and technical challenges in using digital technologies. Applications should focus on new and emerging technologies that are not available off-the-shelf and may as yet be unproven; examples could include aspects of distributed ledger technologies, new digital platforms, artificial intelligence technologies or virtual/augmented reality. What is the innovation opportunity, or unique proposition, that the new or emerging technology brings to a new design, system or infrastructure that could really contribute to a solution?
New call: Diversity and Inclusion in Science - Master’s Scholarships for Brazilian Students
EoI deadline: 02 Apr-17
We wanted to highlight the recent call inviting expressions of interest from UK Universities to host Brazilian Masters scholars. This is the first Newton call of its kind, and is unique to Brazil. It has been developed specifically to help improve access to higher education for underrepresented and socially disadvantaged groups in Brazil, something which is part of the Brazilian Government’s ‘affirmative action’ policy and widening participation agenda.
UK-Israel SYNERGY Programme
Deadline: 06-Apr-2017
This British Council and the UK Science and Innovation Network (SIN) Programme aims to strengthen academic collaboration between the UK and Israel in the following priority sectors: Nanoscience, Neuroscience, Agri Science, Waters Science, Cyber and Antimicrobial Resistance. The scheme aims to support researchers or research groups looking to hold a two day academic meeting (symposium/workshop) as a seed for future UK-Israel academic collaboration in the fields above mentioned.
Grants vary from £4,500 to £8,500, depending on the size of the event and the required amount of co-funding. Submissions are done via an online form. Academic meetings are expected to take place from July 2017-September 2018.
For any inquiry you may have, please feel free to contact us via israelscience@britishcouncil.org
[ top ]Sustainability and Green Impact News
Plants for Better Office Air
Having a couple of pot plants can significantly improve [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Clean_Air_Study] the air quality in your office (as well as looking pretty). The School’s Green Impact Team can help you get plants into your office: if you want a few office-suitable plants (incl caring instruction, saucer, etc), we’re happy to sort this out for you, with the help of Hulme Garden Centre [http://www.hulmegardencentre.org.uk/]. Please email Ruth Maddocks before March 6 with your office number if you are interested.
Green Impact Fairtrade Break Event - 1 March
Hi Everybody,
We will be running an event on 1st March 12:30-14:00 in the Atrium at Uni Place to promote Fairtrade Fortnight.
We are collaborating with staff from the Atrium to share different Fairtrade foods, tea and coffee and have a communal break with staff and students from across the university.
We will be making some delicious baked goods as well and it would be great if you can come along and show your support.
The event will be free, however, there will be a collection pot for Tradecraft, a charity that sells Fairtrade goods, if you wish to donate.
Hope to see you there!
SDCE Green Impact Team