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Mathematical Sciences Programme

Mathematical Sciences Programme. HoDoMs 12th April 2005. CONTENT OF TALK. Current Strategy – 2004 - 2006 2005/06 activities Future Strategy – 2006 onwards. EPSRC Strategic Objectives. Support world class research Develop talented scientists and engineers Support the knowledge economy

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Mathematical Sciences Programme

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  1. Mathematical Sciences Programme HoDoMs 12th April 2005

  2. CONTENT OF TALK • Current Strategy – 2004 - 2006 • 2005/06 activities • Future Strategy – 2006 onwards

  3. EPSRC Strategic Objectives • Support world class research • Develop talented scientists and engineers • Support the knowledge economy • Public engagement • Effective and efficient operations

  4. Supporting World Class Research • Responsive mode • Portfolio of high quality, curiosity driven research • Signposting e.g. Mathematics for business • Managed activities • Address strategic priorities • Maintain coverage, particularly at interfaces • ICMS, INI • Centre of Multidisciplinary Critical Mass • Novel Computation • Maths/CS discipline hoppers • Fellowships • Springboard fellowships • Senior/Advanced fellowships

  5. Developing talented scientists and engineers • Doctoral Training Grants • Life Sciences Interface Doctoral Training Centres • Mathematics CASE • LMS/RSS broadening courses • First Grants • Mathematics for engineers • Postdoctoral fellowships • Advanced fellowships

  6. Supporting the knowledge economy • Mathematics CASE • Mathematics for business • Quantitative finance • IDEAS Factory Productivity Sandpit

  7. Public Engagement • Public engagement workshop • Contribution towards funding for relevant Partnership for Public Awareness Awards • Preparing follow on publications to “Cutting Edge Mathematics”

  8. Summary of Current strategy • Fundamental role in supporting health of the discipline • Support for young researchers • Addressing skills shortages • Emphasis on investments in people and responsive mode • Encouraging adventure • Connectivity with users in other academic disciplines and business is a priority • Mainly delivered in partnership with other EPSRC programmes and RCs • Public engagement

  9. Activities in 2005-2006

  10. Activities for 2005/06 (1) • Fund • 1 more MCM centre • Quantitative Financial Risk Management Centre • 12.5 equivalents statistics PhDs • Maths/CS Discipline hopping – closing date July 05 • Springboard fellowships – closing date Oct 05

  11. Springboard Fellowships The fellowships aim to promote: • Adventurous research • Mobility • Collaborative research with other disciplines/industry These aims can be satisfied by working either: • At the interface with another discipline • With business or industry • On a particularly innovative project or short term feasibility study. Outcomes of Fellowships: • Provide a springboard for future research – new ideas and ways of working • Future collaborations and proposals

  12. Examples of Springboards Funded in the Last Call At the interface with another discipline • Fellow with a background in integrable systems to spend 12 months working in the computer science department learning about artificial immune systems. On a particularly innovative project • Fellow with a background in set theory and logic will be spending a year developing mathematical methods for analysing some of the theories of truth in collaboration with philosophers at Oxford University With business or industry • Fellow with a background in linear algebra will be working in industry to expand her portfolio of numerical analysis experience into PDE modelling of liquid crystals.

  13. Activities for 2005/06 (2) • Interdisciplinary Workshop/Network Call – closing date Nov 05 • Workshop in Complexity – Feb 06? • Fellowships – SF, AF and PDF – closing date Oct 05 • Mathematical Sciences CASE Project – closing date Dec 05 • Mathematical Sciences DTG exercise – closing date Oct 05

  14. Proposed Research budget for 2005/06 (pre-FEC)

  15. Future Strategy

  16. Aim (10 Year Framework) Making the UK the most attractive place for science and innovation Government’s Measurable Outputs Output 1: A healthy UK science and engineering base • Aim: Maximise the impact (of the Research Council’s investment of the Science Budget) on maintaining and improving the UK’s science and engineering base. Output 2: Better exploitation • Aim: Increase the contribution made to improving exploitation of the SEB to meet national economic and public service objectives

  17. A Measurement Hierarchy OUTPUT 1 – A healthy UK SEB OUTPUT 2 – better exploitation PSA level OST is responsible for the effective exploitation of the SEB to meet UK national needs. OST is responsible for ensuring the overall health of the UK SEB. Science Budget level OST and RCUK are responsible for the optimal investment of the science budget and associated policy & activity to maintain a healthy UK SEB. OST and RCUK are responsible for maximising the contribution of the science budget and associated policy & activity to achieve better exploitation. Research Council / Domain level Research Councils are responsible for the optimal investment of their science budget allocation and associated policy & activity to maintain a healthy UK SEB in their disciplines. Research Councils are responsible for maximising the contribution of their science budget allocation and associated policy & activity to achieve better exploitation in their disciplines. RC Board level, University/ Institute level, Project level

  18. Strategy • Delivery Plan on how EPSRC will do its part in meeting the PSA targets • Published in May 05 • Business plans to deliver delivery plan • Individual programmes take into account: • International Reviews • Views of TOP and UP • Views of Stakeholders • Views of Strategy Advisory Teams

  19. International Review of Maths - Key issues • Investing in people • Doctoral training • Career paths • Strengthening the research base • Statistics • Maths/CS interface • Analysis/PDEs • Regional cooperation • Public Engagement

  20. International Review of Maths • Initial action plan is available at: http://tinyurl.com/5393o • Initial responses • Earmarked studentships for stats • Science and Innovation Award Priority Areas • Maths / Computer Science Discipline Hopping Awards • Algorithms workshop • MCM centre at St Andrews at the maths/CS interface • MCM virtual centre in statistical ecology • Clarification of support for research networks • Publishing an update to action plan on web in May 2005 • Future Actions within 2006-08 business plan

  21. Review of Research in OR • Initial response – Productivity Sandpit • Meeting with the OR Society and community representatives • Meeting with other EPSRC Programmes and ESRC • Formal response to the review • Future Actions within 2006-08 business plan

  22. Feedback from TOP & UP • Quality good, with some gaps identified by International Reviews; • Removing boundaries between sub-disciplines would be a real step forward; • Still need to improve connectivity with other disciplines (ICT, HPC in particular) and industry; • Need to continue good work in public engagement; • Concerns around levels of support for statistics and the mathematical underpinning of OR; • Concerns about the age profile across the mathematical sciences.

  23. Regional Seminars • Consensus on main issues but differing approaches • Main Issues • Studentship training (priority at all seminars) • Filling gaps • Working at the interface • Career development

  24. View of the Mathematical Sciences Programme’s SAT • Strong support for increasing the training budget to address concerns raised by IR • Managed programmes • to be very focused with clear strategic aim (not too many) • Delivered through responsive mode cf maths for business • Increase use of fellowships, discipline hopping etc to give flexibility for academics to develop their career

  25. Future Plans – initial thoughts (1) • PhD training • Responsibility of the universities • Pump priming integrated PhD Programme • Filling Gaps • Statistics – focused and time limited - not a substitute for RM • Analysis (pdes) – longer term – a highlighted area in an EPSRC Science and Innovation call - any ideas? • OR - area may be highlighted in next EPSRC Science and Innovation call

  26. Future Plans – initial thoughts (2) • Interfaces • Facilitating those who want to work with other disciplines and industry • Career development • Concentrating on the early career stage • Highlighting the flexibility of springboard fellowships and increasing its budget • Public engagement • Emphasis on promoting subject to government and public • Build on workshop by holding an IDEAS factory event? • Fund network? • Further activities joint with PE programme

  27. And Finally What do you think?

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