Research Councils EPSRC Office of Science and Technology BBSRCESRCMRCNERCPPARCCCLRC DTI

Meeting with University of Leeds : 11 November 2002

Vince Osgood

Programme Manager

Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Programme

OsgoodIT/ ICSTMNov00.ppt

• Structure of presentation

– Strategy development

– EPSRC Funding patterns

– EPSRC Leeds

– ICT Programme

– Current developments


Meeting with University of Leeds : 11 November 2002

Research Councils

EPSRC

Office of Science and Technology

BBSRC ESRC MRC NERC PPARC CCLRC

DTI

Research Councils, UK

• Chaired by Dr John Taylor as DGRC• Membership: CEOs of Research Councils

• Strategy Group• Research Councils Science Strategy for UK• Facilities Road Map• Cross-council programmes/actions

• Small secretariat hosted by EPSRC• Common interfaces where appropriate

UK Government funded R&D, 1998-99

Source: SET Statistics 2000

Total £6,274m

Civil Departments£1,372.8m

Funding Councils£1,085m

Defence£2,096m

Contribution to EU R&D £387m

Total Science Budget£1,334m

EPSRC

Research Grants76.7%

Training17.5%

Operations3.6%

£498 million

Planned expenditure 2002/3

Fellowships1.7% Public Awareness

0.4%

To generate relevant new knowledge and expertise within its broad area of responsibility

and

to ensure that there is a healthy outflow into the community at large

EPSRC Task

OsgoodIT/ICSTMNov00.ppt

National research cycle

Providers(mainly universities)

Government

EPSRC Users (mainly industry)

£ for research & training

Opinions & £

Knowledge & people

Policy & £

Information & influence

World Knowledge & people

Charter Objectives of the research councils

• To promote and support, by any means, high quality basic, strategic and applied research and related post-graduate training in ….;

• To advance knowledge and technology, and provide trained scientists and engineers, which meet the needs of users and beneficiaries thereby contributing to the economic competitiveness of the UK and the quality of life;

• To provide advice, dissemniate knowledge, and promote public understanding in the fields of …


Promoting high quality research and training

“The Research Councils are not obliged to fund research and training in any particular type of institution – whether universities or others. They decide upon the best means to employ in order to discharge their Charter obligations”.

Quinquennial review of the grant-awarding research councils. November 2001


Strategic Framework

Programmes:Disciplines etc.

Sectors:sector briefs

SocietySocio-economic

Researchexcellence

Multidisciplinaryopportunities

Trainingneeds

Infrastructureinvestment

Knowledge &Skills transfer

MISSION OBJECTIVES’

BUSINESS PLANNING PROCESS

Business Plan Development

5

ProgrammeManager

Team

TOP&

UPCouncil

Foresight

Evaluation

GovernmentOrganisations

LearnedSocieties

ProfessionalOrganisations

College and Regional Meetings Users

Feedback on Landscapesfrom individuals

Business Plan Advice

SATsStrategicAdvisory

Teams

ICT STRATEGIC ADVISORY TEAM

Prof Alan Bundy

Prof Barry Evans

Prof Steve Hall

Peter Saraga

Prof Morris Sloman

Dr Alison Starr

Prof Chris Taylor

Dr Mark Thomas

Prof Ian White

Edinburgh University

Surrey University

Liverpool University

Philips Research

Imperial College

Smiths Aerospace

Manchester University

IBM UK

Cambridge University

E-SCIENCE

“E-science is about global collaboration in key areas of science, and the next generation of infrastructure that will enable it”

John Taylor, DGRC

Osgood/Systems Integration.ppt

The Grid“Dependable, consistent, pervasive

access to[high-end] resources”

• Dependable: Can provide performance and functionality guarantees

• Consistent: Uniform interfaces to a wide variety of resources

• Pervasive: Ability to “plug in” from anywhere

Osgood/Systems Integration.ppt

Cambridge

Newcastle

Edinburgh

Oxford

Glasgow

Manchester

Cardiff

Soton

London

Belfast

DL

RL Hinxton

Centre locations

Several centres have additional functions, e.g. Cambridge = NIEeS

UK Grid Support Centre

• Part of the UK e-Science Core Programme

• Led by CLRC e-Science Centre

• Team of 6 posts based at CLRC and Edinburgh and Manchester Universities (but actually provides access to the expertise of some 25-30 people)

• Helps all e-Science projects to install and apply Grid software quickly, easily and productively

EPSRC e-Science Application Projects

• Distributed Diagnostics: Engineering/Medical (DAME) • Bioinformatics Grid Environments: Functional

Genomics (MyGrid) • Structure-Property Mapping: Combinatorial Chemistry

(Comb-e-Chem)• Interactive Visualization: Condensed Matter and

Materials (RealityGrid)• Design Search and Optimisation: Engineering

(GEODISE)• High Throughput Informatics: Computer Science

(DiscoveryNet)

E-Science Long Term research agenda

• Semantic Grid• Trusted ubiquitous systems• Rapid customised assembly of services• Autonomic computing systems• Exploiting a future infrastructure• How best to support new forms of community• How to understand the socio-economic impact• Need for an e-Science experimental platform• An archival repository

UK Research CouncilsBasic Technology Research Programme

The Challenge

to innovate

to build capacity through establishing new teams and developing and sharing new skills and knowledge

to make leaps in technology unfeasible through existing funding models for applied science

to develop new instruments, systems, processes and approaches to aid observation, measurement,

optimisation and control

to devise new methods for the fabrication, embodiment, integration and implementation of technologies

Ø The development of terahertz technology for physical, biological

•and medical imaging and spectroscopy.

Ø Next generation artificial vision systems: Reverse engineering

• the human visual system.

Ø Nano emitter electrospray technology for the manipulation of

•nano particles and molecules.

Atom Chips; integrated circuits for nanoscale quantum

manipulation of cold atoms.

UK Research CouncilsBasic Technology Research Programme

Initial Projects from the first Call:

Funding Outcomes 2001/02: Responsive mode

Electronics 10.97

Photonics 5.74

Software Technologies 11.31

People, Systems and Interactivity 6.24

Total 34.26

Funding Outcomes 2001/02: Initiatives

Mathfit 0.95Distributed Inf Management (DIM) 1.12Carbon Based Electronics 3.30Healthcare Informatics 1.37Optical Systems Integration 2.04IRC Contributions 2.15Systems Integration 1.53 LINK 3.70Faradays 0.89Others 0.14Total 17.19

I nformation and Communications Technologies Programme

• Maintain 65%:35% Responsive:Managed• Provide up to £4M for Platform Grants• Agree £1.25M for 2nd phase of PACCIT• Progress new activity on “Novel

Computational Architectures” (bid to SR 2002)

• Initiate some pilot “Portfolio Awards”• Take forward appropriate

recommendations from the IR report

Priorities for 2002/ 03

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

£M

1999/2000-£258M

2000/01-£323M

2001/02 -£361M

Mathematics Physics ITCS Life Sciences

Interface

Core e-Science

Basic technology

Inc. EPSRCE-Sciencevia ITCS

Grant Commitment by Programme

Engineeringfor

Infrastructure

InnovativeManufacturing

General

EngineeringMaterials Chemistry

NEW

EPSRC RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL OUTCOMES BY PROGRAMME

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Percentage Funded by Value

1999

2000

2001

A shadow on the horizon?A shadow on the horizon?

Appropriate action?Appropriate action?

“Success Rates”, 2001

InfrastructureAnd

EnvironmentInnovative

Manufacturing

GeneralEngineering

IT & ComputerScience

Materials

Chemistry

Mathematics

Physics

Life ScienceInterface

LSI Success rateSUCCESS RATES: LSI vs NON LSI

(Responsive Grants % by number incl. ROPA, July 99 - Oct 2001 decisions)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

MATH

EMATIC

S

CHEMIS

TRY

IT &

COM

PUTER S

CI

GEN. ENG

.

OVERALL A

VERAGE

MATE

RIALS

PHYSICS

ENG. for

INFR

AST.& E

NV

LSI (

Smal

l Gra

nts)

% S

ucc

ess

by

No

. co

nsi

der

ed

Non-LSI

LSIcofunded

Proposals received and funded 1999-2001

Year 1999 2000 2001ITCS Received 837 £132M 771 £120M 937 £155M

ITCS Funded 343 £47M 339 £43M 338 £47M

EPSRC Rec. 4,744 £775M 5,030 £804M 5,218 £940M

EPSRC Fund. 1,960 £294M 2,241 £310M 1,914 £302M

Doctoral Studentships supported 1999-2001

Year 1999 2000 2001ITCS Quotas/Eng D 723 763 799

ITCS Project St. 208 187 191

EPSRC Quotas/EngD 5,077 5,187 5,383

EPSRC Project St. 1,088 1,039 1,061

Members of EPSRC CollegeProfessor M Chamberlain

Sch of Electronic & Elec Engineering

Professor BS HoyleSch of Electronic & Elec Engineering

Professor RD PollardSch of Electronic & Elec Engineering

Professor CM SnowdenSch of Electronic & Elec Engineering

Dr R Bod School of ComputingProfessor AG Cohn School of ComputingProfessor PM Dew School of ComputingProfessor ME Dyer School of ComputingProfessor DC Hogg School of ComputingDr PK Jimack School of Computing

Institutional Success Rates Against Numbers of Successful Grant Proposals in 2001

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 120.0

Number of Successful Grant Proposals

Perc

enta

ge S

ucce

ss R

ate

Institutional Success Rates Against Numbers of Successful Grant Proposals in 2001

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 120.0Number of Successful Grant Proposals

Perc

enta

ge S

ucce

ss R

ate

University of Leeds

Comparison of Success Rates from 1/4/99 to 31/3/02

38%

41%

34%

39%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Overall EPSRC University of Leeds (EPSRC) EPSRC (ICT) University of Leeds (ICT)

Succ

ess

Rate

by

Num

ber o

f Pro

posa

ls (%

)

ICT Funding Leeds - Comparison of Success Rates from 1/4/99 to 31/3/02

49%

31%

42%39%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

School of Computing School of Electronic andElectrical Engineering

Other Departments University of Leeds (ICT)

Succ

ess

Rate

by

Num

ber o

f Pro

posa

ls (%

)

A Comparison of Computer Science Funding and Total University Funding

InstitutionGrants (ICT)

Department (£M)

University (£M)

Nottingham 1412.7 (IRC 10.7) 61.8

Sheffield 11 1.9 57.6

Leeds 19 2.3 50.6

UCL 23 6.6 45.0

Newcastle 11 9.6 (IRC 7.3) 33.4

Birmingham 10 1.6 46.0

Cambridge 20 3.8 142

Oxford 15 2.6 101

Responsive Mode - Received by Technology Lead PSP, 12 months rolling totals

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

Cds

Ceramics

Electronic Materials

Electronics

Human Factors

Metals Programme

Photonic Materials

Photonics

Polymers

Systems Architectures

Systems Engineering

I nformation and CommunicationsTechnologies (I CT)Programme

“ICT (Information and Communications Technology) has a central and strategic role in modern society. Computer Science research is essential to support this role and to develop improved understanding of the foundations of computation.”

UKCRC input to International Review Panel May 2001



• The Core IT Research Discipline“By Core IT Research Discipline we mean what is

commonly called “Computer Science”. i.e. that part of IT research which deals with information and computing in general terms both in the concrete and in the abstract.

Once the core role of Computer Science in IT is clearly recognised, there is of course considerable gain in drawing it together with its enabling technology -e.g. devices- and all its applications under the embracing heading of IT.”

Professor Robin Milner , FRS and others (May 1991).

OsgoodIT/ I CSTMNov00.ppt

BUSINESS PLAN: J uly 2002

• Objectives of the ICT Programme:- To maintain excellence in the research base

which underpins the Programme- To take account of the needs of users in

maintaining a balanced portfolio of research and training opportunities

- To support inter and multi-disciplinary research



• Five main thematic areas:

- Electronics

- Photonics

- Communications

- Computer Science

- People and Interactivity



• - Electronics : Chris Nott

• - Photonics : Simon Crook, Mike van der Merwe

• - Communications : Pilar Sepulveda

• - Computer Science : Jon Hunt, Andrew Lees

• - People and Interactivity : Sivasegaram Manimaaran, Mark Hylton

OsgoodI T/ I CSTMNov00.ppt

Business Plan 2002 : I CT

• Maintain Responsive Mode at 65% of budget• Provide up to £5M for (12)Platform Grants• Support up to 5 “Portfolio Awards”• Agree £1.25M for 2nd phase of PACCIT• Contribute £500K to QIP• Progress new activity on “Content Engineering”,

“Convergence of communications and computing”, “Managing complexity”, “Autonomic computing”, “Health informatics”

Priorities for 2003/ 04

Platform Grants approved (October 2002)

Prof J McDermid

Prof S Furber

Prof A Asenov

Prof C Chrispoulos

Dr T Attwood

Prof I Sommerville

Prof A Bundy

Prof M Kelly

Prof A Sloman

University of York


Glasgow University

Nottingham University


Lancaster University


Surrey University

Imperial College

Platform Grants approved (October 2002)

Dr M Johnson

Prof W Crossland

Prof B Mulgrew

Newcastle University

Cambridge University


New EPSRC College in 2003

• ‘Raise the profile’ of membership

• Publish College Membership ‘Directory’

• Indicate areas of particular expertise

• ‘International Members’ section

• Invite letters imminent

Collaborative Training Awards

• Discussion document circulated to community

• Overall response supportive

• Single account; operate locally

• At higher university level than DTAs

• Implement on a pilot basis for October 2003 starts

• If successful, full launch for October 2004 starts

International Strategy

• Early stages of development but will promote excellent research to collaborate internationally

• UK Science comes first

• Work closely with other UK and international organisations

• Develop a target list of certain countries and regions

• Reap maximum benefit from international programmes and opportunities

• Watch this space!

Supporting Excellence

• Are 3 year grants of £150K the best way to support research?

• See merit in ‘portfolio’ grants to strong teams, effected by consolidation and enhancement

• Aim to provide greater stability and less bureaucracy for strong groups, reducing the burden of application, evaluation, tracking, reporting, etc. associated with multiple small grants

EPSRC Portfolio Partnerships• Consolidation of grant portfolio and extension out to 5

years in a ‘profiled’ form

• Grant profile is constant for 3 years, tapering down in

years 4 and 5

• No ‘responsive mode’ grant applications for first 2+ years

• Earliest start for any new responsive mode grants will be

the beginning of year 4

• By year 5 the ‘portfolio’ will be re-tensioned

• MOU between EPSRC and University re ‘Partnership’

NoNoresponsiveresponsive

modemodeapplicationsapplications

Earliest startEarliest startnew responsivenew responsive

mode grantsmode grants

N.B. Indexing not shown

. . . . . .

Illustrative ProfileIllustrative Profile

Securedfunding

Spending Review 2002

• Second phase of e-Science, and research council activity

– core Programme– pilot projects and studentships– Long-term underpinning research• “Novel Computational Architectures:

Emergent, adaptive and hybrid systems”– complexity and information uncertainty,

hybrid systems, evolutionary computing, autonomic computing etc.

Bids relevant to ICT

Spending Review 2002

• Science budget grows 10% pa real terms• Increase to £2.9Bn by 2005/06– £436M for new research– £178M for new capital facilities– £46M for Knowledge Transfer– £220M for sustaining university research

base; £100M for SRIF, £120M for indirect costs

– £150M to implement Roberts Review• Almost no new money in 2003/04

Key points

Spending Reviews

SR 2000

(Year 00/01)

60% 30% 10%

SR

2002

(Year 03/04)

10% 30% 60%

Thank you for your

attention!

Documents

Research Councils EPSRC Office of Science and Technology BBSRCESRCMRCNERCPPARCCCLRC DTI