The Rochester By-Election: the View from FTU

A message from the Vice Chancellor of Fundermental Towers University (FTU)

As many of you know, FTU's main campus is located at 2 Acacia Avenue, at the very heart of the dreaming towers of Rochester. No surprise, then, that the world's media were keen to know what our response was to the recent election of the Ukip's second MP in our constituency. To be honest, I was seething. That upstart Reckless stole my victory.

Grants Factory: Using Research Professional

Research Professional (RP) is the UK’s most comprehensive source of up-to-date information on available research funding opportunities. It’s the benchmark for such databases, and the majority of UK research-intensive universities use it. Kent has a subscription, and has also signed up for additional RP services which provide news, intelligence and background information on the research funding landscape.

Anyone on the University’s network can use the service. However, if you register with RP, you can access it wherever you are, and can tailor funding and news alerts. It is invaluable if you are planning to apply for a research grant or fellowship.

The next Grants Factory (8 December) will help you get the most from the service. Luke George from RP will be running two sessions: the first will be a straightforward overview of what RP offers; the second will give you the same overview, but will also give you the opportunity to have a go at using the database, setting up an account, and exploring what it has to offer.

• Overview: 13:00-14:00, KLT2 
• Interactive Workshop: 14:30-16:00, ECT1 

It’s free to attend and you can come to either of the sessions. However places are limited, and will be given on a first come first served basis, so do let me know if you intend to come.

EPSRC Christmas Ad Launched

Pigeon holes stuffed full of rejection letters

Hot on the heels of the mawkish Christmas adverts launched by John Lewis and Sainsbury's, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has unveiled its bid to capture yuletide hearts.

Their advert centres on a lonely applicant attempting to get funding from the notoriously cold-hearted Council.

Launch of the Kent EU Partnership Fund

Kent, as the UK's European university, is strongly supportive of the development of collaborations with European partners. 

In order to facilitate these, funding is available to cover the cost of developing exchanges and visits. Details of how to access this Fund are now available on the Research Services website, here.  

If you have any questions about it, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

2 Forthcoming Grants Factory & ECR Network Events

The following Grants Factory and ECR Network sessions are coming up at the end of the month. Both events are free and all Kent staff are welcome, but do let me know if you intend to come along. Tea/coffee will be available, and there’ll be lunch for the Essential Elements session.

Beyond the Safety of the Silo

Earlier this year Nesta and the Technology Strategy Board, now known as Innovate UK, launched the £10-million Longitude Prize. The competition to choose the subject for the prize offered the public a feast of intractable problems, from which it had to select a winner. It was a fairly ghoulish spectacle, akin to an X Factor-style contest to choose the most dangerous Horseman of the Apocalypse. “But how important is dementia, really?” we were asked. “Is it worse than hunger? Or thirst? What about paralysis? Or Pestilence?”

“Pestilence” roared the audience, and the returning officer duly offered up antimicrobial resistance as the Horseman Most in Need of a Good Kicking, or a Christmas Number One, which might be the same thing.