Modern Balboas

Balboa. But not the Rocky one

Last week I gave a talk on using social media to support research development at an Association of Research Managers and Administrators training event. The keynote speaker was Andy Miah, professor of science communication and digital media at the University of Salford. His talk was inspiring, exhilarating—and terrifying. He made us all feel like Vasco Balboa, the first European to see the Pacific. The ocean's vast, uncharted waters lay before us, and its huge, untapped potential was awe-inspiring as it glistened in the sunlight.

Most of us have only paddled in the shallows of social media, but Miah exhorted us to cast off from the safety of the shore and head to the deeps. To feel the terror of drowning, before bobbing to the surface and enjoying the freedom of the medium. "If you’re not overwhelmed, you haven’t been paying attention," said Miah. It will be overwhelming and it will be terrifying, but ultimately we all have to take the plunge. The world is changing.

The Future's Orange

Exciting news from the BBSRC. Apparently Bargain Hunt presenter David Dickinson is the Government's 'preferred candidate' as next Chair of the Council.

We couldn't be happier. With a bobby dazzler like him at the helm, the future looks golden. Or at least orange.

Any similarity to Sir Gordon 'not the beer' Duff is entirely coincidental.

Dickinson

Duff

NERC Demand Management: a Clarification

NERC

Polaris House

Swindon
SN2 1EU

Dear Vice Chancellor

I am writing to you in connection with our recent announcement about measures we are introducing to manage the demand for NERC funding.

As you will have seen, we are planning to cut the maximum funding level for standard grants (from £1.2m to £800k, fEC), but we will also be restricting the number of applications from those institutions which have a success rate of less than 20%.

We have had a number of queries about the methodology we will be using to decide whether institutions fall within this bracket. When we explain the system, we are often met with looks of puzzlement and confusion, and are asked to explain it again. And again. Some have even gone so far as to suggest that it is an unnecessarily complicated and burdensome system.

ECR Network: Coping with Rejection

Early Career Researchers’ Network

Coping with Rejection

4 March 2015, 12 noon

Peter Brown Room, Darwin College

Rejection is an integral part of academic life. Whether you’re applying for jobs or for funding, submitting journal articles or book proposals, or putting yourself forward for promotion, academics need to develop a thick skin in order to survive and thrive. But rejection need not be crushing: there are strategies for overcoming it and support available for coping with it. In the second ECR Network meeting of this term Prof DarrenGriffin (Biosciences) and Prof Ray Laurence (SECL) will talk about their experiences of rejection in their careers, and how they moved on from them. The session will allow participants to hear from each other, and learn about what works for others.

The session is free and open to all, and lunch, tea and coffee will be available. However do let me know if you intend to come along so that I can get an idea of numbers.

More information on the Grants Factory and ECR Network sessions this term is available here. 

HESA Takes on Louis Theroux for some Weird Weekends

Exciting news from Cheltenham, home of the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). In a showbiz scoop they've managed to secure the services of disarmingly faux naif documentary film maker Louis Theroux to be their CEO. 

He's charmed American survivalists and white supremacists, Max Clifford and Jimmy Savile. What are his chances with higher education wonks? 

Any similarity to the Director of Policy at Universities UK, Paul Clark, is entirely coincidental. 

Theroux

Clark

Interdisciplinary Research ‘Sandpits’

As part of the Kent’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, the University is funding three interdisciplinary research ‘sandpits’.

Sandpits are residential interactive workshops that take place over three days. Having a period of time to work with others, to focus on broad issues, test ideas and assumptions and develop interesting solutions to difficult problems is a rare opportunity in today’s academy, and goes back to the founding interdisciplinary, collegiate principles of the University.