The Story of O

Ob La Di, Ob La Da: 'Important'

There's exciting news about a reshuffle in the European Commission's DG Research and Innovation (RTD), which looks after the Horizon 2020 programme. From 1 February, DG RTD will be more fully aligned to Commissioner Carlos Moedas' '3 O' agenda: 'Open Innovation, Open Science, Open to the World.'

Whilst Fundermentals is entirely behind any policy directives based on random letters of the alphabet, we feel that Moedas has missed a trick by limiting his agenda to these three Os. They're all very well, but they're a little - well - humdrum. These Os won't set the world alight. They won't inspire the next generation of young European scientists.

H2020 Grant Application Wins the Turner Prize

Excited members of 'ENdlessDIsapPOINTment' yesterday

In a surprise move, the Turner Prize was awarded yesterday to a bewildered group of twenty academics for an unsuccessful Horizon 2020 application.

To shouts of astonishment, the judges announced that the collective, known by their project acronym 'ENdlessDIsapPOINTment', had secured the prize for 'a ground-up approach to recycling an idea multiple times.'

Switzerland Exiled from Europe

EU to CH: none of your penknife/cuckoo clock research here,
thank you very much

These are nervous times for Swiss researchers. On 26 February the EU decided to categorise Switzerland as a 'Third Country' within the new Horizon2020 programme rather than an 'Associated Country'.

So what does that mean? Why should we care?

Fundermental Top 10 of 2013

It's that time of year, isn't it? Never mind peace on Earth and goodwill to all: give us your lists! What have you been watching? What have you been reading? Where have you gone? What have you eaten?

So, in the spirit of the season, here are the ten most read posts on the blog this year. It's like a mix tape of the best bits, and a reminder of what we've all been thinking about this year.

1. Notes from OA Forum (January). I can't believe it's been almost a year since we held this event.

   

   No. 1: OA Forum

   2013 is the year that Open Access became mainstream, when we consulted on and drafted an OA Policy. This was part of the process, and maybe its popularity came from many people being in the same boat, trying to work out exactly what they were going to do about OA.
2. Thinking Imaginatively about Impact (May). Although OA has dominated people's minds (after the REF, natch), Impact continues to have a hold. Kevin Parker of KKI

   

   No. 2: Impact

   Associates came and spoke about how to be creative with interpreting impact. Inspiring.
3. EPSRC Bingo (October). Whilst Fundermentals is meant to inform with notes on meetings such as those on OA and Impact above, it's also meant to be a way of sharing frustrations - hopefully with a bit of humour. This came from reading one policy document too many.
4. Essential Elements of a Good Application (November). A write up of a Grants Factory event this year. We brought together four academics who have had experience of the BBSRC, ESRC, AHRC and EPSRC, and it was a really useful panel session. 

   

   No. 4: Essential Elements

5. AHRC: View from the Committee Room (February). I've taken part in a couple of AHRC training events this year, to talk about what we do at Kent with internal peer review. This post was writing up the hints and tips of one of the other speakers, Prof Roberta Mock of Plymouth University.
6. H2020: Where We're at (July). As well as the growth of OA, we've all been keeping a weather eye on the development of the new European funding programme, Horizon 2020. This was an overview of the developments mid-year, after coming

   

   No. 6: H2020

   back from the EARMA Conference in Vienna.
7. Meanwhile, in Moscow Airport (July). Another bit of silliness. In the summer all eyes were on Moscow Airport as whistleblower Edward Snowden fled American authorities. I couldn't help but see certain similarities between him and the Times Higher's own Phil Baty...

   

   No. 8: Recycling

8. Recycling your Proposal (May). A write up from last year's Grants Factory. The low success rates of the research funding process means that applicants need to think about what to do if their bid fails. Here's some ideas.
9. Balancing the Conflicting Demands of Academia (June). Last year we launched the Early Career Researcher Network. These were the notes from a really useful session, at which many shared their experiences, and learnt from each other.

   

   No. 9: Balancing

10. Introduction to Open Access (June). So the list ends as it began: with OA. This was six months after the OA Forum, when we stopped to take breath, gather our thoughts, and try and distill what OA is all about.

Thanks to you all for reading the blog this year. If you have any thoughts or ideas on things that should be covered in 2014, drop me a line.

King Arthur & the Internet of Things

'We have been charged by God with a sacred quest'

The TSB this week advertised for an Internet of Things Ecosystem Demonstrator. Now read on.

Prof Arthur and his RAs, along with their servants, "ride" up to a castle. Prof Arthur's administrator, Patsy, blows a horn. 

Arthur: HELLO! (waits) 
 Bedevere: HELLO! (waits) 

An armour-clad face appears at the top of the rampart. It speaks in an outrageous French accent. 

Soldier: 'Allo! 'Oo is it?
Arthur: It is I, Prof Arthur, and this is my team of Researchers. Whose castle is this?
S: This is the castle of my master, Professeur Guy de Lombard.
A: Go and tell your master that we have been charged by God with a sacred quest. If he will give us food and shelter for the night, he can join us in our quest for the Internet of Things.
S: Well, I'll ask 'im, but I don't think 'e'll be very keen-- 'e's already got one, you see?
A: What?
Lancelot: He says they've already *got* one!
A: (confused) Are you sure he's got one?
S: Oh yes, it's ver' naahs. (to the other soldiers:) I told 'em we've already got one! (they snicker) 
A: (taken a bit off balance) Well... ah, um... Can we come up and have a look?
S: Of course not! You are English types.
A: Well, what are you then?
S: (Indignant) Ah'm French! Why do you think I have this out-rrrageous accent, you silly professeur type?!
Galahad: What are you doing in England?
S: Mind your own business!
A: If you will not show us the Internet of Things, we shall take your castle by force!
S: You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, son of a silly person! Ah blow my nose at you, so-called "Arthur Professeuuur"! You and all your silly English Reeesearcheuuurs!!! 

(the soldier proceeds to bang on his helmet with his hands and stick out his tongue at the researchers, making strange noises.)

Galahad: What a strange person.
A: (getting mad) Now look here, my good ma--
S: Ah don' wanna talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal food-trough wiper! Ah fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!
Galahad: Is there someone else up there we can talk to?
S: No!! Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!

(In the distance, the sound of Horizon2020 gently crumbling can be heard).