Arc Welding

Arc welding (Photo by Pete Wright on Unsplash)

So today I start a new job. I'm taking on the role of Director of Eastern Arc.

If you've not come across Eastern Arc before, there's more on this regional consortium below. I'm really excited to be taking up this new challenge, and I think there's huge potential in this collaboation of three radical universities, born in a time of optimism and change, which form an arc across the outward facing prow of the UK.

Before I step up to this prow, I wanted a moment to take stock and share eight things I've learnt from my time in supporting academics with their proposals.

The Birdman of ARMA

On the opening day of the annual ARMA Conference, it seemed only fitting to honour one of ARMA's finest: Kent's former Director of Research Services, and now LSE's Director of the Research Division, Michael Keaton.

And I know what you're all thinking: what is a Hollywood superstar doing in the world of research management? But you're asking the wrong question. Really, the salient point here is why aren't there more Hollywood superstars battering on the ARMA doors, wanting to be let in?

Well, just because you don't hear them doesn't mean they're not there. I understand that the only reason that Eddie Redmayne took the Theory of Everything gig was to get near to the privileged ground of the Cambridge Research Operations Office. Similar story with Russell Crowe, A Beautiful Mind and Princeton Office of Research and Project Administration.

Schizophrenia and the Funding of Regional Universities

Hull: one of 'Wave 2 Growth Hubs'

In February the Government announced that it was offering £32m to 20 regional cities in the UK to support economic growth and development. The cities, which included areas as diverse as Milton Keynes, Hull, Stoke and Sunderland, were offered the funding in return for a promise to 'improve a serious local economic problem'.