What's in a Word? Aria Deconstructed

The announcement last week that the government's Arpa-style agency would go ahead was met with what can only be described as bewildered positivity. Yes, it's great that there'll be more funding for research, and we're all pleased with the promised speed and lack of bureaucracy, but what does it actually mean? 

Singing a New Aria

Last week we learnt a little more about the UK’s Arpa-style research organisation, the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria).

Kicking the Tyres of Wellcome's New Strategy

Where it all began: Henry Wellcome. And his 'tache
(image: Wellcome Collection CC BY 4.0)

The Wellcome Trust has published its new strategy, but is it meaningful and, if so, what does it tell us about the charity's direction of travel? We kick the metaphorical tyres to see if it's a goer. 

The Funnel of Love

 Funnelling grant success
(photo: Sergio Mena Ferreira on Unsplash)

Although larger universities get the majority of research funding, their success rates are no better than that of smaller ones. What makes the difference is the culture and expectations at each.

Seven Key Messages in the R&D Roadmap

The R&D Roadmap gives the nation's researchers and innovators an indication of where the government wants to invest over the next few years. Here are seven key messages to take from the proposals.

EPSRC: Update on changes, and advice on impact

Ah, Swindon. Photo by Peter Albanese on Unsplash

Polaris House, which houses UK Research and Innovation in Swindon, can seem like a fortress: powerful, mysterious, impenetrable. A little like the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz, in fact.

But last week the city gates were flung open to the UK’s research-management Munchkins and we gained a glimpse of what was going on behind the walls. Yes, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s annual webinar for research office staff took place, with representation from more than 60 universities and research organisations.

In terms of active research funding, the EPSRC is the largest of the research councils and we were given a whistlestop tour of what’s afoot. Here are my top takeaways:

UKRI Opts for a Simples Future

'The king is dead; long live the queen!' With this triumphal proclamation from the battlements of Death Star House, the change in UKRI was announced, resounding across Swindon, to all the furthest roundabouts and even to the Oasis Leisure Centre.

Fundermentals Top 10 2019

It's been quite a year. One, I think, that we'd all rather forget. 

Well, as ever, you can trust Fundermentals to do the wrong thing. Here, with a reminder of every twist and turn of the Year that Brexit Never Was, is the top ten most popular articles on the site this year. 

In Conversation with John Kingman

Leach and Kingman: a masterclass in body language

John Kingman is one of the most powerful figures in UK research. After all, he was the man who appointed the '£6 million man', Mark Walport. He is the non-executive chair of UKRI.

At Wonkfest this year, Kingman spoke to Mark Leach about UKRI, working with the government, the REF and post-Brexit life.

UKRI Delivery Plan Top Trumps

For us research policy nerds, the past week has been like Christmas. Each of the constituent parts of UK Research and Innovation, as well as the all seeing eye that watches over them, have all produced their Delivery Plans.

These flesh out the - ahem -  'Strategic Prospectus', which was published last year. How long are these valid for? Well, that's moot, but at least until the next Comprehensive Spending Review (so 2019-20) after which it will 'update our 'near-term actions' to reflect the financial years covered in the SR.'

What You Need to Know: the UKRI Strategic Prospectus

You will have read the Boiled down Basics on the Prospectus, but what’s it really about? Here are the seven take home points.

What the public wants: jetpacks, and lots of them
(photo: Samuel Johnson)

Boiled down Basics: the UKRI Strategic Prospectus

This week UKRI published its Strategic Prospectus, which outlines the new agency’s direction of travel. We’ve summarised the 55 page document for those who know it’s important but don’t have time to wade through it. What do you need to know, and what can you ignore?

Boiled down basics: 55 pages into 700 words
(photo: Larry & Teddy Page)

UKRI: the Movie

The poster for the new movie, to feature John Kingman

Well, it's all become clear.

The secrecy, the spiralling budget. The recruitment of John Kingman. For a long time UKRI just didn't make any kind of sense.

But this evening, all has been revealed. 20th Century Fox has announced that it has been in talks with the UK government over the third in the Kingsman spy series, to be based around a shady and little understood but extremely powerful organisation that controls every element of society.

Exclusive: Eraserhead Appointed as CFO of UKRI

In a shocking development UKRI, the self-styled 'best funder in the world ever', has announced that Eraserhead would be its first Chief Finance Officer.

'These are exciting times for us,' enthused Mark Walport, self-styled 'bionic man and best CEO of a funding body in the world ever'. 'And exciting times means we need to appoint exciting people. Eraserhead has had much previous experience in caring for difficult newborns, in desolate, post-apocalyptic landscapes. As such he is an ideal candidate for leading this new, best-funder-in-the-world-ever, through a post-Brexit UK.'

Any relation to Ian Kenyon, formerly of Cancer Research UK, is entirely coincidental.

Eraserhead

Kenyon

Deconstructing the Research England Logo

Research England, the erstwhile research-focused element of Hefce, will soon join the seven research councils and Innovate UK to be the ninth pillar of UK Research and Innovation. 

It will be a key part of the higher education landscape, guiding the REF and distributing the block grant that results from it, whilst looking nervously (or should that be defensively?) sideways at its sister councils to make sure the dual support mechanism is still, well, dual.

We're all still trying to work out what it will mean for us, and are jumping on every nanogram of news that limps our way, tearing its entrails out and desperately reading them for signs of the future.

Imagine our excitement, then, when a positive behemoth of news lumbered into view with the unveiling of Research England's logo. Now you might not think that that would warrant much, but Fundermentals is nothing if not a past master at deconstructing logos. Remember this? And this? And even this?

So what are we to make of this?

'Bird of a Feather' to Join UKRI

In an announcement that has shocked the sector, Birds of Feather star and national treasure Pauline Quirke has been appointed as Programme Director of UKRI, the umbrella organisation for bringing together the Research Councils, organising the REF and distributing Brexit sweeteners.

'Whilst I very much admire her acting talents, her appointment to this pivotal role has taken me by surprise,' said Professor Gymslip Plimsole, Vice-Chancellor of Fundermental Towers University. 'I just hope that she gets on okay with Mr Gimlet.' 

Any similarity to Anne Dixon, Chief Operating Officer of Innovate UK, is, of course, entirely coincidental.

Quirke

Dixon