Following the outcome of the RAE, and in the light of changing priorities and practices of the main research funding bodies, the College of Physical Sciences has recently structured its research around three research themes:
These themes are multidisciplinary and represent areas of research strength within the College and align with the published funding priorities of the Research Councils UK (RCUK). The purpose of the research themes is to encourage and enable interdisciplinary research and working across College boundaries, and to allow researchers to compete more successfully for RCUK funding.
The College has recently appointed three Research Theme Leaders and Deputy Directors of Research and Commercialisation. Professor John Farrington (Digital Economy), Professor Russell Howe (Energy) and Professor Colin Hunter (Living with Environmental Change) will have an important role to play in improving the research performance within the College, and allow for better co-operation in research across Colleges and with external partners.
The Research Theme Leaders will be co-ordinating the research effort in areas of interdisciplinary research which align closely with three of these themes. They will be working with colleagues in areas of existing strength, facilitating the flow of information about funding opportunities and ideas, and liaising between the College and colleagues within the institution, in partner institutions and funding councils.
Colleagues in the College of Life Sciences and Medicine are currently leading on the 'Ageing: lifelong health and wellbeing' theme, and colleagues in the College of Arts and Social Sciences are currently leading on the 'Global uncertainties; security for all in a changing world' theme and the emerging 'Connected Communities' theme.