First Drafted 2006-05-10. Last Revised 2006-05-10. Version 1.0.0

ASAP Research Cluster Half Away Day 2006-05-10 Page

Andy Turner

• Andy Turner's ASAP Page
• Discussed the development of web content with Chris Cox. Mentioned a meeting with David Appleyard...
• Phil Rees' Introduction Slides
• Mark Birkin's ASAP Strategy Slides
  • We've had various identities since Mark returned to the school...
  • Now the name reflects the group...
  • Metrics for measuring performance towards our strategic goals need work...
  • ASAP is at the bottom of the school league table, but all marks are very close...
  • Needed a flipchart or a white board. Maybe Chris will organise this for next time...
  • Audience participated SWOT
    • Strengths
      • Cutting edge research
      • Research income
      • Diverse interests
      • High esteem
      • International reputation
      • Knowledge transfer
    • Weeknesses
      • Poor Impact Factor Rating of Journal publications
      • Regarded as week by other parts of the school
      • Lack of identity/brand externally - Martin suggested we become more like a centre like CASA
      • Diverse interests do not leed to close cohesion
      • Replicated interests in faulty are not being grouped together
  • Slides on SWOT in Marks presentation are coloured as traffic lights...
  • Slides on international profile are very interesting...
  • We should bid for a teaching fellow...
  • Facilities
    • Signs need improving
    • East building needs demolishing so improvements need to be cheep and cheerful
  • The School is projecting a surplus... This is very good news!
    • There are opportunities to get more people
    • This is new news which is why only Paul was offered the lectureship last week.
  • Need for an open forum on strategy and hiring...
  • What roles need to be filled in SoG Research Cluster
• Graham Clarke's ASAP Slides
  • RAE is changing - Post 2008 it is likely to be based on research income...
  • Excellent list of generic opportunities... Some need immediate work if we are to realise them...
  • ASAP is good with interdisciplinary research and this is fashionable with research councils...
  • Martin mentioned an opportunity to develop a Sustainable Urban Environments Centre
  • Went through the list of peoples research plans. Key is to look at the research students...
  • Who is Pete Boden? - In the list of visitng staff...
• Open discussion
  • What funding are we missing?
    • EU
    • International collaborations
    • Government
  • We need to develop our web content
  • CCG is our international profile
  • UPTAP is getting marketting assistance
  • Knowledge Transfer Support Unit (KTSU)
  • International and national perception of ASAP is cruicial
  • ASAP Journal
  • Shall we wrap up the CCG?
    • Phil thinks yes, Mark thinks it doesn't represent what he does...
    • I think no, so does Alison
    • CCG blamed as a failure in the last RAE? - Not seen as world class
    • John mentions CIDER and thinks the CCG will continue as there will certainly be a CIDER
    • Phil thinks a leader is necessary. He is probably right...
    • Andy thinks we should not (cannot afford to) let it slip away. We should either kill it or revive it...
    • Mark will back it if we think it should be revived...
  • WUN
  • International (European) office - help in the University
  • How do we show off like we never have before...
• Dan Vicker's Policy Slides
• Discussion on Policy
  • List on one of Dan's slides put up... Not meant to be a comprehensive list...
  • Phil talked about demographic projections and uncertainty...
  • Mark suggested that the list raises opportunities for collaboration especiall where we currently lack the domain expertise...
  • Consultancy Allumni and Work Placements discussed
    • What do we offer?
    • Who do we know who might be interested? Is an audit needed.
  • Multi tasking (especially multi project research involvement)
    • John Parsons keen to work 60% on a main project and 20% on two others
    • Problems of time and too many meetings
    • Benefits of overlap, networking and skills tranfer
  • Andy Evans noted that the school are getting going on developing marketting materials for research clusters
• Mark Birkin's Last Slide - Launch Event
  • Can we involve a boat, plane or rocket?
  • One day workshop? AAG, RSA, RGS/IBG Special Session?
  • Lets have 3 events:
    • An evening/audience with Mark Birkin the vice chancellor and Alan Wilson
    • International collaborations
    • Special Sessions at conferences associated with the ASAP journal
    • A one day workshop to get the young researchers of today in the UK doing ASAP together talking about what they do, their institutions do etc...
• Tasks
  • We need Tsars for our centres CSAP, CASAP, CIDER, CCG
  • Strategy document needs work and to evolve into web content...
  • Marketting
    • Web content development
  • Teaching fellow applications - Mark Birkin
  • Organise signs - Andy Evans
  • Deputy leader for the group is needed
  • Keep momentum going
  • Social event - Marks garden saturday July 22nd late afternoon evening