Cross-Council working in the fields of research careers and public engagement has been given a boost with the creation of two new RCUK units.
Both the Research Careers and Diversity Unit and the Science in Society Unit were launched on 1 April. As well as strengthening current endeavors in these two key areas by ensuring coordination across the eight Research Councils, the units will also identify future areas for new activity.
The sustainability of the UK research base depends on the flow of people into research careers and an engaged general public. Both areas have attracted the Government’s attention recently, with £235 million given to the Research Councils to implement the recommendations made within the 2002 Roberts Review aimed at improving the attractiveness of research careers. The science in society agenda was also given a renewed focus with the publication last year of the Government’s ten year ‘Science and Innovation Framework’. The policy document sets out clear links between the Government’s commitment to science and public support for research.
The Research Careers and Diversity Unit will take over the coordination of initiatives ranging from the Academic Fellowship scheme, which creates 200 new Fellowships each year at £25 million per annum, to the Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate awards scheme for excellent doctoral candidates from the developing world. Both schemes were launched in 2004 with the latter seeking to support 290 new students in its first two years, with a £6 million commitment in 2005. A key role of the new unit will be to report back to Government on the impact of the Roberts Review funds. Other activity includes the £1.8 million annual spend on the UK GRAD programme equipping doctoral researchers with the necessary skills to ease the transition from PhD studies onto a career path.
The RCUK Science in Society Unit’s remit covers science in schools as well as raising public awareness and engagement in science and innovation. A key challenge for the new unit is to promote a more collective approach to science in society activities both between individual Research Councils and in collaboration with Government departments, Research Council-funded academics and other key organisations.
Cross-Council initiatives that the Councils already support such as Researchers in Residence, which provides role models for pupils by placing young researchers into secondary schools and the annual Schools Science Race, which takes place every year during National Science Week, will be managed by the new unit. A cross-Council science in society strategy is also being developed, with a planned launch in May 2005.
The head of the new Science in Society unit is Dr Kerry Leslie. The unit is hosted by ESRC on behalf of the other Councils.
The head of the new Research Careers and Diversity Unit is Dr Iain Cameron. The unit is hosted by EPSRC on behalf of the other Councils.
Contact Kerry or Iain for further information.