National Research Councils Research Articles

Lively bureaucracy? The ESRC’s Doctoral Training Centres and UK universities

This paper explores the changing relationships between the UK government, its research councils and universities, focusing on the governing, funding and organisation of doctoral training. We use the Doctoral Training Centres (DTCs) funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as a prism through which to study the shifting nature of university governance more broadly. Taking up ministerial policy ‘steers’ around research selectivity, knowledge exchange and collaboration, the national research councils position themselves as active partners to universities, working closely with their selected institutional ‘investments’.Drawing on interviews with directors of these DTCs, we document the range of ways in which universities are responding to these dynamic and sometimes unpredictable governance practices. This paper also highlights the growing number of collaborations between universities that are emerging. We use recent work in science governance to argue that, through the Doctoral Training Centres, these ‘lively’ Research Council bureaucracies are reshaping the social sciences and universities more broadly.

What Can We Do? The Challenge of Being New Academics in Neoliberal Universities

What Can We Do? The Challenge of Being New Academics in Neoliberal Universities

Samarskite Rediscovered at the Spinelli Prospect, Glastonbury, Connecticut

The Spinelli prospect, located in Glastonbury, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA, was developed at the beginning of the 20th century on a small pegmatite outcrop, most likely for small-scale feldspar and mica mining. Its significance among many other Connecticut pegmatites was augmented by the pivotal role samarskite from the prospect played in the development of U-Pb dating and by the use of other minerals from the same location in a variety of other radioisotopic dating measurements. Old documents, some never published, reveal that in the early days of radioisotopic dating it was Wilbur Foye of Wesleyan University who made the Spinelli prospect samarskite available to scientists at Harvard University, and from there the US Geological Survey and National Research Councils Committee on the Measurement of Geologic Time. Very little has been published about the detailed mineralogy of the host pegmatite and the chemistry of Spinelli samarskite, and almost nothing about the prospects ownership history. The present paper fills these gaps and includes historical aspects, an updated map, a radiological survey of samarskite distribution in the outcrop, the paragenesis of the Spinelli prospect pegmatite and the geochemistry of its most famous mineral.

Priorities and funding for research in intellectual disabilities

Priorities and funding for research in intellectual disabilities

Foresight and strategy in national research councils and research programmes

This paper addresses the issue of foresight and strategy processes of national research councils and research programmes. It is based on a study of strategy processes in national research councils and programmes and the challenges faced by their strategy activities. We analysed the strategy processes of two organisations: the Danish Technical Research Council and the Danish Energy Research Programme. We analysed the mechanisms of the strategy processes and studied the actors involved. The actors’ understanding of strategy was also included in the analysis. Based on these analyses we argue that the impact of foresight exercises can be improved if we have a better understanding of the traditions and new challenges faced by theresearch councils. We also argue that a more formal use of foresight elements might improve the legitimacy and impact of the strategic considerations of research councils and research programmes.

The Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases

Approximately 35 million people will die this year from chronic, noncommunicable diseases (CNCDs) worldwide ([ 1 ][1], [ 2 ][2]). CNCDs include cardiovascular disease and stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases. CNCDs account for 60% of all deaths worldwide, of which 80% occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) ([ 3 ][3]). Yet, until now there has been no coordinated effort by major global health research councils to address these specific needs. To this end, we announce a new global health initiative, the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD). The first alliance of its kind among government health research councils, the GACD was launched on 15 June 2009 in Seattle, Washington, coincident with the meeting of Heads of International Biomedical Research Organizations. The GACD has a global reach, bringing together an initial formative group of six major national health research councils. These agencies together represent about 80% of all public research funding in the world. Member agencies are Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council; the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; the U.K. Medical Research Council; and the U.S. National Institutes of Health, specifically its National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Fogarty International Center. In addition, the Indian Council of Medical Research has been invited to be a Member agency of the Alliance. ![Figure][4] Allies. Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases signatories make the Alliance official [back row, left to right: Depei Liu (China), Warwick Anderson (Australia), Abdallah Daar (University of Toronto), Stig Pramming (Oxford Health Alliance), and Leszek Borysiewicz (United Kingdom); front row, left to right: Elizabeth Nabel (United States) and Alain Beaudet (Canada)]. CREDIT: KEVIN P. CASEY FOR THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR CHRONIC DISEASES The GACD intends to coordinate research activities that address the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases on a global scale ([ 2 ][2]). It will collectively seek to identify common approaches to develop the evidence base needed to guide policy, develop and share best practices for fighting chronic diseases, and foster a sustainable and significant reduction of illness, disability, and death around the world. A significant focus is on the CNCDs in LMICs and among low-income and indigenous populations of the more developed countries to support collaborative, coordinated research on low-cost interventions and to build capacity in research, training, and healthcare delivery. This initial group will expand to involve other research funders, including philanthropic foundations, from around the world with an interest in the Alliance's agenda. Industry has an important role in solving some of these problems, ensuring the public-private aspect of this venture. The World Health Organization (WHO) has joined in an Observer status and, in addition to the Grand Challenges priorities ([ 2 ][2]), GACD will consider the WHO 2008–2013 Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in setting priorities ([ 4 ][5]). The following priorities have been proposed by some GACD founding members, but exact research priorities await further discussion and will develop as the Alliance evolves: prevention of cardiovascular diseases; public health measures for the control of diabetes and obesity; characterization, quantification of risk factors (tobacco and environmental pollution), and development of control measures for chronic obstructive airways disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease and other disorders; and implementation research of interventions to address these and other priorities. A future Alliance research priority is likely to be in the area of mental health. The creation of the GACD brings to fruition a global commitment to urgently increase the resources and attention to CNCDs. With concerted action, many millions of premature deaths can be averted in the decades ahead. 1. [↵][6]”The maladies of affluence,” The Economist (11 August 2007). 2. [↵][7]1. A. S. Daar 2. et al. , Nature 450, 494 (2007). [OpenUrl][8][CrossRef][9][PubMed][10][Web of Science][11] 3. [↵][12]1. A. D. Lopez 2. et al ., Global Burden of Disease and Risk Factors (Oxford Univ. Press and World Bank, Washington, DC, 2006). 4. [↵][13]World Health Organization, 2008–2013 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases ([www.who.int/nmh/Actionplan-PC-NCD-2008.pdf][14]). [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-3 [4]: pending:yes [5]: #ref-4 [6]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [7]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [8]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DNature%26rft.stitle%253DNature%26rft.aulast%253DDaar%26rft.auinit1%253DA.%2BS.%26rft.volume%253D450%26rft.issue%253D7169%26rft.spage%253D494%26rft.epage%253D496%26rft.atitle%253DGrand%2Bchallenges%2Bin%2Bchronic%2Bnon-communicable%2Bdiseases.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1038%252F450494a%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F18033288%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [9]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1038/450494a&link_type=DOI [10]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=18033288&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fsci%2F324%2F5935%2F1642.atom [11]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000251158500032&link_type=ISI [12]: #xref-ref-3-1 View reference 3 in text [13]: #xref-ref-4-1 View reference 4 in text [14]: http://www.who.int/nmh/Actionplan-PC-NCD-2008.pdf

Developing greater dialogue: knowledge transfer, public engagement and learned societies in the social sciences

In recent years the British government has repeated its calls for improved transfer of research knowledge and for greater engagement of researchers with practitioners and the public. This echoes calls from Burawoy and others, in the USA and elsewhere, for greater engagement by social sciences. In the UK the national research councils have raised their investment in knowledge transfer activities, six ‘beacons for public engagement’ have been set up, and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has enhanced its work in this field. In this context, the UK Academy of Social Sciences (AcSS), which includes 35 learned societies and some 550 academicians, resolved in 2007 to undertake a study of the role of learned societies in membership of the AcSS in promoting knowledge transfer and public engagement. This article outlines how the study was undertaken, the discussions around key terms, and the principal findings which were published in 2008 in a volume entitled Developing Dialogue. The article reports on the activities, capabilities, contributions and weaknesses and strengths of the learned societies that were studied. The Research Assessment Exercise, conducted in the UK in 2007–08, was found to have acted as a significant impediment to such work. The paper outlines six key points arising from the research, noting the variety of learned societies and their activities, the need for greater investment and training, and the leadership role that the Academy itself could play with increased resources. The study found that there is a long way to go before many practitioners, policy makers and members of the public are aware and engaged with much of the work and research in the social sciences in Britain.

UK Strategy for Data Resources for Social and Economic Research 2009-2012

In the United Kingdom a group has been established to help ensure that the right data resources are created and made available to help inform the important choices that decision makers need to make. The group is the UK Data Forum. The members of the Forum come from national research councils, chief statisticians and researchers within government, the national statistics office, national library and national archives, devolved administrations, sub-national bodies and other organisations in the private, public and not for profit sectors.The current Strategy for Data Resources for Social and Economic Research: 2009-2012 sets out practical actions on areas for collaboration and the development of cross-cutting facilities. The strategy is owned by the members of the Forum and represents a statement of intent by them.A central feature of the current strategy, and one of the strongest themes from the consultation undertaken to inform its development, is the internationalisation of the research agenda. Actions in the strategy include initiatives to make collaborative agreements with other agencies within and outside the UK at national, European Union and international levels. The Forum believes that the potential for close working with colleagues in the UK and Germany is likely to be especially valuable.Sharing the strategy with you on this site is a first step in encouraging what we hope will be a deep and fruitful relationship in the future.

Knowledge Translation and the Science of Pain

Correspondence: Dr Kenneth D Craig, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4. Telephone 604-822-3948, fax 604-822-6923, e-mail kcraig@psych.ubc.ca Current preoccupation with the magnitude, severity, misery and economic challenges of chronic pain has led to diverse demands. On one hand, the recognition that persisting high levels of suffering reflect inadequacies in our understanding of acute and chronic pain leads to calls for improved support of scientific investigation capable of penetrating the mysteries and advancing knowledge. At the same time, it is appreciated that striking advances in understanding pain over the past several decades have not been adequately translated into substantial reductions in the suffering and costs that are attached to pain. In consequence, demands for improved knowledge translation are accelerating. Is it possible that both the requirements of science and the community at large would benefit from greater attention to ensuring that advances in knowledge are indeed translated into applications that benefit people? That appears to be one of the many questions that arise from Henry’s provocative paper “The need for knowledge translation in chronic pain”, which is published in the present issue of Pain Research & Management. In the preceding editorial “Do we care about people with chronic pain?”, Lynch very effectively addressed the paper as a manifesto justifying and calling for a change in how pain is conceptualized if we are to transform the health service delivery system to better serve Canadians and those legions of others caught up in the epidemic of chronic pain. I am intrigued by the somewhat different but complementary question, ‘Are there prospects for Pain Research & Management serving as a vehicle that would permit scientists to demonstrate the implications and importance of their research for improving the lives of people who suffer excessive or unnecessary acute or chronic pain?’. As Henry observed, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research has as its mandate from the Parliament of Canada both the advancement and translation of knowledge into improved health for Canadians. All applicants to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (and other national research councils) must justify their research in terms of application and provide plans demonstrating how they will disseminate research beyond academic and scientific circles. These requirements are often perceived as frustrating and irrelevant to the challenges of good science. Please consider this an invitation to scientists, whether interested in basic biological or behavioural science, clinical science, social and cultural determinants of health, or health service delivery, to use Pain Research & Management as a publication outlet for papers explaining and exploring translation of their research into improved health for Canadians. It is intriguing that a basic scientist, James Henry, distinguished by outstanding research in molecular mechanisms of pain, and Scientific Director of the Michael G DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care (McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario), would seize the initiative to carefully and provocatively examine issues concerning population health and health service delivery. While scientists typically favour specialty journals for focused empirical papers, there is a great need for integrative, even speculative, reviews and theoretical analyses. There are many outstanding Canadian scientists who could accept this challenge. The title of our journal signals an interest in this type of integration. Readers of the Journal are broadly representative of research and pain management and would find the papers of great interest. It would be a pleasure to provide editorial review of papers of this type. Kenneth D Craig PhD Editor-in-Chief Pain Research & Management editorial

The Long-term Consequences of Short-term Responses to Disturbance Experiences from Whalewatching Impact Assessment

Studies often use behavioral responses to detect the impact of given disturbances on animals. However, the observation of these short-term responses can often lead to contradicting results. Here we describe studies focusing on the impacts of whalewatching to show how the biological relevance of short-term responses can be inferred from contextual information. They showed that short-term behavioral responses could have long-term consequences for individuals and their populations using information about variation in response magnitude with exposure levels, longterm population biology data, and multiple response variables. They showed that the added energetic constraints of the responses can impair life functions and lead to influences on vital rates with the potential to affect population viability. Individuals will manage disturbances as another ecological variable and will assess its costs in relation to other energetic trade-offs associated with the occupancy of the habitat in which the disturbance takes place. This can lead to rapid shift in tactics to cope with the disturbance, such as shift from short-term avoidance tactics to long-term habitat abandonment. When individuals cannot elude proximity to the disturbance, their fitness is reduced as observed through reduced reproductive success. These studies provide mechanisms to inform the US National Research Councils’ Population Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance framework in which the influence of noise impact of on marine mammal conservation can be studied.

The Long-term Consequences of Short-term Responses to Disturbance Experiences from Whalewatching Impact Assessment

Studies often use behavioral responses to detect the impact of given disturbances on animals. However, the observation of these short-term responses can often lead to contradicting results. Here we describe studies focusing on the impacts of whale watching to show how the biological relevance of short-term responses can be inferred from contextual information. They showed that short-term behavioral responses could have long-term consequences for individuals and their populations using information about variation in response magnitude with exposure levels, long term population biology data, and multiple response variables. They showed that the added energetic constraints of the responses can impair life functions and lead to influences on vital rates with the potential to affect population viability. Individuals will manage disturbances as another ecological variable and will assess its costs in relation to other energetic trade-offs associated with the occupancy of the habitat in which the disturbance takes place. This can lead to rapid shift in tactics to cope with the disturbance, such as shift from short-term avoidance tactics to long-term habitat abandonment. When individuals cannot elude proximity to the disturbance, their fitness is reduced as observed through reduced reproductive success. These studies provide mechanisms to inform the US National Research Councils’ Population Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance framework in which the influence of noise impact of on marine mammal conservation can be studied.

Second Plenary Conference of the Tensions of Europe Network: Lappeenranta, Finland, 24-28 May 2006

Second Plenary Conference of the Tensions of Europe Network Lappeenranta, Finland, 24–28 May 2006 Frank Schipper The package unexpectedly arrived on a sunny day in July. Judging from its size and shape, I wondered whether it was a CD I had ordered and forgotten about. Then I saw "South Karelian Institute" on the address label, and with a big smile on my face I opened the package. In it was a CD-ROM with a short film that brought back pleasant memories of Lappeenranta. This tranquil, provincial town on beautiful Lake Saimaa in Finland served as the venue of the Second Plenary Conference of the Tensions of Europe Network, which I attended back in May. This unusual gesture of distributing a souvenir CD reflects the enthusiasm with which local organizer Karl-Erik Michelsen and his team from the South Karelian Institute of the Lappeenranta University of Technology, assisted by Donna Mehos of the Foundation for the History of Technology, put together this event on "Technology and the Rethinking of European Borders." The Lappeenranta conference was linked to important developments in the history of technology in Europe, developments that promise to internationalize the conduct and the content of European techno-historical research. Tensions of Europe was first conceived in 1999, and in 2001–2003 it materialized under the sponsorship of the European Science Foundation (ESF) as a scientific network focused on "Technology and the Making of Europe in the 20th Century." 1 A number of national research councils, [End Page 799] including the National Science Foundation, co-funded this network. From the start, the Foundation for the History of Technology based at the Technical University of Eindhoven has been a major driving force. Since its inception, the network has made a noble effort to bring about more cooperation in research among partners from all corners of the Continent and beyond, especially North America. It thus is an expression of certain changes in the way research in Europe is organized, particularly the move away from exclusively national settings and toward international collaboration. At the same time, it testifies to an increasing thematic interest in the ways in which technology has crossed borders on the European Continent. To organize this effort, the original network was subdivided into nine research-theme groups that have worked hard to identify questions that could be researched fruitfully in collaborative projects. The first phase of this effort culminated in March 2004 in the First Plenary Conference of the Tensions of Europe Network in Budapest, Hungary, where Eva Vámos was the host. It is against this background of expanding and deepening network connections that the conference in Lappeenranta was organized. At the conference, the Tensions of Europe Network launched its second phase, moving beyond network-building and toward actual research cooperation. A major development in this respect is a new ESF European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) program called "Inventing Europe: Technology and the Making of Europe, 1850 to the Present." This program aims to form "robust transnational research teams that develop novel perspectives on the mutual shaping of transnational technology developments and the process of European integration." Projects must involve investigators from at least three European countries who will work together on one of the four research topics in the program: "Building Europe through Infrastructures," "Constructing European Ways of Knowing," "Consuming Europe," and "Europe in the Global World." The Tensions of Europe Network and the Inventing Europe program are not formally linked, but key actors from the Tensions of Europe Network initially proposed the program to the ESF, and many scholars from the network are involved in the development of new research proposals for Inventing Europe. Hence, close links between the Tensions of Europe Network and Inventing Europe are likely to endure. The network's recent focus on collaborative projects had its repercussions for the way the organizers put together the conference program. Apart from the familiar plenary and research sessions, the program also included "round tables" and...

Briefing: Introducing the Flood Risk Management Research Consortium

This paper reports on the formation of the Flood Risk Management Research Consortium and the research that is under way within the ‘towards whole systems modelling’ (WSM) priority area. Funding for the consortium is provided from a wide range of research funders in the UK including the national research councils, government departments and agencies with responsibility for flood risk management. The research portfolio has been formulated to address key research needs identified by the funders. This briefing note explains the relationship between the planned research in the WSM area and the UK Environment Agency's Strategy for Flood Risk Management. Additionally, it provides an introduction to the companion research papers in this issue by Villanueva and Wright, Hunter et al., Lin et al., and Néelz et al. The research reported in these companion papers focuses on flood inundation modelling and is an important subset of the work to be undertaken within WSM.

Research Use of Patented Technologies

A common pattern for scientific research will involve experimentation with existing theories, products and processes with the aim of discovering something new. Some of the products and processes that researchers use or investigate may be patented, but the user may be ignorant of this fact. There is therefore a risk that the research may involve unauthorised use of patented inventions in a way that infringes a patent holder's exclusive rights. This article examines the obligations that universities assume under the Australian Research Council et al (ARC, 2001) National Principles of Intellectual Property Management for Publicly Funded Research (National Principles), National Principle 5 (NP5) when their researchers win national competitive grants. It identifies the problems that they face with compliance both before and during the research project. The article concludes that universities should review, and if necessary, upgrade internal practices for practical risk management as a way of dealing with the obligations that NP5 imposes. It also recommends that the ARC and other national research councils should be proactive in initiating a review of NP5 and its intended purpose. It may be necessary for universities to be proactive in initiating this review.

Establishing the European Research Area in Ageing: A network of national research programmes

The following paper gives a summary of the European Commission's research policy with regard to the ERA-NET scheme and especially with regard to the ERA-AGE project that was launched in March 2004. All the partner institutions in the ERA-AGE project are main national funding agencies, research councils or ministries. Some selected examples of programme funding by the partner institutions may demonstrate their different ways of funding research and show the great variety of programmes. The long-term objective of the ERA-AGE project is to create a sustainable basis for the planning, implementation and exploitation of transnational research. In future, the European Research Area in Ageing could gain an added value from research investments by integrating existing funding mechanisms and research infrastructures, by commonly deciding on research priorities for funding activities in order to reduce fragmentation and duplication, and by the recruitment of young researchers.

Evolution in action. Slowly, and with pressure from the scientific community, the structure and mission of a European Research Council begins to develop.

Slowly, and with pressure from the scientific community, the structure and mission of a European Research Council begins to develop

A Vector space model as a methodological approach to the Triple Helix dimensionality : a comparative study of Biology and Biomedicine Centres of two European National Research Councils from a webometric view

The aim of this paper is to propose a Vector Space Model as a new methodological approach which allows us to present the relationships between the elements of the Triple Helix Model (University, Industry, Government) in a spacial model by using the webpages of the National Research Councils of Germany and Spain as examples. Outlinks of the Biomedicine and Biology centres of these national councils were analysed with the intention of representing graphically these relationships through the Vector Space Model that allows for Multidimensional Scaling in three dimensions. Results show a map with the differences and similarities between the Spanish and German cases. It may be concluded that these results could become a qualitative indicator of a scientific and technical reality.

Envision: Teachers as Environmental Scientists

This article provides an overview of the ENVISION program for enhancing middle school science teachers' understanding of environmental science and inquiry. Specifically, we detail the component of the project that engages teachers in conducting their own environmental research: conducting site surveys, designing the study, conducting the investigation, presenting results, and using technology in research and presentation. The article describes the theoretical basis for the professional development model, linking the model to the National Research Councils' inquiry and professional development standards.

A new partnership between science and politics. European scientists ought to adapt to new research policy paradigms.

A new partnership between science and politics. European scientists ought to adapt to new research policy paradigms.

Regional Technology Policy and the Emergence of an R&D System in the Basque Country

The political changes of the late 1970s early 1980s opened up a process of devolution and decentralization in Spain which reached very important levels in historical regions such as the Basque Country and Catalonia. In the R&D policy realm, Basque government policies had an important impact in the emergence of a regional R&D system from stratch in a short period of time. The industry-oriented Basque model was also rather innovative in the Spanish context of the 1980s, which was dominated by public, basic science-oriented national research councils. In this paper we analyze the process of configuration of regional R&D policies in the Basque Country by looking at the interplay between structural factors, actors, interests, ideas, and institutions. We also look at the main achievements and shortcomings of those policies.