date: Fri, 23 Nov 2001 16:48:50 -0000 from: "Samantha Jones" subject: Research Management Team - Tele-conference on 23 November 2001 to: "Mike Hulme" Mike Here is the draft note for approval. At the last Tyndall Council meeting, some concern was expressed about internal Tyndall partners knowing about externally led outline proposals early on in the round 2 process, as they could be accused of stealing ideas. Should we circulate the note to Tyndall Council at this stage? On balance I think we should; I have marked it as confidential. Sam CIRCULATION: TYNDALL COUNCIL STATUS: CONFIDENTIAL NOTE OF TYNDALL CENTRE RESEARCH MANAGEMENT TEAM TELE-CONFERENCE, 23 November 2001 PRESENT: Mike Hulme, Brian Launder, Nick Jenkins, Simon Shackley, Neil Adger, Nigel Arnell, Andrew Watkinson, Sam Jones APOLOGIES: John Schellnhuber, John Shepherd 1. RESEARCH STRATEGY It was reported that a glossy version of the research strategy summary document would be produced. 2. PROGRESS ON DEVELOPMENT OF OUTLINE PROPOSALS (OPs) FOR ROUND 2 RT1 14 potential OPs were known, which might condense into 7 or 8 proposals. The potential OPs included: * 3 on software applications to link models and modules - Manchester Computer Centre would be involved. * Agent-based modelling - Liverpool and Oxford. * How integrated assessment of air quality could link to climate change - Imperial College and UEA (via RT1 senior research fellow). This could also connect to health-related proposals under RT3 and build on a round 1 proposal by Tom Choularton, UMIST. * Definition of dangerous climate change - UEA * Stakeholder dialogue - UEA/UMIST Other institutions which were working on ideas included: * Atmospheric Chemistry dept. at Cambridge, which could relate to the air quality proposal. * Etech, Imperial College, Cambridge and UEA * Cranfield. There might also be scope for collaboration with DEFRA. RT2 14 potential OPs were known, of which around half looked promising. Most important areas had been covered appropriately, except for bio-energy. The potential OPs included: * Development of renewables - UMIST/SPRU * Sequestration - UMIST/SOC/Sunderland/possibly Sheffield. Process integration would be built into this through UMIST * Emissions and mitigation at the regional and local scales - RAL/DeMontfort * Transport - SPRU/ITS. RT3 17 potential OPs were known, of which one, on biomass, should be transferred RT2. Of the rest, half were internally led and half externally led. Most would need refining so they related more closely to the RT3 strategy, particularly the key questions. The externally led proposals would need to involve more partners. The potential OPs included: * Adaptation in rural communities in S. Africa - Sheffield * Adaptation in relation to the railway network - Imperial College. This could link to transport under RT2 * Coral bleaching - CEFAS * Climate change and groundwater - Kings College * Thresholds and adaptation - UEA * Climate impact modules - UEA. This could connect to RT1. * Irrigation * Health in the developing world - LSHTM. Possibly MRC could be a co-funder. UEA was already working with LSHTM on an MRC/NERC-funded co-operative programme, and was trying to build on this in order to attract more MRC funding. * Seasonal forecasting and agricultural adaptation - Oxford * Forest adaptation - Buckinghamshire/UEA * Lay perceptions of climate change - UEA. This could link to RT1. RT4 15 potential OPs were known, with some linkage to RT3. Many were based on a single discipline and too expensive, so would need further work. The potential OPs included: * 5 on small islands, but with a biological focus and some overlap; hopefully this would be resolved by having a meeting of interested parties (WHO IS GOING TO FUND THIS?!) * Vulnerability - POL; and also UEA, who had been asked to explore ideas with Dr Tsimplis at SOC. * risk - Tom Spencer * 1 or 2 from applicants for RT4 senior research fellow post * 1 or 2 proposals on how REGIS methodology could fit into the coastal simulator - Middlesex. Current gaps on coverage were engineering - maybe a role for UMIST -, urban environment - which could be explored with Tom Choularton at UMIST - and social sciences, although the Middlesex ideas could bring in these disciplines. ACTION: Research theme managers should continue to be proactive in encouraging development and refining of potential OPs. 3. NEXT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING This would be held on 17 December 2001. The Annual Assessment Panel and External Review Panels were being set up. Professor Eberhard Jochem had agreed to serve on both panels. Professor Robert Costanza had declined and Professor Carl Folke, University of Stockholm, would be invited instead. Replies were awaited from Professor Steve Schneider and Professor Per Vellinga. Professor Klaus Hasselmann had agreed to chair the Annual Assessment Panel. 4. EPSRC CALL ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE The call sought expressions of interest from single institutions, some of whom would then be invited to at workshop a which they would be expected to form consortia. This arrangement failed to take account of the work undertaken in forming the existing Tyndall Consortium; the Consortium would not be eligible to submit an expression of interest, although single partners with the Tyndall Consortium could. This raised a number of issues regarding the Tyndall Centre's status in relation to submission of external funding bids. Mike had outlined these in a preamble to the draft guidance on external funding which had originally been referred to the last Tyndall Council meeting. A second draft would be e-mailed to the Council for comment and then discussed at its next meeting. The concerns would also be raised at the next Supervisory Board meeting. ACTION: A. single Tyndall partners sending expressions of interest to EPSRC should advise Mike Hulme. B. Brian and Andrew to discuss coastal aspects in relation to this and other EPSRC calls. C. Sam to send external funding guidance to Tyndall Council. 5. ESRC CALLS ESRC had launched a Sustainable Technology Initiative, which was directed by Dr Frans Berkhout. The deadline for submission of outline proposals was 11 January 2002. There had also been an ESRC call on Science in Society. 6. NEXT RMT MEETING This would be a formal meeting, to be held on 11 January. 40-50 OPs were expected. 7. SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOWS RT1: Dr Rachel Warren had been appointed and would start work on 2 January 2002, based at UEA. RT2: An informal offer had been made to a candidate, subject to issue of an formal appointment letter. The likely start date was 1 April 2002, and the post would be based at UMIST. RT3: Ms Emma Tompkins had been appointed and would start work on 1 April 2002, location(s) to be confirmed. RT4: Interviews to take place 4 December, from a strong field of applicants. ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________ Samantha Jones Administrator Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ Tel 01603 593903 http://www.tyndall.ac.uk