Transcript Sir Peter Knight

Fellowships for Researchers Day:
The Research Environment at
Imperial
19th June 2009
Professor Sir Peter Knight
Senior Principal
Imperial at a glance
The University’s objectives:
• world class scholarship, education
and research in science, technology
and medicine
• interdisciplinary collaborations
• communicate and share knowledge
Established in 1907
Academic faculties:
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Engineering
Natural Sciences
Medicine
Business School
Our standing
Times Higher Education Supplement
World University Rankings:
• 3rd in Europe
• 2nd in Europe
6th in World
7th in World
• 3rd in Europe
• 3rd in Europe
11th in World
14th in World
overall
for engineering /
information technology
for life sciences/biomedicine
for natural sciences
Times Good University Guide 2008
• 3rd in UK
Recent achievements: Engineering
• Engineering RAE outcome world-class
• New Rio Tinto Centre for Advanced Mineral Recovery
aims to create the mine of the future
• 74 Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering
• Royal Academy’s MacRobert Award for software
engineering spin-out company
• Racing Green fuel cell cart wins third place in 2008
Formula Zero Championship
Recent achievements: Medicine
• 72 Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences
• Lord Darzi named Parliamentary Under
Secretary in the Department of Health
• Schistosomiasis Control Initiative wins Queen’s
Anniversary Prize
• Janssen Award presented to anti-TNF
developers Ravinder Maini and Marc Feldmann
• State-of-the-art simulated operating suite opens
to train medical staff to use latest technologies
• New Graduate Entry Medicine course started in
October 2008
Recent achievements: Natural Sciences
• Imperial becomes first university to open
laboratory at the Diamond Light Source national
synchrotron facility
• Leading photovoltaic research
• Paper written by Professor Tom Kibble in 1964
on how particles can acquire mass named by
Physical Review Letters as one of the most
important publications of the last 50 years
• New £2.7m plant sciences labs are opened for
research into crop yield and how plants will
respond to climate change
• Imperial scientists lead two out of the four Large
Hadron Collider experiments at CERN
Our approach to research
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Mechanical engineering
Computing
Medicine
Constrained robotic surgery
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Polymer chemistry
Microelectronics
Biochemistry
Lab-on-a-chip diagnostics
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Engineering
Computing
Medicine
Advanced imaging techniques
Combining our disciplines leads to new capabilities
Interdisciplinary workings
Bringing together expertise from across Imperial
to tackle some of world’s greatest problems
Institute for Security Science and Technology
• Applying interdisciplinary science to tackle
current and future threats to safety and security
Grantham Institute for Climate Change
• £12 million donation by Granthams – largest
private funding given to climate change in UK
• Research to develop mitigation techniques
• Influence international policy
Institute for Global Health
• Research to tackle health problems, particularly
in the world’s poorest countries
• Working with development and health agencies
and foundations
• Analysing and influencing international policy
Government priorities
Research Councils UK have set their Global Challenges:
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Energy
Living with Environmental Change
Global Uncertainties: Security for all in a Changing World
Ageing: Lifelong Health and Wellbeing
Digital Economy
Nano-Science through Engineering to Application
Fellowship scheme priorities often reflect these
Imperial College Faculties and Departments
• Fellows usually belong to departments reflecting their core disciplines,
perhaps also with membership of an interdisciplinary Institute reflecting
cross-cutting themes.
• You need to get the support of your department and faculty at the start
of your planning.
• Fellows are much more independent than postdocs and your application
needs to reflect this.
• You need to have a clear vision of how you want your career to develop,
and the application must reflect this
Fellowships are not postdoc positions
The fellowship ladder
• Early career fellowships usually for 2-3 years soon after PhDs
• Imperial College JRFs, started in 2009 to develop early
researcher careers
• Advanced Fellowships, offered by most RC to build an
independent career, hold grants and co-supervise PhD students
• Royal Society URFs- highly prestigious and can run for up to 8
years. 33 offered this year out of 630 applications
• EURYI and ERC: long odds but gold-plated
increase your chances of success?
• What’s the optimal strategy to be successful?
• Judge your vision and achievements against the criteria for
each scheme: and make sure you concentrate on
» Clear statement of track record
» Demonstrate your own independence
» Explain your vision for the future
» Give clear project objectives and timelines
» Give clear financial planning for resources needed
» State key Performance Indicators established to measure
success, including:
 Demonstrated intellectual impact;
 Evidence of institutional support to realise the project
 Long term career plans
Final thoughts
• Start planning project early
• Put yourself in the place of a panel member: does the
application reflect you and your vision well and gives a sense of
buzz to your work
• Talk with someone who has made a successful fellowship
application in your field and pick their brains!
• Get support from your head of group
• Make sure the Research Office and your Faculty Research
Managers are aware early
• Get the costings done early so they can be scrutinized
• Get a mentor and or friend to read through drafts early
• Don’t leave the submission to the last minute
• If the fellowship involves an interview, plan well ahead, and
rehearse what you want to get over to the panel
• Good luck!