FACULTY RESEARCH COMMITTEE (FRC)


MEETINGS:
One meeting held: 22-11-05
Further details of papers and minutes for meetings available on
Faculty of Engineering Intranet (Engineering Net)

MEMBERSHIP:
Membership of Research Graduate School Board (RGSB) amended to replace 
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering (ex officio) with
Director of Research Division (ex officio).

CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS:
Faculty's SRIF 3 funding proposals (2 for Nanotechnology and Advanced
Materials, 1 for Built Environment, 1 for Computer Science) had been
accepted, subject to satisfactory economic appraisals.

One member of staff nominated for a Senior Distinguished Research
Fellowship Award.

Applications invited for RCUK Academic Fellowships for next two
cohorts of fellows, academic years 2006/7 and 2007/8 and Heads of
Schools and Research Institute Directors invited to submit proposals
to the Research Office via the office of the Associate Dean (Acting).

RESEARCH & INNOVATION COMMITTEE
Full Economic Costing (FEC) had become operational on 1 Sept. 2005
and impact had not been as dramatic as feared. 

No change to current method of overhead allocation, whereby 750K pounds
is distributed pro-rata to the research areas that earned the overheads.

Faculty of Engineering project Di@l-log (an intelligent system for
diabetes patients to self monitor and self care) won top prize of
10K pounds and the Faculty had won the 25K award for Best Faculty at
the Investment Belfast 25K Awards.

100K pounds would be topsliced for the funding available for
Research Institute budgets to fund the Visiting Scholars Scheme
for 2006/7.

Of total research income for last year, approx. 50% came from
government bodies and a further 20% from the EU. Research Council
and Charity income counted for less than 1.5% of University's total
external research income. 

RESEARCH INSTITUTES:
For the Computer Science Research Institute (UoA-23):

11 of 16 core members had reached four publications and 
a particular increase in quality had been noted for associate members.

total income for the period was over 13M pounds although less
than 10% was Research Council funding and 3M pounds was infrastructural
funding.

73 of current 86.5 FTEs research students supervised by RI members.
(36 at Magee; 23 Full-time, 13 Part-time)
 
recent external assessment of outputs reported 70% of members
in the three star category and 20% in the two star category.

Institute allocated a budget of 137,024 for the 2005/6
financial year.

3 new Research Associates appointed, 1 for each campus for
a 1 year period.


RESEARCH GRADUATE SCHOOL BOARD (RGSB):
Two meetings held: 01-11-05, 02-02-06

Faculty has a total of 192 postgraduate research students,
119 full-time and 73 part-time.

Since last Research Committee meeting (10/5/05)
total of 29 students had completed transfer/confirmation,
12 had completed their 100 day reviews, and 12 had completed their viva.

Research and Innovation Committee had agreed that a
proposal to change the current University regulations for
M.Phil./Ph.D.s to shift responsibility for student progress
to Faculties would be recommended to Senate.

All Ph.D. supervisors would be invited by the Research Office
to undertake a half-day training session to highlight changes
in the research student environment.

Extension of time regulations amended to provide a 4 month
period free of charge, after 3 year full-time enrolment
period. This would be followed by a further maximum period of
3 months with an associated 1,000 pounds fee.

University had introduced new anti-plagiarism measures
including a software package that would be used to check
all documents submitted by research students for the 100 day
review, confirmation and viva. All theses have to be submitted
to the Research Office in electronic and hardcopy format. 

University required to expand its provision under the Research and
Generic Skills Training Programme to provide each research student
with a total of 180 hours training during his/her period of study,
66 hours of which had to be Faculty based.

Research Graduate School had received an annual budget of
50,000 for the 2005/6 financial year and discussions underway
with RI Directors to prioritise support initiatives for
part-time and self-funded students in particular.

Faculty of Engineering Student Conference held 16 January 2006.

Paperwork for 100-day reviews and confirmations should be returned
in a timely fashion so that students' registration is not affected.

DEL/VCRS competition is now open with closing date of
31 March and projects can be added to the Research Project Database.

Faculty of Engineering Research Dinner and Awards Ceremony will be held  
Thursday 6 April, Radisson SAS Hotel. 

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