EPSRC Shaping Capability

The RSC was approached on 21 September 2011 by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to provide input into the next stage of their Shaping Capability objective.

The specific request is for information sources that should be considered relating to the research areas under review.

They ask for information relevant to the following :

• Engineering and Physical Sciences generally (or UK Research Base more generically)
• Physical Sciences
• Maths
• Engineering
• ICT
• Energy
• Cross Disciplinary areas          

The EPSRC states that they need SOURCES OF EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION, for example facts and figures (such as on PhD destinations), evaluations or reports, and NOT OPINION.

Examples of the types of information that have been used to date as inputs include learned society reports, international reviews, and UK Research Assessment Exercise outputs as well as EPSRC portfolio data and workshop outcomes.

For instance, the RSC will highlight key evidence and facts from strategic reports such as Chemistry for Tomorrow's World: a roadmap for the chemical sciences, The Economic Benefits of Chemistry Research to the UK, A Sustainable Global Society: how can materials chemistry help? as part of our submission.  We would welcome other sources of evidence, statistics, data and information from the chemical science community that may not have come to our attention.

Evidence/information on the requirements for infrastructure in any of the areas are also welcome e.g. lab-based equipment, mid-range facilities, potential for sharing equipment or role/importance of national/international facilities.  

Details of evidence that the EPSRC have access to and have already used for the energy and physical sciences portfolios can be found by following the links at the bottom of this page.

The RSC will prepare a reply to the EPSRC considering the input from our members.  Please SUBMIT YOUR EVIDENCE NO LATER THAN 7 OCTOBER 2011 by using the contact link below or by joining the EPSRC Funding Debate on MyRSC.

As part of our submission, and through continued discussions with the EPSRC, the RSC will re-emphasise the need to ensure that appropriate, independent peer-review processes are in place to assess information received by the EPSRC in guiding its Shaping Capability Programme. We are also calling for greater transparency in their decision making.