Physical Sciences Strategic Advisory Team meeting February 2017

Polaris House, Swindon

Tuesday 21st February

CS5&6 Polaris House, Swindon

Meeting Agenda

11:30	1	Welcome and Introductions for the HT and PS SAT members
11:45	2	Physical Sciences Theme Overview
12:00	3	The Healthy Nation
12:15	4	Delivering the Healthy Nation Outcome (I) Dr Ruchi Gupta (10 mins) Dr Robert Neely (10 mins) Dr James Walsh (10 mins)
12:45		Lunch
13:30		Delivering the Healthy Nation Outcome (II) Engaging and supporting the physical sciences community to deliver the Healthy Nation
15:00	6	Technology Touching Life
15:45	7	Unconscious Bias Training Session
17:15		Close

This will be a joint session of the Physical Sciences and Healthcare Technologies Strategic Advisory Teams jointly chaired by Cameron Alexander and Alison Noble.

Tuesday 22nd February

CS12&13 Polaris House, Swindon

Meeting Agenda

09.00	1	Reflection on Joint Session with Healthcare Technologies
09.15	2	Physical Sciences Team Strategy and Team Activities
10.15		Coffee
10.30	3	Fellowship Strategy
12.00		Lunch
12.45	4	GCRF
13.30	5	Balancing Engagement
15.00	6	Wrap up Session
15.30	7	Close

Summary of physical sciences meeting notes and discussion items: 22-02-2017

EPSRC, Polaris House, Swindon

Attendees:

Members:	Prof Cameron Alexander (Chair)	University of Nottingham
	Prof Sonia Contera	University of Oxford
	Dr William Whittingham	Syngenta Ltd
	Dr Alan Brown	BenevolentAI
	Prof Chris Marrow	University of Leeds
	Mr Martin O’Brien	Culham Centre for Fusion Energy
	Dr Emma Kendrick	University of Warwick
	Prof Michael Hannon	University of Birmingham
	Prof Graham Machin	National Physical Laboratory
	Prof Adrian Mulholland	University of Bristol
	Dr Sandrine Heutz	Imperial College
EPSRC Staff:	John Hand	Physical Sciences Theme Lead
	Christina Turner	Senior Portfolio Manager
	David Bowkett	Portfolio Manager
	James Dracott	Portfolio Manager
	Anna Angus-Smyth	Senior Portfolio Manager
	Nyree Hill	Portfolio Manager
	Susannah Cooke	Portfolio Manager
	Sarah Haliwell	Building Leadership Team
	Phillipa Knight	Physical Sciences Team
	Talit Ghaffar	Portfolio Manager
Apologies:	Prof Duncan Graham	University of Strathclyde
	Prof Jeremy Baumberg	University of Cambridge
	Prof Miles Padgett	University of Glasgow
	Prof Geoff Rodgers	Brunel University
	Ms Isabella Van Damme	Mars Chocolate UK
	Prof Rasmita Raval	University of Liverpool
	Dr Steven Harris	BAE Systems
	Prof Richard Winpenny	University of Manchester

1. Reflections on Joint Session with Healthcare Technologies

   The SAT was invited to provide reflections on the joint session held with the Healthcare Technologies SAT the previous day. The SAT agreed that they found the session interesting and informative.

2. Reflections on Unconscious Bias Session

   All EPSRC advisory bodies are undergoing unconscious bias training in 2017. The SAT was asked to comment on the training they had received the previous day. They stated that they found the session more interesting than online training and provided feedback on how the training could be better tailored to the role of the SAT.

3. Physical Sciences Team Strategy and Team Activities

   John Hand explained to the SAT the Physical Sciences team had developed a new strategy which can be used to articulate what we are doing and why we are doing it. The SAT agreed that it was important to have clear strategic goals.

4. Fellowship Strategy

   Anna Angus-Smyth presented the SAT with options for how the Physical Sciences team can evolve its fellowship strategy. The SAT provided advice on how the strategy should be formulated and communicated.

5. Global Challenges Research Fund

   David Bowkett led a session to get SAT input on how to best engage physical scientists with the Global Challenges Research Fund.

6. Balancing Engagement

   James Dracott presented the team’s plans for delivering the recently published Balancing Capability strategy. Christina Turner led a discussion of how the team should monitor its portfolio over the delivery plan period.

7. Single Panel Report

   Christina Turner provided the SAT with an evaluation on the first four instances of the Physical Sciences team running a single prioritisation panel.

8. AOB

   The following were suggested as topics for the next meeting:

   • CDTs
   • Mid-range facilities
   • Equipment & resource sharing
   • Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for 3 July 2017.