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email: [email protected]: www.grc.cf.ac.uk
RESEARCH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME PROJECT EXPERIENCERESEARCH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME PROJECT EXPERIENCE
HYWEL THOMASHYWEL THOMASDIRECTOR, GEOENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CENTRE, CARDIFF UNIVERSITYDIRECTOR, GEOENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CENTRE, CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
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ABOUTABOUT MEME
• ENGINEER (EU FP “likes” engineering)
• CIVIL ENGINEER (EU FP “prefers” other forms of engineering eg ICT)
• WORKED IN THE UNIVERSITY FOR 30 YEARS.
(PERIOD 1980 TO 2010)
• MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
(“Rules” are somewhat different now e.g. Early Career Researchers)
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ATTITUDE/APPROACHATTITUDE/APPROACH
• I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH EUROPEAN PARTNERS.
i.e. Drive came from me personally.
• SAW IT AS “INTERNATIONAL” RECOGNITION.
• AND EU IS ENGINEERING FRIENDLY.FRENCHGERMANITALIAN
• SO IT WAS ALWAYS PART OF MY PERSONAL STRATEGIC PLANNING.
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APPROACHAPPROACH
• FOR THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF MY CAREER I DID NOT APPLY TO THE FP PROGRAMMES.
• I HAD TO BUILD MY CAREER FIRST.
• FUNDED FOR THE FIRST TEN YEARS BY EPSRC.
• CARRIED OUT BASIC RESEARCH.
• PUBLISHED THE WORK AND BUILT UP EUROPEAN CONTACTS VIA CONFERENCES.
• i.e. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE TRACK RECORD.
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MY AREAMY AREA
• VERY SPECIALISED.
• ENGINEERING BEHAVIOUR OF THE SOIL IN THE GROUND.
• I STUDIED TEMPERATURE EFFECTS.
• NO ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD STUDIED THIS SUBJECT.
• HAD A LONG TERM PLAN.
• TARGET AREA WAS HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL.
[MAJOR INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMMES]
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The Äspö Hard Rock LaboratoryThe Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory
• The Äspö Hard Rock facility comprises a tunnel.
• Approximately 3,600 m long.
• Descends to a depth of approx. 460 m.
• Research areas are located around the facility.
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MY FIRST GRANTMY FIRST GRANT
• ASSEMBLED A TEAM (Spanish, Belgian, French partners).
• TRAVELLED TO SPAIN, BELGIUM TO WORK WITH THEM (British Council Funding).
• WROTE THE PROPOSAL.
• I PLANNED TO LEAD.
• THE BELGIAN GROUP THEN DID A “TAKE-OVER”.
• WE PASSED THE QUALITY THRESHOLD.
• TIP: IN MY EXPERIENCE, BELGIAN ORGANISATIONS ARE VERY WELL CONNECTED TO THE COMMISSION.
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EUROPEAN NEGOTIATIONSEUROPEAN NEGOTIATIONS
• IF YOU PASS THE “QUALITY THRESHOLD” YOU ENTER THE “NEGOTIATIONS”.
• PROJECTS CAN CHANGE COMPLETELY AT THIS STAGE.
• MY WORK WAS IN THE EURATOM PROGRAMME.
• THE BIG INDUSTRIAL PLAYERS PART FUND EVERYTHING.
• SO THEY THEN DECIDED (WITH THE EC) WHAT WE ACTUALLY DID.
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MAIN IMPACTMAIN IMPACT
• RESEARCH WORK WAS FUNDED.
• JOINED THE EUROPEAN UNION “FAMILY”/”CLUB”.
• HAVE BEEN FUNDED CONTINUOUSLY SINCE.
(20 YEARS).
• VIA EU RECOGNITION JOINED THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE.
• US/CANADA/IAEA PLATFORMS.
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COMMENTSCOMMENTS
•BREAKING IN IS HARDEST.
•ONCE YOU ARE “INSIDE” IT IS SOMEWHAT EASIER.
•BUT YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO DELIVER ON RESEARCH QUALITY.
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““TRICKS OF THE TRADE”TRICKS OF THE TRADE”
• WHEN YOU ARE ON THE “INSIDE” YOU CAN GET TO KNOW COMMISSION “THINKING”.
• IN RESEARCH MEETINGS COMMISSION OFFICERS MAKE PRESENTATIONS.
• ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU ARE PRESENT.
• THE PRESENTATIONS OFTEN SEEM TO BE AT THE MOST INCONVENIENT TIMES – YOU MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO SKIP THOSE SESSIONS.
• THEY OFTEN GIVE YOU A VIEW OF COMMISSION FORWARD PLANNING.
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WITHWITH TIMETIME
• WITH TIME YOU MAY BE ASKED TO HELP DESIGN FUTURE PROGRAMMES.
• OR AT LEAST MAKE INPUTS INTO THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTIONS.
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OTHER THINGS I DIDOTHER THINGS I DID
• LOOKED FOR NICHES.
• I WAS WELL POSITIONED WHEN THE “IRON CURTAIN” CAME DOWN.
• WORKED WITH THE CZECH REPUBLIC, POLAND AND HUNGARY.
• STARTED TO EXTEND BEYOND “NUCLEAR WASTE”.
• CO-ORDINATED ALL THOSE PROJECTS.
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SIDE EFFECTSSIDE EFFECTS
• I BECAME KNOWN AS AN “EC PROJECT” PERSON.
• OTHER PEOPLE WANT YOU TO JOIN THEIR TEAMS – BECAUSE YOU HAVE A GOOD “EU” CV.
• “SNOWBALL” EFFECT.
• E.G. BROUGHT INTO PROJECTS BY “TEAM WALES” (The WDA in those days).
• REGENEREATION WORK (RESCUE).
• MAJOR SOCIAL SCIENCE COMPONENT.
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OBSERVATIONSOBSERVATIONS
• EU HAS ALLOCATED VAST SUMS OF MONEY TO ITS RESEARCH PROGRAMMES.
• WE ARE WELCOME AT THIS PARTY.
• ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS APPLY. THIS OBVIOUSLY TAKES SOME WORK.
• MANY, MANY PEOPLE SEE A BRICK WALL.
• MANY, MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ADMIN.
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THE PROBLEMSTHE PROBLEMS
• THE ADMIN.
• To LEAD or NOT TO LEAD.
• IF YOU ARE AN “EARLY STAGE ACADEMIC
DO NOT CO-ORDINATE JUST BE A PARTNER.
• IF YOU ARE A MORE SENIOR PROFESSOR, WITH AN ESTABLISHED RESEARCH CENTRE, LEADERSHIP IS OK. YOU PROBABLY HAVE A TEAM WHO CAN DO IT.
EVEN THEN ……………..BE CAREFUL.
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ADMIN SUPPORTADMIN SUPPORT
• UNIVERSITY EC TEAMS.
(Nick Bodycombe and Team)
• EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS
MIXED EXPERIENCE.