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Report 98/03

Joint Research Equipment Initiative 1997:
Awards by the HEFCE and DENI


To Heads of HEFCE-funded Institutions
Heads of DENI-funded Universities
Of interest to those responsible for Research Funding; Equipment; Finance
Reference 98/03
Publication Date January 1998
Enquiries to Jo Wheeler 0117 931 7450
E-mail j.wheeler@hefce.ac.uk

Executive summary

Purpose

1. This document announces the awards by the HEFCE and the Department of Education for Northern Ireland (DENI) for the 1997 Joint Research Equipment Initiative (JREI).

Action Required

2. No action is required.

Background

3. Institutions were invited in Circular Letter 4/97 to submit applications to the 1997 JREI, run jointly by the higher education funding councils for England, Scotland and Wales (HEFCE, SHEFC and HEFCW), DENI, the Research Councils and the Office of Science and Technology (OST).

4. The objectives of the initiative were:

  • to contribute generally to the physical research infrastructure in higher education institutions
  • where possible, to promote partnership and sharing of equipment between departments and institutions
  • to enable high-quality research to be conducted with the investment, particularly in priority areas for science and technology, such as those identified in the Foresight generic priorities
  • to promote partnership between higher education institutions and external sponsors of research, such as industry and commerce, charities, Government bodies and NHS trusts
  • to assist the higher education funding bodies and the Research Councils in taking a strategic overview of the equipment needs of the UK higher education sector.

5. Funding was conditional upon the provision of matched funding by an external sponsor.

6. The initiative was run as two competitions:

  • Competition A for equipment costing less than £200,000, funded by four of the Research Councils - BBSRC, MRC, EPSRC and NERC.
  • Competition B for equipment costing more than £200,000, funded by the HEFCE, HEFCW, SHEFC and DENI.

7. A joint steering group of the funding bodies and OST oversaw both competitions. Its membership is at Annex A.

8. The guidelines for the JREI explained that, at the discretion of the steering group, applications might be moved between the two competitions so that the best mix of bids could be funded.

Assessment

9. Applications submitted to both competitions were peer reviewed by the relevant Research Council. Proposals were assessed against the objectives of the initiative and judged on their value for money, including the level of matched funding.

Awards

10. The Council originally set aside £13 million for the 1997 JREI. However, both the Council and the DfEE have provided additional funding and the final awards by the HEFCE and DENI totalled £23.5 million. These are listed at Annex B.

11. JREI awards by the Research Councils, SHEFC and HEFCW are announced separately.

12. Two awards from the 1996 JREI were not announced in Circular 2/97, because the bids were being audited. These are included in Annex B.

Conditions of grant

13. Detailed conditions of grant and methods of payment have been provided to heads of institutions and successful applicants. Copies of the conditions can be obtained from Jo Wheeler on 0117 931 7450.

Audit and evaluation

14. The Council may audit a sample of awards to test that the equipment described in the bid has been purchased and that value for money has been obtained from the funds provided.

15. The OST, the Research Councils, the Funding Councils and DENI will carry out an evaluation to assess the impact of the initiative on UK science.

Further information

16. Any enquiries should be addressed to Jo Wheeler tel 0117 931 7450, e-mail j.wheeler@hefce.ac.uk.


Annex A

Membership of the 1997 JREI Steering Group

OST Sir John Cadogan
Mr Tony Quigley
Miss Penny Hancock (secretary to Steering Group)
BBSRC Professor Ray Baker
EPSRC Professor Richard Brook
MRC Professor George Radda
NERC Professor John Krebs
PPARC Professor Ken Pounds
HEFCE Professor Brian Fender
Dr David Pilsbury
Miss Jo Wheeler
DENI Mr Alastair Bradley
SHEFC Professor John Sizer
HEFCW Dr Rowland Wynne

Annex B

Joint Research Equipment Initiative 1997
Awards by the HEFCE and DENI

  £      £     

University of Bath   619,594
  • Computer modelling and simulation in engineering (Mechanical Engineering and Chemistry).
    Professor M Owen and Professor I Williams
366,963
 
  • High resolution analytical transmission electron microscope (Materials Science and Engineering).
    Professor R Stevens
252,631
 

University of Birmingham   378,426
  • Midlands Field Emission Gun Transmission Electron Microscope facility (Metallurgy and Materials).
    Professor I Jones
378,426
 

University of Bradford   166,984
  • Combined in-process spectroscopy and rheometry of polymers in melt processing operations (Mechanical Engineering).
    Professor P Coates
166,984
 

University of Bristol   207,138
  • Interactive media computing (Computer Science).
    Dr A Chalmers
207,138
 

Brunel University   218,962
  • Semi-solid processing of A1-alloy and A1-MMC components by high temperature injection moulding (Materials Engineering).
    Dr Z Fan
218,962
 

University of Cambridge    3,905,072
  • Hypervelocity studies of materials in impact (Physics).
    Dr N Bourne
174,578
 
  • Functional brain imaging of the critically ill patient with acute brain injury (Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre).
    Dr TA Carpenter
422,560
 
  • Institute for cellular and genetic medicine - structural biology support facility (Haematology).
    Professor RW Carrell
110,000
 
  • High performance computing and network initiative (Department of Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics).
    Professor D Crighton
946,500
 
  • Computational micromechanics (Engineering).
    Professor NA Fleck
205,125
 
  • The origin and structure of the universe (Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Science).
    Professor SW Hawking
1,262,554
 
  • A Fourier transform - ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer for studies of protein folding and protein-protein interactions in Cambridge (Biochemistry).
    Dr E Laue
334,739
 
  • Quadropole-time of flight mass spectrometer for Cambridge Centre for Molecular Recognition (Chemistry).
    Professor Steven V Ley
229,016
 
  • Institute for cellular and genetic medicine - genetic statistics/bioinformatics computing support facility (Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics).
    Professor JA Todd
220,000
 

Cranfield University   945,731
  • Bio-interface research and fabrication (Cranfield Biotechnology Centre).
    Dr D Cullen
113,000
 
  • Flight simulation research facility for avionics and human factors (College of Aeronautics).
    Professor D Allerton
718,782
 
  • Laser facility for flow measurement and photonic instrumentation research (Mechanical Engineering).
    Dr R Tatam
113,949
 

Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine   2,204,921
  • Parallel computer for CFD research (Mechanical Engineering).
    Professor A Gosman
167,438
 
  • Hierarchical materials characterisation laboratory (Materials).
    Professor L Hench
159,950
 
  • A visualisation centre at Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine (Centre for Biological and Medical Systems).
    Professor R Kitney
1,100,000
 
  • A cell sorting facility for the Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College (Biology).
    Dr J Langhorne
123,318
 
  • Solid state NMR spectroscopy and its application to polymers and biomaterials (Chemistry).
    Dr R Law
182,886
 
  • X-ray diffraction facilities for high temperature, surface and thin film characterisation (Materials).
    Professor M McLean
186,406
 
  • Wavelength flexible fibre sources for diverse application in optical technology (Physics).
    Dr JR Taylor
159,375
 
  • A laboratory based x-ray beamline for the time resolved study of phase transitions in lyotropic systems (Chemistry).
    Dr R Templer
125,548
 

Institute of Cancer Research, University of London   472,000
  • Magnetic resonance applied to anticancer drug design and evaluation - from inception to the clinic (Section of Magnetic Resonance).
    Professor M Leach
472,000
 

University of Leeds   418,951
  • High performance computing facility for computational modelling (Computer Studies).
    Professor P Dew
418,951
 

University of Leicester   200,000
  • Computing equipment infrastructure for the radio and space plasma physics group in the University of Leicester (Physics and Astronomy).
    Professor SWH Cowley
200,000
 

University of Loughborough   451,950
  • A state of the art optical engineering research laboratory (Mechanical Engineering).
    Professor NA Halliwell
451,950
 

University of Manchester   500,177
  • A regional facility for computational biology (Biological Sciences).
    Dr A Brass
160,584
 
  • A state-of-the-art electron probe regional facility for advanced earth sciences and materials research (Earth Sciences).
    Professor CMB Henderson
246,593
 
  • Matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation - time of flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometer for the department of chemistry (Chemistry).
    Professor C Price
93,000
 

University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology   470,845
  • A tandem mass spectrometer for ultra-high sensitivity analyses (Chemistry).
    Professor SJ Gaskell
135,845
 
  • Subnanometre optica l and electrical microscopy and photonic materials (Physics).
    Professor B Hamilton
237,500
 
  • High performance computing facility for research into modelling and simulation of turbulence transport and related phenomena for engineering CFD (Mechanical Engineering).
    Professor M Leschziner
97,500
 

University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne   75,000
  • Simulation of covalently bonded materials using parallel computational methods (Physics).
    Dr P Briddon
75,000
 

University of Nottingham   356,121
  • Inter-university small animal magnetic resonance facility for neurobiology (Physics).
    Professor P Morris
356,121
 

University of Oxford   5,178,986
  • Microprobe analysis of synthetic and natural materials (Materials Science).
    Professor B Cantor
319,054
 
  • A new, 500MHz wide-bore NMR spectrometer for the study of energetics, pH and membrane transport in physiological systems (Biochemistry).
    Dr K Clarke
509,000
 
  • A parallel computing facility for multi-disciplinary research (Computing).
    Dr M Giles
1,356,900
 
  • Solid state NMR in inorganic and structural chemistry (Inorganic Chemistry).
    Professor MLH Green
215,806
 
  • The development of next generation superconducting magnets and their use in physics research (Physics-Condensed Matter).
    Professor R Nicholas
287,700
 
  • Investigation of protein-ligand interactions by mass spectrometry (Oxford Centre for Molecular Sciences).
    Dr C Robinson
110,600
 
  • High field (800Mhz) solid-state NMR spectrometer for biological and chemical sciences (Biochemistry).
    Professor A Watts
2,379,926
 

Royal Holloway, University of London   291,956
  • Multi-collector plasma source mass spectrometry: applications in geochronology and toxicology (Geology).
    Dr MF Thirlwall
291,956
 

University of Salford   855,935
  • High performance computer for advanced modelling applications (Physics).
    Dr I Morrison
167,167
 
  • Osiris - the next steps (Joule Physics Laboratory).
    Professor DK Ross
688,768
 

School of Pharmacy   127,296
  • The use of cryo-transmission in electron microscopy in the development of drug delivery systems (Centre for Materials Science).
    Dr D Craig
127,296
 

University of Sheffield   460,074
  • Photophysics, psotochemistry and sub-micron device fabrication with conjugated polymers (Physics and Centre for Molecular Materials).
    Professor D Bradley.
196,404
 
  • Multi-axial compression and Gf facility for concrete under elevated temperature (MAC2ET) (Civil and Structural Engineering).
    Professor P Waldron
263,670
 

University of Southampton   537,331
  • Matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation - time of flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometer for screening of solid phase chemistry, DNA/peptide sequencing, routine and high resolution mass measurement (Chemistry).
    Professor T Brown
157,303
 
  • Advanced biological imaging (Biological Sciences).
    Dr JE Chad
380,028
 

University of Surrey   466,855
  • Microstructural evaluation of advanced materials (Mechanical and Materials Engineering).
    Professor M Goringe
345,755
 
  • Enhancement of a testing facility for research behaviour of advanced materials (Civil Engineering).
    Professor L Hollaway
121,100
 

University of Sussex   678,994
  • Sussex high performance computing initiative (Chemistry).
    Dr M Heggie
678,994
 

United Medical and Dental Schools   230,000
  • Powerful computational facilities and firewall for a secure advanced medical imaging network (AMINet) (Radiological Sciences).
    Dr D Hawkes
230,000
 

University College London   861,534
  • Enhancement of the detector array for the ISIS materials diffractometer GEM (Davy Faraday Laboratory).
    Professor P Day
400,000
 
  • Hardware accelerated volume rendering for computer aided surgery (Medical Physics).
    Dr A Linney
125,088
 
  • Equipment for research in manufacturing of optical surfaces and advanced optical instruments (Physics and Astronomy).
    Dr D Walker
336,446
 

University of Warwick   1,192,620
  • Computational simulation of large scale complex nonlinear systems (Fluid Dynamics Research Centre).
    Professor P Carpenter
302,551
 
  • Numerical simulation and virtual reality: a tool for understanding complex systems (Physics).
    Dr S Chapman
275,000
 
  • A UK secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling facility with sub-nm depth resolution at high dynamic range - the Atomika 4500 (Physics).
    Dr MG Dowsett
358,644
 
  • Medium field NMR spectrometer (Chemistry).
    Dr J Rourke
124,841
 
  • Development of an agile manufacturing cell which integrates a tricept robot with a flexible tooling system (Manufacturing Group).
    Dr K Young
131,584
 

University of York   1,027,931
  • High performance computing infrastructure for neural network and machine vision research (Computer Science).
    Dr J Austin
523,687
 
  • A Matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation - time of flight (MALDI-TOF) instrument to enhance regional facilities for biomolecular mass spectrometry (Chemistry).
    Professor R Hubbard
133,654
 
  • Computing support for music technology research (Music).
    Dr A Myatt
370,590
 

The Queen's University of Belfast   380,007
  • High performance computing facility enhancement.
    Professor R Perrott
200,000
 
  • Broadband facility for the development of robotics and multimedia applications.
    Dr R Woods
180,007
 

University of Ulster   148,171
  • Equipment and running costs for telemedicine research.
    Professor N Black
148,171
 




1996 Joint Research Equipment Initiative: HEFCE Awards


University of Cambridge   2,166,416
  • High performance computing initiative (Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics).
    Professor DG Crighton
1,731,416
 
  • Earth dynamics, resources and environmental sciences symmetric multi-processor computing facility (Earth Sciences).
    Dr A Schultz
435,000