Support in difficult times
While the conflicts between nations are between governments, individuals are affected (and may have strong feelings). May I take this opportunity to remind people that individuals in the Department may be deeply troubled by events, not least because of their concerns for friends and family. Please take this into account in your interactions and expectations, and to the extent where we can help as a Department we will. If you need help, including counselling and emotional support, this can be accessed through the Employee Assistance Programme
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/staff-wellbeing/be-aware/eap/#d.en.440840
With emotions likely to be running high, please also remember that we expect that individuals will be treated with respect within the Department.
Roger Jones
DSI & The Management School: Wednesday Lunch Time Talk – Mehmet Gonen, Koc University
Online Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 2 March 2022
1:00pm to 2:00pm
DSI Wednesday Lunch Time Talk @ 12.30
Julia Carradus
Covid -19 guidance
From 24 February, the UK government has ended any remaining mandatory coronavirus restrictions in England. We are though, still being encouraged to continue efforts to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus with the wearing of face coverings in enclosed or crowded areas, having adequate ventilation and practicing good hand hygiene. We still expect people who are ill with an infectious disease to at least work from home or take time off fully if needed, as we would with flu etc.
The University guidance has been updated to reflect the ending of mandatory restrictions and can be found on the staff intranet pages, covid-19 information and working on campus.
Shonah Ion
Emergency Lighting Testing
Facilities have informed us that emergency lighting testing will be taking place in the Physics building during the week commencing 28th February 2022 from 9am daily.
Every month there is a quick test to ensure all emergency lighting fittings are operational. This involves a quick visual test. In residences, this applies to corridors and kitchens. There are longer, more involved tests at 6 month and 12 month intervals.
If you have any queries regarding the timing of the work please contact Facilities Helpdesk as soon as possible, facilities.helpdesk@lancaster.ac.uk or 01524 593333
Shonah Ion
Dolphin Pod (6th of April ) open for health related research ideas- sign up now
Reminder that the next Dolphin Pod (6th of April 1pm) for health related research is now open to sign up for across the University to all academic staff and post-grad students. https://livelancsac-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/lobban_lancaster_ac_uk/EXC5eOx-zQVHsri2MAsb31QBA9OcWB2wb-j8xyOm2cBmkg?e=C4Y8r0
Last month we had fish from across FST, FASS and FHM. The 20 minutes went very quickly so feel free to sign up for a double slot it’s a new project or a broad question.
There is no pod happening in March due to the strike
The Dolphin Pod is safe space to get support with any health related research ideas or grant applications. We have been running this for a while in DHR but we are opening it up across the Uni due to popular demand and to encourage more inter-disciplinary working. The Dolphin Pod is a monthly event (first Wednesday of the month 1-2pm).
Each month, we would like to see 3 “Dolphins” sign up to offer feedback and suggestions on the research ideas presented by 3 “fish” swimming towards research success. All research active staff are welcome to sign up as a fish to get support – but are also encouraged to have a go at signing up as a Dolphin to offer their support to others. I am signed up as a Dolphin for all sessions so would be delighted for you to join me.
Each fish is allocated 20 mins to swim with the Dolphins and can use the time as they wish. Fish may have a very early broad idea you want to help shape, or find potential collaborators, or identify appropriate funding, or address feedback on a rejected application. You can visit the pod as many times as you like, and even book a double slot (40 mins) if you need it. The only rule is that the Dolphins will not be asked to do any reading in advance or have any homework tasks. The Dolphins commit for the whole hour, and talk to 3 fish, but nothing more.
For more info and to sign up please go to
(It has been pointed out that Dolphin eat fish, but this was meant to be a friendly version of a Dragon’s Den and I promise it is very supportive!)
Philip Simpson / Fiona Lobban
Overleaf Survey
Representatives of the Management Science Department of Lancaster University are conducting a survey to measure demand for Overleaf subscriptions across faculties. Overleaf is the service for online collaboration on scientific documents in LaTeX. We want to understand whether there is a demand for a university-wide subscription. This survey will not take more than 3 minutes of your time, but your responses will help us prepare the application if we find out that there is a demand for the Overleaf. Please follow this link to the survey: https://lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3804UtyhJMtWd0y
Philip Simpson / Ivan Svetunkov
EPSRC CASE Awards: Call for applications
EPSRC CASE Awards: Call for applications
Submission date: Friday April 22nd, 2022
Please send applications to: Simon Vaukins – s.vaukins@lancaster.ac.uk
EPSRC continue to encourage industrial collaboration through CASE awards in science and engineering. These awards are a type of doctoral studentship designed to incorporate an element of collaboration and industrially related training to broaden experience. As part of delivering economic impact and increasing company involvement in provision of doctoral training, the EPSRC are committed to increasing impact by increasing the proportion of collaborative studentships within the DTP. To support this, institutions in receipt of DTP have a target of converting 10% of the funds into CASE awards (DTP CASE-conversion).
Further details can be found here: EPSRC CASE Award guidance 2022
If you have any further questions, please contact Simon Vaukins – s.vaukins@lancaster.ac.uk
Philip Simpson / Simon Vaukins
Extracurricular Language classes – enrolment is open for courses from February to June 2022
For anyone interested in developing their existing language skills or picking up new ones, the Department of Languages and Cultures is opening a new session evening classes open to university students & staff, as well as members of the public. Classes this year are taught in person, but we are also offering some online, via Teams. Please check our timetable for more information. We are offering classes in French, Dutch, German, Italian and Spanish.
The courses are designed to equip participants with communication skills in the foreign language of their choice, whilst also discovering the multicultural aspects of language learning. So, if you want to learn a new language, brush up or develop your skills, join us!
More information can be found on our website: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/languages-and-cultures/languages-for-all/, or by email: delcextracurricular@lancaster.ac.uk. You can enrol by Friday 11th February. Classes will start w/c 14th February and run until the end of June.
Romain Bardot
EPSRC Vacation Internships: call for applications
Deadline for applications: Friday March 25th, 2022
Decisions to be confirmed by: Friday 22nd April, 2022
The EPSRC Vacation Internship scheme is designed to give undergraduate students a taste of what it is like to do research. The students should be given practical, first-hand experience of working on and carrying out research in a UK university.
Eligibility
The selected students should be undertaking an undergraduate degree, which must be within EPSRC’s remit, and should be able to fulfil EPSRC’s doctoral training grant eligibility requirements at the end of their undergraduate degree. The nominated student should be at the end of their second year of study, or the third year of study if on a four year programme, by the summer of 2022. The scheme may not be used as a bridge between the undergraduate degree and doctorate or other work, therefore students who are currently in their final year and who will have completed their degree by the summer of 2022, are not eligible.
The projects undertaken by the students must be clearly defined, within EPSRC’s remit and must not be part of a normal degree course.
Timing and Payment
The internship should take place in the summer vacation before the student’s final year of study and should be ten weeks in duration. Students will be employed as interns during the period of their internship. All students undertaking Vacation Internships will receive payment equal to at least the national living wage even if they are aged below 25.
Applications for Vacation Internships should be made using this form: EPSRC Vacation Internship application
Questions on Vacation Internships can be sent to Simon Vaukins, Faculty Graduate School Manager: s.vaukins@lancasterac.uk
Simon Vaukins
Sending International Mail – mandatory customs data
In order to meet International Shipping requirements for your exports, it is now a legal requirement that all non-personal correspondence items travelling internationally are accompanied by complete and accurate electronic customs data so they can be delivered successfully.
Electronic customs data is now mandatory when you send items/goods abroad (excluding personal correspondence). You are required to provide customs data electronically in addition to the physical customs declaration (CN22 or CN23). Failure to comply is likely to result in delays, having items returned or even destroyed.
Celine Neimark / Grainne Wilkinson