Data Science for Planetary Space Environments: Mars’ Asymmetric Magnetic Environment Response to the Solar Wind
C36 Physics and MS Teams
Thursday 17 March 2022
2:00pm to 3:00pm
Space and Planetary Physics seminar
Speaker: Dr Abigail Azari (U. California, Berkeley)
Neil Rogers
SL Seminar with Dr Arthur Van der Wees
On-line (see event details)
Friday 18 March 2022
2:00pm to 3:00pm
Security Lancaster Seminar
Jennifer McCulloch
FREE Health Assessments for all Staff
At the start of Term 2, the Sports Centre provided free Health Assessments and due to the popularity and success, we have decided to bring the Health Assessments to campus, to all the various Departments.
What is a Health Assessment?
Health Assessments are completed using a Tanita Body Scan machine. The Tanita is a scale that sends a very small electrical current through your body that will tell you not just your weight but also measures muscle, fat, bone, water, leaving you with up to 21 different results.
After only 20 seconds the calculations made can tell you lots of details about the composition of your body. The information gained can help you progress to an improved, healthier, more balanced lifestyle.
A qualified Instructor will take you through the assessment and talk through the results, all which will take around 5-10minutes.
(Please be aware a reading if you are pregnant or have an electrical implant)
What do you need to do?
The readings will appear on the MyWellness app, so if you can download this app before, it will save you some time.
5 easy steps on how to set up your MyWellness Account
- Go to your app/play store and download the MyWellness app (app description: yellow cloud with a black background)
- Create a MyWellness account, following the steps
- To ensure you get access to all of the features of the app, tick all of the consent boxes
- Select ‘continue’
- Insert code – lancsuni (all lowercase)
No appointment needed, just turn up on the day during the time specified – Where: Ground Floor FASS Building Date: 31/03/22 Time: 11.30am – 1.30pm
What to expect?
You will be asked to remove your shoes and socks, to get an accurate reading. Those in tights, do not worry, it will still work with them on, you will just need to remove your shoes.
You will hold on to the hand grips and a reading will take place.
You don’t feel anything and it should take no more than 20seconds.
The Instructor will discuss some of the readings with you
Any questions feel free to get in touch with Sam Cadwallader s.cadwallader@lancaster.ac.uk
Philip Simpson
Staff Awards 2022
The awards are currently open for nominations with a deadline of 31st March and they provide an opportunity to recognise colleagues who have done something amazing in the past 12 months.
For 2022 there are six award categories:
- Apprentice of the Year Award
- Pilkington Teaching Award
- Outstanding Contribution Award
- Research Impact Award
- Environmental Impact Award
- International Impact Award
You can nominate any member of Lancaster University staff, no matter their role.
This year, you can nominate an individual, team or community – any team nomination for more than 20 individuals will become a community award.
All winners will receive a prize package including a monetary prize and an invitation to a special Staff Awards celebration event. This year’s event will host winners of the 2020 and 2021 Staff Awards too.
As all employees of the University have made a huge contribution over and above their normal efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A separate event to recognise this contribution will be announced soon.
Please visit the Staff Awards webpage for more information and to make your nomination.
If you have any questions, please email staffawards@lancaster.ac.uk.
Philip Simpson
The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Stories of Resilience, Pivoting and Problem-Solving
Thursday, 17 Mar 2022, 16:00 ( to ) 17:30
Nathan Shoesmith, Aditya Kadam, and Maharani Hariga will share their stories at this special event, facilitated by PR specialist and LUMS Entrepreneur in Residence Richard Baguley.
Jonathan Gratus
Mithu Sanyal’s Identitti
Reading and discussion
Tuesday 15th March,
12pm – 2pm
Bowland North Seminar Room 10
or via Microsoft Teams (link)
Mithu Sanyal’s Identitti tells the story of two women at a German university whose lives are intertwined in the wake of a scandal. There is widespread outrage when Prof Saraswati, Chair of Postcolonial Studies, is revealed to be a white woman who has for years described herself as a person of colour.
Her student, Nivedita – a woman of mixed Polish/Indian heritage – stands by her professor, prompting complex explorations and discussions of race, gender, skin colour, identity and ‘cancel culture’ on campus.
The event will be bilingual and consist of a short reading in German, with an English introduction and explanation, followed by a discussion in English.
All welcome, including non-German speakers. Refreshments will be provided.
Sponsored by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and hosted by the Department of Languages and Cultures, Lancaster University.
Philip Simpson
Interdisciplinary Futures: ISF Fellows, Past, Present, and Future
Tuesday 15th March, 2-4pm
FASS Building Ground Floor Meeting Rooms 2&3 & Teams
In 2021, Lancaster’s Institute for Social Futures launched its first milestone publication, the Handbook of Social Futures, providing a collection of cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research that sheds new light on contemporary futures studies. The volume engages with key defining questions of the early twenty-first century such as climate change, big data, AI, the future of economics, education, mental health, cities and more — and we want to keep the conversation going about the importance of interdisciplinary research for the big questions of our day.
To that end, we are inviting anyone interested in finding out more about the ISF, or those simply curious, or passionate, about interdisciplinary research, to join us on Tuesday 15th March 14:00-16:00.
Meet ISF Fellows, past, present, and future, network, hear more about the work of the ISF, and perhaps plant the seeds of new ideas for collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Bring your big ideas for interdisciplinary research and your curiosity!
This event is open to all who wish to learn more about interdisciplinary research, futures thinking and practice, and find potential collaborators on exciting interdisciplinary projects.
Schedule:
14.00-14.10: Welcome and introduction – Richard Harper and Emily Spiers
14.10-14.20: Special guests Jess Davies and Mandy Dillon on Discipline Hopping
14.20-14.45: Examples of interdisciplinary research and ISF seed-funded projects
14.45-15.00: Networking and refreshments with ISF Fellows Past, Present and Future
15.00-16.00: Interdisciplinary research workshop (facilitated)
We will be running this event as a blended session, as such if you are planning to attend in person could you please email me (l.bush@lancaster.ac.uk) to confirm for catering purposes as well as letting me know if you have any dietary requirements.
Philip Simpson
Workshop: how to write an Expression of Interest (EOI) in response to research funding calls
Thursday, 5th May 2022 – 2:00-4:00 pm
Due to popular demand it has been decided to run the above workshop again.
This Workshop will run on Thursday, 5th May 2022 from 2:00-4:00 pm. The workshop will be held in MAN – Mngt School Dormer LT14 WPA002.
Purpose: EOIs are an increasingly important stage in the process of acquiring funding for research. Calls involving EOIs are often highly competitive and can be reviewed by panellists who are not domain experts, therefore it is important that researchers approach the writing of EOIs with this in mind. This workshop is designed to help you write a competitive EOI.
The session will be organised jointly between LUMS and FST and will be led by Professor Nick Race (Dept of Computing & Communications) who has a strong track record of funding success from UK Research Councils, the European Commission and Industry. In preparation, you will be provided with a set of example EOIs and asked to review these prior to the workshop.
We only have limited availability, so please confirm your place ASAP.
Participants will be asked to work in groups, therefore attendance in person will be required.
Should you like to attend, please contact me, Teresa Aldren (t.aldren@lancaster.ac.uk) to register for the workshop.
Teresa Aldren
MSI Workshop – How has the pandemic affected your research?
You are invited to a workshop to discuss how the pandemic has impacted your research.
Whilst this event is open to all MSI researchers, from post doctoral workers through to established research leaders, the focus will be on those earlier in their career.
Beyond providing an opportunity for discussing common issues and identifying easily implementable solutions, this event will frame an MSI call for research proposals (ca. £2-5k) that will be launched immediately, with the aim to give a further boost to materials research across the University.
We are open to what we will support, e.g. you may need to build or to test a piece of kit; to travel somewhere; or to generate a paper or grant application. Or something entirely different. We need to know what you want to do, so that we can find a way to support it. You may know already what you want to do, or that may become clearer on the day when we consider the possibilities together. But either way, if you pitch something to us, we’ll make sure we get back to you with a response within a day or two. Indeed, we are hoping that we can make at least one commitment of funding on the day!
Please come along to the Reading Room at the Storey Institute on Wednesday 23 March at 12pm where we’ll give you a good lunch, find out what’s needed and between us come up with a way to make that happen.
We’ll be finished no later than 4pm.
Register early with Rachel by email (r.lyon@lancaster.ac.uk or msi@lancaster.ac.uk) as we will be restricted by space.
Grainne Wilkinson
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
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
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
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