STRATEGIC PLAN 2010

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ABOUTUSThe Engineering and Physical Our research ranges from physics,Sciences Research Council chemistry andmathematics tois at the heart of discovery materials, computing, engineeringand innovation. and high valuemanufacturing.

Our research saves lives, EPSRC is pioneering research andcreates prosperity, protects skills for our future.the environment and inspiresfuture generations.

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EPSRCSTRATEGIC PLAN 2010

THEHEARTOF DISCOVERY& INNOVATIONScience and engineering drives the global economyin the 21st century, and EPSRC is at the heart of it.It is key to tackling challenges such as energy security,climate change, our ageing population, crime andeconomic resilience.

EPSRC is generating the fundamental knowledge andskilled people essential to business, governmentand other research organisations.

Our strategy is to deliver greater Sustained investment in science and In addition to these direct benefits,impact than ever before. It will focus engineering provides the UK with EPSRC research sustains discoveryresearch on the needs of the nation the capability to tackle the challenges and innovation across the entireand commit greater support to those it faces today, and the unknown research landscape. It fuels furtherscientists and engineers who are challenges it will face tomorrow. investigation in bio-science, medicineworld-leading. and environmental sciences, within

Past investments are having impact UK industry and within major nationaltoday, in the form of new technologies agencies such as the NHS.We are building on strong tradition.

EPSRC has fostered a UK research such as renewable energy devices,base that is a source of national improved medical diagnostics and The UK has the brilliant mindspride and one that affords us a faster digital communications. that can change the world. EPSRCposition of global responsibility. fosters their ambition, innovation

Future investment is vital to sustaining and adventure, and removes barriersThe challenges we must tackle do the UK’s great tradition of pioneering to their success.not respect geographical, political science, our ability to tackle grandor scientific boundaries – and our challenges, and our capacity to developstrategy will allow the UK research and capitalise on new opportunities.base to take a multidisciplinaryand international approach tosolving them.

OUR STRATEGYFOR THE NEXT THREETO FIVE YEARS

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CLEARGOALSDELIVERINGIMPACTEPSRCwill ensure excellent research andtalented people delivermaximum impactfor the health, prosperity and sustainabilityof the UK.Wewill build strong partnershipswith organisations that can capitalise onour research and inform our direction.Wewill promote excellence and impact, andensure it is visible to all.

SHAPINGCAPABILITYEPSRCwill shape the research base to ensure itdelivers high quality research for the UK, both nowand in the future. Our research portfolio will befocused on the strategic needs of the nation, such asgreen technologies and high-valuemanufacturing,andwill retain the capability to tackle futurechallenges and capitalise on new opportunities.Wewill set the bar high, stimulate creativity andreward ambition.

DEVELOPINGLEADERSWewill commit greater support to theworld-leadingindividuals who are delivering the highest qualityresearch tomeet UK and global priorities.Wewillcreate an environment that supports them throughouttheir careers and allows others to benefit from theirability.Wewill foster their ambition and adventureand ensure they are connectedwith the best, whereverandwhoever they are in theworld.

1988ELECTRIC DISCOVERYSupported by EPSRC, Professor Richard Friend’sresearch group at the University of Cambridge makeshuge breakthroughs in the emerging field of plasticelectronics. Plastic Logic is formed in 2000 to commercialisethe technology and raises £200m in private finance.

EPSRCPIONEERING THE FUTURE

EPSRCPIONEERING PEOPLE

EPSRC’s research and skills investment over the pastdecades continues to deliver significant benefits today,in areas such as healthcare, renewable energy, lowcarbon technologies and digital technologies.

But the world is continually changing, economically,demographically, technologically and socially. Ourstrategy has always ensuredwe remain responsiveto the needs of the UK.

19901980 2000 2001 2002

2000ILLUMINATINGRESEARCHEPSRC helps establish the Cambridge Centre forGallium Nitride, led by Professor Colin Humphreys,to pioneer research into this important semiconductor.The centre builds on previous research by ProfessorHumphreys and supported by EPSRC.

MATERIALSMAGICIANSIRJOHNPENDRY

Sir John Pendry is arguably the world’sleading theoretical physicist. With long-termEPSRC support he created the revolutionaryfield of metamaterials.

These novel materials display propertiesnot normally available in nature, opening upboundless possibilities from increased datastorage on a single disc to invisibility cloaks.

“Having great ideas doesn’t involveexcessive time. But working them throughdoes. That’s what the EPSRC fellowshipallowed me to do. It put a rocket under themetamaterials work.”

LOWCARBON LEADERMERCEDESMAROTO-VALER

Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer ispioneering technology to tackle climatechange. Supported by EPSRC, she leadsthe Carbon Capture and Storage InnovationCentre at the University of Nottingham.

“CCS is a key component in reducing CO2emissions and meeting environmentaltargets. We’re bringing forward theinnovation that will make it happen,”says Maroto-Valer, who won the 2009Leverhulme Prize for engineering.

“EPSRC has given my team the flexibilityto be creative and try new routes.”

DR SNOWBOARDLIZABROOKS

Supported by EPSRC, Liza Brooks is anEngineering Doctorate student – theworld’s first in Advanced SnowboardDesign. She has combined engineeringand entrepreneurship and co-foundedthe UK’s biggest snowboard company– True Snowboards. Its sponsored riderswon more medals than any other companyat the British snowboard championshipsfor two years running.

“EPSRC funding is essential to pushingscience and engineering further andpushing industry forward.”

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

2004OPENING THE IDEAS FACTORYEPSRC’s Ideas Factory began life with one aim – to provide a new dimensionin problem solving. Now, it is the envy of the world. The intensive five-dayworkshops have created novel solutions to tackling gun crime, increasingUK productivity and giving mental health patients greater independence.

EPSRC’s Strategic Plan 2006 provided a new strategicdirection allowing us, in partnership with the researchcommunity, to address evolving 21st century challenges.It focused on building stronger partnerships, increasinginternational engagement, empowering those we fundand encouraging greater impact.

Through it we have developed significant capability in ourpriority themes of Energy, Next Generation Healthcare,Nanoscience and Digital Economy, and delivered on theambition’s set out in the Government’s Science andInvestment Framework 2004 - 2014.

The Oyster ™

2003AWAVEOF INSPIRATIONWith EPSRC support, Professor Trevor Whittakerand Dr Matt Folley at Queen’s University Belfastdevelop the innovative wave energy converter, Oyster.Aquamarine Power Limited formed in 2005 tocommercialise the technology.

2005MEASURE FORMEASUREBuilding on two decades of excellence, Strathclyde University andKing’s College London, are awarded further EPSRC support toestablish a centre for nanometrology research – the ability to measureand characterise molecules – and explore its use in healthcare.

2008 2009 2010 2020 2030

IMPACT/2010PLASTIC FANTASTICPlastic Logic launches an eReader based on its plastic electronicstechnology. Lightweight, flexible and robust, the QUE proReader movesthe world closer to digital paper. With facilities in Cambridge andworldwide, Plastic Logic is keeping the UK at the cutting edge of plasticelectronics technology – a market estimated to grow to $30bn by 2015.

IMPACT/2008CAPTURING THE LIMELIGHTProfessor Colin Humphreys appears on the world’s media,including the BBC and in the New York Times, to talk about alighting revolution. His EPSRC-supported team are developinga £2 light bulb that could slash energy consumption and cutcarbon emissions by 23m tonnes in the UK alone.

IMPACT/2008TACKLING GUNCRIMENew tagging technology is developed to tackle gun crime. Tiny pollen tags, invisible tothe naked eye, are designed to be coated onto gun cartridges and then attach themselvesto the hands of anyone handling them - establishing a robust forensic link between acartridge fired during a crime and whoever handled it. The research team, from Brighton,Brunel, Cranfield, Surrey and York Universities, was created at an Ideas Factory.

IMPACT/2010MARINE ENERGYMILESTONEThe award winning Oyster – developed by Aquamarine Power Ltdand based on EPSRC research – is connected to the grid. Oncetesting of the wave power technology is complete, it is hopedcommercial ‘Oyster farms’ will be powering homes by 2013.

IMPACT/2009SMART TATTOOSSmart tattoos that allow diabetics to monitor blood glucose levelsmove closer to reality thanks to EPSRC-supported research atStrathclyde and King’s College London. The sensor, inserted beneaththe skin, increases in fluorescence intensity in the presence of glucoseand a user could measure accurate levels with a pocket-sized reader.

EPSRC’s new Strategic Plan 2010 has been developedfollowing broad consultation with our partners andcommunities. It has been informed by governmentstrategy, the wider international research landscapeand the global economic situation. It will allow us tocontinue to deliver the leading science and engineeringresearch and skills to sustain UK innovation.

In 2010/11, we will develop a more detailed Delivery Planin conjunction with our partners. This will set out how ourstrategy will be delivered across our portfolio, providinga blueprint for continued success.

2008BRITAIN’S BRIGHT FUTUREEPSRC creates 52 new PhD training centres to tackle the biggest problemsfacing Britain – such as climate change, strengthening industry and combatingcyber-crime. The £300m investment is a bold, new approach to training andwill provide the research leaders with the skills, knowledge and confidenceto tackle the evolving challenges of the 21st century.

WHAT OUR PLANWILL DELIVER

OUR STRATEGYwill keep the UK at the heartof global research and innovation.It will provide the knowledge andskills vital to a healthy, sustainableand prosperous society.

Our plan is ambitious.Wewill increase In future, we will increase the number We are under no illusion about thethe number of world-leading scientists of leading research groups working task ahead of us and success will notand engineers working in the UK and on strategic challenges facing the be achieved by EPSRC alone. We willwill encourage them to bemore UK and deliver new technological build stronger partnerships withadventurous than ever before.We solutions to these issues. We will universities, industry and others, andwill create a research environment increase the levels of both we will work together with a sharedthat gives UK talent the freedom, multidisciplinary research and sense of purpose to develop priorities.flexibility and tools to succeed. international collaboration involving

the UK’s leading research groups. We will face, and we will take,We begin on a strong footing. In We will ensure a greater proportion the difficult decisions required tointernational bench-marking, EPSRC of our portfolio supports achieve success.research is judged to be world leading. transformative research.We will at least maintain, and seek Now, we must move forward with ato increase, the UK’s international We will be more active in shaping determination to build on the past,research standing as judged by a the research landscape - our new deliver change for the future andset of measures of excellence. Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) create a stronger, healthier and

are one example of this - and we will prosperous UK.Our plan is also a commitment. We take more action like this in future.will deliver a research base and a Launched in 2008, CDTs representskills portfolio that allows the UK a new model of PhD training thatto meet challenges head on, both will create researchers with thenow and in the future. In a time of confidence, the breadth of knowledgeeconomic uncertainty, we will deliver and the creativity to lead the worldgreater value from our investment – whether that be in a university, athan ever before. We have already leading company or political office.pioneered new ways to stimulateresearch and removed barriers to We will deliver a balanced skillsmultidisciplinary collaboration. Our portfolio to avoid systemic skillsIdeas Factory concept has applied shortages in the UK and increasenew thinking to issues such as gun the satisfaction of both studentscrime, security and productivity. and their employers.

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EPSRC's Delivery Plan is setto be launched in 2010/11.It will be developed inconsultation with the researchcommunity and our partnersand will set out how EPSRC'sstrategy will be implementedacross our portfolio.

EPSRC is the main UK government agency for funding high-qualitybasic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate trainingin engineering and the physical sciences, to help the nation exploit thenext generation of technological change. It invests more than £800 milliona year in a broad range of subjects – frommathematics to materialsscience and from information technology to structural engineering.

AddressThe Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research CouncilPolaris HouseNorth Star AvenueSwindonSN2 1ET

EPSRC HelplineFor general enquiries call 01793 444100or email infoline@epsrc.ac.uk