Multi-disciplinary Optimisation and Data Mining at Birmingham
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: School of Computer Science
Abstract
The University of Birmingham's commitment to collaboration across different disciplines is established through its Research Strategy and embodied in its Collaborative Research Networks (CRNs). The Strategy recognises that cross-School research is difficult to initiate, promote and ultimately to sustain. Building on the exceptional strengths within the disciplines, the Strategy identifies nine major cross-disciplinary research themes and four enabling technology themes (www.research.bham.ac.uk) and the use of Collaborative Research Networks to promote interdisciplinary working within each of the themes. Each CRN has an academic Champion who acts as advocate for the Network, promoting and fostering interdisciplinary research (IDR). Such a strategic approach to the promotion of multidisciplinary working provides a strong foundation and puts the University in a potentially unique position to take advantage of this opportunity. The CRNs and associated IDR activities underline the University's strategy and ability to support and deliver IDR and this proposal seeks funds to develop routes by which deeper and sustainable collaborations can be built upon such a foundation among the disciplines of Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Chemistry and Psychology, adding significant value to current and future initiatives. This proposal will support linkages between the Informatics, Communications Technologies, Molecules & Materials, Transport Technology, Sustainable Environment, Energy and Resources, and Imaging and Visualisation CRNs. The focus of this proposal is on optimisation and data mining, which underly numerous real world challenges in different disciplines, especially as we collect more and more data due to the advance in technologies. Most of these optimisation and data mining problems cannot be tackled effectively by researchers from any single disciplines, because a good solution can only be found with in-depth knowledge in both the problem domain as well as the techniques/algorithms that are applicable. At least two different disciplines need to be involved.This proposal will bring people together, enable them to communicate with other, make available time and space for them to interact intensively, provide forums from them to identify long-term and fundamental research challenges, create an environment and culture that foster multidisciplinary research, and enables them to develop sustained research programmes and write high-quality grant proposals.
Organisations
Publications
Zhenyu Yang
(2012)
An Efficient Evolutionary Approach to Parameter Identification in a Building Thermal Model
in IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part C (Applications and Reviews)
Orera A
(2011)
Apatite germanates doped with tungsten: synthesis, structure, and conductivity.
in Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)
Johansson B
(2010)
Determining the temperature from Cauchy data in corner domains
in International Journal of Computing Science and Mathematics
CHEN J
(2012)
DISTORTIONAL BUCKLING OF COLD-FORMED STEEL SECTIONS SUBJECTED TO UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED TRANSVERSE LOADING
in International Journal of Structural Stability and Dynamics
Kerber M
(2011)
Intelligent Computer Mathematics
Jung A
(2012)
Priestley Duality for Bilattices
in Studia Logica
Chechlacz M
(2010)
Separating neural correlates of allocentric and egocentric neglect: distinct cortical sites and common white matter disconnections.
in Cognitive neuropsychology
Cuevas-Tello J
(2010)
Uncovering delayed patterns in noisy and irregularly sampled time series: An astronomy application
in Pattern Recognition
Description | This is a networking grant, encouraging and promoting interdisciplinary collaborations within the University of Birmingham. A wide range of activities were organised, including Knowledge Workshops, Challenge Away Days, Research Retreats, etc. The four themes of this project include Multi-disciplinary Combinatorial Optimisation, Conic Optimisation, Advanced Data Analysis and Data Mining, and High-performance Computing for Modelling Complex Systems. A number of new collaborations were created as a result of this project. Over £4 million additional grants have been secured, covering a very diverse range of collaboratiobs, e.g., between economics and computer science, between psychology and computer science, between computer science and astrophysics, between biosciences, computer science and mathematics, between civil engineering and computer science, etc. |
Exploitation Route | A number of contacts established or strengthened during the project period are being maintained and further development after the project. In addition to collaborations among different academic disciplines, active involvement from industry and government organisations were sought, e.g, through workshop participation and follow-on collaborations. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) |
URL | http://btg.bham.ac.uk/ |
Description | BBSRC Grouped |
Amount | £213,436 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/I006109/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Commission of the European Communities |
Amount | £400,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | FP7-ICT-2009-6 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start |
Description | http://btg.bham.ac.uk/ |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | |
Results and Impact | Bridging The Gap (BTG) is a University-wide initiative, designed to support the development of multi-disciplinary research collaborations within the University of Birmingham. It is an EPSRC funded project, running from 1st April 2008 to 31 March 2011. The main objective of BTG is to facilitate the generation of high-impact, multi-disciplinary grant proposals. To this end, we will organize events to improve communication, offer funds to support academics in grant-writing activities, and provide support and information. BTG is organized around 4 themes: _Multi-Disciplinary Combinatorial Optimization _Conic Optimization _Advanced Data Analysis and Data Mining _High-performance Computing for Modelling Complex Systems Events, funds, and other support BTG will organize around 8 events per year. These will include technology-oriented Knowledge Workshops, problem oriented Challenge Away Days, and themed Research Retreats and Industrial Retreats. Participation in all the events is free and open to University of Birmingham academic staff, and any industrial partners, though some of the events will have a limit on the total number of participants. BTG will offer financial support to researchers preparing multi-disciplinary grant applications. This support includes travel grants, grant application development support, and academic staff time buyout. Over time, this website will be extended to feature a range of support tools and information pages, including data repositories, information on techniques, and an 'ask the expert' section. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |