Enhancing recognition of the contribution of engineering and physical sciences to achieving a resilient nation
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Geography - SoGE
Abstract
Summary
This six-month project will conduct an initial analysis of the contributions and value of engineering and physical sciences research and EPSRC investments towards achieving a Resilient Nation and through that analysis explore options for continuing to promote and enhance their value to the nation.
A strong knowledge exchange team has been brought together to delivery this proposal. The proposed Resilient Nation Champion, researcher and administrator have worked with EPSRC (and other research councils) in delivering the Adaptation and Resilience in the Context of Change (ARCC) network and related activities that over the past 9 years has engaged with research, policy and practitioner communities across the UK to understand and enhance the impacts of research, and the quality and relevance of that research.
The knowledge and skills developed leading that network will be used to identify relevant research projects and programmes and to engage with EPSRC portfolio managers and researchers to explore their understanding of their contributions to building a resilient nation. This understanding will be used to pilot communication and engagement mechanisms with the aim of increasing awareness of current engineering and physical sciences research and pathways for investments, and thereby helping to demonstrate their benefits. It is also intended that the resulting engagement and understanding will lead to increased understanding by researchers of the benefits of applying their skills and knowledge to meet the challenges facing the UK now and in the future.
The results of this initial analysis will then be used to identify options and recommendations for taking this work forward to support the EPSRC in realising its aspirations recognising the contributions from engineering and physical sciences to building a resilient nation
This six-month project will conduct an initial analysis of the contributions and value of engineering and physical sciences research and EPSRC investments towards achieving a Resilient Nation and through that analysis explore options for continuing to promote and enhance their value to the nation.
A strong knowledge exchange team has been brought together to delivery this proposal. The proposed Resilient Nation Champion, researcher and administrator have worked with EPSRC (and other research councils) in delivering the Adaptation and Resilience in the Context of Change (ARCC) network and related activities that over the past 9 years has engaged with research, policy and practitioner communities across the UK to understand and enhance the impacts of research, and the quality and relevance of that research.
The knowledge and skills developed leading that network will be used to identify relevant research projects and programmes and to engage with EPSRC portfolio managers and researchers to explore their understanding of their contributions to building a resilient nation. This understanding will be used to pilot communication and engagement mechanisms with the aim of increasing awareness of current engineering and physical sciences research and pathways for investments, and thereby helping to demonstrate their benefits. It is also intended that the resulting engagement and understanding will lead to increased understanding by researchers of the benefits of applying their skills and knowledge to meet the challenges facing the UK now and in the future.
The results of this initial analysis will then be used to identify options and recommendations for taking this work forward to support the EPSRC in realising its aspirations recognising the contributions from engineering and physical sciences to building a resilient nation
Planned Impact
Impact Summary
A Resilient Nation helps provide all citizens with sustainably-managed resources, reliable infrastructure and the ability to combat both natural and man-made threats.
This work to enhance the understanding and recognition of recent and current research on resilience across the EPSRC portfolio (methods, tools, data) will help identify contributions to achieving this through excellent engineering and physical sciences which support the products, processes and technology required to effect economic and social change.
Immediate beneficiaries include:
- EPSRC portfolio managers: who will gain additional information to add to their knowledge of where and how current research from across the portfolio contributes to becoming a Resilient Nation, and options and recommendations for a way forward to help inform future investment strategies and decisions.
- Other relevant funding agencies (including RCUK, UKRI and the RIDE Forum): that will benefit from knowledge of relevant links and synergies at the interface with the EPSRC portfolio of research, and information to support possible cross-agency programme development in the future.
- Academic community: that will benefit from the sharing of knowledge and understanding of the value of their research with respect to resilience, and input into
Longer-term beneficiaries include:
- Policy and practice communities: that will benefit from this initial work to develop engagement and communication strategies to better reflect the (potential) contribution of evidence from the engineering and physical sciences to support action and decision-making.
A Resilient Nation helps provide all citizens with sustainably-managed resources, reliable infrastructure and the ability to combat both natural and man-made threats.
This work to enhance the understanding and recognition of recent and current research on resilience across the EPSRC portfolio (methods, tools, data) will help identify contributions to achieving this through excellent engineering and physical sciences which support the products, processes and technology required to effect economic and social change.
Immediate beneficiaries include:
- EPSRC portfolio managers: who will gain additional information to add to their knowledge of where and how current research from across the portfolio contributes to becoming a Resilient Nation, and options and recommendations for a way forward to help inform future investment strategies and decisions.
- Other relevant funding agencies (including RCUK, UKRI and the RIDE Forum): that will benefit from knowledge of relevant links and synergies at the interface with the EPSRC portfolio of research, and information to support possible cross-agency programme development in the future.
- Academic community: that will benefit from the sharing of knowledge and understanding of the value of their research with respect to resilience, and input into
Longer-term beneficiaries include:
- Policy and practice communities: that will benefit from this initial work to develop engagement and communication strategies to better reflect the (potential) contribution of evidence from the engineering and physical sciences to support action and decision-making.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Roger Street (Principal Investigator) | |
| Victoria Hayman (Researcher) |
Publications
| Description | This scoping study focussed on understanding the recognition within the resilience community (researchers, stakeholders and research funders) of the contributions of engineering and physical science (eps) research and innovation to achieving UK resilience. The study also engaged with representatives of the UK resilience community to consider options that could enhance that recognition and the benefits of investments that are being made by EPSRC. The key findings summarised below will be used by EPSRC (and possibly UKRI) to help focus their research investment portfolio towards achieving a Resilient Nation. Key findings from the evidence: Prosperity Outcomes Framework • The framework provides a useful and valuable structure into which EPS research can be placed to demonstrate its impact and value to the UK. This demonstration is highly valued by researchers and those wanting to use the research results. • The connection between the framework and other UK (e.g., Industrial Strategies, Clean Air; 25 Year Environment Plan) and International (e.g., UN Agenda 2030 SDGs) strategies and goals need to be more clearly made. • The value of the framework is not uniformly recognised between researchers working at the 'fundamental' end and the 'applied' end of the EPS spectrum of research, and this needs to be addressed by enhancing its value to those undertaking fundamental research. • Some researchers working in more fundamental areas of EPS feel detached from the Ambitions - the Ambitions need to ensure that the breadth of EPS research is captured and SEEN to be contributing to the ambitions. • Some EPS areas, in particular the areas of remote sensing, sensor development, status monitoring and robotics are not perceived as fitting comfortably with the Ambitions as they are currently expressed. • In addition to the current Ambitions, it was suggested that the Resilient Nation outcome should also clearly focus on translating and achieving the application of research findings supporting policy and practice. The value of EPS Research in understanding Resilience • There is a need to demonstrate that in terms of supporting resilience: o EPS research is beginning to provide valuable insights into developing understanding of inter-dependencies and complexity that are critical to understanding and enhancing resilience. o EPS research is fundamental to providing reliable infrastructure, ensuring energy security and in responding to acute threats. • Although delivering potentially valuable results for policy, practice and science, effectively contributing to the Resilient Nation outcome means that EPS research should be: o More adventurous and less risk adverse o More ambitious and far sighted and look to be more disruptive. o Taking more of a system and 'system of systems' perspective. The tendency for study and funding to be siloed leads to a poor understanding of the cross-cutting nature of the issues around resilience, potentially leading to less effective solutions. Challenges to Achieving Resilience • Valuing resilience o There is an urgent need to develop a means of valuing resilience, including in the context of making the business case. o The accepted approaches to economic modelling, and valuation are not fit for the purpose of valuing resilience. o Critically, they are far too focussed on short term returns on investment especially when considering very long life assets. o Resilience needs to be linked with a clear financial and social benefits, as opposed to being seen as a short-term cost. o UK infrastructure, particularly that which that has existed for a long time, does not seem to be sufficiently valued both socially and politically, with the result that in terms of investments other sectors being given higher (political) priority. • Planning and resilience o The current (Land Use) Planning system, and its rules, is seen as a barrier to resilience. o It is unclear how the planning system is able to consider resilience, including how it deals with potential conflicts and trade-offs in both time and space. The Understanding of Resilience • The nature of Resilience is not consistently understood or elucidated. This can lead to a situation where it can be confounded with resistance. • The richness of (or what some consider a more comprehensive) understanding of resilience needs to be exploited if we are to truly be a Resilient nation. • Resilience is strongly recognised as a 'socio-technical' issue that cannot be solved by engineering solutions alone. o It was strongly suggested that more cross-disciplinary working, including with social and natural scientists, could help to address this. • In order the demonstrate leadership in developing the understanding of Resilience it is recommended that a Fellow (or Fellows) be appointed for a period of at least five years. It would be advantageous if they were supported from across the Research Councils with a mutually agreed mandate. Behavioural and Social Sciences • There is broad and strong support of the need for a much more significant element of the behavioural and the social sciences to be included in both research and innovation activities focusing on enhancing resilience. • The links between resilience and social and economic well-being need to be strengthened, with particular reference to the role of health systems in achieving resilience. • Traditionally academic study has tended to be 'narrow and deep', whereas the optimum approach to the study of resilience needs to also take a much broader perspective. Training, Development and skills • There is a need for more and better training at both doctoral and post-doctoral level into the nature and breadth of resilience (i.e. supporting the Resilient Nation outcome). Note the EPSRC Resilient Infrastructure priority area in the 2018 CDT call. • Training on Resilience could / should be extended to Master's level programmes. • The understanding of systems engineering and complexity science needs to be improved, in order to be able to grasp the breadth and inter-dependent nature of resilience issues and solutions. • There is a need to enhance the flow of EPS research on resilience into Continuing Professional Development programmes for the professions. o It was not clear how the best current research on Resilience, or how leading academic practitioners, feed in to these (CPD) programmes. o EPSRC, possibly through UKRI, should reappraise the appropriateness of the level of their practical input into CPD across a broad range of professional disciplines. • A shortage of resources and skills (on resilience issues and in generating solutions) were noted that presents a wide range of challenges. Included among these is the loss of experienced and skilled civil (and other public) servants who were able to provide advice and guidance to politicians and who could also engage with researchers to co-design, co-develop, co-evaluate and implement solutions. Changes required in research evaluation/assessment practices • The current Peer Review process is seen to be a barrier to cross-disciplinary proposals. The inclusion of a greater number of practitioners / non-academics, and multi-disciplinary reviewers on panels operating within EPSRC and across Councils, and demonstration of the multidisciplinary success stories may help to reduce this barrier. • Greater effort is needed in the translation and dissemination of research outputs to the practitioner and policy making community. The 'traditional' academic publication route, including open access is very poor at informing and engaging these communities. • The length of time between which academics typically (actively) engage with Research Councils (3-5 years when submitting proposals) presents a challenge for the Research Councils. |
| Exploitation Route | As one of the four Prosperity Outcomes, achieving a Resilient Nation is being used by EPSRC to provide a strategic expression of how investment in eps research and skills adds value to the nation. In this context, a Resilient Nation reflects the ability of the UK to provide all citizens with sustainably-managed resources, reliable infrastructure and the ability to combat both natural and man-made threats. Evidence from our findings can be used by EPSRC to inform and guide their future research and innovation investments. |
| Sectors | Construction,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Transport |
| URL | https://www.ukcip.org.uk/projects/ |
| Description | Evidence-gathering interviews with policymakers and practitioners |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The aim was to further engage key policymakers and other professional representatives who could add value to the advice being provided to EPSRC. These included research council representatives, members of the RIDE Forum and Innovate UK, as well as government departments and key stakeholders. The first three of these groups were targeted to seek their views on the resilience research and innovation and on the relationships needed to deliver on the required impacts. The latter two of these groups were seen as providing an opportunity to explore the perspectives of those using research and innovations related to the Resilient Nation Outcomes, including their perspectives on enhancing the recognition and value added of such investments. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Evidence-gathering questionnaire and interviews |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | To gather information on the researchers' perspective of contributing to a Resilient Nation, targeted semi-structured interviews were held with four key EPSRC-funded researchers, four university research managers, and additional information was gathered through a questionnaire sent to a further 65 researchers. The researchers were chosen as representing a broad range of EPSRC-funded expertise and with considerable experience of the research environment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| Description | Exhibit at EPSRC Showcase: Science for a Successful Nation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The major EPSRC showcase, Science for a Successful Nation 2018, held on 21 February 2018, provided a timely opportunity to both highlight EPSRC contributions to building a Resilient Nation and to engage with a wider stakeholder audience to both inform and to seek their views. The event was aimed at 150 invited participants working at a strategic level in policy, practice and academia, including members of the EPSRC Council and the Strategic Advisory bodies. A booklet and presentation slide deck provided examples of the breadth and diversity of EPSRC investments contributing to building a Resilient Nation. The focus was deliberately on project outcomes of interest to stakeholders. The approach was also used to test the types of messaging being used: Safe, Secure, Adaptive, Protected, Prepared and Sustainable (rather than focussing on the 5 Ambitions). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.ukcip.org.uk/projects/ |
| Description | Workshop with EPSRC portfolio managers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As part of the evidence-gathering activities, this workshop engaged with EPSRC portfolio managers to better understand their perspective on how eps research and outputs are contributing to building a Resilient Nation. Discussions provided an opportunity to confirm the scope of eps investments being considered, to seek thoughts on the added value (to EPSRC and to researchers) of contributing to a Resilient Nation and to explore opportunities for further engagement to raise awareness and stimulate interest. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |