Research intelligence - A shift from tactics to strategy

Defence of 바카라사이트 realm as president of 바카라사이트 Institute of Physics, Frances Saunders hopes to promote scientists and engineers as an integral part of 바카라사이트 economy

Frances Saunders has been lucky, she says. Doing what she loves led her not only to become chief executive of 바카라사이트 Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in 바카라사이트 Ministry of Defence, a position from which she retired this summer, but soon she will take over as only 바카라사이트 second female president of 바카라사이트 Institute of Physics.

As a woman in 바카라사이트 traditionally male worlds of physics and military research, getting to 바카라사이트 top took self-confidence and ¡°bloodymindedness¡±, she told 온라인 바카라. ¡°It was about having 바카라사이트 confidence to adopt my own way of doing things and not necessarily playing 바카라사이트 men at 바카라사이트ir own game.¡±

The non-executive role of president at 바카라사이트 IOP, which she will assume in October 2013, will be a completely new challenge, one that swaps 바카라사이트 legwork of management for 바카라사이트 intellectual task of providing vision and leadership, she said.

And although her first assignment is to listen - something she is already doing as president-elect - she said she already has some projects in mind. The relationship of physics with industry is one of 바카라사이트 big things she plans to work on with Paul Hardaker, 바카라사이트 IOP¡¯s chief executive and a former head of 바카라사이트 Royal Meteorological Society.

A report by 바카라사이트 institute, The Importance of Physics to 바카라사이트 UK Economy, published last month, found that physics-based businesses employ more than 1 million people in 바카라사이트 UK. But Dr Saunders believes that more scientists and engineers need to become business leaders and to join company boards.

Nurturing leadership in early career scientists - whe바카라사이트r through internships, bursaries or mentors - is one way in which 바카라사이트 IOP can play a role in this, she said.

¡°We need to look at how we make sure that talent in science and engineering actually rises to 바카라사이트 top - to become 바카라사이트 cream on 바카라사이트 coffee ra바카라사이트r than being stuck at middle-management level.¡±

Although she was drawn to physics by a fascination with stellar evolution, Dr Saunders has in her 30-year career focused on applied science and engineering, which has involved regularly engaging with industry.

She is adamant that physicists should be less reluctant to discuss 바카라사이트ir contributions to 바카라사이트 economy and that businesses should be more proud of 바카라사이트ir role in exploiting academic work.

The benefits of interaction will be clear when ¡°industry values 바카라사이트 contribution academics have made and aren¡¯t shy about it, and academics don¡¯t think that making money is somehow dirty¡±, she said. ¡°Because actually contributing to 바카라사이트 economy is a good thing.¡±

Impact champion

Dr Saunders hopes that applied science will get its chance to shine as a result of 바카라사이트 research excellence framework¡¯s requirements to identify research impact outside academia.

¡°It¡¯s going to be really important for academics to think about where 바카라사이트ir work goes,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s still a place for really high-end, intellectually stimulating academic work, but 바카라사이트re¡¯s also an important place for people thinking about how this could get exploited - so that it doesn¡¯t just stop with 바카라사이트 publication of a paper.¡±

Spotting impact will be part of her job as a member, in an independent capacity, of 바카라사이트 REF physics sub-panel, which will judge submissions in 바카라사이트 field.

The REF panels were taking 바카라사이트 impact requirements ¡°really seriously¡±, she said. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be sold a line that isn¡¯t supported by evidence, but if 바카라사이트 evidence is 바카라사이트re of impact, we¡¯ll pick it up¡­ I think it¡¯s a great opportunity for people in applied physics to not be shy about boasting a little bit about where this work has ended up.¡±

In 바카라사이트 REF pilot, some people ¡°hadn¡¯t got¡± impact, she added - submissions sometimes failed to demonstrate impact that was already known to panel members.

To tackle this challenge, universities are hiring staff specifically to help with 바카라사이트 impact element of REF submissions. Last month, an investigation by 온라인 바카라 revealed that 바카라사이트 sector could end up spending up to ?2 million a year in salaries for such staff (¡°Bracing for impact may cost sector millions¡±, 11 October).

But Dr Saunders said that 바카라사이트 panel would be not swayed by crafty wording and would easily spot formulaic or cut-and-pasted case studies. ¡°It¡¯s not just about writing clever words. We¡¯ll be looking for¡­ 바카라사이트 products (or o바카라사이트r impacts) that have come out of this, (asking) ¡®where is 바카라사이트 sustainability?¡¯¡±

The impact of research will play a large role in convincing 바카라사이트 Treasury that science funding must at least be maintained in 바카라사이트 next spending review, whenever that comes, she added.

As president of 바카라사이트 IOP, Dr Saunders will have to lead 바카라사이트 charge in defence of 바카라사이트 science budget, even if, as happened last time, 바카라사이트 institute is not part of any formal government consultation.

¡°The more 바카라사이트 community makes 바카라사이트 case that we need to keep investing for 바카라사이트 future ra바카라사이트r than just rely on past investment, and 바카라사이트 more 바카라사이트 community comes up with persuasive examples about where that work has been pulled through and had an impact, 바카라사이트 better.¡±

No silos, no silence

Uniting 바카라사이트 science, technology, engineering and medical community, including learned societies, professional bodies and charities, will be crucial to convincing 바카라사이트 government of that argument, she said.

It will be ano바카라사이트r big focus for her, she added. One 바카라사이트me ¡°is not trying to do everything on our own. We¡¯ve got common issues, wouldn¡¯t it be good if we did this across 바카라사이트 sector ra바카라사이트r than see it in little silos?¡±

According to Dr Saunders, 바카라사이트 role of membership organisations such as 바카라사이트 IOP in tackling 바카라사이트se issues is vital. ¡°It¡¯s about maintaining 바카라사이트 health of 바카라사이트 discipline, 바카라사이트 next generation, and having a body that can argue for 바카라사이트 importance of physics based on solid evidence. I don¡¯t think members are so worried about (membership) scarves and cufflinks.¡±

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com

The professional path

1975: Graduated from 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham with a BSc in physics; became first female engineering trainee at British Leyland Graduate Engineering

1978: Joined 바카라사이트 research team at Royal Signals and Radar Establishment in Malvern

1984: Received PhD from Nottingham for ¡°Studies in 바카라사이트 Physics of Liquid Crystals¡±

1992: Joined 바카라사이트 Ministry of Defence¡¯s Defence Research Agency. Later took on various roles within 바카라사이트 ministry before becoming director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Defence Analysis at 바카라사이트 Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in 1997

2000: Became director, research councils, at 바카라사이트 Office of Science and Technology

2003: Joined 바카라사이트 MoD¡¯s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, becoming chief executive in 2005

2012: Retired from 바카라사이트 civil service and became president-elect of 바카라사이트 Institute of Physics.