EPSRC focuses on the future of UK e-Science

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The future of UK e-Science will be the focus of a review organised by EPSRC on behalf of the Research Councils. The UK e-Science programme oversaw a huge investment – £250M of funding. It is the quality and impact of this funding that the Research Councils wish to assess. EPSRC are now seeking nominations for a panel of experts who will assess UK e-Science and report back in March 2010 with recommendations for its future.

The expert panel will comprise internationally renowned researchers from outside the UK, who will benchmark the strengths of UK research activities compared to those found across the world, and highlight any gaps or missed opportunities. The panel will meet during the All Hands Meeting in December 2009, providing them with the perfect opportunity to meet UK research groups, and access a pool of experts and supporting data to help reach their conclusions.

Over its eight-year history, the UK e-Science programme has claimed many successes and the formation of an e-Science infrastructure in the UK – including the foundation of OMII-UK and the NGS. The e-Science review will allow the EPSRC to determine what UK e-Science does well, and what is needed to ensure that it does better in the future.

The EPSRC are now seeking nominations for panel members who work outside the UK (including UK nationals) hold senior positions, are currently active in their field of research and are highly effective in team-working situations. Nomination forms can be found at: www.tinyurl.com/cdlqoo. For further information, please contact Sarah Fulford.

sarah.fulford@epsrc.ac.uk tel: +44 (0) 1793 44 4122