Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and the UK Mathematical Sciences

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Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and the UK Mathematical Sciences

 20 - 21 Feb 2019

ICMS, Bayes Centre, 47 Potterrow Edinburgh
  • David Abrahams, Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences
  • Martine Barons, University of Warwick
  • Matt Butchers, Knowledge Transfer Network
  • Colin Bleak, University of St Andrews
  • Jo Jordan, ICMS
  • Colin Please, University of Oxford

About:

This three-day strategic workshop examined the role and opportunities for the mathematical sciences in the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. A report from the meeting is available here.

The workshop explored the following question: Are the mathematical sciences engaging properly in leading, partnering and/or contributing in general to the ISCF programme? If not, how can we improve this?

Day one explored the opportunities and current level of engagement with the previously announced Waves 1 and 2 (~ 1.7 bn allocated). Day two explored the emerging opportunities offered by Wave 3, whose programmes are in an earlier stage of delivery. Day three explored how the mathematical sciences could better respond to challenge-led opportunities by defining a number of industry-led proposals. The outputs were concrete proposals and actions to ensure the ISCF is strengthened by the involvement of the mathematical sciences. The aim of the Industrial Strategy was to boost productivity by backing businesses to create good jobs and increase the earning power of people throughout the UK with investment in skills, industries and infrastructure. A major component of this is in challenge-led research awarded via the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF).

The ISCF:

  • Builds on the UK’s world-class research base and delivers the science that business needs to transform existing industries and create new ones 

  • Accelerates commercial exploitation of the most exciting technologies the UK has to offer the world to ensure that scientific investment truly delivers economic impact, jobs and growth right across the country

  • Programmes delivered by the fund will be industry-led and powered by multi-disciplinary research and business-academic collaboration

 

The recent Review of Knowledge Exchange in the Mathematical Sciences proposed that the ISCF affords a great opportunity for the mathematical sciences, given the potential for researchers in this field to engage in multidisciplinary research.

We strongly recommend deeper MS engagement with all stakeholders in the Industrial Strategy, the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) and the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). A similar point was made in the 2010 International Review of Mathematical Sciences (EPSRC, 2011): Awareness should be raised within the mathematical sciences community of wider research challenges and societal challenges (including the sustainable development goals addressed by the Global Challenges Research Fund, GCRF) and deeper integration of mathematics should be promoted within industrial challenges (including the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, ISCF).