Linking early-stage research with exploitation and creation of impact Catherine Godbold, Portfolio Manager, University & Business Engagement

EPSRC - Investing in research for

discovery and innovation

We invest in long-term, fundamental engineering and physical sciences research and training in the UK. Committed to excellence and impact, we support the talented scientists, engineers and postgraduate research students who through their research, discover new knowledge, explore new ways of thinking and drive innovation. Our research ranges from physics, chemistry and mathematics to materials, computing and engineering. Our research provides underpinning knowledge that informs other fields such as the life and medical sciences.

What do we mean by Impact?

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• The demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to academic advances, across and within disciplines, including significant advances in understanding, methods, theory and application.

Academic Impact

• The demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy.

Economic and Societal Impact

Our aim is to enable and accelerate the pace of impact from the research portfolio supported by EPSRC by enabling the partnerships and linkages that can support research outcomes having an impact in business, society and policy.

4 18/10/2016 Communicating the EPSRC Delivery Plan

EPSRC is seeking to maximise the economic and social benefits arising from our research and training portfolio - to make it more likely that impact will arise more quickly and will bring benefit to the UK.

EPSRC’s role in Accelerating Impact

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Embedding impact in our portfolio

In 2016/17 we will:

Continue to embed impact in our research right from the start through Pathways to Impact

Refresh the portfolio of Impact Acceleration Accounts

2015 - Pathways to Impact

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Since 1st April 2015, the following principle applies to all RCUK research proposals:

“A clearly thought through and acceptable Pathways to Impact is an essential component of a research proposal and a condition of funding. Grants will not be allowed to start until a clearly thought through and acceptable Pathways to Impact statement is received.”

Guidance to applicants on what a carefully considered PtI statement should include is available on our website

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Pathways to Impact

How do I include a request on my grant?

What can I ask for?

• The Pathways to Impact is an attachment on Je-S of a maximum of two A4 sides • Describe potential beneficiaries and how your research may impact them and how you

will facilitate this.

• Any eligible project-specific resources but not general activities funded centrally • Eligible costs include secondments, investigator time allocated to impact project activities,

training (including for research assistants) and employment of specialist staff.

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Pathways to Impact

Do Don’t

• Include unproductive or futile activities just to ‘tick boxes’

• Be impractical or over-

optimistic about what can be achieved

• Give vague summaries – we

expect thorough thought to have been applied and understand that plans can change

• Choose inappropriate or

unrelated beneficiaries

• Identify realistic and achievable impacts

• Make sure the activities and resources are as effective as possible

• Incorporate beneficiaries that are relevant and appropriate

• Include clear and convincing plans for impact activity

Pathways to Impact – after panel

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Failure to provide an acceptable PtI by the agreed date, will normally result in the offer being lapsed.

Once funding decisions have been made, if a proposal that is to be funded has an unacceptable Pathway to Impact (PtI), the applicant will be emailed by EPSRC requesting an updated PtI.

The applicant will need to submit a new PtI to EPSRC within 4 weeks of the date on the email. No further funds can be requested for Pathways to Impact activities at this stage.

The updated PtI will be emailed to the Panel Chair for approval. The Chair may chose to consult with the Introducers on the proposal.

The grant will be suspended and no payments made until the acceptable PtI has been received and approved.

Considering impact in research proposals

Academic Beneficiaries: How will the research contribute to the academic knowledge both within the UK and internationally? How will it benefit others in your field and in other disciplines?

Impact Summary:

Potential economic and social impact: Who might benefit from the research and how? May appear in the public domain so should be written in accessible language.

National Importance

Why is it important for your research to be supported by the UK taxpayer? Why the research might benefit the UK economy, why it may lead to advances in a different academic discipline or why it’s important that an internationally leading group continues to be supported.

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Who

What

Why

National Importance or Impact?

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National importance

• Encourages applicants to articulate why it's important for their research to be supported by the UK taxpayer so that the UK remains internationally competitive.

• Why the research might benefit the UK economy • Why it may lead to advances in a different academic discipline • Why it's important that an internationally leading group continues to

be supported

Impact

• Focuses on how you might accelerate the route to making it happen • What activities are you proposing to ensure that the potential

beneficiaries have the opportunity to benefit? • Impact is about who the beneficiaries of the research might be and

how you are going to work with them to shorten the time between discovery and use of knowledge.

Impact Acceleration Accounts

95%

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Account based funding given to universities

Allows institutions the flexibility to operate tailored schemes Used for any activities classified as: Early stage commercialisation Business/user engagement Secondments and placements Driving culture change

4 1/3 years

£90m investment

33 universities

Impact Acceleration Accounts

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The flexibility within each IAA means that different Universities support the activities listed above in different ways.

It is important for you to talk to the IAA manager at your University to find out how you can make the most of your University’s IAA.

What can IAAs be used for?

• The money included in an Impact Acceleration Account can be used for any activities that could be classified as the following: • Early Stage Commercialisation • Business/User Engagement • Secondments and placements • Driving culture change

Enabling timely and responsible

innovation

PTI IAA

Responsible Innovation Framework

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Idea and application

Life time of research grant

Grant finishes –

what next?

Please remember…

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… to think about impact right from the start – consider what you might need (resources) before you write your proposal

… to request resources for pathways to impact

… to keep us informed of success stories. We like to know what made it work!

Working in partnership

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We align our funding of early stage research with partners who can move research outcomes up the TRL levels

Collaborative funding with Innovate UK

Collaborative funding with charities (e.g.

Wellcome Trust & CRUK)

Facilitating collaboration between Universities & Business

Prosperity Partnerships Call

Existing, strategic, research-based partnerships between businesses and universities

Co-creation of a substantive research programme (TRL 1-3)

Co-investment by businesses and universities with EPSRC

£10 million is available to support between two and four programmes

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What is a Prosperity Partnership? Requirements of the Call

World-leading team

Addresses EPSRC Prosperity Outcomes Framework and the long-term strategies of partners

Drives forward shared research challenges

Demonstrates impact

Matched funding by businesses and universities

Sensors pave the way to recycle buildings

Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC), supported by EPSRC, have pioneered a way to test whether the foundations of buildings under demolition or reconstruction can be reused Working with construction group Skanska, researchers from CSIC helped saved the company £6 million and reduced carbon emissions by 100,000 tonnes Potential savings of £2-3 million per project together with associated carbon dioxide and time savings

“The CSIC is a very good mixture between academic and commercially based research. The research is delivering commercially viable solutions – and quite quickly as well, from my experience.” Andrew Bell, Skanska chief engineer

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Thank you

Delivery Plan Framework

Productive nation

Connected nation

Resilient nation

Healthy nation