We would like to invite contributions of ideas for an EPSRC “Network Plus” on Noise, and Expressions of Interest (EoI) in attending a scoping workshop in late April. Further details below. Deadline: Monday 8th April 2024 (12:00). Further details and information on how to contribute are below.
Many thanks,
Mark Plumbley, Abigail Bristow, Simone Graetzer, Alan Hunter, Antonio Torija Martinez
On behalf of the UKAN+ bid team
Background
The UK Acoustics Network Plus (UKAN+) is building a proposal for a “Network Plus” in the area of Noise, in response to the recent EPSRC call “Network Plus: Tomorrow’s Engineering Research Challenges” (https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/epsrc-network-plus-tomorrows-engineering-research-challenges/).
The aim of the call is to encourage diverse, dynamic teams from across disciplines to form inclusive collaborations to pursue new engineering insights, techniques and approaches to address “Tomorrow’s Engineering Research Challenges” (TERC), as discussed in the recent report (https://www.ukri.org/publications/tomorrows-engineering-research-challenges/). Networks should have ‘engineering at their heart’ and imaginatively use the flexible “plus” element to initiate feasibility studies or create small research activities that can pursue new engineering insights, techniques and approaches to address relevant challenges within the TERC report, whilst ensuring a level of interoperability and integration across the different levels of challenges.
We believe that a Network Plus directed to challenges around Noise, building on the research community brought together by UKAN+, offers an exciting opportunity to build such a world-leading “Network Plus”.
Call for Contributions of Ideas
We would like you to contribute your ideas around how Noise can be an ideal topic area for a Network Plus addressing the challenges in this call. For example:
- How are the high-level priorities in the TERC report (inclusive engineering, multidisciplinary research, inspiring the next generation, etc.) important for research in Noise?
- How might the cross-cutting themes in the TERC report (greater use of data, increasing human resilience, understanding complex systems, etc.) be involved for research in Noise?
- What technological challenges in the TERC report (transport, materials, health and wellbeing, etc.) are related to Noise, and how?
- How could you contribute to the success of a “Network Plus” on the topic of Noise?
Expressions of Interest in Scoping Workshop
We would also like to encourage interested individuals from the UK research and academic community, and potential stakeholders from industry, government and third-sector organisations, to submit an EoI to participate in an initial workshop designed to scope out and explore the priorities for a UK Noise Network Plus.
Diversity enriches the field of acoustics, and UKAN+ is committed to our committees, membership, and funded projects being inclusive and diverse, and to supporting activities that make acoustics more accessible to everyone. For more details see https://acoustics.ac.uk/about-the-network/. We are keen, in shaping the next phase of UKAN+, to attract the widest diversity of participation to our engagement workshops. To assist us in monitoring and evaluating whether we are achieving this we would be grateful if participants on registration complete the (anonymous and optional) equality, diversity and inclusion monitoring form.
The workshops will take place online during 23-30 April 2024, depending on availability of applicants. The numbers invited to the workshops may be limited to ensure balance and focus of the discussion.
Submission
Please submit your ideas and/or EoI here. The submission deadline is Monday 8 April 2024 at 12:00 noon.
Timeline
- 8 April 2024 – Deadline for Contributions and Expressions of Interest
- 12 April 2024 – Invitations to scoping workshop
- 23-30 April 2024 – Online scoping workshops