TRANSITUniversity of York Discipline Bridging:

The TRANSIT Programme

Brief overview

26th October 2007

bridging the gaps (BTG)

EPSRC Call:

Aims to lower the barriers to interdisciplinaryresearch

Promote interdisciplinary collaboration Develop novel and creative research (Focus within an institution)

2nd Call - end July 2007 (Inspired by MRC BTG programme)

bid

York can demonstrate: Interdisciplinary Research Centres (YNIC, IIU,

CMR, Nano, etc) Cross-departmental Academic Appointments YCCSA

Cross-campus communitySeminar seriesBulletin BoardPhysical centre with co-located cross-disciplinary

researchers

YCCSA as platform for York BTG bid(model for interdisciplinary interaction)

team

Leo Caves (Biology)Gustav Delius (Maths)Angelika Sebald (Chemistry)Susan Stepney (CS)Jon Timmis (CS/Electronics)Jamie Wood (Maths/Biology)

proposal

strategy: to identify the gaps to interdisciplinarycollaboration - based on our experience indeveloping YCCSA

proposal: A programme of people-based andvirtual activities and resources -A process to enhance interdisciplinary collaborative

research

- TRANSIT -(TRANSition from Interdisciplinarity to Transdisciplinarity)

gaps

awareness

interaction

resources

TRANSIT

schematic

overview

objectives

1. To increase awareness of expertise and initiativesacross disciplinary boundaries at UoY by establishing adedicated day of activities – TRANSITday – to includeseminars and visitors supported by a Help Desk(“coming together”)

2. To enhance interactions and the development ofnovel ideas through the explicit fostering of creativity(“thinking together”)

3. To provide resources to support cross-disciplinaryfeasibility studies through targeted pump-priming anda scholarship programme (“working together”)

elements

people-based activities and resources

virtual platform and resources

coming together

seminar and discussion series: A series ofseminars/discussions from internal and external(including international) speakers.

visitor programme: A visitor programme tobring distinguished external researchers to UoY.cross-fertilise the research environmentestablish strategic international collaborations.typically resident for 1-2 weeks

thinking together

creativity - needs nurturing and explicit supportthrough structured thinking techniques designedto support creativity

adopt Six Thinking Hats and Lateral ThinkingSystems of Edward de Bono

training by external consultantsavailable to members of the TRANSIT communitysmall group of staff to receive additional training to

create a team of Creative Facilitators

working together

venture fund: provides pump-priming resources for feasibility

studies.Equipment e.g. software licenses, specialised hardware

or consumablesPersonnel e.g. to develop software, evaluate methodsEvents e.g. Training/Workshop/Sandpit activities

scholarship programme: take forward cross-disciplinary feasibility studies: target highly able students from UK, EU and

overseas raises international profile of programme

virtual resources (1)

TRANSITweb virtual platform: facilitate announcements of news and events, host thread-based discussion fora archive of TRANSIT activities

recorded seminars and discussions,venture fund proposals and pitches,technical/summary reports,prototype software and demonstrations, etc

promotes the programme across theinstitution (and public interface)

virtual resources (2)

TRANSITmap community network - anoverview of expertise, resources andcollaborative interactions across the UoYmembers’ research interests, expertise and resources; initiatives, projects, collaborators and useful contactsfeedback profiles investigate virtual tokens – TRANSITtokens - to

acknowledge and promote collegiality

a resource for identifying relevant expertiseand resources, promoting interaction and

providing feedback

delivering TRANSIT (1)

TRANSITday every Friday seminars/discussions/workshops etc. focus on TRANSITlunch

TRANSITdesk provide technical / demonstrator support for

TRANSITday activities training for TRANSITmap respond to scientific / methodological queries

delivering TRANSIT (2)

Creativity Training “Users” - 1 day workshop(s) Facilitators - 2 days workshops

Biddable Resources Bi-annual call Venture Fund (£8k per call) Visitor Programme (3 months per year) (Visiting Scholars) (4 per year / 10 weeks each) Bids to TRANSITpanel for review and ranking

research themes (1)

Complexity and Computation inBiological and Material Systems

bio-computation

material informatics and computation

research themes (2)

bio-computationunderstanding the emergent behaviour of

biosystems through computer simulationapplication of biosystem principles to complex

computational systems

material informatics & computationsubstrates for understanding emergent physical

propertiesnovel computational substrates and metaphors

management & administration

CoordinatorLeo Caves

Discipline ChampionsAngelika Sebald (Chemistry, Susan Stepney (CS), Jon

Timmis (CS/Electronics), Jamie Wood (Maths/Biology)

VRE Research and DevelopmentGustav Delius

AdministratorTBA

TRANSITpaneldrawn from Discipline Champions, TRANSIT members

and external experts

monitoring

TRANSITmap provides resource for representingcommunity network of interactions.

community structure and dynamicshubs, brokers, cliques etc.subgroup activity

strategic planning tool?emergence of themes, critical massrapid scoping of capability, capacity

value

provides over-arching framework forengagement targeted at the development of acohesive community of cross-disciplinaryresearchers;

provides training in structured thinking forharnessing the creativity of the community ofresearchers;

establishes a people-based collaborativeresearch culture to fully exploit and integrate thededicated physical facilities UoY campusexpansion (est. October 2009).

vision

develop an interdisciplinary research communitywith a collaborative ethos

foster creativity and risk-taking; acknowledgecollegiality

move towards new transdisciplinary approachesto scientific research and training

current status (10/2007)

TRANSIT start date: 07 January 2008

Creativity training dates: 14-15 April 2008

TRANSITweb already upprototype structuredrupal-basedhosting U/G student projects

www.transit.york.ac.uk

contacts

scientific themesSusan Stepney susan@cs.york.ac.uk

virtual resourcesGustav Delius gwd2@york.ac.uk

creativity training & AOBLeo Caves lsdc1@york.ac.uk

www.transit.york.ac.uk