Engineering for Life Research Network

谢菲尔德哈勒姆大学（SHU）的生命工程研究网络（ELReN）将跨越大学研究结构的边界。该网络将创建多学科团队，寻找改善人们生活的开创性方法。特别是，它将处理与以下三个主题有关的问题：(i)康复和辅助生活；（ii）运动、体育活动和医学；（iii）可持续性。ELReN将以以下研究中心为中心：材料与工程、艺术与设计、体育与运动科学、生物医学、通信与计算。这些中心每年的总营业额超过1000万英镑。该项目的一个关键策略是促进SHU研究社区内的积极对话，以促进相互理解，然后在这种理解的基础上，以新的方式解决老问题，或者确定全新的范例，研究策略和技术。创意创造者和创意博览会：研究人员将在一个外部便利的环境中会面，围绕网络的三个主题探索研究创意。参与开发过程的利益相关者将包括实业家和专家用户市场。创意产生者将确定10个多学科项目，这些项目将获得种子玉米资金。该资助将用于研究构思的概念发展证明；这将使研究人员能够产生跨学科的项目，从而向知名基金申请更大的资助奖励。跨学科团队的反思与评估。将任命一名网络促进者，其作用之一是领导对网络业务进行反思性观察评价。交流和传播活动>现场实验室：现有的和发展中的想法将在精心挑选的“现场实验室”安装。这些地点可能在医院、公共场所、大学开放空间、休闲区等。实地实验室将用于实地测试研究想法，并提高认识和促进ELReN b>研究中心的工作：定期建立网络活动，以创建一个活跃的跨学科社区。这些活动将包括一个引人注目的研讨会方案，由外聘发言人在交通便利的地点发言。>年会：该网络将举行年会，向更广泛的社区传播其活动，并促进新的跨学科活动>电子媒体；将使用一系列电子媒介来促进该网络的活动。工作促进小组：网络执行委员会将确保网络实现其目标。由外部代表组成的网络咨询委员会将对项目提供独立的评论，并鼓励他们为Away Days和Ideas generator做出贡献。拟议的网络将对大学内的跨学科研究活动产生重大影响。预计从网络中产生的研究将吸引包括RCUK， NIHR， EU， TSB在内的一系列来源的资金，并通过RDA概念验证基金等支持机制直接商业化。它的目标是在项目完成后的一年内吸引3M的额外外部资金，使项目的总体杠杆率约为5:1。从长远来看，ELReN将嵌入文化变革，并留下跨学科研究团队的遗产，致力于新的和创新的研究方向；这些团队中的每一个都有望获得外界的高度认可。希望ELReN将成为跨学科工作的典范，其工作方法将得到国家和国际的认可

The Engineering for Life Research Network (ELReN) at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) will span the boundaries of the University's research structures. The Network will create multidisciplinary teams to find pioneering ways to enhance peoples' lives. In particular, it will address problems related to the following three themes (i) rehabilitation and assisted living (ii) sport, physical activity and medicine and (iii) sustainability. The ELReN will be centred on the following research centres: Materials and Engineering, Art and Design, Sport and Exercise Science, Biomedical, Communication and Computing. These centres have a combined turnover in excess of 10M per annum. A key strategy of the project is to promote an active dialogue within the SHU research community to foster mutual understanding and then build on this understanding either to tackle old problems in new ways, or to identify entirely new paradigms, research strategies and technologies The aims of the ELReN will be achieved in the following manner: 1. Ideas Generators and Ideas Fairs: Researchers will meet in an externally facilitated environment to explore research ideas based around the three themes of the Network. Involvement of stakeholders in the development process will include industrialists and a market place of expert users .2. The Ideas Generators will identify 10 multidisciplinary projects which will receive seed corn funding. The support will be awarded to allow proof of concept development of research ideas; this will allow researchers to generate cross disciplinary projects to apply for larger funding awards from prestigious funders.3. Reflection on and assessment of interdisciplinary teams. A Network Facilitator will be appointed, one of whose role will be the leadership of the reflective observational assessments of the operation of the Network4. Communication and Dissemination Events > Field Laboratories: Existing and developing ideas will be installed at carefully selected 'field labs'. These may be in hospitals, public spaces, University open spaces, leisure areas etc. The field labs will be used to test research ideas in situ and to raise awareness and promote the work of ELReN > Research cafs: Regular networking events to create an active interdisciplinary community. These will include a high profile seminar programme with external speakers in easily accessible venues. > Annual Conferences: The Network will hold annual conferences to disseminate its activities to a wider community and also stimulate new interdisciplinary activity > Electronic media; a range of electronic media will be used to promote the activities of the Network. 5. Working facilitation groups: A Network Executive Committee will ensure the network achieves its goals. A Network Advisory Board of external representatives will provide independent critique of the project and will also be encouraged to contribute to the Away Days and Ideas Generators. The proposed network will have a highly significant impact on interdisciplinary research activity within the University. It is expected that the research which emerges from the Network will attract funding from a range of sources including RCUK, NIHR, the EU, TSB and through direct commercialisation through support mechanisms such as RDA Proof of Concept funds. It aims to have attracted additional external funding of 3M within one year of the completion of the project, giving an overall leverage for the project of approximately 5:1. Longer-term, ELReN will embed cultural change and leave a legacy of interdisciplinary research teams working in new and innovative research directions; each of these teams will be expected to be gaining strong external recognition. It is hoped that ELReN will provide an exemplar of interdisciplinary working which will have national and international recognition for its methods of working