Transcript INSRV/ARCCA
IT Liaison to Enable Research:
Doing More With Less
Dr Chris Dickson
Senior Consultant – Research and Environmental Development
Cardiff University
[email protected]
Liaising With Researchers, UCISA Conference, Manchester, 20 January 2010
Who’s this guy?
2008-Present Senior Consultant –
Research and Environmental Development, Cardiff University
2005-2007
Programme Coordinator for the establishment of
Advanced Research Computing @ Cardiff (ARCCA)
(now a well-established team of 6.5 FTE)
2000-2004
Departmental IT Liaison Officer / Liaison and Strategy Officer
(this has been developed into a full, well-established IT Liaison
team of 6.5 FTE)
1993-2000
Academic and Commercial IT Support/Development roles
1993
PhD Astrophysics (does a research background help?)
www.cardiff.ac.uk/insrv/chris-dickson
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Overview
Benefits
Tools and Value
IT Research Liaison Role and Organisation at
Cardiff University
Research Enabling IT Processes
Some Key Challenges and Solutions
Toolkit for Research Liaison
Future
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Benefits of
Better IT Research Support
Research is the primary objective of many
Universities
IT/Computing/Information Services is arguably a
University's most powerful tool.
However, there is not always a strong
partnership between the research community
and the IT service provider.
Huge opportunity
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Benefits (2)
“IT Engagement in Research: A View of Medical School Practice”
(Albrecht et al) January 2008 (USA HE study)
39 out of 49 surveyed medical schools experienced an increase in
computation-intensive research in last three years (HPC, filestore,
networking, online library services etc)
Only 4 out of 44 have regular meetings to discuss IT needs for
research with senior decision makers
Recommendation 1:
“Make IT support for research a major organisational imperative”
ECAR - Educause Center for Applied Research
www.educause.edu/ECAR/ITEngagementinResearchAViewofM/162442
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Benefits (3)
More and better research enabled by better research
support – business critical for your University
High quality, frequent customer feedback for
relevant, highest priority/value IT services/needs
Offer immediate solutions to user problems
Enabling processes – Identify and support the activities
of researchers at every stage of the research cycle
Cashflow – large fraction of University income is
specifically for research
Shared solutions – avoiding duplication, better value for
money, economies of scale
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Tools & Value
Solution?
No clear problem to be solved
Didn’t ask the user?
Complicated to use
Not being used
Value for money?
Solution!
Solving a problem
Asked the user
Easy to use
Being used – heavily
Value for money!
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Illustration from The Deeper Meaning of Liff, by Douglas Adams, John Lloyd & Bert Kitchen,
© Macmillan Publishers 1992
© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
IT Research Liaison Role at Cardiff
IT Division within Information Services directorate
(merged IT – Library – Media Resources)
Primarily mid- and low-range IT
Bring the University's research community together with
the IT and information services they need to enable their
research.
Working together with colleagues in
IT
Library
Advanced Research Computing (ARCCA)
Administration (Research and Commercial, Planning, HR,…)
to provide joined-up research support to the University
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Research
Enablement
Group/Lead
IT Schools Liaison Consultant
School/Department
Consultant 1
Biosciences
Medicine (joint with Julie Humphrys and Adrian Williams)
Dentistry
Biomedical & Life
Sciences
Consultant 2
Medicine (joint with Julie Humphrys and Adrian Williams)
Nursing and Midwifery
Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education
Healthcare Studies
Medicine (joint with Julie Humphrys and Adrian Williams)
Consultant 3
Optometry and Vision Sciences (joint with Julie Humphrys)
Pharmacy
Business
Computer Science
Consultant 4
Engineering
Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies
Research
Enablement
Chris
Dickson
Social Sciences
Architecture
English, Communication and Philosophy
European Studies
Humanities, Physical
and Social Sciences
and Engineering
History and Archaeology
Consultant 5
Lifelong Learning
Mathematics
Psychology
Religious and Theological Studies
Welsh
Chemistry
City & Regional Planning
Earth and Ocean Sciences
Consultant 6
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Law
Manufacturing Engineering Centre
Music
© copyrightPhysics
Chris&Dickson,
Astronomy Cardiff University January 2010
What are the Day to Day Tasks?
Awareness of
Research landscape (28 Schools/departments, interdisciplinarity, research
centres, contribute to developing INSRV’s role in supporting interdisciplinarity)
Major relevant research opportunities and bids
Enhanced representation/communications/point of contact
Projects – management and consultation
Close relationship with the rest of IT liaison
and user engagement
Joined up IT research enablement
between Information Services and ARCCA
Partner with administration on
research support (Research and Commercial Division,
Grad Schools, HR,...)
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Research Enabling IT Processes
Funding
Supporting Environment
I
N
S
R
V
Researchers
Research Projects
& Communities
Research
Outputs
Research
Impact
Library
IT Svc Desk
IT Dept.
Liaison
IT Resrch
Enablemnt
ARCCA
Rsch/Comrl
Planning
HR
Research
support
interface
Communication
& Collaboration Using:
Everything
that
Information
+ Partner
Services/IT
Universities
provides
that enables
research
Using:
Everything
that
Information
Services/IT
provides to
turn
Research
Outputs
into
Public/
Research
taxpayers/
Impact
academic
community
/REF/Govt
Estates
Depts &
Other Admin
IT can add value at every point in this cycle
© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Some Key Challenges and Solutions
Research Bids
Technical feasibility, standards,
timescales/planning, income
Size and scope of Research Community
(Interdisciplinary) Research Centres
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Research Bids
Old Style
Principal
Investigator
Consult
School(s)/
Dept(s)
Submit to
University
Submit to
Grant Body
Bid
Success
Bid
Failure
Consult
Again
New Style
Principal
Investigator
Consult
Information
Services/IT
Consult
School(s)/
Dept(s)
Consult
Information
Services/IT
Submit to
University
Submit to
Grant Body
Bid
Success
Bid
Failure
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Research Bids (2)
Build partnerships within University
Take things slowly
New procedures
University process/recognition
Checklist for user needs
Service catalogue
Refine process
Increasing numbers of researchers are now talking to us
before they make a grant application
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Size of Research Community (1)
Huge user community - odds of 1000-1 !
Huge intray
Research enablement is embedded throughout Information
Services/IT (web, email, filestore etc), and University (REF,
Research Staff Concordat, Vitae Researcher Development
Framework,…)
More IT/library projects are now explicitly for research support
(collaboration software, publications management,
supercomputing,…)
Need to be informed of all of this and input into much of it
Partnership and engagement with the IT “Back Office”
Influence service delivery to give the best service to the
research community
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
“Lots of Hungry Researchers…”
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Size of Research Community (2)
Do More With Less
Share customer information and partnership with
IT liaison/engagement/helpdesk
Library
Supercomputing
Internal Research Support Group/Committee?
University Support and Administration
University committees/events: join them wisely (and
create them, if necessary) = maximum representation
One meeting instead of 28, or 1000…
Discuss user needs & service changes, offer solutions
Input into University policies (staff development, Research
Excellence Framework (REF), interdisciplinary,…)
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Size of Research Community (3)
Focus on “1-to-Many” Relationships
Help to deliver solutions that help the many, not the few
1 Hour can help 500 people instead of 1 person (but is
harder to measure) e.g.
IT solutions to help the majority
Web site for researchers
Email list? Blog?
General advice to interdisciplinary
research centres, etc.
See the world from the point of view
of a researcher
Some common objectives, tasks and barriers
Use your own local advantages/landscape
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Interdisciplinary Research Centres
Representation/engagement with IT
Particular needs
Internal communications
Multidisciplinary centres in a singledisciplinary system
Finance etc.
Developing this now at Cardiff University
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Toolkit for IT Research Liaison
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Future?
Interdisciplinary Research Centres
How to partner better
Measure the value added
Recording and analysing customer needs
“If we knew what it was we were doing, it
would not be called research, would it?”
Albert Einstein
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Summary
High-quality research is mission critical to UK HE (&R)
IT/computing can make a huge difference to research
quality and success
Do more to help research using limited resources
Engage with researchers and partners to get widest
information/input
Choose your forums and tasks wisely
Influence (IT) service delivery
Provide solutions to enable researchers
Demonstrate value
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010
Thank You
Dr Chris Dickson
[email protected]
www.cardiff.ac.uk/insrv/chris-dickson
Discussion list for IT liaison issues <[email protected]>
Discussion list for IT research liaison <[email protected]>
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© copyright Chris Dickson, Cardiff University January 2010