The Highs and Lows of Developing a Transdisciplinary Research Centre and the Importance of Applied Research - Research Bank
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The Highs and Lows of Developing a Transdisciplinary Research Centre and the Importance of Applied Research Terri-Ann Berry, Gregor Steinhorn, Brenda Massey, German Hernandez, Joanne Low & Shannon Wallis ESRC, Unitec Institute of Technology THIS WORK BY ESRC IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-NODERIVATIVES 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE.
ESRC – Team & Purpose
• Established in 2019
• Fostering transdisciplinary industry engaged
research.
• Tackling waste and pollution challenges to
improve environmental outcomes in NZ.
• Collaborations with a broad range of
partners including:
• National and international universities, crown
research institutes, governments and industry Joanne Low, Shannon Wallis, Terri-Ann Berry, German
Hernandez, Yanina Purcell (Author’s own)
The Issues Waste & Pollution
Finding Practical Solutions
• Global challenges requires new research
and innovation
• degrading environments, climate change,
increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
• ESRC aims to respond to these challenges
through an economic, social and
environmental lens.
• Raising funds and finding partners to assist
with complex and often controversial
Onehunga High School Waste Project (Author’s own)
research is not easy.
Environmental Solutions Research Centre
Director
• Centre application
• Office search
Research
Associate &
Research • Logo creation
Administrator • Progress reports
Centre Manager
• Team management
• Researching
Research Research • Teaching
Associate Associate • Supervising
• Maintaining a sense of humour!
Research
Assistant BEngTech (Civil) Students
Multidisciplinary Partnering
Asbestos Indoor Air
Quality
Waste
Academic
Funding
The Reality
ESRC Team auditing on site (Authors Own)
Funding Potential
• Major non-specialized research funds:
• MBIE Endeavour Fund ($228 million)
• Royal Society Te Apārangi’s Marsden Fund ($79 million)
• Success rates?
• 10.2 – 13.3% of applications (MBIE, 2021, Royal Society, 2021).
• Applied research?
• Certain funds welcome applied research however, approved
funding traditionally concentrated in areas such as the primary
industries.
“What is the use of a house if you haven't
• Environmental research? got a tolerable planet to put it on?”
Henry David Thoreau
• 25% target for environmental focus (MBIE Endeavour Fund),
• Strongly competed by ecological and biosecurity research in NZ.
Pros & Cons
Budgeted Actual Income
Pros: Income Source Year Ending
Income ($) ($)
• Fairly successful – 43% (10) Ministry for the
2019 $5,000 $5,000
• Funders are keen Environment (Asbestos)
• One fund leads to more funds ChemCare
2019 $5,000 $5,000
(Asbestos)
Ministry for the
2020 $121,810 $121,810
Cons: Environment (Asbestos)
ChemCare
• Templates - one size fits all (Asbestos)
2020 - $930
• Need expert help and advice Auckland Council
2020 $26,000 $26,000
• One-shot wonder (Plastic Waste)
• Funding can be cancelled University of Auckland
2020 $38,500 $21,982
(Air Quality)
• Ongoing reporting is tiresome
• Cash contributions required Total - - -
Managing ESRC funds 2019-2020
An Alternative Approach Industrial Partnerships
Industrial Funding – Pros Pros: • No structured application process • Applied research ++ • One fund leads to more funds • Reputation • Less ongoing reporting • Multiple applications • High impact • Increased research potential • One to one – real people • 100% success!
Industrial Funding – Cons
Cons:
• Remaining impartial/robust
• Overheads
• Exhaustion
A whole new world
Constant communication
Constant reinforcement
Constant hosting!ESRC The Future
The Bottleneck
Fund Decision FTE FTE Period
Waste Minimisation Innovation Fund (MDF) December ‘21 0.1 Jan-Dec ‘22
Waste Minimisation Innovation Fund (Plastic Waste) December ‘21 0.05 Jan-Dec ‘22
BRANZ (Plastic Waste) December ‘21 0.1 2022 – 2023
HRV (Air Quality 2022) January ‘22 0.15 2022
Endeavour Fund (Asbestos) September ‘22 0.2 2022 – 2025
MfE Plastic Innovation Fund (Plastic Waste) TBC 0.2 TBC
MfE Waste Minimisation Fund (Asbestos) Approved 0.2 2020 – 2022
HRV (Air Quality 2021) Approved 0.1 2021 – 2022
Total 1.1New Pressures • Constantly pushed to extending beyond 1 FTE • We cannot not react to opportunities unless we are willing to work for free! • Weekend and evening work is normal – planning ahead is essential to ensure team safety • No succession planning – all staff rely on contractual external funding. • But we love what we do!
Research Team Accomplishments
• Asbestos Awareness Conference 2020:
• ESRC and Unitec hosted in collaboration with the New
Zealand Demolition and Asbestos Association
• Building Out Waste Conference 2021:
• ESRC and Unitec hosted in collaboration with the
Sustainable Business Network
• RNZ, AM Show, Stuff, Herald 2019-2021:
• Asbestos bioremediation and construction waste issues.
Terri-Ann Berry, Annie Day, Linda Kestle & Julie Roberts
(Building Out Waste Conference 2021)Research Team Awards
• Unitec Research Symposium 2020:
• Research with Impact Award - Winner
• Tamaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards 2021:
• Community Collaboration – Highly Commended
(with Naylor Love, Mitre 10 and Auckland Council).
• Innovation – Individual Nominee
Mark Roberts, Terri-Ann Berry, Annie Day & Linda Kestle
(Zero Waste Awards 2021)Conclusions
• ESRC:
• connected with industry, long-term collaborations;
• proven successes to actively address environmental issues.
• Industry funding has been a blessing
• but highlighted the requirement for a new skill set.
• Raising the profile (environmental concerns):
• meet other like-minded people from all sectors;
• strengthen chances of funding to achieve better outcomes.
• ESRC:
• dynamic but high pressure environment;
• aim to develop into a nationally leading centre of environmental
and applied research.Thank You! • We would like to thank all of our collaborators from both within and external to Unitec, we couldn’t have achieved this without you. • Thanks also to the amazing Unitec Marketing team for their ongoing support.
References • Ministry of Business, Employment and Innovation: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/assets/2022-endeavour-roadshow-presentation.pdf (accessed 16.11.21) • Royal Society Te Apārangi: https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/marsden-fund-supports-innovative-research-in-aotearoa/ (accessed 16.11.21)
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