N8 Research Partnership Newsletter - January 2016

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January 2016

Director's Update

Welcome to the first N8 Newsletter of 2016.

This year will be an important one for delivery of Northern infrastructure and strategy. The forthcoming Independent Economic Review sponsored by Transport for the North will lay out key areas for the northern economy, and will hopefully provide underpinnings to the much-awaited long term investment in northern transport infrastructure.

Major economy-based events this year in the North include the International Festival for Business, running in Liverpool, and The European Science Open Forum running in Manchester. I will be contributing to the Northern Powerhouse conference in Manchester next month, addressing the topic of science, research and skills.

N8 continues to play an active role in understanding and advancing key threads of innovation for this region. Through engagement with LEPs and government on Science & Innovation Audits, and in conversation with the National Infrastructure Commission on infrastructure that would drive up innovation and productivity, we continue to look to ensure an objective and inclusive approach to Northern innovation growth.

During 2016, it is exciting to look forward to what I am confident will be great progress across N8 on key research programmes, such as recruitment of key academic leaders into the N8 AgriFood programme, and impactful activities from N8’s Urban & Community Transformation programme, that include external events on Policing Research and on Co-Production.

We are delighted to confirm that Professor Nick Wright, of Newcastle University, will continue as Chair of the N8 Executive Management Group for a further year. Laura Partridge has recently joined the N8 team as Innovation & Engagement Manager, and I hope many of you will meet Laura during her travels and interactions with academia, public sector and business during this year.

Have a great start to 2016!

Dr Peter Simpson
Director, N8 Research Partnership

Shaping the way forward for Northern Science and Innovation Excellence

Sir Mark Walport, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser and Gareth Davies, Director General for Knowledge & Innovation at the BIS met with Northern academic, business and local enterprise leaders to offer advice on accessing research funding to help regions drive economic growth.

Read more about this event here.

The future of food on menu as academics and business leaders launch major new AgriFood initiative

N8 AgriFood, a major new initiative aimed at solving world food problems, has been launched with a day of speakers from the world of business and academia, including Tim Finnigan, Director of Research and Development at Quorn Foods.

Find out more about the AgriFood launch event.

N8 appoints Innovation and Engagement Manager

Laura Partridge has taken up the role which will see her building on existing N8 relationships with public and private sector organisations and with funders, and forging new ones inside and outside the N8 network.

Find out more about Laura's role at N8.

N8 Director to speak at major Northern Powerhouse conference

N8 Director, Dr Peter Simpson, is to be part of a high-level panel debating the strength and potential of Northern England’s Science, Research and Skills base at a major business conference next month.

Read more about the event on Feb 25-26th.

Focus on Professor Nick Wright, Chair of N8 Executive Management Group

Newcastle University’s Professor Nick Wright is to remain as Chair of the N8 Executive Management Group. Although he was due to stand down at the end of last year Nick was asked by all N8 Pro-Vice-Chancellors of Research to continue for a further year until December 2016.

Find out more about Nick's role and career background.

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