cc: f.matthies date: Tue Jul 29 12:38:54 2003 from: Mike Hulme subject: Re: Research Council funding bid: Environment and Health to: "Nicky Warren" Dear Nicky, Thank you for this. We are indeed interested in the climate change related aspects of the agenda you are identifying. We are keen to give greater prominence in the Tyndall Centre to the health dimension of climate change and to this end we are engaging with the MRC in the lead up to our business plan for Tyndall Phase 2 (we wish to explore whether the MRC would join the funding consortium post-2005). We are also meeting in September with Ros Rouse in the ESRC about aspects of our agenda. I have asked one of my team - Franziska Matthies - to respond to your invitation and she should do so before the 11 August (I will then be on leave). Franziska is helping us develop our ideas in this area. So thank you for your approach and I hope we can remain in contact as these ideas develop. Regards, Mike At 14:18 25/07/2003 +0100, you wrote: Dear Mike, Louisa Watts suggested that you might be able to have some input into a theme on "Environment and Health" which NERC is considering including in its portfolio of bids to the next government spending review. Background Environment and Health is likely to become a priority area for NERC over the next few years which is why we are considering including this theme as part of our portfolio of bids to the 2004 spending review. Our bids need to be received by the Office of Science and Technology in late autumn this year, but in the first instance it will be considered in a joint Research Councils meeting in September. I am co-ordinating the development of the Environment and Health theme for this meeting. How you could help Any comments you have on this theme would be very helpful, particularly in terms of: * science areas that should be covered in this theme and why they are important * which parts of the theme we should be placing emphasis on (as particularly important research issues, scientifically and/or strategically) * why this research is timely and why the UK should be doing it * how the UK might exploit the results * if there are any fields in particular in which we need more trained people * what realistic outputs/outcomes we should be aiming for * how much investment might be needed (including any major capital items/infrastructure that you think would be needed) I've attached a copy of the current outline which was developed initially by NERC and MRC as a first attempt. I appreciate this is holiday season but if you are able to comment, it would be very helpful to have your ideas by 11th August. Developing this theme will be an iterative process until the final bid is submitted in the autumn, however, so any comments you sent me past this date would still be useful. Many thanks, Best wishes Nicky Warren ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr Nicky Warren Terrestrial and Freshwater Sciences Manager Natural Environment Research Council Polaris House North Star Avenue SWINDON SN2 1EU United Kingdom +44 (0)1793 411588 (Direct Line) +44 (0)1793 411545 (Fax) email: nwarr@nerc.ac.uk