Chemical engineering pilot gains support
13 Sep 2013
A pilot set up by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will attempt to benchmark the quality and impact of UK funded chemical engineering research.
Supported by the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the pilot is designed to compare chemical engineering research with various other international competitors.
The benchmarking process will use a methodology known as ’Virtual World Congress’ (VWC) - a method that does not require the level of time, resource or cost of the current international review process.
The US National Research Council has employed VWC methodology as an effective approach in determining the relative current standing of a nations’ research. VWC asks international experts to identify key speakers that take part in a virtual conference within a nominated area of research.
Making sure we continue to invest in life-changing research is a central component in our latest technical strategy
IChemE chief executive David Brown
The benchmarking is then delivered by an independent panel that base its conclusions on the findings of the exercise, a process which also incorporates a separate bibliometrics study as a further source of evidence.
IChemE chief executive David Brown said: “We are pleased that chemical engineering research has been chosen to pilot this benchmarking exercise and hope it will give the profession another insight into the current status of UK chemical engineering research.
“Making sure we continue to invest in life-changing research is a central component in our latest technical strategy - Chemical Engineering Matters,” Brown added.
Brown believes that the pilot scheme will help inform the EPSRC’s strategy for chemical engineering and hopes the VWC process could be effective within other fields of research.
