The research themes in 2012
Our six research themes are now firmly established at Sussex, bringing together academics from across the University to work within interdisciplinary teams to solve complex research challenges.
Citizenship and democratisation
The year began with the first of the Sussex Conversations exploring the idea of Citizenship.
Theme activity has focused on the development of research centres, university partnerships, research grants and conferences.
The Sussex Centre for International Security is established, and three new Centres (for the study of Corruption, for American Studies and for Middle East Studies) will follow.
We have laid the foundations for partnerships with Georgetown University and the European University Institute.
We have supported a grant worth over €2 million on Political Islam. And we have sponsored one major conference (on Rising Powers) with another, on Climate Security, to come early next year.
Culture and heritage
The Sussex Conversation focused on the issues of preserving the heritage of postindustrial Britain and ways of using that legacy in the creative arts.
It prompted a lively discussion – defining what the heritage means to multi-ethnic Britain, the tension between London and the regions for resources, the efforts to widen audiences by encouraging volunteers, engaging in mass communication and enabling access in an increasingly green environment.
The Country House Network inaugural meeting in March 2012 brought together house owners, administrators and curators from across the heritage sector, including English Heritage, the National Trust, Brighton & Hove Council and privately owned houses.
Enthusiasm was strong for a scheme on the lines of one already successfully running in Yorkshire, but with a Sussex and National Park distinctiveness.
Digital and social media
Among many other activities, we have recently run a year-long series of practical workshops in digital skills and tools, hosted international speaker events, and run open lectures.
One project concerns digital technologies and aspects of community – something that we are beginning to examine through a focus on community networks and local histories.
We're also exploring possibilities arising at the Keep, the regional archive centre currently under construction.
The Sussex Conversation considered the relationship between the arts and sciences in an era of computers.
This was followed up by a Theme-supported symposium developed by the Centre for Material Digital Culture.
We have also collaborated with the Attenborough Centre to co-programme and support events exploring questions of performance, digital transformation and value.
Environment and health
The Environment and Health Research Theme supported a Global Health conference, enabling researchers across the University to showcase international health-related projects – ranging from gene studies through to international relations and health policy.
This event developed creative networks and supported the creation of our new Centre for Global Health Policy, led by Professor Stefan Elbe.
Mathematicians and life scientists told us they wanted to work together more – we responded with a 'speed dating' event to help them connect.
Our next challenges are to support the Translational Drug DiscoveryGroup, linking clinicians to basic science, and to support the schools of studies by providing strategic support for interdisciplinary links.
Global transformations
We have brought Sussex researchers together around two key global issues this year: climate change and humanitarian intervention.
For more than 20 years Sussex and the Institute of Development Studies have been working together to address the global challenges of poverty reduction, social justice and environmental sustainability.
The Theme has helped establish the Sussex Climate Change Network to marshal our resources and direct them at practical action.
A selection of our key findings is being made available to negotiators at the next major international climate change negotiations in Rio de Janeiro.
In October 2011 the Global Transformations Theme hosted the first meeting between Sussex academics and leading humanitarian agencies such as Oxfam and the Red Cross to assess what contribution our research could make to enhancing assistance to disaster-affected communities.
Sussex academics are now working out a programme of both research and teaching to understand better the drivers of these disasters and ways of helping local communities to avoid or cope with them.
Mind and brain
Understanding the mind, and its place in the natural world, is among the most ancient and the most pressing of human endeavours.
Sussex has always been a centre for research at this meeting point of arts, science and philosophy.
Maggie Boden founded the School of Cognitive Sciences in the 1970s, and today the Mind and Brain Theme supports research across the University and the Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
The technological, medical and social significance of the Theme is exemplified by the Centre for Computational Neuroscience and Robotics, and the Medical Research Council Addiction project.
Generous philanthropic donations have founded the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Studies, and new research into ageing and degeneration, while the Andrew and Virginia Rudd Centre for Adoption Research and Practice will be launched in 2013.