The Eastern Arc Equipment Sharing Platform (ESP) is intended to enable academics, researchers, technical professionals and doctoral students to access equipment and facilities across the Consortium.
In 2024 the Consortium hosted an Imaging Platform Alliance (IPA), which acted as a pilot to gauge the viability of equipment sharing across the four universities. The ESP builds on this pilot, using the same principles, parameters and process, but extending the range of equipment in scope from 47 pieces or facilities to almost 200.
To apply for funding to access equipment and facilities across EARC
Staff at Eastern Arc universities can apply to access equipment and facilities at any of the member institutions. Details of how to do so are here.
T-PIKE
In addition, technical professionals can also benefit from Eastern Arc’s T-PIKE programme.
T-PIKE is an EPSRC funded Strategic Technical Platform for all Eastern Arc technical professionals. It is designed to give technical staff opportunities to develop professionally and take part in knowledge exchange activities.
If any technical staff would like to gain experience on equipment at another Eastern Arc university, take part in exchanges or shadowing then please contact our Knowledge Exchange Officers to explore these opportunities: tpike@easternarc.ac.uk
Further information
To understand the principles underlying the ESP, the people leading it, and the terms of reference for it, click on the sections below.
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Underlying the ESP are three principles.
- The types of equipment included in the ESP are large, strategic or platform facilities, rather than small-scale items held in individual labs.
- The administrative processes for accessing the equipment should be, where possible, simple and unbureaucratic.
- The ESP will, where relevant, include provision for training.
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The ESP is led by a steering group. The membership is as follows, but members may be co-opted as necessary.
UEA Andrea Munsterberg Professor of Developmental Biology Maria O’Connell Associate Dean for Research, Faculty of Science Tony Hinchcliffe Instrument Platform Manager Dominic Mitchell Facilities Manager – Engineering Iv Bacic Head of Technical Resources, Facility and Services, Faculty of Science Malcolm Rae Technical Manager/Systems Engineer. School of Psychology, James Mccoll Bio Imaging Platform Manager Essex Philippe Laissue Senior Lecturer, Life Sciences Gregor Grant Technical Services Manager, School of Life Sciences Chris Spice Technical Manager (School of Sport, rehabilitation and Exercise Science) Leila Winn Research Facilities Planning Manager Kent Campbell Gourlay/Neil Kad Director of Research and Innovation, Division of Natural Sciences Phillip Marsh Head of Technical Services Gary Thompson NMR Manager Jo Scamp Technical Manager (Technician Commitment) Carl Hudson Senior Technical Services Manager Dan Knox Head of Embedded IT and Technical Services Sussex Rob Fowler Associate Director for Technical Operations Andy Cunningham Head of Technical Facilities (Life Sciences) Kurtis Mengham Technical Supervisor (Medical School) T-PIKE Phil Wilson Project Manager -
Remit
The remit of the Eastern Arc Equipment Sharing Steering Group (ESSG) is the sharing of large, strategic or unique equipment and facilities across the four Eastern Arc universities.
Purpose
The ESSG exists to provide strategic leadership for the Consortium’s equipment-sharing initiative, and to provide oversight of its operation.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Identifying and updating a database of equipment eligible to be shared;
- Drafting and monitoring the formal principles, processes and policies necessary for sharing equipment across the Consortium. This includes but is not limited to:
- The application process for requesting access to equipment;
- The principles for understanding resource or other cost implications relating to accessing equipment;
- Access agreements and health and safety protocols relating to specific equipment, as appropriate.
- Engaging with external bodies. This may include:
- Joint funding proposals, including:
- Agreement on the involvement of Consortium members;
- The process by which the bid is to be developed (such as a call for expressions of interest, or the appointment of a team to develop the proposal);
- Collective engagement with Jisc and other national bodies
- Joint responses to consultations or policies developed by the Government, funders and other organisations.
- Joint funding proposals, including:
- The informal and confidential sharing of knowledge between the Consortium members. This may include topics such as:
- The impact of new policies, technologies and methodologies on areas within its remit (as set out in clause 2).
- The expectations and implementation of assessment exercises, including the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF).
Membership
Membership of the ESSG comprises representatives nominated by each of the Eastern Arc members. Responsibility for equipment differs at each university, and therefore the ESSG does not prescribe or limit the roles of its members. The current membership is given above.