Community Councils asked their views on Bioscience Research
As part of the drive of Aberystwyth University to become an international force for sustainable development, The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University’s newest and largest institute, has been created through the merger, in April 2008, of the University’s Institutes of Biological and Rural Sciences with the BBSRC’s Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER).
IBERS will compete with the best bioscience institutes in the world and an important component of its £20million turnover is funding for research in the areas of biofuels and biorenewables; nutrition and food processing; environment- land contamination and use; and agricultural advances. It is anticipated that successful research in these areas will enhance globally the well-being of people, businesses and the environment.
In order not to lose sight of the relevance of IBERS to Central Wales, a feasibility study of the future needs in outreach and business development activities of the Aber BioCentre, which has been involved for the past 10 years in this area and is now within the IBERS umbrella, is being undertaken.
IBERS are interested in gauging the existing level of community awareness of the research work presently undertaken at IBERS and the current level of interest of local communities in applying possible bioscience research findings to their businesses and to the everyday functions of the communities in which we live.
Consequently, a simple survey of Community Councils is being conducted through the One Voice Wales website in which Community Councils are requested to complete and return a one page questionnaire, in either English or Welsh languages, identifying their (the Councils’) present level of knowledge of and involvement with IBERS or its component bodies; and their level of interest in any future relationships with IBERS regarding community participation in research activities and outcomes.
After completion please send the forms to:
Tim Williams
Department of Commercialisation and Consultancy Services
Aberystwyth University
Visualisation Centre, Penglais,
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion SY23 3BF
Email: tdw@aber.ac.uk
Many thanks for your cooperation.
