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Research Committee

Notice to all U3AC members from the Research Committee

The Constitution for U3AC states as one of its objectives: ‘to pursue and publish research both on general matters and into the various aspects of ageing’.

The Research Committee aims to encourage and facilitate research in any way other than by direct provision of financial aid. Thus U3AC members could help each other with research by sharing specialist skills or by offering assistance as contributing members of a research team. A further source of help, which might be available to us, is the Cambridge Community Knowledge Exchange (CCKE – http://www.cam.ac.uk/ccke), which matches students who need to work on suggested projects as part of their degree courses with people who have ideas for questions which could be answered by research.

We are clear that it is not the job of this committee to take a leading role in the organisation of research projects; rather, it is important that any project should have one, or at most two, “project leaders” who would take the lead in the planning and execution of a particular project. What we can do is to act as some sort of “dating agency” bringing together people who may share common interests. The Research Committee would monitor any such activities and be responsible to Council for this area of U3AC activity.

The U3AC Council has established a small “Research Committee” (whose members are Bill Block, Ken Edwards, Alan Findlay, Hazel Hayhurst, John House and Jill Tuffnell) which has now agreed to consult U3AC members. Here are five questions which we would like you to consider: -
1. Are you presently engaged in, or are you currently planning, any research? If yes, please would you tell us the topic of your research? Do you think that U3AC or any of its members might be able to assist you? Is it possible that your research topic might lend itself to being included as a course, to be led by you, in the 2010-2011 Programme of Studies (see page 46 of the 2009-2010 Programme for an example of such a course)?
2. Is there a research question that you would like to pursue? If so, what is it? Is it possible that your research topic might lend itself to being included as a course, to be led by you, in the 2010-2011 Programme of Studies (see page 46 of the 2009-2010 Programme for an example of such a course)?
3. Do you have any suggestions for one or more research projects that might be proposed by U3AC to the Cambridge Community Knowledge Exchange (CCKE)? If so, please outline your idea(s) and we will discuss them with the people who run CCKE, and see what progress we can make.
4. Would you consider the possibility of participating in a research project as “an extra pair of hands”? A simple yes/no answer would enable us to form an impression of the amount of interest “out there”; in answering this question you may like to indicate any particular area of expertise that you might be able to offer.
5. Would you be interested in taking a leading role in the pursuit of any of the following research topics that have been suggested to the Research Committee as the result of a preliminary consultation with Tutors?
a. The Guano Trade in the 1800’s and its political implications
b. The effects of changes in policy and provision of care of the elderly as seen in one area over a period, with an estimate of the future effect of current policies. This might extend to a comparison with the position of other countries.
c. A study of pension provision and the nature of pensions gaps and how they may be avoided. Again this might cover the situation in several countries.
d. The reasons why some possible solutions to the problem of reducing CO2 emissions are being vigorously pursued, while others are not. The nature of the driving forces behind what is promoted or opposed by local environmental groups, technology promoters or energy providers etc.
e. Understanding the science lying behind the possible role of bacteria and algae in carbon capture, with a view to establishing what are serious possibilities and what are not.
f. Why do books such as Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, based on the idea of hidden scriptures or traditions, attract such interest?
g. A methodological investigation into why the study of Indo-European origins of language is polarised between the theory of a relatively recent invasion from the East (most 19th and 20th Century historians and archaeologists) and the theory of a much earlier population and language spread.
h. The Myth of Administration: public services have notoriously increased the number of staff whose task is some level of management – controlling or directing or funding the activities of others – or administration. These activities are constantly derided as bureaucracy. Are management and admin a pernicious fungus that gets out of hand unless continually repressed; or are they a necessary resource, very possibly underprovided?
i. “The Book of Common Prayer and the Authorised Version have done more for the English Language than Shakespeare”. Primary research on this must have been done many times. But what kinds of argument, statistics and stylistic criteria are used to support this view?
j. Understanding the status of the Italian Sparrow in Crete

Please take a look at questions 1-5. If you feel positive about any of them please contact the Research Committee via Alan Findlay (Convenor) or by letter to 67 De Freville Avenue, Cambridge, CB4 1HP. Please reply if possible by 30th April 2010.

U3AC Research Project – Understanding the Status of the Italian Sparrow
This project aims to clear up some of the mystery about the origins of the Italian Sparrow, which may be a hybrid from 3000BC or a race of the House Sparrow. I am looking for support at three levels from within the U3AC membership. Firstly, collaborators, who can help with reviewing the literature, designing the data collection process and analysing the data. Secondly, field observers, anyone who can tell a House Sparrow from a Tree Sparrow and will be visiting Italy or the Mediterranean Islands. Lastly, anyone who will be visiting these areas who is willing to spend time photographing any sparrow they see. Please contact Jeremy Clare.

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