Using a combination of mathematics, computer simulations, and laboratory experiments, the researchers have discovered how to design a robot with the optimum size, shape and the arrangement of its parts, allowing it to jump high enough to clear obstacles many times its own size.

The current highest-jumping robot can reach up to 33 metres, which is equivalent to 110 times its own size. Now, researchers have found out how to design a robot that could jump over 120 metres in the air – that’s more than the height of Big Ben’s tower.

The advancement, published in the journal , will revolutionise applications ranging from planetary exploration to disaster rescue to surveillance of hazardous or inaccessible spaces.

Co-author , Research Associate in Space Robotics at The University of Manchester, said: “Robots are traditionally designed to move by rolling on wheels or using legs to walk, but jumping provides an effective way of travelling around locations where the terrain is very uneven, or where there are a lot of obstacles, such as inside caves, through forests, over boulders, or even the surface of other planets in space.

“While jumping robots already exist, there are several big challenges in the design of these jumping machines, the main one being to jump high enough to overcome large and complicated obstacles. Our design would dramatically improve the energy efficiency and performance of spring-driven jumping robots.”

The researchers found that traditional jumping robots often take off before fully releasing their stored spring energy, resulting in inefficient jumps and limiting their maximum height. They also found that they wasted energy by moving side to side or rotating instead of moving straight up.

The new designs must focus on removing these undesirable movements while maintaining the necessary structural strength and stiffness.

Co-author, Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering, said: “There were so many questions to answer and decisions to make about the shape of the robot, such as should it have legs to push off the ground like a kangaroo, or should it be more like an engineered piston with a giant spring? Should it be a simple symmetrical shape like a diamond, or should it be something more curved and organic? Then, after deciding this we need to think about the size of the robot – small robots are light and agile, but then large robots can carry bigger motors for more powerful jumps, so is the best option somewhere in the middle?

“Our structural redesigns redistribute the robot’s component mass towards the top and taper the structure towards the bottom. Lighter legs, in the shape of a prism and using springs that only stretch are all properties that we have shown to improve the performance and most importantly, the energy efficiency of the jumping robot.”

Although the researchers have found a practicable design option to significantly improve performance, their next goal is to control the direction of the jumps and find out how to harness the kinetic energy from its landing to improve the number of jumps the robot can do in a single charge. They will also explore more compact designs for space missions, making the robot easier to transport and deploy on the moon.

The Nile is one of the longest rivers globally and spreads over 11 countries in East Africa, supplying water, energy production, environmental quality and cultural wealth. However, the use of Nile resources has been a long-standing source of tension, often overshadowing opportunities for cooperation and mutual benefit.

But as the demand for energy, water, and food in Africa is steadily increasing, the study, led by The University of Manchester in collaboration with regional organisations, offers a glimmer of hope at a resolution.

The research, published today in the journal , moves away from traditional water-centric agreements, and presents a detailed simulation of the combined energy-water system to reveal how different scenarios of international energy trades could help alleviate the Nile water conflict.

First author Dr Mikiyas Etichia from The University of Manchester, said: “Traditionally, water disputes in transboundary river basins like the Nile have been approached through a water-centric viewpoint. However, sharing benefits of water resources, such as hydro-generated electricity, crops and fisheries can result in a win-win situation.”

Co-author Dr Mohammed Basheer, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, added: “In the Nile Basin, energy-river basin benefit-sharing projects have been implemented in the past at a small scale, but detailed tools like the one presented in the paper can help create actionable large-scale proposals.”

At the heart of the dispute lies the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) - a large dam on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia constructed to improve Ethiopia's electricity access and to export electricity to neighbouring countries. The project sparked tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt over water rights and access.

The simulator, designed by the scientists using open-source technology, covers 13 East African countries, including those within the Nile Basin, to model potential energy trade agreements between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt.

By increasing electricity trade, countries can simultaneously address water deficits, boost hydropower generation, reduce energy curtailment, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Corresponding author from The University of Manchester, said: “The energy trades tested in this study provide the countries a range of solutions that are likely in their national interest.

“The study highlights the value of detailed multisector simulation to unpick the complex interdependencies of large multi-country resource systems. Implementation of the arrangements proposed here would need to be further assessed from governance and legal perspectives to become viable proposals. If successful, they could contribute to sustainable resource management and regional stability.

“We are hopeful the new analytical tools or their results will be taken up by the negotiating parties.”

The driving force behind the podcast, named Big Sisters in STEM, is a recognition of the need for a supportive and inclusive environment where women and non-binary individuals in STEM feel seen and heard.

It explores the challenges, triumphs and experiences of women and non-binary individuals navigating through a traditionally male-dominated field and delves into the complex realities behind living in a society where just being present in the room is often hailed as a milestone achievement.

From grappling with imposter syndrome to the societal pressure to overburden ourselves, the challenges of being the only woman in the classroom and navigating a career while balancing family responsibilities, the podcast unpacks the multifaceted issues that hinder the full participation of underrepresented groups in STEM.

Host and producer Jasmine Luby Barrow (she/her), a Marketing and Recruitment Co-ordinator at The University of Manchester, said: “The idea behind Big Sisters in STEM was really about creating a safe space for women and people who know what it feels like to be othered.

“The prospective and current students I talk to are so often surprised to hear that successful career people or award-winning researchers still struggle with relatable things like self-confidence or learning how to say ‘no’. While it might be scary to hear that things like imposter syndrome linger on longer than we’d like, I hope it’s also heartening for people to know they are not alone, and that together we might be able to better support each other.

“It’s somewhere to come together and share experiences and guidance in an open and genuine way – like sitting down for a ‘cuppa with your big sister.

“As in all areas of education and industry, it’s so important that STEM becomes more intersectional – and we talk about that a lot on the podcast. The more perspectives which inform a situation the more well-rounded our solutions will be – be that in climate change, use of new technology, or medical equality.”

Each episode of the podcast hears from a combination of inspirational academics, industry professionals and students.

Episode one, which will air on Wednesday, 27 March 2024, features (she/her), a Lecturer in Aerospace Systems at the University, who specialises in Astrodynamics and Space Mission Design and in 2021 won the Institute of Engineering and Technology Woman of the Year award.During the episode Ciara shares her own personal experiences, talking about the turning point in her career when someone told her, her work on space was “frivolous”. She gives her take on the topic, space as a that can help “change the world” and shares fascinating insight into how satellite technology has a tangible impact on everyday lives on earth.

She said: “People think that space is so far away, but it’s not. Most of the satellites that we have in space are actually closer to us here in 91ֱ�� than we are away from Paris.”

Ciara goes on to talk about the lack of understanding around the breadth of engineering and frustration of losing potentially great people from the field through lack of understanding.

She added: “There are so many skills that are equally as important in engineering, and we probably lose those along the way… One of the things I talk about with industry partners we work with is how important human factors are. You can engineer the perfect aircraft or spacecraft but accounting for how people are going to behave is really hard – that’s where accidents happen, and mistakes are made. We need good communicators, and psychologists, and I worry that we’re losing those people along the way because people don’t feel like those are the skills we need in engineering.”

Ciara is joined by Earth and Environmental Sciences student Vannessa Thai (they/them), a first-year Earth and Environmental Sciences Student with a sought-after scholarship at the University.

They said: “It’s a lot of challenge to go through and fight for what you believe in and be heard, especially in spaces where people don’t look like you or from your background, especially climate engineering where it can feel like an exclusive space.

Other guests throughout the six-week series include Dr Zahra Montazeri (she/her) a Computer Science Lecturer, who is a Computer Graphics specialist and has previously worked with Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks - on everything from Star Wars to Frozen.

The season also brings conversations with Dr Charlene Gallery (she/her), who talks about her work in the fashion industry, working with new technologies to pioneer more sustainable practices,(she/her), a Professor of Climate Science and Energy Policy at Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, Ella Podmore MBE (she/her) IET Woman of the Year 2020 and Senior Materials Engineer, and (she/her) an inspiring Clinical Academic who focuses on the screening, prevention and early diagnosis of gynaecological cancers.

They are joined with students from a broad range of STEM areas, including civil engineering, computer science, materials science, chemical engineering, biotechnology and medicine.

The first episode of Big Sisters in STEM will launch on Wednesday, 27 March 2024 and will be available on all podcast platforms.

For more information and regular updates, follow the Instagram, or visit the website:

The collaboration will support the development of future engineering talent, as well as drive the development of innovative and sustainable power solutions.

As part of the collaboration, The University of Manchester and Cummins will conduct cutting-edge research with the aim of accelerating product development of the latest generation of air handling technologies, such as e-turbos for fuel cells, together with fuel injection systems for hydrogen-based power solutions.

Academics and their students will explore the future use of hydrogen in power solutions as part of the collaboration, using world class engineering equipment, test cells and laboratories.

Students will also be given the opportunity to apply their learnings to a practical environment and gain valuable industry experience with Cummins. These placements will be open to all students, irrespective of academic discipline, aligning with the variety of roles available at Cummins.

Dr John Clark, Executive Director for Research & Development at Cummins, said: “It’s fantastic to announce our collaboration with The University of Manchester, with the partnership holding tremendous potential for both of us. It will provide students and researchers with the opportunity to work with an established, international manufacturer and actively contribute to the advancement of power solution technology. It will also help to drive the development of sustainable products, supporting our commitment to powering a more prosperous world.”

Dr Louise Bates, Head of Strategic Partnerships at The University of Manchester, added: “This partnership is a great opportunity for our research community to engage with an international company, developing widely-used technologies and groundbreaking solutions to real-world challenges. The University of Manchester is committed to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and this partnership presents a very exciting platform for our two organisations to collaborate and address some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet. We look forward to growing our relationship with Cummins and witnessing what we can achieve together.”

The Cummins Engine Components (CEC) site in Huddersfield designs, develops, produces and refurbishes air handling solutions, which are used globally in vehicles and machinery across various markets.  CEC is part of the international engine, power generation and filtration product manufacturer, Cummins, which employs 73,600 worldwide and generated $28.1 billion in revenue last year. This collaboration between Cummins and The University of Manchester, and the development of future air handling solutions for sustainable technologies, will support the manufacturer’s Destination Zero commitment.

The centre, led Dr Mauricio A Álvarez, will train the next generation of AI researchers to develop AI methods designed to accelerate new scientific discoveries – specifically in the fields of astronomy, engineering biology and material science.

The University will be working in partnership with The University of Cambridge, and is one of 12 Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) based at 16 universities, announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) today (31 October).

The investment by UKRI aims to ensure that the UK continues to have the skills needed to seize the potential of the AI era, and to nurture the British tech talent that will push the AI revolution forwards. 

£117 million in total has been awarded to the 12 CDTs and builds on the previous UKRI investment of £100 million in 2018.

Doctoral students at The University of Manchester will be provided with a foundation in Machine Learning and AI and an in-depth understanding of the implications of its application to solve real-world problems.

The programme will also cover the areas of responsible AI and equality, diversity and inclusion.

Dr Mauricio A Álvarez, Senior Lecturer in Machine Learning at The University of Manchester, said: "We are delighted to be awarded funding for this new AI CDT. 91ֱ�� is investing heavily in AI research and translation, and the CDT will complement other significant efforts in research through our AI Fundamentals Centre at the University and innovation via the Turing Innovation Catalyst. Our partnership with Cambridge will also enable us to educate experts capable of generalising and translating nationally to stimulate the development and adoption of AI technology in high-potential, lower AI-maturity sectors.

“Modern science depends on a variety of complex systems, both in terms of the facilities that we use and the processes that we model. AI has the potential to help us understand these systems better, as well as to make them more efficient.

“The AI methods we will develop will apply to a wide range of challenges in complex systems, from transport systems to sports teams. We are partnering with a diverse pool of industry collaborators to address these challenges jointly."

Dr Julia Handl, Professor in Decision Sciences at The University of Manchester, said: “This CDT is a fantastic opportunity to bring together researchers from a wide spectrum of disciplines, from across all three of Manchester’s Faculties, to ensure we can develop innovative solutions that are appropriate to the complexity and uncertainty of real-world systems. The involvement of the Faculty of Humanities is crucial in ensuring such systems are effective and inclusive in supporting human decision makers, and in delivering the centre’s cross-cutting theme of increasing business productivity, supported by collaboration with the Productivity Institute, the Masood Enterprise Centre and a range of industry partners.”

UKRI Chief Executive, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said: “The UK is in a strong position to harness the power of AI to transform many aspects of our lives for the better. Crucial to this endeavour is nurturing the talented people and teams we need to apply AI to a broad spectrum of challenges, from healthy aging to sustainable agriculture, ensuring its responsible and trustworthy adoption. UKRI is investing £117 million in Centres for Doctoral Training to develop the talented researchers and innovators we need for success.”

Dr Kedar Pandya, Executive Director, Cross-Council Programmes at UKRI, said: “This £117 million investment, will involve multiple business and institutional partners for the Centres of Doctoral Training. These include well-known brands such as IBM, Astra Zeneca, and Google, as well as small to medium sized enterprises that are innovating in the AI field. A further £110 million has been leveraged from all partners in the form of cash or in-kind contributions such as use of facilities, resources or expertise.”

The first cohort of UKRI AI CDT students will start in the 2024/2025 academic year, recruitment for which will begin shortly.

The drone, made from a cardboard-like material called foamboard, measures 6.4m (21 ft) corner to corner and weighs 24.5kg – 0.5kg less than the weight limit set by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The innovative design of the drone, dubbed the Giant Foamboard Quadcopter (GFQ), means it is unlike any other in existence. The four arms are formed of a series of hollow box structures and can be easily removed for transportation. There is no record of a purpose-built uncrewed quadcopter (four rotors) of any weight class which is larger than the 91ֱ�� vehicle as of the time of writing.

The project started as a curiosity-driven venture to inspire students’ creativity in design by utilising a suitable alternative low-cost material for lightweight aerospace structures that is more environmentally friendly than the usual carbon fibre.

Unlike carbon fibre, low-density sheet materials can be highly recyclable, or even compostable. The researchers hope this demonstration will inspire the next generation of designers to think about sustainability from a completely new perspective.

Dan Koning, a research engineer at The University of Manchester, who led the design and build of the vehicle, said: “Foamboard is an interesting material to work with, used in the right way we can create complex aerospace structures where every component is designed to be only as strong as it needs to be - there is no room for over-engineering here.

“Thanks to this design discipline and after extensive background research, we can say with confidence that we have built the largest quadcopter drone in the world.”

Whilst this drone was developed purely as a proof-of-concept exercise, future iterations of this vehicle type could be designed to carry large payloads over short distances or used as a drone ‘mothership’ in air-to-air docking experiments.

The quadcopter was built from sheets of 5mm thick foamboard, which has a foam core and paper skin. The sheets were laser cut to size and assembled into the 3D structure by hand using only hot melt glue.

Josh Bixler, world renowned YouTuber and innovator in remote-controlled aviation is the President of , the company that makes the foamboard used in the GFQ.

Commenting on the work, Josh said: “So many times aircraft with advanced features are made of costly materials and we truly believe they don’t have to be. Seeing engineers push the limits in such an approachable, yet extravagant way was inspirational and showed that they were truly thinking outside of the box.”

GFQ is powered by four electric motors running off a 50-volt battery pack. It also has an on-board flight control system and can fly autonomously.

The first flight took place on 5 July 2023 inside the main hangar at the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre during the CASCADE Collaboration Workshop Week where teams from various universities around the UK come together to demonstrate their latest research tech and brainstorm innovation.

Kieran Wood, a Lecturer of Aerospace Systems at The University of Manchester, who piloted the vehicle, said: “The first moments of flight are the make-or-break point for these types of multi-copter drones. There are many hundreds of things that you must get right. If everything has been designed and built well, we expect success, but any problems will become very apparent in a rapid unscheduled disassembly on the first take-off.”

The project builds on the previous success of an equally  Following this, a student society was created at the University specifically to focus on developing lightweight, large scale foamboard Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Over the last year, a team of undergraduates helped build and test various critical sub-components of the structure.

Bill Crowther, a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at The University of Manchester, said: “Working with foamboard provides a unique learning opportunity for students to experiment with innovative structural designs. Although the material is strong for its weight, it requires significant engineering skill to exploit its structural potential. Ultimately, with this design you are holding up 25kg of aircraft with just a few strategically placed pieces of paper - that’s the art of the possible.”

The team are now looking to optimise the design of the Giant Foamboard Quadcopter further.

Dan Koning added: “The lessons we’ve learned from this pathfinder vehicle should help us add a few more metres to the next one. But to go 50% bigger, you’ve got to get 100% smarter.”

Erratic weather is a major source of concern for ship owners installing modern sails to reduce carbon emissions. However, new research from The University of Manchester highlights operational strategies that can reduce shipping emissions by up to a quarter, strengthening confidence in sails as a decarbonisation tool.

It is estimated that the international shipping sector contributes to 2–3% of global carbon emissions annually and its target to cut carbon by 50% relative to 2008 levels by 2050 falls short of the cuts required in the Paris Climate Agreement, meaning the shipping sector requires urgent global action.

The research, published in the journal , calculated carbon emissions from more than 1000 ship departures setting sail from three main shipping routes. The results found that combining modern sail technology with efficient routing systems could provide greater assurances of carbon savings by using the technique that reduces uncertainty from unpredictable weather patterns.

Dr James Mason, previously a postdoctoral researcher and now a visiting academic at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at The University of Manchester, said: “Current measures to reduce carbon emissions include fitting retrofit technologies, such as wind propulsion technology, where modern sails produce direct energy from the wind to reduce the power consumed by a ship's engine. Weather routing is also used as an efficient routing system to allow a ship to deviate from standard shipping routes to search for new routes with more favourable winds.

“Current academic methods assume a perfect foresight of future weather rather than accounting for unpredictable winds that are happening in real-time. This can detrimentally reduce the carbon savings from weather routing and could present a real challenge for the shipping sector when trying to meet its climate reduction goals.”

Dr Alejandro Gallego Schmid, a Senior Lecturer at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, added: “This research provides an insight into which routes are most sensitive to changing weather forecasts when using wind propulsion and assesses a strategy that could help to mitigate the detrimental impact that unpredictable weather conditions can have.”

The strategy mirrors existing routing methods in the sector by updating weather and wind every 12 hours to allow ships to adjust their routes based on the most accurate weather forecast available.

To test the strategy, the study simulated 1080 ship departures across eastbound and westbound journeys in the North Sea, South Atlantic Ocean and North Atlantic Ocean, which have voyage times of up to 12 days.

The research found that the method successfully reduced the uncertainty from unpredictable weather and showed that sails and efficient routing can provide annual carbon savings of up to 25%.

However, while the method reduces the uncertainty from unpredictable weather, it does not remove it entirely. Wind propulsion and efficient routing can provide maximum carbon savings of up to 29% in ideal conditions and weather uncertainty reduces these savings by 10-20%. Further research is needed to understand how ships can achieve these maximum savings in practice.

Reducing shipping emissions by up to a quarter by using wind propulsion with efficient routing could provide profound benefits to the sector. The research offers a clearer understanding of the potential carbon savings achievable through wind propulsion decarbonisation strategies, without which, objectives in the Paris Climate Agreement may become out of sight.

The Mayor of Greater 91ֱ��, Andy Burnham, inaugurated the conference, which sees more than 30 companies exhibiting their revolutionary graphene technologies. More than 200 experts from academia and industry will also deliver lectures at the conference. 

“We’re proud to welcome businesses and researchers from across the world to Greater 91ֱ�� for Graphene 2023”, said the mayor of Greater 91ֱ��, Andy Burnham. “Our city-region has been the driving force behind cultural and scientific innovations for over 200 years, and it’s fitting that we host the world’s 2D materials community as we approach 20 years since graphene was first discovered. I hope delegates get a sense of the exciting work happening right here in Greater 91ֱ�� to commercialise advanced materials.” 

The conference is held in the newly opened , the new home of Engineering and Materials at the University. Unrivalled in scale as a hub of engineering and materials expertise here in the UK, it combines 91ֱ��'s industrial heritage with new, purpose-built facilities, ideal for discovery and solving some of the world's most pressing issues. Delegates are also be offered tours of the and the , the flagship facilities for graphene and 2D materials research and development.  

Professor Vladimir Falko, the Director of the NGI, said, “91ֱ��’s National Graphene Institute and Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre stay at the forefront of graphene and 2D materials research and commercialisation, and we are glad that a major pan-European graphene conference is coming to the UK, despite all the uncertainties created by Brexit.” 

Professor Aravind Vijayaraghavan, the lead local organiser added, “We are placing special emphasis on attracting industrial and academic partnerships from around the world to invest and collaborate with the University, and this conference is the ideal opportunity for us to showcase our world-leading facilities and expertise in advanced materials and manufacturing which is key to a green, equitable and healthy future for us all.” 

The conference takes place at the University of Manchester on 27-30 June 2023. The conference marks 20 years since the first isolation of graphene at the University, by Professor Sir Andre Geim and Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov, who were awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics “for ground-breaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene”. 

 is one of The University of Manchester’s  - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons.

Grant Shapps, The Secretary of State for the UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), has recently been on a visit to the Middle East, which included the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he met representatives from a partnership between The University of Manchester and UAE’s Khalifa University.

The ambitious 91ֱ��-Khalifa partnership is part of the Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC-2D) which is looking at ways to apply graphene and related advanced materials to technologies that will help make our world more sustainable, including water desalination, emission-busting construction materials, energy storage and lightweighting applications.

Grant Shapps visited the state-of-the-art research facilities and on his , the Secretary of State said: “Graphene can be used in everything from touchscreens to reinforcing steel. Made first in 91ֱ��, its importance is now being realised around the world. I enjoyed seeing how Khalifa University is further developing graphene uses for the future, in partnership with The University of Manchester.”

James Baker, CEO at Graphene@91ֱ��, said: “It was great to co-host the Secretary of State and the UK delegation on their visit to meet our partners at Khalifa University.

“It was a very positive meeting that focused on graphene products and applications. Our conversation covered the heritage of the right through to the creation of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, a 91ֱ�� facility set up in partnership with UAE-based Masdar to accelerate the commercialisation of graphene and related 2D materials.

“We also discussed our joint work with the RIC-2D programme and the ambitious commercial opportunities that are supporting the drive towards a sustainable future, including our latest project around creating membrane technology in support of clean water.”

The Kahlifa delegation meeting the Secretary of State also included Professor Sir John O’Reilly, President of Khalifa University; Dr Arif Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President; Dr Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice President for Research and Development and Professor of Practice; Fahad Almaskari, Engagement Director; Fahad Alabsi, Associate Director, Commercialization, RIC-2D Research Center.

During Grant Shapps’ visit to the region the . The Clean Energy Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has now been signed by the two nations and will support the .

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships tackling some of the planet's biggest questions. #ResearchBeacons

NERD is a standalone company, spun out from , formerly Tier 2 partners of the GEIC and responsible for the initial development of Concretene, a graphene-enhanced admixture for concrete that saves significantly on CO2 emissions and overall project costs.

In December, to help drive the programme of research and development required to bring Concretene to full commercial use.

The Tier 1 agreement provides for use of a dedicated lab within the Masdar Building, state-of-the-art concrete testing facilities and access to the unrivalled academic and engineering expertise in nanomaterials housed at The University of Manchester, the home of graphene.

Co-founder of NERD Alex McDermott is a civil engineering graduate of the University and is excited about his return to North Campus to deliver what he hopes will be the start of a new generation of sustainable construction materials.

“I’m a 91ֱ�� lad from Failsworth and I did my degree here, so it’s great to be back and helping to design solutions for an industry that urgently needs to decarbonise,” he says.

“We’re looking to build on the work we’ve already done with the GEIC in lab trials and real-world projects and take Concretene on to the next stage of full commercial rollout. There’s still a journey to go on - R&D in this area is challenging - but the partnerships we’re building with the University and with high-profile industry clients give us the best chance of success.”

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@91ֱ��, said: “We have been working with Nationwide Engineering from the very beginning to help develop Concretene – and therefore delighted to welcome NERD to the GEIC as a Tier 1 partner. This is an important milestone in this ambitious project and one we can all be very proud of.

“In the past 18 months, we have rapidly gone from lab to pilot stage - and then scaled up to create ‘living labs’, including a pioneering pour just outside the GEIC. But we are still at a relatively early stage along the road to commercialisation.

“This new Tier 1 partnership will greatly help Concretene achieve its full potential to deliver a game-changing material to help us build more sustainably in the future – we look forward to taking this programme to the next stage of delivery.” 

NERD envisions a three-year journey to the roll-out of Concretene to the wider construction industry, alongside technical partner Arup – the globally renowned provider of engineering and design services for the built environment - and leading infrastructure bodies including Heathrow and 91ֱ�� Airports, Network Rail, National Highways and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

These early adopters will see immediate benefits through reductions in embodied carbon, while assisting in the programme of laboratory work and large-scale field trials that will ultimately prove the reliability and reproducibility needed for successful commercial deployment of Concretene.

Matthew Lovell, Director at Arup, said: “Continued innovation in the production of concrete and leaner design techniques are needed to support the construction industry’s journey towards net zero carbon emissions.

“Arup is extremely interested in Concretene’s potential to support transformative change in the built environment. Imagine what concrete with both enhanced engineering performance and substantially reduced carbon impact could contribute to our industry.”

Professor Bill Sampson, Chief Scientific Officer, GEIC, said: “I’m delighted to see Nationwide joining the GEIC as a Tier 1 partner. I look forward to working with them, with the support of academic colleagues from across the University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, to better understand and deliver the full potential promised by graphene-enhanced cementitious materials.”

Main picture: (l-r) Matthew Lovell, Director at Arup; Alex McDermott, co-founder NERD; Rob Hibberd, co-founder NERD; Dave Evans, Chief Financial Officer, NERD; Alan Beck, Head of Communications, NERD

Stanislas ‘Stan’ Dembinski, an undergraduate here at 91ֱ�� and his twin brother Cyril (who studies at l’ESME in Bordeaux, France) have formed a team, ‘The Twin Turbos’ to take part in the .  

The ‘4L’ is a student rally of c.1,500 cars and 3,000 students from across Europe undertaking a near 3000km dash from Biarritz to Marrakech, with participants competing to arrive by the shortest possible route, equipped with only a map and compass in a Renault 4.  

Budding mechanical engineers, Stan and Cyril are both excited by the challenge of making sure their Renault 4 – the youngest model of which is about 60 years old – can survive the long and complicated journey across Europe, through Africa’s desert lands and, finally into Marrakech. They’re also using their participation in the rally to raise money and awareness for  (‘Children of the Desert’) that equips some of the poorest children in Morocco with school supplies like books, pens and blackboards and, building repairing and maintaining classrooms, helping about 20,000 children every year.  

Stan would welcome any sponsorship to support their race, with supporters having the chance to have their face emblazoned on their ‘Twin Turbos’ rally car!  

Stan said:  

“We’re so excited to be taking part in this rally and we’re looking for sponsors to meet the costs of entering the 4L Trophy so my brother and, the ‘Twin Turbos’ can raise money for kids who really need our help, so they can have a shot at a decent education – which we all value so much.  

“It costs about £3000 to enter the rally and another £3000 to prepare the car so we’re looking for generous supporters and sponsors to help us help the kids of Marrakech. In return, you can get your face and social media on the car for its journey, or you may know a company or organisation that can have their logo on the car in return for sponsorship.”

If you want to sponsor the Twin Turbos, you can . You can also .  

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, and Professor Sir John O’Reilly, President, Khalifa University (pictured above) officially signed a contract between the two institutions during a VIP visit by a 91ֱ�� delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Senior officials from both universities were present at the signing (pictured below).

This international partnership will further accelerate 91ֱ�� and Abu Dhabi’s world-leading research and innovation into graphene and other 2D materials. The Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC-2D), based in Khalifa University, is part of a strategic investment programme supported by the Government of Abu Dhabi, UAE. 

Growing international partnership

This partnership will support expediting the development of the RIC-2D at Khalifa University as well as help building capability in graphene and 2D materials in collaboration with Graphene@91ֱ��, a community that includes the academic–led National Graphene Institute (NGI) and the commercially-focused Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), a pioneering facility already backed by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar.

The historic agreement will bring together the vision of the two universities to tackle some of the globe’s biggest challenges, such as providing clean drinking water for millions of people and supporting a circular ‘green economy’ in all parts of the world.

Graphene – originally isolated at The University of Manchester, the global ‘home of graphene’ – has the potential to deliver transformational technologies. The focus of the Khalifa–91ֱ�� partnership will be on key themes, with a priority to meet the most immediate of global challenges, including  climate change and the energy crisis. These flagship areas are:

●&�Բ�����;         Water filtration and desalination – graphene and 2D materials are being applied to next generation filtration technologies to significantly boost their effectiveness and efficiency to help safeguard the world’s precious supply of drinking water

●&�Բ�����;         Construction – graphene is helping to develop building materials that are much more sustainable and when applied at scale can expect to slash global CO2 emissions

●&�Բ�����;         Energy storage – applications are being developed across the energy storage sector to produce more efficient batteries, with greater capacity and higher performance, and other energy storage systems vital to a circular ‘green economy’

●&�Բ�����;         Lightweighting of materials – the use of graphene and 2D materials to take weight out of vehicles, as well as large structures and infrastructure, will also be a key to building a more sustainable future.

The investment is expected to be allocated towards joint projects. The full scope and budgets for projects under this new framework agreement remain to be determined in the months ahead. The proposal will see dedicated space for the Khalifa University’s RIC-2D within the GEIC, which is based in the Masdar Building at The University of Manchester, to deliver rapid R&D and breakthrough technologies. Researchers from Khalifa University will have dedicated lab space in the GEIC where they can work alongside 91ֱ��’s applications experts and access in-house facilities and equipment.

Knowledge exchange

As well as the research and innovation activity, the RIC-2D programme will support the development of people, including early-career researchers who will benefit from the real-world experience of working on the joint R&D programme. Also, there will be opportunities for post-graduate students, including the exchange of PhD students and researchers (see Fact File below).

Professor Sir John O’Reilly, President, Khalifa University, said: “This Khalifa University-University of Manchester collaboration is greatly to be welcomed. It has all the hallmarks of a most successful approach to inspiring and nurturing outstanding research, innovation and enterprise in graphene to be taken forward to the benefit of the wider community.”

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “We look forward to a long and productive partnership with Khalifa University that will realise the potential of graphene to address global challenges including water and energy security and, above all, sustainability.”

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, said: “We are delighted to enter into this partnership with The University of Manchester and encourage innovation in graphene through a pipeline of projects, as well as focus on transferring technology towards commercialization. Through this agreement, we will continue to not only focus our research activities on existing flagship projects in water filtration, construction, energy storage and composites but also expand to new areas. This combination of virtual and in-person collaborations will also include exchange of PhD students and sponsored labs within the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) at 91ֱ��.”

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “Our excellent relationship with our partners in Abu Dhabi, including Khalifa University and Masdar, has been vital in the success of the world-leading graphene research and innovation activities at The University of Manchester, especially in driving forward the commercialisation of 2D materials in our facilities based in the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre. This new investment will deliver a game-changing step change in our lab-to-market ambitions - and will accelerate the translation of graphene in an unprecedented way.”

Professor Hassan Arafat, Senior Director, RIC-2D, said: “The overarching goal of RIC-2D is to be a catalyst for economic growth in the UAE, by enabling industrial and public entities within the country to utilize graphene and other 2D materials in new technologies that add economic value and solve pressing societal challenges such as water scarcity and greenhouse emissions. Therefore, the center will support a range of fundamental and translational research projects, in addition to commercialization and technology transfer activities. Graphene@91ֱ�� has accumulated significant experience doing the same in the UK over the past decade. Hence, they were naturally identified as one of RIC-2D’s most strategic partners.”

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@91ֱ��, explained: “We have built a unique model of innovation for advanced materials in Greater 91ֱ�� by successfully attracting regional, national and international investment.

“The RIC-2D programme will be a significant funding boost for UK-based graphene research and commercialisation. It is set to significantly accelerate the work that is already happening in our ecosystem and help with the application and commercialisation of 2D materials at a rate much faster than you would normally expect for a revolutionary new material like graphene.

“This provides an opportunity to fast-track technologies that are urgently needed to tackle immediate challenges like climate change or the energy crisis. The University of Manchester and Khalifa University will play a key role in connecting our ambitions by synchronising new research with key industry and supply-chain companies across a range of sectors.

“Our lab-to-market model will link up fundamental research with applied research and ultimately be part of a pipeline delivering new, market-ready technologies.  The programme will also provide industry-standard equipment and capabilities for the rapid scale-up and pilot production of prototypes.”

Graphene@91ֱ��’s world-class facilities and resources are supported by internationally renowned academics and industry-experienced engineers and innovation experts, working across a very broad range of novel technologies and applications.

James Baker added: “Together, these experts will focus on industry-led 2D material development and look to help companies design, develop, scale-up and ‘de-risk’ the next generation of innovative products and processes,”

Fact File - joint R&D programme

The joint R&D programme between The University of Manchester and Khalifa University  will provide a pipeline of projects from the near to long-term to ensure that RIC-2D development activities remain world-leading and are based upon a strong scientific foundation.

Part of the R&D programme will focus on Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 1-3 – i.e. early stage research and development - beyond which the research teams will collaborate with applications experts at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) in a bid to transfer the technology for commercialisation.

The shared R&D platforms are designed to support existing flagship projects, including those involved with water filtration, construction, energy storage and composites – but there will be an expectation to develop new streams. Finally, the R&D programme will produce high quality academic publications that will add to the prestige and international reputation of RIC-2D.

The joint programme will be a combination of virtual and in-person collaborations, through the exchange of PhD students and researchers and having Khalifa University sponsored labs based within the GEIC.

About Khalifa University of Science and Technology

Khalifa University of Science and Technology, the UAE’s top-ranked research-intensive institution, focuses on developing world-leading critical thinkers in science, engineering and medicine. The world-class university endeavours to be a catalyst to the growth of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s rapidly developing knowledge economy as an education destination of choice and a global leader among widely acknowledged international universities.

For more information, please visit:

 is one of The University of Manchester’s  - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons.

Today’s shortlisting for the Bhattacharyya Award, which celebrates strategic industrial collaborations that benefit society, recognises 91ֱ��’s and National Grid’s long tradition of innovating at pace to ensure the UK has access to reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy. 

Spanning more than 19 years, the partnership has delivered significant CO₂ reductions, increased productivity, stimulated large investment in new jobs and engineering activity in the UK, and has facilitated the safe transfer of cleaner and affordable energy in a Net Zero future electricity network.  

In overhead line research alone, the knowledge generated has provided approximately £11m in cost savings to the UK energy network and enabled a new design – the T-Pylon – which now delivers power to six million homes.

91ֱ�� and National Grid have been shortlisted alongside: University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce, University of Cambridge and ARM, Imperial College London and Transport Strategy Centre, Swansea University and Steel Strategic Alliance, and University College London, HR Wallingford and Arup. 

The Bhattacharyya Award and a cash prize of £25,000 will be presented to the team who best demonstrate how industry and universities can work together. The winning partnership will be announced on 29 September 2022.   

Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, former President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Chair of the judging panel for the Bhattacharyya Award, said: “All six shortlisted partnerships are excellent examples of industry-academia collaboration, with timely and innovative responses to some of the most challenging issues facing society today. It is a privilege to showcase these successful collaborations and we hope that doing so fosters even greater connection between industry and academia in the UK.” 

Margot James, Executive Chair of WMG, University of Warwick, said: “It’s great to see the extremely high quality of industry-academia partnerships shortlisted for the second annual Bhattacharyya Award. As a celebration of Lord Bhattacharyya’s legacy, the Award continues to highlight how building symmetry between academia and industry is so vital for meeting the needs of society, and adapting to global challenges. We look forward to seeing which collaboration is selected as the overall winner.”  

The winner of the Bhattacharyya Award will be announced on Thursday 29 September 2022, at an event showcasing the shortlisted partnerships at the University of Warwick.

Those wishing to attend the Bhattacharyya Award ceremony can .   

Applications for Bhattacharyya Award 2023 are now open until 16 December 2022 and can be submitted via the Academy’s online grant system. 

The International Women in Engineering Day takes place today, 23 June and continues to lead the way to provide female engineers with a voice heard around the world.

With 16.5% of engineers now being women, the annual INWED event provides female engineers with an opportunity to shine in an industry where they are underrepresented. This one-of-a-kind event plays a pivotal role in not just showcasing talent but also in encouraging and inspiring the next generation of female engineers.

Now in its seventh year, the 2022 WE50 winners celebrate women who are older than 18 who can demonstrate the creation or improvement of a product or process that makes a difference.

For 2022, the Women’s Engineering Society, in association with and Ball Corporation, a global supplier of sustainable packaging, invited nominations on numerous factors, including their ability to support and combat climate change, work as an advocate for women in STEM, their drive to make a difference within the engineering industry and achieving beyond what would normally be expected.

Professor Caroline Jay has been recognised for her research into finding an easier way to monitor a symptomless heart condition which could save thousands of lives each year. “It’s a great privilege to be named as one of the top 50 Women in Engineering 2022.” she said.

“As Head of Research in the School of Engineering I believe it’s vital that we celebrate the work of female engineers, and I’m delighted that Aline Miller has also been recognised for work founding 91ֱ�� Biogel, and as Associate Dean for Innovation and Business Engagement in the Faculty of Science and Engineering.”

Professor Jay and her team have created an algorithm that can more easily detect the condition, known as long QT syndrome, which can cause fast, chaotic heartbeats and can be life threatening.

Professor Aline Miller’s research interests lie at the life-science interface with emphasis on applying physical principles to mimic, manipulate and improve molecular self-assembly for material design and application.

“I am thrilled and humbled to be sat alongside the inspiring women who are also featured in the top 50 Women in Engineering 2022.” said Professor Miller.

“International Women in Engineering Day is a day to celebrate the many contributions of women working within our discipline, but we should also pause and remember how much more there is to do to reach true equality within the workforce and in innovation.”

Working with academics and industry Aline’s team work to translate hydrogel materials to improve the quality of our lives and reduce costs and time involved to achieve a successful clinical outcome. Application areas currently showing promise in animal studies include the regeneration of heart tissue after heart attack, peripheral nerve repair and the targeted delivery of therapeutics for the treatment of endometriosis.

As Elizabeth Donnelly CEO of WES says: "Once again WES is delighted to celebrate the achievements of women engineers. It's a joy that so many innovative women are making a difference to our everyday lives and working to mitigate the impact that engineering has on the environment".

Find out more about the .

Vector Homes, Genvida and Watercycle Technologies have signed new Tier 2 agreements, while Bullitt – designers of rugged tech for phones – and aerospace giant Airbus have re-signed, also as Tier 2s.

Our Affiliate Partner scheme is growing as well, with HDH Accountants added to the list.

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@91ֱ��, said: “These partnerships demonstrate some of the range of our application work here at the GEIC: from sustainable construction to DNA sequencing and advanced membrane technology.

“We look forward to working with our new partners and also with those renewing terms. As much as we like getting new partners, it’s just as important to ensure our existing partners are seeing success in projects and wanting to take that work forward.”

Vector Homes

91ֱ��-based uses graphene-enhanced recycled materials to produce the unique standardised components of its houses. The company’s products will have greatly reduced embodied carbon and will not contribute to deforestation, quarrying and mining.

The housing systems can be extended flexibly and are optimised for rapid maintenance, modification and technology incorporation.

Projects already lined up at the GEIC aim to take advantage of the expertise of the engineering staff and state-of-the-art equipment to push the technology forward alongside the firm’s supply chain.

Nathan Feddy, CEO and co-founder (pictured), said: “We are delighted to be joining the GEIC at the centre of Manchester's world-leading advanced materials ecosystem. This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to develop the materials and systems that will enable us to achieve our goal of cutting carbon emissions and the costs of construction.”

Genvida

Hong Kong-based combines nanoscience and biotechnology, focusing on fourth-generation DNA sequencing technology. Its globally patented SONAS® platform (a solid-state nanopore sensor array-based technology) resolves the bottleneck in DNA sequencing and single-molecule sensing.

SONAS® streamlines each step in genome sequencing, from smart sample preparation to rapid and precise sequencing and single-molecule identification in a fully automated ‘lab-on-a-chip’. This enables real-time and on-site diagnostics with a cloud-based bioinformatics suite.

Dr Ka Wai Wong, co-founder and Vice President of R&D at Genvida, (pictured) said: “Our partnership with the GEIC seeks to unleash the power of fourth-generation DNA sequencing and single-molecule sensing with graphene and 2D materials integrated solid-state nanopores.”

Watercycle Technologies

Led by UoM alumnus Seb Leaper, Watercycle Technologies is a spin-out company from the University of Manchester developing water treatment and mineral recovery systems for a range of industries, including mining, desalination, textiles and others. The company is currently focusing on direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology to help reduce the environmental impact of established lithium extraction processes such as mining and chemical conversion.

• Watercycle Technologies in 91ֱ�� Evening News

HDH Accountants

Salford-based specialise in the technology and manufacturing sector, advising firms on business growth strategy with individually tailored plans. The firm joins our Affiliate Partner scheme, looking to build relationships within the growing innovation community at the GEIC.

Anthony Hurley, Managing Director of HDH, said: “Joining the GEIC has been an amazing experience – we’ve met some amazing people and businesses and have been genuinely blown away by the opportunities and innovation happening here. 

"We’ve already worked with several GEIC partners, providing everything from start-up advice, monthly finance and tax support through to supporting grant applications. Joining the GEIC has been great for our business and I’m looking forward to learning more and working with lots of other talented people in the future!”
 

Graphene@91ֱ�� offers a range of options for industrial engagement. You can explore the benefits of different membership grades on  or fill in the to get in touch directly. A full list of our partners is available on .

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

January

The world’s finest fabric: 2021 started with an award win as a team of University scientists were honoured with the  for weaving threads of individual molecules together to create the ‘world’s finest fabric’, overtaking finest Egyptian linen.

February

Mysterious gamma-ray source identified: The start of the year continued with a spectacular space discovery as a rapidly rotating neutron star was found to be at the core of a celestial object now known as PSR J2039-5617. The astronomers’ findings were uniquely boosted by the Einstein@Home project, a network of thousands of civilian volunteers lending their home computing power to the efforts of the Fermi Telescope’s work.

March

£7bn innovation investment: A major investment boost for the North was announced in March to the tune of £7 billion to support economic growth in the region. The University of Manchester will be joined by leading innovators from business, science, academia and local government in developing the Innovation GM partnership as the basis of a formal collaboration deal with Government, suggesting it could create 100,000 jobs.

April

Solved: The Brazil nut puzzle: April saw researchers finally crack the age-old ‘Brazil nut puzzle’. For the first time they captured the complex dynamics of particle movement in granular materials, helping to explain why mixed nuts often see the larger Brazil nuts gather at the top. The findings could have vital impact on industries struggling with the phenomenon, such as pharmaceuticals and mining.

May

Graphene solves concrete’s big problem: In May, graphene met concrete in another world first which could revolutionise the concrete industry and its impact on the environment. In a joint venture, with Nationwide Engineering the team has laid the floor slab of a new gym with graphene-enhanced 'Concretene', removing 30% of material and all steel reinforcement. Depending on the size of onward projects, it is estimated to provide a 10-20% saving to its customers.

June

Plans for ID 91ֱ�� revealed: Summer began with the announcement that The University had found a partner to deliver the ambitious £1.5 billion ID 91ֱ�� project. The project will look to re-develop the North Campus to become a globally significant innovation district with specialist infrastructure to commercialise scientific discovery and R&D innovation.

July

New technology to help achieve Net Zero: July saw new efforts to help the world achieve its Net Zero targets with the aim of converting CO2, waste and sustainable biomass into clean and sustainable fuels and products. Catalysts are involved in helping to manufacture an estimated 80% of materials required in modern life, so are integral in manufacturing processes. As a result, up to 35% of the world’s GDP relies on catalysis. To reach net zero, it will be critical to develop new sustainable catalysts and processes.

August

Breakthrough in metal bonding: In summer we reported that scientists managed to successfully make actinide metals form molecular actinide-actinide bonds for the first time, opening up a new field of scientific study in materials research. Reported in the journal Nature, a group of scientists from 91ֱ�� and Stuttgart universities successfully prepared and characterised long-sought actinide bonding in an isolable compound.

September

Using astronaut blood to build space houses: September saw blood, sweat, tears and space with a discovery that astronaut blood could be the key to creating affordable housing in space. In their study, published in Materials Today Bio, a protein from human blood, combined with a compound from urine, sweat or tears, could glue together simulated moon or Mars soil to produce a material stronger than ordinary concrete, perfectly suited for construction work in extra-terrestrial environments.

October

New era of physics thanks to neutrino experiment: A two-decade long physics question was explored in October with a discovery that could cause a radical shift in our understanding of the universe. A major new physics experiment used four complementary analyses to show no signs of a theorised fourth kind of neutrino known as the sterile neutrino. Its existence is considered a possible explanation for anomalies seen in previous physics experiments.

November

New study shows link between weather and COVID-19 transmission: It wouldn’t be a 2021 news round-up without mention of COVID-19. A new meta-analysis of over 150 research papers published during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the link between the weather and the spread of the illness. The research, published in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society, started with 158 studies that were published early in the pandemic using data before November 2020. It was discovered that early data was often inconsistent as they were affected by seasonal cycles and weather conditions impacting on the spread of the virus.

December

Challenging Einstein with stars: Rounding off another unusual year we saw scientists across the globe collaborate to challenge one of Einstein’s greatest theories – the theory of relativity. Using seven radio telescopes and taking 16 years the team successfully observed a double-pulsar system which demonstrated new relativistic effects that, while expected had never been observed and proved before.

Victrex, Molymem and Survitec have signed up to become Tier 2 partners, offering access to labs, world-leading equipment and expertise in engineering solutions for graphene and other 2D materials.

Ivan Buckley, Director of Business Engagement for Graphene@91ֱ��, said: “We’re delighted to welcome our new partners to our growing list of industrial collaborations.

“The GEIC was created to help companies take innovation rapidly from lab to market and these product areas and services – from advanced polymers and membranes to life-saving equipment and advice on R&D finance – show the range of possibilities across graphene and other 2D materials that we are able to accommodate with our engineering and business expertise.”

“We look forward to working closely with our new and existing partners to build fruitful partnerships and successful products and applications.”

Victrex

Lancashire-based Victrex is a manufacturer of high-performance materials, specialising in thermoplastic polymers.

The company focuses on six core markets - aerospace, automotive, energy, electronics, manufacturing and engineering, and medical - and is looking to address sustainability challenges with advanced materials engineering across those sectors. 

Dr John Grasmeder, Chief Scientist at Victrex, said: “Victrex is delighted to have partnered with Graphene@91ֱ��, as this will enable us to work together to accelerate innovation and create global opportunities for sustainable, graphene-containing high-performance materials. We look forward to a successful collaboration with the GEIC and its partners.”

Molymem

A spin-out from The University of Manchester, Molymem has developed a membrane technology using 2D material molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), aimed at a range of industrial processes for purification, reducing fouling and minimising the use of harsh chemicals for cleaning.

Molymem co-founder Dr Mark Bissett is also a senior lecturer in nanomaterials at The University of Manchester. He said: “As a University of Manchester spin out, it is logical for Molymem to be based within the GEIC as this allows us access to facilities to scale up our technology.

“We have been working with the GEIC for over two years now, and are working with a variety of commercial partners to use our technology to solve their specific needs in filtration and the removal of pollutants from water.”

Survitec

Survitec and the GEIC have partnered in order to promote new and novel materials for use in life-saving equipment. This partnership will allow Survitec to continue to achieve its vision as being the most trusted company for critical safety and survival equipment.

“We’re excited to have kicked off multiple projects with the team at the GEIC and look forward to realising some of the opportunities we have identified together to ultimately satisfy Survitec’s purpose of ‘existing to protect lives’,” said Martin Whittaker, Survitec CEO (Aerospace and Defence).

“As demand for new and novel materials increases in support of 6^th-generation aircraft and other next-generation platforms, the partnership with GEIC epitomises Survitec’s commitment to working closely with world-leading academic and industrial institutions.”

Meanwhile, Counting King - an expert in finance and tax credits for R&D - has taken affiliate membership and Applied Graphene Materials - a producers of high-quality graphene nanoplatelets and dispersions - has taken advantage of our deal that allows members of (also a Tier 2 partner) to enjoy certain benefits of GEIC membership.

Graphene@91ֱ�� offers a range of options for industrial engagement. You can explore the benefits of different membership grades on  or fill in the to get in touch directly. A full list of our partners is available on .

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Concretene uses graphene – the revolutionary 2D material discovered in 91ֱ�� – to significantly improve the mechanical performance of concrete, allowing for reductions in the amount of material used and the need for steel reinforcement. This can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 30% and drive down costs, meaning Concretene is both greener and cheaper for developers.

At Mayfield, it has been used to create a new 54x14-metre mezzanine floor, which will become a roller disco at the popular Escape to Freight Island attraction in Mayfield’s vast site, a former railway depot.

The installation is the first ever commercial use of Concretene in a suspended slab and marks an important step towards testing and developing it as a widely-used building material, allowing it to be used as a substitute for concrete on an industrial scale.

The Concretene pour builds on 91ֱ��’s reputation as a city of world-leading innovations dating back to the Industrial Revolution, and reinforces Mayfield’s return to prominence in the city amid a .

• MP attends showcase for 91ֱ��'s emissions-busing concrete
• GEIC hosts first exterior pour of graphene-enhanced Concretene
•  (YouTube video)

The material has been developed by the University of Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) and Nationwide Engineering, an innovative company co-founded by a former University of Manchester civil engineering graduate, Alex McDermott.

“This is a huge milestone for the team, as not only is this our first commercial, third-party use of Concretene, but also the first suspended slab as used in high-rise developments.”

“As world leaders in graphene-enhanced concrete technology, the interest from the international building industry has been beyond expectations, as looming legislation is forcing significant carbon reductions throughout construction.”

“Our partnership with the University has fast-tracked the development of Concretene, going from lab to product in 18 months,” added Nationwide Engineering co-founder Rob Hibberd.

Less material, less time

Concretene has great potential to address the construction industry’s need to lower emissions, by reducing the amount of concrete required in construction projects by as much as 30%. It also offers efficiency savings by slashing drying time. Pours of Concretene to date have achieved the equivalent of 28-day strength in just 12 hours.

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@91ֱ�� at the University, said: “We’re delighted to play a part in this exciting project at Mayfield, showcasing how our research can translate into real-world outcomes for sustainability that can be adopted by business and make a major contribution to the city region’s ambitions for net-zero by 2038.

“This 91ֱ��-based technology can also contribute to levelling up by positioning our region as a global R&D centre for sustainable materials for the construction industry – attracting investment, creating new businesses and offering high-wage jobs.”

Arlene van Bosch, Development Director, U+I, added: “Our ambition is for Mayfield to become an exemplar sustainable neighbourhood, where people and planet come first. Innovations such as the use of Concretene are central to realising our vision – we want to push the boundaries of design and construction to create the most environmentally-friendly place possible.

“It’s been brilliant to collaborate with Nationwide Engineering, the GEIC and our partners at Broadwick Live and Escape to Freight Island, who are doing an amazing job of making Mayfield the beating heart of Manchester’s cultural life.”

The pour of the suspended slab at Mayfield marks a significant step towards testing and developing Concretene as a widely-used building material, allowing it to be used as a substitute for concrete on an industrial scale. Graphene for the pour at Mayfield was provided by , a Tier 1 partner of the GEIC.

Leading cause of emissions

Production of cement for concrete is one of the leading causes of global CO2 emissions, producing around 8% of total global emissions.

Most commonly, graphene is a material extracted from graphite but it can be derived from many different products, including recycled plastics or biomass. This makes Concretene a game-changer in the race to lower the industry’s whole-life carbon footprint.

The use of graphene in concrete produces 6.3kg of CO2 per tonne of concrete – a 21.94kg reduction per tonne compared to traditional steel reinforcement. The total estimated reduction in CO2 emissions for this floor slab compared to a traditional concrete solution is 4,265kg.

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Nationwide Engineering, Tier 2 partners of the GEIC, relaid parking bays on the service road adjacent to the Centre on Thursday 2 September, using its graphene-enhanced Concretene product as a ‘living lab’ to test performance in exterior conditions.

Graphene provides sustainability benefits by producing denser, stronger concrete, which allows for the removal of approximately 30% of the volume of material used and removal of all steel reinforcement from the floor slab, while achieving comparable or improved performance to standard concrete. This enables reductions both in carbon footprint and in cost for users.

These tests will help towards the development of standards and certification for Concretene to enable roll-out to the wider building industry supply chain.

In May, Nationwide Engineering undertook at the Southern Quarter gym in Amesbury, Wiltshire.

“Now we are exploring the use of Concretene in road and pavement design to provide a concrete with a higher wear resistance, lower water porosity to prevent frost and salt damage and an increased wear resistance," said Rob Hibberd, director of Nationwide Engineering. "This will provide a longer life-span to the road and require less maintenance.”

The University welcomed guests from the Greater 91ֱ�� policymaking community, including representatives from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and MIDAS, 91ֱ��’s inward investment agency.

Attendees watched the pour and then took part in a discussion session afterwards in the GEIC on the potential for Concretene to deliver significant benefits in the race to achieve net-zero. Concrete production currently accounts for 8-10% of worldwide CO2 emissions.

Tim Newns, CEO of MIDAS, said: “It was a really exciting morning outside the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in 91ֱ�� – the home of graphene – where we saw the first outdoor pouring of Concretene. From a low-carbon, net-zero or environmental perspective, this product could be a real game changer.”

Graphene for the pour was provided by GEIC Tier 1 partner Versarien, offering further evidence of the collaborative approach to projects through , one that enables rapid scale-up and route-to-market for engineering applications using 2D materials.

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@91ֱ��, added: “It was great to continue to build on our partnership with Nationwide Engineering and other GEIC partners in undertaking a further graphene concrete pour outside the GEIC.

"We were pleased to welcome key stakeholders from across government and Greater 91ֱ�� and will continue to collaborate on how graphene can support the sustainability challenge and move towards net-zero. This will lead to further exciting developments over the coming months and towards the acceleration of a key graphene application and in the creation of a supply chain based in Greater 91ֱ��.”

Discover more about Concretene and the GEIC:

 (YouTube video)

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

On 14 July, we welcomed Lord Grimstone of Boscobel Kt, Minister for Investment jointly at the Department for International Trade (DIT) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Lord Grimstone’s trip to the city-region included discussions with Mayor of Greater 91ֱ�� Andy Burnham and a look around the new hub building for , the UK’s national institute for advanced materials research and innovation, based at The University of Manchester.

At the GEIC, Lord Grimstone was given a tour of our labs and shown graphene-enhanced innovations taken from lab to market, including the inov-8 running shoe, now a bestseller, plus a graphene-enhanced concrete (Concretene) that was recently .

“[Graphene@91ֱ�� is] helping companies commercialise new technologies, products and processes that exploit the remarkable properties of graphene and other 2D materials,” said Lord Grimstone. “These innovations will help us drive clean growth and encourage greener investment from around the world.”

James Baker, CEO at Graphene@91ֱ��, said: “We introduced the minister to a range of our industry partners, including large international companies to start-ups and SMEs from our local area. There were some great discussions on how we can support these companies and, in turn, how our materials work in 91ֱ�� can support the government’s levelling up agenda in the North West.”

On 29 July, we entertained two visiting parties, one from the German Embassy to the UK, another from the British Deputy High Commission in Chennai, India.

German Ambassador Andreas Michaelis and Frau Heike Michaelis were joined by representatives from the and on a wide-ranging tour of the city-region, taking in Salford’s Media City and a number of manufacturing sites.

When visiting the GEIC, the party were shown around the Composites Lab and the High Bay, where staff talked through some of our ground-breaking work around low-emissions concrete and anti-corrosion coatings for steel (pictured below).

Andreas Michaelis (above, far left) said: “The University of Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre is one of the world's leading graphene research centres. Many thanks to the team for offering me a fascinating look at the innovative work they are doing and illustrating the many potential areas of application for this 'wonder material'."

Later the same day, Oliver Ballhatchet MBE - the Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai, representing the UK in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry – was accompanied by Shehla Hasan, Executive Director of the 91ֱ�� India Partnership, and Paul Battersby from MIDAS – Greater 91ֱ��’s inward investment agency – as part of a tour given by Paul Wiper, Application Manager and leader of the GEIC’s Bridging the Gap programme, which supports local SMEs pioneering graphene innovation. This programme is funded by the European Regional Development Agency (ERDF).

Among the facilities shown was the lab that Paul manages (pictured above), specialising in chemical vapour deposition (CVD) with advanced equipment for growing few-layer and monolayer graphene and other 2D materials.

“It was a pleasure to showcase the GEIC’s capabilities and world-class equipment with Oliver and we hope for future collaborations,” said Paul.

Top image (l-r): Lord Grimstone; James Baker, CEO Graphene@91ֱ��; Prof Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice Chancellor of The University of Manchester; Professor Richard Jones, Chair of Materials Physics and Innovation Policy; Tim Newns, CEO of MIDAS 91ֱ��

The University of Manchester will take a key role alongside the (NPL) other partners to stimulate and support the rapid growth of the UK’s machinery manufacturing sector as it transitions to highly integrated digital solutions with sophisticated automated and autonomous robotic systems. It will enable invention, realise innovation, and increase the adoption of new machinery and robotics through UK equipment manufacturers.

This funding has been provided through UK Research and Innovation’s flagship Strength in Places Fund (SIPF). This funding provides the stimulus for AMPI in its journey to become a pivotal UK intervention, centred around existing capabilities and research excellence across the North of England. The support provided through AMPI and its partner organisations will provide benefit to businesses across the region, positively impacting direct and indirect local employment, as well as UK industry export.

Professor Luke Georghiou, the University’s Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for business engagement and commercialisation, has said: “We greatly welcome the opportunity AMPI gives us to work with NPL and our other partners to apply our strengths in advanced materials and related technologies to support leading-edge innovation. Bringing together these capabilities will support manufacturers in driving up productivity and making Rochdale and the North of England more generally a globally competitive hub for the sector.”

In the longer term, AMPI is expected to grow the UK’s advanced machinery capability to a £2bn export capacity within 10 years establishing over 30,000 high value manufacturing sector jobs.

NPL will manage the programme and will be working in partnership with Rochdale-based precision machine tool maker Precision Technologies Group (Holroyd), Fives Landis, Wayland Additive, CR Solutions, Rochdale Development Agency, Advanced Machinery & Productivity Initiative Ltd, University of Huddersfield’s Centre for Precision Technologies (CPT), University of Leeds’ Institute of Design, Robotics and Optimisation, The University of Manchester’s Departments of Materials and Electrical and Electronic Engineering and University of Salford’s Centre for Autonomous Systems & Advanced Robotics (ASAR).

The North of England has an active and high concentration of industrial expertise in the design, development and manufacture of complex machinery. This machinery is used in a wide range of industries to manufacture products such as pharmaceuticals, food and drink, and automotive components. The North of England also has some of the world's leading academics in industrial research, including robotics, advanced materials, automation, metrology and artificial intelligence.

In the first industrial revolution it wasn’t the wool or cotton that made the North of England prosper but the machines and the way the wool and cotton was spun and woven in the mills. As we enter the fourth industrial revolution, AMPI and the associated consortium is focussed on developing world leading machinery innovation, automation and production capabilities needed to ensure the productivity, security, and prosperity of the manufacturing sector across Greater 91ֱ�� and West Yorkshire and for the UK economy as a whole.

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said, “Manufacturing has always been key to creating jobs and spreading opportunity. Today’s £22.6 million investment, which could create up to 560 high skilled jobs across West Yorkshire and Greater 91ֱ��, shows that as we move into a world where industry adopts more automated and autonomous robotic systems, this is still the case. This investment is part of the Innovation Strategy we have published today, which outlines how we plan to harness the skills and ingenuity of every corner of the UK in order to cement our status as a global Science Superpower.”

Dr Peter Thompson FREng, CEO, NPL “We are delighted to be leading a strong consortium of industrialists and academics who will be working together to develop the next generation of advanced machinery in a region rich in industrial capability and full of future potential. Measurement is vital to all advanced technology and it is particularly important for the accurate and reliable operation of advanced machinery and the quality of its outputs. Measurement is also a critical enabler for business growth, improving efficiency and productivity, providing confidence through verified products and quality control, as well as faster product development. We are ready to apply our world-leading metrology, the science of measurement, to industrial and applied innovation and to provide confidence in the data associated with this by evaluating uncertainty, providing traceability, and enabling reliable decision-making. NPL’s leadership of this programme is a demonstration of our commitment to deliver impact across the UK, supporting the UK Government’s levelling up agenda.”

Gareth Edwards, AMPI Programme Director, NPL “As the lead of this programme I am delighted to be working with such a strong and passionate consortium of experts. Collaboration and partnership will be at the heart of this initiative and we look forward to engaging with the advanced machinery community as we move forward. Through this programme the team will deliver ground-breaking innovation, provide a platform for UK industry to develop its ideas and be a beacon of diversity and opportunity for people coming into the field.

Dr Tony Bannan OBE, CEO of Precision Technologies Group (Holroyd) “Manufacturing is not only a key driver of economic growth, but also an essential part of the UK economy, contributing £192bn per annum. In short, it’s vital we stay ahead of the game. The UK is the world’s ninth largest manufacturer [Source: Make UK, 2019]. Through AMPI our aim is to help ensure UK manufacturing is equipped to lead the way in the creation of tomorrow’s intelligent, integrated manufacturing technologies – as well as the materials those machine tools will use. We believe that the creation of a new, highly accessible centre for innovation in specialised machinery and machine tool technologies and productivity will help put UK manufacturers of all sizes ahead of their counterparts in Europe and beyond, by focusing on the development of advanced manufacturing processes that don’t exist today.”

Councillor John Blundell cabinet member for economy and communications and board member at the Rochdale Development Agency, “As one of the first industrialised towns in Britain and with a reputation for innovation in manufacturing, Rochdale is the ideal location for AMPI,” The institute will generate wealth, improve skills and deliver prosperity for both Rochdale and the North of England.”

Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, UK Research and Innovation’s Chief Executive said: "UK Research and Innovation funding through the Strength in Places Fund brings researchers, industry and local leadership together in outstanding collaborative programmes that catalyse significant economic growth. The projects funded in this round are excellent illustrations of how local partnerships in research and innovation can contribute to building an inclusive knowledge economy for the UK."

is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

In the face of a fast-growing world population, these numbers are clearly unsustainable and next week (Wed 28 July), a prestigious international event will put a spotlight on food waste - and reveal how graphene-based innovation can make a difference.

The webinar - entitled ‘How can we stop the global food system from destroying our planet?’ - is being hosted jointly by the UAE and UK, in partnership with UAE-UK Business Council.

The webinar brings together industry experts, government representatives and start-ups to share insight and showcase innovation that could significantly change how we manage food, packaging and transport across the supply chain from grower to consumer. .

Who is on the panel?

91ֱ�� entrepreneur Dr Beenish Siddique will be speaking about the innovative agritech around vertical farming and water conservation that she is pioneering at 91ֱ��’s world-class advanced materials accelerator, the .

Enterprise leader Ray Gibbs, from Graphene@91ֱ��, based at The University of Manchester, will be moderating the session and says the issue of food waste is now an urgent one.

He explained: “The global food system is putting immense pressure on our planet’s ecosystems. So much so that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation calls the global food system ‘the single largest driver of environmental degradation and transgression of planetary boundaries’.”

Panellists and guest speakers include:

Keynote Speakers

• Her Excellency Mariam Al-Muhairi, Minister of State for Future Food Security UAE (TBC)
• Lord Udny-Lister, Chairman UAE-UK Business Council
• The Rt Hon Lord Benyon - Parliamentary Under Secretary (DEFRA)
• Najla Al-Midfa, CEO, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre

Panel 1: The Future of Food Sustainability

• Claire Hughes, Director of Products and Innovation, Sainsbury's
• Martin Wickham, food and drink investment specialist at the UK’s Department of International Trade

Panel 2: Using Technology for Change

• Khalid Al Huraimal, CEO Bee'ah (UAE)
• Ignacio Ramirez, Managing Director Winnow (UK)
• Sean Dennis, CEO Seafood Souq (UAE)
• Dr Beenish Siddique, AEH Innovative Hydrogel (UK)

Closing remarks will be given by The Rt Hon Alistair Burt - Chariman Emirates Society.

[main pic: Paul Schellekens on Unsplash]

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Nationwide Engineering, Nanoplexus and Grafmarine have become Tier 2 partners of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), the three very different businesses showcasing the application expertise being developed in our labs and pilot-scale trials (see individual details below).

A Tier 2 Partnership gives participating firms access to GEIC labs, equipment and expertise, plus a managed, low-risk and collaborative approach to explore the possibilities of graphene and other 2D materials from proof of principle through to pre-production.

These new agreements form part of the rapidly expanding innovation network for graphene and 2D materials at The University of Manchester, with sustainability-focused applications demonstrating viability and market impact.

Expanding ecosystem

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@91ֱ��, said: “It is great to add our latest Tier 2 partners to the broadening list of industry partners being developed through the GEIC and the Graphene@91ֱ�� ecosystem.

“The range of different businesses, supply-chain and application areas really shows the breadth of the markets being addressed through graphene and 2D materials. I look forward to seeing our new and existing collaborations and partnerships further develop into new products and applications in the near future.”

The new recruits

Nationwide Engineering
A construction and civil engineering firm, based in Amesbury, Wiltshire, whose new product Concretene – a graphene-enhanced additive mixture – is making an impact around sustainability in the building trade.

The ad-mixture strengthens the concrete by up to 30%, allowing large volumes of material and steel reinforcement to be removed from the process, reducing emissions and costs.

A world-first pour for this engineered concrete solution in a commercial setting – more than 700m² at the Southern Quarter gym in Amesbury – has proven how the product fits into existing batching equipment and processes and can make a significant contribution to reducing the carbon footprint in construction in the UK and worldwide (see video below).

Co-director and founder Alex McDermott said: “After two years working with the GEIC to develop this revolutionary graphene-enhanced concrete, we are delighted to show our long-term commitment by becoming a Tier 2 partner.”

Nanoplexus
A spin-out from The University of Manchester, developing a platform technology based on decoration of 2D material aerogels for novel catalysts, composites and energy systems.

The firm aims to enable scalable and sustainable clean energy infrastructures through a cost-effective material that can be applied in catalyst-based systems such as fuel cells and carbon sequestration units.

Nanoplexus is currently producing and working with a new class of 2D material, known as MXene, and has taken lab space in the GEIC to scale up production, helped by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) .

CEO Jae Jong Byun commented: “Joining the GEIC as a Tier 2 partner enables us to access state-of-the-art facilities that streamline the commercialisation process, especially for capital intensive start-ups like ours. The GEIC ecosystem allows us to network with experts and potentially look for collaborations that can broaden Nanoplexus’ scope.”

Grafmarine
A renewable energy business developing a new type of integrated solar power generation and storage system, to turn any surface into a power generating and storage cluster. The technology is capable of being deployed in any scale clusters and is modular, scalable and future updatable.

As the marine sector edges towards zero emissions, Grafmarine’s energy deck will challenge the reliance on heavy marine fuels in propulsion and port power by providing an alternative source of renewable energy. The firm is currently engaging with marine development partners in several key sectors, before manufacture in 2022/3, with a target to provide a vessel with full renewable propulsion power within 3-6 years.

Martin Leigh, Technology Director, said: "As a 91ֱ��-based SME, Grafmarine is delighted to partner Graphene@91ֱ�� in the development of energy storage materials. We look forward to be part of graphene's wider commercialisation success into the future, as we continue to develop our advanced materials."

Graphene@91ֱ�� offers a range of options for industrial engagement. Find out more in the of our website, or fill in the to get in touch directly.

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

The first prize of £50,000, awarded on Friday 9 July, will go towards developing the concept further within the Graphene@91ֱ�� innovation ecosystem, alongside access to specialist equipment and expertise at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC).

Dr Koncherry, a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Materials at The University of Manchester, has already shown his entrepreneurial abilities around 2D materials, with his SpaceMat product using waste rubber to deliver high-performing recycled flooring to market.

This next innovation proposes to raise the technology readiness level of new composites for space applications, using the model of future habitats on the Moon and Mars.

Vivek’s team was supported with design and engineering concepts by US architects , the firm behind the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

The second prize of £20,000 was awarded to Niting Zeng, a post-doc and teaching assistant in the Directorate for Student Experience at 91ֱ��, for CATALight: a wastewater treatment system that uses a combination of sunlight and 2D materials to degrade pollutants via so-called ‘photocatalysis’.

The product will reduce costs in numerous ways, including electricity usage, machinery investment, maintenance and construction activities, crucially fitting into existing systems of water treatment.

The judging panel – drawn from senior leadership at the University, including the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) and the GEIC – were full of praise for all five finalists in the competition and stressed the potential for further development of Deaking Bio-hybrid Materials, Clean Energy Underground and Nanocomb Technologies, more details of which are available via the links below.

• Details of the Eli and Britt Harari shortlist

Vivek Koncherry said: “I want to thank all the organisers of the awards for all the help and support they’ve given me throughout. I did my undergrad, Master’s, PhD and now post-doc all at 91ֱ��, so I feel like part of the family and there’s an ecosystem here to support innovation and entrepreneurship.

“Manufacturing a scale-model of a space habitat is an ambitious task and this award will bring my dream of doing that one step closer.

“To do something big, you need partners and we’re also open to collaboration to do something as challenging as building a permanent settlement in space.”

Lynn Sheppard, Director of MEC and chair of the judging panel, said: “Both of the winning ideas in this year’s awards truly exemplify this competition and I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of you in the future.”

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

This week (Tuesday 25 May), researchers at The University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute (NGI) have published a study in  showing a dramatic decrease in friction when water is passed through nanoscale capillaries made of graphene, whereas those with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) - which has a similar surface topography and crystal structure as graphene - display high friction.

The team also demonstrated that water velocity could be selectively controlled by covering the high friction hBN channels with graphene, opening the door to greatly increased permeation and efficiency in so-called ‘smart membranes’.

Fast and selective fluid-flows are common in nature – for example in protein structures called aquaporins that transport water between cells in animals and plants. However, the precise mechanisms of fast water-flows across atomically flat surfaces are not fully understood.

Co-authors of the study (from left to right): Yi You,Solleti Goutham, Radha Boya and Ashok Keerthi

The investigations of the 91ֱ�� team, led by Professor Radha Boya, have shown that - in contrast to the widespread belief that all atomically flat surfaces that are hydrophobic should provide little friction for water flow - in fact the friction is mainly governed by electrostatic interactions between flowing molecules and their confining surfaces.

Dr Ashok Keerthi, first author of the study, said: “Though hBN has a similar water wettability as graphene and MoS₂, it surprised us that the flow of water is totally different! Interestingly, roughened graphene surface with few angstroms deep dents/terraces, or atomically corrugated MoS₂ surface, did not hinder water flows in nanochannels”.

Therefore, an atomically smooth surface is not the only reason for frictionless water flow on graphene. Rather the interactions between flowing water molecules and confining 2D materials play a crucial role in imparting the friction to the fluid transport inside nanochannels.

Useful in evaporation processes

Professor Boya said: “We have shown that nanochannels covered with graphene at the exits display enhance water flows. This can be very useful to increase the water flux from membranes, especially in those processes where evaporation is involved, such as distillation or thermal desalination.”

Understanding of liquid friction and interactions with pore materials is vital to the development of efficient membranes for applications such as energy storage and desalination. This latest study adds to an increasingly influential body of work from the researchers at the NGI, as 91ֱ�� reinforces its position at the forefront of nanofluidic research towards improved industrial applications for sectors including wastewater treatment, pharmaceutical production and food and beverages.

You can read more about the group’s work at the following links:

• Ultra-fast gas flows through tiniest holes in 2D membranes
• 91ֱ��: bringing clean water to the world
• Molymem: 91ֱ�� spin-out brings innovative water filtration tech to market

Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

The 2021 event – held from 26-30 April and run by PhD students from The University of Manchester – was hosted virtually due to Covid restrictions but the online platform had the benefit of turning the competition into a truly global affair. 

Thirty-five teams from around the world, including participants from Argentina, India and Indonesia, worked throughout the week on their ideas before pitching to a panel of industry experts.

Alongside the challenge element, the Hackathon team also produced a series of , detailing the uses and deployment of graphene in different fields, from water desalination to computing and space applications.

Attendees also took part in Q&A sessions with experts in graphene research and development, including pioneer and Nobel laureate Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov (below).

The event was hosted at the Bright Building at 91ֱ�� Science Park, generously provided free by Hackathon sponsor Bruntwood SciTech. MC duties were provided by science communicator, comedian and  Dr Luke Chaplin.

In the winners’ circle

First prize in the Healthcare Challenge went to the SENSE team for their smart, chronic wound-monitoring patch. They won £250, plus an additional £100 Innovation Prize, three months’ office space at Alderley Park (also courtesy of Bruntwood SciTech) and an hour’s IP consultancy time with Potter Clarkson.

Winners in the Sustainable Industry Challenege were Honeycomb Ink, with low-cost piezoelectric energy harvesting floor tiles for festivals and public events. They won £250, plus a £65 award from LABMAN Automation.

Other winners included:

• FRAS Sustainable Solutions: retrofitting graphene thermal management for plane wings to prevent ice formation.
• Nanocomb: eTextile muscle movement monitor for elite athletes, dubbed a ‘physio in your pocket’.
• Graphene Prosthetics Ltd: graphene nerve conduction prosthetics to alleviate phantom nerve pain in amputees.
• Hex: mattress topper sleep tracker.

Scott Dean, founder of , was a member of the Hackathon organising team of PhD researchers and said: “Hosting the Graphene Hackathon virtually this year gave us the opportunity to reach further than ever before. 

“We were amazed at the quality of the teams’ ideas, from energy harvesting systems to next-gen wireless chargers and remote health monitoring solutions. Each idea was very different from the next and each enabled by the same material – graphene.

“We are very grateful to our wonderful sponsors for all their support in making this event so successful, and to all the teams for their hard work.”

Scott also thanked the judging panel, featuring senior staff from LABMAN, Bruntwood SciTech, the Henry Royce Institute, Catalyst by Masdar, Nixene Publishing and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre.

You can view the videos produced for this year’s event at the and find out more at .

The firm is also in the process of increasing its presence and capabilities in the  (GEIC) at The University of Manchester.

The new company will work in partnership with the University as part of a global strategic alliance, with the aim of becoming a leading developer of graphene-enhanced products in the Americas.

Gerdau Graphene will operate independently from its parent company's steel business divisions. It will offer pioneering technology to the construction, industrial and automotive lubricants, rubber, thermoplastics, coatings and sensors industries in Brazil and in countries across North America.

The new company is part of the portfolio of Gerdau Next, the new business division launched by Gerdau in the second half of 2020 to operate in new segments apart from steel.

Global credibility

"Our market entry is unique, thanks to our proposition of making graphene production on a large scale commercially viable," explained Alexandre Corrêa, General Manager of Gerdau Graphene.

"We are reaching the market with the advantage of being part of a solid group that enjoys high global credibility, whilst operating under the philosophy of open innovation in collaboration with multiple ecosystems and partners."

“We have already been working with graphene in 91ֱ�� – the ‘home of graphene’ – since 2019. Thanks to strategic alliances already established in this new business, we are confident that Gerdau Graphene will be an important player in the Americas.”

Gerdau has been researching graphene for four years. In 2019, it entered into a partnership with the GEIC to conduct research on graphene. At the time, Gerdau joined a select group of companies across the globe with exclusive space for research at the GEIC, a global centre of excellence in graphene innovation, whose leaders advocates open innovation and collaboration.

“Having Gerdau as a Tier 1 Partner of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre has been rewarding for all concerned,” said James Baker, CEO Graphene@91ֱ��.

“This is a company that has a strong heritage but also continues to pioneer and through Gerdau Graphene will open a new chapter for partnership and collaboration between us. This is a very exciting opportunity.”

Expanding network in 91ֱ��

Senior Project Manager for Gerdau Graphene, Danilo Mariano, who is based in the GEIC, added: “When you live for advanced materials innovation there is no better place to be in Europe than 91ֱ��.

“We are adding personnel and equipment to support material platform development in our lab space in the GEIC. We’re also expanding our collaborations within academia through as well as partnering with high-potential start-ups.”

David Hilton, Head of Business Development (Advanced Manufacturing) for , Greater 91ֱ��’s inward investment agency, said: “It’s fantastic news that Gerdau want to grow their business working in a strategic partnership with 91ֱ�� after experiencing the huge value of working at the GEIC and the support of the wider ecosystem based in 91ֱ��.”

Gerdau Graphene already has strategic alliances with major graphene developers, including fellow GEIC Tier 1 Partner First Graphene, with whom Gerdau signed in March 2021. In the Brazilian market, it has strategic partnerships in the automotive sector with Baterias Moura and SKF do Brasil to develop applications in energy storage, rubber, composites and coatings.

 is one of The University of Manchester’s  - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

As employers look to safely open up their workplaces after the COVID-19 lockdown an enterprising scientist from The University of Manchester has developed a new solution that could help workers monitor their analogue equipment from home.

Dr Tom McNamara, a PhD graduate from the prestigious (MIB) and who has studied biochemistry and materials science, has set up a spin-out company to develop analogue-to-digital technology which could be used in scientific, medical, industrial or agricultural environments.Tom’s latest product is the FreeUP system that can digitise virtually any analogue dial and so enable workers to remotely monitor equipment that is fixed in their workplace – and be alerted by text if there is an emergency reading. Current test applications are as diverse as monitoring equipment in a state-of-the-art science institute to a high-tech milking parlour.

“FreeUP would allow automated monitoring of dials which would reduce the need for people to enter buildings and instead, allow workers to remotely monitor a range of activities, such as the consumption of gas from a cylinder or the level of vacuum pressure within a specialist machine,” explained Tom.

“As well as supporting remote working the FreeUP technology is specifically designed to be easy to set up and use. Highly complex sensor systems just won’t be adopted in some sectors and I could see there was a gap in the market – I believe FreeUP is a very easy and effective way to retrofit and upgrade a range of analogue systems.”

The FreeUP system does this by simply mounting a smart camera directly in front of a dial that needs regular monitoring. The dial face can be ‘read’ just like a human eye by using a highly complex computer code created by Tom - this real time data is then transferred to the cloud allowing common devices, such as smart phones and laptops, to be used to remotely view this information at any time.

This provides accurate historical data which helps to predict when to take action or to analyse trends to help pinpoint any glitches.

The system has been tested in the (NGI), a £61milion purpose-built facility to support research and innovation at The University of Manchester. The NGI, which has an argon gas supply system running to various research labs - and this required multiple pressure checks throughout the day to spot if any bottles were running low and therefore needed changing. With the new system in place NGI staff received notifications when a bottle change was needed.

In another trial, , a leader in land-based education, is using FreeUP technology so that they are able to review the operating pressure of its milking parlour.The FreeUP start-up has been supported by UMI3 Ltd, the soon to be renamed University of Manchester Innovation Factory, the University’s own subsidiary responsible for identifying and leading the commercialisation of its innovations and intellectual property.  

For more information visit: https://freeup.world/

The University of Manchester is repurposing specialised equipment across its campus to help produce safety equipment for NHS workers battling COVID-19 in an attempt to help reduce the critical demand across the region.

In a combined effort with other universities, including Salford and MMU, The University is utilising 3D printing capabilities to design and make headbands for protective facemasks worn by frontline NHS medical staff in hospitals.

With nearly 50 printers across the University it is aimed that around 500 additional mask headbands can be produced per week. The face shield is being laser cut by regional commercial suppliers and assembled at .

Professor Brian Derby is coordinating the 3D printing response at The University of Manchester, he said: “3D printing has allowed the Greater 91ֱ��-based team to progress rapidly from concept, to prototypes, which allowed infection control teams to validate the design and enable the production of PPE acceptable for use in the regions hospitals.”

A team of experimental officers and technical staff who can operate the 3D printers have volunteered to work on site to help with the surge in demand. Measured steps are being taken in an effort to reduce staff travel to minimise risk. NHS staff will collect the masks from the University campus on a daily basis to help resupply their essential stock of PPE.

The University of Manchester is assisting the NHS by mobilising its staff, laboratory space and equipment as part of a collective effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in a fast moving and rapidly changing situation.

The University of Manchester has established a COVID-19 research rapid response group through which scientists are working with NHS colleagues from 91ֱ�� University NHS Foundation Trust and the , supported by , and utilising our experimental and translational research expertise through the NHIR 91ֱ��  and .

Much sought after personal protective equipment (PPE) is also being donated by the University in the midst of a global shortage. Some high-spec or environmentally controlled laboratories including biomedical labs and graphene cleanroom labs, require users to wear PPE including; goggles, gloves and facemasks.

A stock of PPE including 47,660 pairs of nitrile gloves and 200 pairs of protective goggles has now been donated to local health practices to help safeguard doctors and nurses with further stock to be audited and offered.

Elsewhere the which is based at The University of Manchester and with national links to industry and academia has put out to link industry partners with NHS colleagues in order to help industry understand and solve problems faced by the nation’s medical staff in a rapidly changing environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At The University of Manchester, our people are working together and with partners from across society to understand coronavirus (COVID-19) and its wide-ranging impacts on our lives. to support the University’s response to coronavirus or visit the University’s  to lend a helping hand.

Advanced materials research at The University of Manchester has demonstrated a comprehensive picture of the evolution of damage in braided textile composites for the first time. This could lead the way to new design and implementation possibilities for next-generation aerospace engineers.

High-specification composite materials can be precisely engineered to suit applications with confidence thanks to new imaging techniques. Textile composites in particular offer great potential in creating light-weight damage-tolerant structures. However, their uptake in the high value manufacturing sector has been inhibited by lack of adequate design and material performance data.

As a result of new research published today in the , braided textile composites could be designed with confidence for applications ranging from, aerospace and automotive drive shafts, to sporting equipment such as hockey sticks. Braiding technology had a humble beginning in the textile industry for making such items as shoe laces. Today, the integration of robotics and advanced industrial systems has propelled this technology into the high value manufacturing domain in sectors such as, aerospace, automotive and energy.

Now for the first time unique 3D imaging processes have provided real-time data of how carbon fibre composite tubes perform under structural loading, which provides a blueprint for maximising efficiency of materials used across industry.

The breakthrough research was led by a team from The University of Manchester and could prolong the lifespan of mechanical systems reliant on materials by definitively demonstrating load and stress points at which damage initiates and progresses from sub-critical to critical damage state.

By utilising real-time stress and damage tensor data along with developing bespoke composites design tools, future composites will be designed scientifically rather than through copycatting current designs which play to the requirements and weaknesses of metals currently used in industry.

The scientists leading this research are also prominent scientists from the soon-to-open , based at The University of Manchester. One for the Royce is in performance and degradation to enable the design of new materials, systems and coatings for a range of applications including; energy, marine, aerospace and automotive.

Professor , Chief Scientist of the Royce, said: “In-situ X-ray imaging has allowed us to shed light on the 3D nature of the initiation and propagation of damage mechanisms in composite tubes for the first time”.

The materials tested and examined in this work were braided carbon fibre composite tubes which are fabricated by braiding the fibre tows into a continuous interlaced helices. Recent advances show there is considerable scope for tailoring braided structure to suit specific service requirements. This flexibility also challenges the design and manufacturing process of braided composites. This means the way engineers develop applications can start to be seen in a different light for the next generations of aircraft for example.

Prof Prasad Potluri, Research Director of the said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to push the advanced braiding technology through the technology readiness levels with the aid of the in situ X-ray imaging facility at the Henry Royce Institute”.

 is one of The University of Manchester’s  - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

The paper, Damage evolution in braided composite tubes under torsion studied by in-situ X-ray computed tomography by Withers, Potluri et al is available in the .

Researchers from have developed new, “aerodynamic” materials, which have been sent to the International Space Station (ISS) for testing.

The materials were carried to the ISS from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, in a science carrier from Alpha Space Test & Research Alliance of Houston, Texas, on-board a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply vehicle which launched on 2 November.

Now deployed on the exterior of the ISS, the materials will be exposed to the harsh LEO (Low Earth Orbit) environment, to investigate their erosion properties. After six months, they will be returned to Earth for analysis, where it is hoped they will be used in a new generation of very-low-orbit satellites.

The experiments form part of the , a Horizon 2020 project on which the University is the lead partner. DISCOVERER is developing technologies to enable the commercially viable operation of satellites in very low Earth orbits, below an altitude of around 450 km, where drag from the residual atmosphere has a significant impact on spacecraft design.

The material samples on a transfer tray, going into the airlock for external deployment.

Dr Peter Roberts, scientific coordinator for DISCOVERER and principal investigator for the University’s contribution, commented on the launch; “If the materials have the properties we believe that they do, they have the potential to significantly reduce the drag acting on satellites in very low orbits, opening a new orbital regime for communications and remote sensing satellites.”

He added; “Very low Earth orbits have many benefits, improving payload performance whilst also allowing satellites to be smaller and use less power. They also represent a uniquely sustainable environment in low Earth orbit as atmospheric drag rapidly removes space debris and uncontrolled satellites when they reach the end of their operational lives.”

As part of the DISCOVERER project, the University is also helping to develop a small satellite, called the Satellite for Orbital Aerodynamics Research (SOAR). Due to be launched in summer 2020, SOAR will further investigate the aerodynamic properties of the materials, by examining the drag and lift of the spacecraft.

In addition, the DISCOVERER project has developed a Rarefied Orbital Aerodynamics Research facility (ROAR). Here, researchers are able to replicate the flow of gases at orbital velocities to determine how the gas scatters from materials.

The ISS deployment was made possible by Alpha Space Test & Research Alliance, which owns and operates the (MISSE) facility, under agreements with NASA and the International Space Station National Laboratory (ISSNL).

The DISCOVERER project has received funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, under grant agreement No. 737183.

Luke Collinson, 20, is in the first year of a five year engineering degree at The University of Manchester and has been honoured as ‘Construction and Engineering Undergraduate of the Year’ at this year’s .

At 15 Luke had been unable to go to school for years because of family problems and shortly afterwards he was taken into care. He went on to achieve A-levels in maths, physics and chemistry, while living alone. Now Luke has been honoured at the prestigious awards ceremony presented by Rachel Riley in Canary Wharf, along with thirteen other winners.

“It feels surreal.” Luke said. “I’m not usually someone who wins awards. I’m not the most intelligent, best at grades or historically the best student but I think I have a unique skillset that my upbringing in the care system has given me that gave me a competitive edge.”

The national competition received 4,542 entries from 138 different universities across the UK. Reaching the final is a huge achievement for the student finalists and particularly for Luke as only , compared with 50% for the general population.

“Personally, it has really helped with my self-confidence, I feel so proud of myself to have won an award so early on in my academic career. For people like me from the background I’ve come from we don’t usually get to university, let alone win awards, so it’s so amazing to have people believe in me and has given me the motivation to apply for other awards and make the very most of my time at university.

“I think there are two big issues facing current university students, finances and mental health. I think finances are a big problem especially for someone who has come from living on £50 a week benefits. Having £5k dropped into your bank account at the start of the year along with the intense party ethos can be really quite damaging to people who don’t understand how to handle those sorts of finances, and I think that’s one of the biggest learning curves this year I am extremely proud to have overcome.

“Secondly, mental health is something I only really considered was a big part of my life when it got to a point around Christmas and I was on my own in my halls of residence. I have taken this first year as a massive learning curve and am a much better person for it. I think the mental health team at the university are absolutely amazing and are honestly lifesaving.”

As well as the award Luke managed to secure a full summer internship at construction firm following the completion of his first year of University.

“I managed to win an iPad, a glass trophy which currently sits in my room and a full summer internship at Laing O’Rourke which is practically unheard of for a first year. Unlike most care leavers I’ve had two amazing sisters who both had to overcome extreme family hardship who have helped carve the way for me to get here. They both went to 91ֱ�� and are now exceptionally successful; one being a barrister and the other a fully qualified doctor. I’m so immensely proud of them and they inspire me to keep going no matter what.”

“At the moment I’m just trying to make myself as employable as possible by taking lots of electives, courses and work experience so when I do graduate I’ll have the top pick of jobs available.”

The number of female professional engineers in the UK is around 11% and the number of women in technical level roles, where job growth is greatest, is much lower*. Therefore there is still much work to be done to change this, and it is crucial that we continue to raise the profile of female engineers, encourage girls to study STEM subjects and inspire women to realise their potential in engineering.

This event is just one of the small ways that we are proactively celebrating and supporting gender diversity and inclusion in engineering here in the School. The ‘Celebrating Women in Engineering’ evening showcased some of the many talented female engineers we have here and aimed to tackle some of the misconceptions in engineering, and explore how female engineers can overcome potential barriers and further the diversity agenda in engineering.

We warmly welcomed a panel of female engineers from MACE- including academics, researchers, technical staff and two recent alumnae- to share their thoughts and experiences of their journey into their role in engineering, which sparked some great questions from the audience. Following the keynote speeches from the panel, there was an opportunity for attendees to network over some refreshments and get to know each other a little better.

The event was a great success, but don’t just take our word for it- watch our short video of highlights from the event to hear more!

*data from Women’s Engineering Society

Primary school teachers should encourage children to tinker, play, and experiment more in the classroom and even “embrace failure” to help encourage and develop a new generation of engineers.

That’s according to a new, from and the Royal Academy of Engineers (RAEng). Its authors also say there is lack of engineering-related teaching and a shortage of teachers in primary schools with a strong understanding of careers in engineering.

Schemes to boost engineering engagement for primary school-aged pupils are limited in comparison to those for older age groups. The lack of focus, in turn, is creating a skills shortage by the time pupils get to secondary, further and higher education where a lot of the initiatives to improve STEM engagement are currently being aimed.

Therefore, the report’s authors question whether the current primary education system has the capacity to help meet the forecasted shortfall in engineers over the coming years. Sector estimates say the profession is currently short of up to 20,000 graduate engineers a year, and up to 186,000 skilled recruits a year up to 2024.

To combat these the report says more funding and support is needed for primary teachers and engineering should be embedded in the primary curriculum, promoting more structured tinkering and playing at its core.

and of the (SEERIH) at the University of Manchester led the three-year Tinkering4Learning project that underpins the report, working with 30 teachers from 12 schools across Greater 91ֱ��.

Dr Lynne Bianchi, Director of SEERIH and the report’s co-author, said: “Engineering does not typically exist in primary school curricula and we strongly recommend a focus on enriching the opportunities where young people can experience how engineering impacts on all of our lives.

“Within mainstream education as well as in extracurricular activity or at afterschool clubs, we know that young people thrive on the opportunity to get hands on with real life challenges, and enjoy the collaborative experience of both success and indeed overcoming failure.

“As the Government places a greater emphasis on the industrial strategy we see a window of opportunity to embed creative engineering thematic curriculum in primary schools.”

To do this the report has developed seven principles of engineering education in primary and secondary schools to help encourage children to think and learn as an engineer at a much earlier age. To develop these principles the researchers worked closely with teachers to test how and why ‘tinkering’ could be a help them and their pupils work and learn in “playful, experimental, practical and make-rich ways”.

At the heart of these principles is empowering teachers to be creative when getting children to learn about engineering, this includes simply playing, tinkering and not being afraid of failure or making mistakes.

Co-author and SEERIH’s Engineering Champion, Dr Jonathan Chippindall, added: “We accept that using the term tinkering in this way could lead to potential misunderstandings with the general premise of tinkering is an act of aimless exploration or activity, however, we can ensure the activities identified within this report are structured and purposeful.

“We found teachers responded positively to the opportunity for creative teaching and learning. With senior leadership support, commitment and bravery, teachers can find the space for engineering education to underpin and thrive within mainstream primary school settings.”

The report also recommends teachers themselves should come together more often to share best professional practice, not just with each other but other sector stakeholders including engineers, academics and students, although this can be tricky due to a teacher’s demanding schedule.

Dr Bianchi said: “We understand this could be difficult as teacher commitment required for this approach is high. It is also challenged by current funding and accountability pressures in the school system, which require teacher classroom ‘release time’ to be limited, or targeted at high-impact activity. It’s essential that senior leaders embrace a new phase of opportunity that not only enhances young people’s life chances, but also enriches their learning experience today through engaging, rich and collaborative learning that has relevance and meaning to things they see in their everyday lives.”

The 91ֱ�� Engineering Campus Development (MECD) – one of the largest capital projects ever undertaken by a UK higher education institution – has celebrated a key milestone in its construction.

A special event today marked the ‘topping out’ of the landmark development, a world-class facility that will benefit staff, students and visitors. MECD will house the University’s engineering disciplines, innovative teaching spaces and research institutes such as and the BP International Centre for Advanced Materials ().

The topping out ceremony was led by Professor Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, and Leo Quinn, the Group CEO of Balfour Beatty. As guests watched, the University’s Director of Estates and Facilities Diana Hampson, the Vice-President/Dean of Professor Martin Schröder and Balfour Beatty’s Chief Executive Dean Banks joined Nancy and Leo to sign a steel girder which marks the highest point of the new facility.

The £400 million project forms an essential part of The University of Manchester’s ten-year . It will support the University’s strategic goals by providing an outstanding learning environment and student experience, supporting world class research and further enabling the university’s social responsibility agenda.

Located near Oxford Road, MECD will consolidate the majority of the University’s estate onto one main campus, creating a more compact and coherent infrastructure that reduces the institution’s carbon footprint and costs. The move will also free up considerable land holdings in the north of the campus, enabling the University to play a significant role in the future economic success of the city by developing the site into a world-class innovation district over the next 20 years.

Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “For well over a century The University of Manchester has celebrated many achievements in science and engineering, and across our other disciplines too. The University’s impact on and contribution to society is constantly evolving and this can be vividly seen through our buildings.

“MECD will create a world-leading teaching, learning and research facility to develop the engineers, scientists and innovators of tomorrow.”

Diana Hampson, Director of Estates and Facilities at The University of Manchester, added: “The 91ֱ�� Engineering Campus Development will create state-of-the-art facilities that will put the University at the forefront of engineering globally, helping attract even more world-class talent to the institution. We are proud to provide such an exceptional space for our exceptional people.”

Key partners in the development include , concept architects , detail architects , project managers , project engineers and cost managers .

Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty Group Chief Executive, said: “We are proud to be working with the University of Manchester to deliver this innovative and world-class facility. I’m certain it will add to the UK’s reputation for engineering excellence - and encourage and inspire the next generations of expert engineers who will study here and help to shape our future.”

Upon completion, the development will host a wide range of flexible hi-specification laboratories and lecture spaces to welcome up to 7,000 students and 1,300 staff. MECD will also incorporate blended learning facilities, workshops and a ‘maker space’ where students will see their engineering creations come to life. Students will have the opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects ranging from artificial intelligence and robotics to sustainable energy solutions and space craft. Upon completion, the facility will benefit from ‘green’ construction techniques resulting in smart energy consumption and advanced water recycling and waste systems.

At peak construction, the project will employ a workforce of 1,000, including multiple apprenticeships and graduate placements. The project will also create new job opportunities for local people through the University’s , which provides local residents with exposure to career opportunities in the construction sector. The project team will maximise the use of off-site manufacturing and the latest technology to optimise construction efficiency and deliver a smart facility of the highest standard.

For more information, visit .

A University of Manchester PhD student has developed a prototype flexible heat shield for spacecraft that could reduce the cost of space travel and even aid future space missions to Mars.

Heat shields are essentially used as the brakes to stop spacecraft burning up and crashing on entry and re-entry into a planet’s atmosphere. This design is the first in the world to utilise centrifugal forces that stiffen lightweight materials to prevent burnup.

Current spacecraft heat shield methods include huge inflatables and mechanically deployed structures that are often heavy and complicated to use.

Rui Wu, from 91ֱ��’s , says as well as being lightweight in design is prototype is also “self-regulating”. This means there is no need for any additional machinery, reducing the weight of spacecraft even further and allowing for low-cost scientific research and recovery of rocket parts.

He says: “Spacecraft for future missions must be larger and heavier than ever before, meaning that heat shields will become increasingly too large to manage.”

To address this demand Wu and his team have developed a flexible heat shield that is shaped like a skirt and spins like a sycamore seed. Planets with atmospheres, such as Earth and Mars, allow spacecraft to utilise aerodynamic drag to slow down and the prototype’s design uses this to enable atmospheric entry.

“This is similar to high board diving, where the drag from water decelerates your body before you reach the bottom of the swimming pool,” Wu explains.

The fast entry into Earth’s atmosphere generates so much heat – over 10,000 ˚C – that the air around the spacecraft can burn into plasma. For safe atmospheric entry, spacecraft need a front end, or shield, that tolerates high heat as well as an aerodynamic shape that generates drag.

However, Unlike Earth, the Martian atmosphere is very thin. “If Earth re-entry is like diving into thick honey, Mars entry would be like diving into water,” Wu says.

To carry heavy equipment and astronauts, a high drag area is needed. When entering Earth’s or Mars’ atmospheres, spacecraft require highly designed shields to avoid burnup, generate drag, and support heavy loads. Wu’s design potentially solves both issues.

The prototype is made of a flexible material that allows for easy storage on board spacecraft. This material, while foldable, is strong and has a high temperature tolerance. The shield is also stitched along a special pattern that allows it to spin up during flight, inducing centrifugal force.

Wu sees his design helping with space-based scientific research and rescue missions in the future. He adds: “More and more research is being conducted in space, but this is usually very expensive and the equipment has to share a ride with other vehicles.

“Since this prototype is lightweight and flexible enough for use on smaller satellites, research could be made easier and cheaper. The heat shield would also help save cost in recovery missions, as its high induced drag reduces the amount of fuel burned upon re-entry.”

 is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons []

Reference: The paper was published in the journal Rui Wua, Peter C.E.Roberts a Constantinos Soutis (b) Carl Diver (a) School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, UK(b) The University of Manchester Aerospace Research Institute, UK 

The Royal Society is awarding Professor Danielle George the prestigious .

The award is given to scientists and engineers who show unparalleled dedication and excellence in communicating science to audiences beyond the traditional science and academic community.

Professor George, who is Vice Dean for Teaching and Learning in the , and a Professor of Radio Frequency Engineering, said: “I always say that everything is engineered in our imagination but I never imagined I’d be awarded such an accolade! I’m deeply honoured.”

The academic is a huge advocate of making science accessible to anyone and everyone outside academia and has dedicated her career to promoting science communications.  

She added: “I’m so passionate about raising public awareness of the positive impact engineering has all aspects of our everyday lives and highlighting to young people the immense depth and breadth of opportunities a career in engineering can offer."

This latest accolade is just another in a long line awarded to Prof George for her dedication in reaching a wider audience with her science. Previous awards include Royal Academy of Engineering Rooke Award for public promotion of Engineering and being appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to engineering through public engagement.

She is also an Ambassador for the BBC Learning Science campaign and President of the Association for Science and Education for 2017. She is also on the National Advisory Group for the Future Teaching Scholars Programme.

The award is named after , the influential inventor and electrical pioneer who was prominent in the public communication of science and founded the Christmas lectures at the Royal Institution.

James Baker has been announced as Chief Executive Officer for Graphene@91ֱ�� which leads business-facing development of and 2D materials at .

Graphene@91ֱ�� includes the (NGI) and the new (GEIC).

James was previously Graphene Business Director at the NGI having joined the University in 2014. Previously he spent 25 years in industry where, most recently, he was Vice-President of Technology Collaboration Programmes and Managing Director of the Advanced Technology Centres for in the UK.

As CEO, James will lead the acceleration, application and commercialisation of these new materials and technologies. Recently the University announced that a graphene-enhanced specialist would be on-sale later this year after research collaboration with British sportswear brand . Laboratory tests have shown that the rubber outsoles of these shoes, are stronger, more stretchy and more resistant to wear thanks to the incorporation of graphene.

This year will see the opening of the GEIC housed in the recently named ‘ Building’, named after the Abu Dhabi-based clean energy and renewable energy company and key funders of the GEIC building. The GEIC will complement the existing NGI to create a critical mass of graphene expertise made up of scientists, engineers, innovators and industrialists.

Commenting on his new position James said: “I am delighted with what we have achieved in graphene research and commercialisation here in 91ֱ�� to date. We are now developing the next phase of the graphene story in our city with the imminent opening of the GEIC.

“We’re already working with over 80 companies and a number of key strategic partners which means that right here in 91ֱ��, the home of graphene, we now have an exceptional infrastructure to accelerate the implementation of graphene and related materials applications.”

Housing leading industry expertise in collaboration with academics, the GEIC will focus on pilot production and material characterisation, together with in composites, energy, solution formulations and coatings, electronics, and membranes.

The facilities and close ties with industry will help research breakthroughs progress by developing innovative products and industrial processes by understanding the issues involved in manufacturing and scale up. The GEIC will allow new applications such as graphene membranes for water desalination, or next-generation batteries for electric vehicles to develop industry-ready prototypes.

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester said: “James’ wealth of experience and background in industry has been vital for attracting major commercial companies to work with the University on exciting graphene and 2D materials projects.

“Together the NGI and GEIC, with support from major companies, SMEs, entrepreneurs and innovators provide an unrivalled critical mass of graphene expertise in the heart of the . This innovation ecosystem is key to creating a within 91ֱ��.”

The GEIC is set to officially open later in 2018. The building is funded by Masdar, the Higher Education Funding Council for England's UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF), Innovate UK, European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Local Growth Fund.

Contract represents one of the largest capital developments ever undertaken by a UK higher education institution.

The University of Manchester has today announced that the £287 million contract to construct the 91ֱ�� Engineering Campus Development (MECD) has been formally awarded to Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group.

The four-year project forms an essential part of The University of Manchester’s ten-year to create a world-class estate benefitting staff, students and visitors.

This will support the University’s strategic goals of creating world-class research, providing an outstanding learning environment and student experience and social responsibility. will provide a state-of-the-art facility, housing the University’s schools, innovative teaching spaces and research institutes such as and the BP- International Centre for Advanced Materials ().

It will consolidate the majority of the University’s estate onto one main campus, creating a more compact and coherent infrastructure that reduces the institution’s carbon footprint and costs. MECD will also free up considerable land holdings in the north of the campus, contributing to the future economic success of the city with redevelopment opportunities in a prime city centre location.

Upon completion, the facility will benefit from ‘green’ construction techniques resulting in smart energy consumption and advanced water recycling and waste systems. The development will host a wide range of flexible hi-specification laboratories and lecture spaces to welcome up to 7,000 students and 1,300 staff. MECD will also incorporate blended learning facilities, workshops and a ‘maker space’ where students will see their engineering creations come to life.

At peak construction, the project will employ a workforce of 1,000, including multiple apprenticeships and graduate placements. The project will also create new job opportunities for unemployed local people through the University’s Construction Academy, which provides local residents with exposure to career opportunities in the construction sector. The project team will maximise the use of off-site manufacture and the latest in BIM technology to optimise construction efficiency and deliver a smart facility of the highest standard.

Dean Banks, Managing Director, UK Construction Services, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to construct the MECD, one of the largest single developments ever undertaken by a higher education institution in the UK.

“We have extensive expertise in the higher education sector having delivered schemes such as the Holyrood postgraduate village at the University of Edinburgh, The Diamond building for the Engineering Faculty for the University of Sheffield, and the Foundry Courtyard Student Accommodation Complex in Glasgow. Our longstanding expertise enables us to provide The University of Manchester, its staff and students with an iconic campus, in addition to delivering multiple benefits to local communities including job generation and apprenticeship opportunities.”

Diana Hampson, Director of at The University of Manchester, said: “The 91ֱ�� Engineering Campus Development will be a world-leading centre for learning and research. This development is central to the University’s ten-year Campus Masterplan which is creating an exceptional environment for our exceptional people. We are providing state-of-the-art facilities that will rival those of our international competitors and help attract world-class academic talent to the institution."

Balfour Beatty was appointed to the University’s Construction Partnering Framework in May 2015 and has been working under a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) since November 2015, enabling design development and early engagement with key supply chain partners.

Here are just handfall of such women, staff and students, from the University's Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Professor Danielle George, Vice Dean for Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and a Professor of Radio Frequency Engineering. 

Originally from Newcastle, Danielle has a long association with the University of Manchester having studied her undergrad, masters and PhD at the University.

She then went on to work at the University’s Jodrell Bank Observatory as a senior Radio Frequency Engineer, before taking up a lectureship post in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

On her numerous roles at the University, she says: ‘My days are never the same, but that is what I love most about my job. It challenges me many different ways. One minute, I am a researcher, some days I teach undergraduates, the next I am inventing a Robot Orchestra!”

Danielle also devotes a lot of time to outreach and public engagement activities and is huge advocate of promoting careers and study in engineering for women and young girls.

She added: ‘I am passionate about raising public awareness of the positive impact engineering has on our everyday lives! Especially highlighting to young people the immense depth and breadth of opportunities a career in engineering can offer. One of my key aims is to get across just how creative engineering is.’

Neha Chandarana, PhD Research Student, Materials for Demanding Environments

Neha is originally from Leicester and moved to 91ֱ�� for her undergrad. Having been in the city for six years, she now calls 91ֱ�� home. But it was at school in Leicester that her love of science began.

She explains: “I was a bit of a science and maths nerd, but I also really enjoyed textile technology, so for my A-Levels I decided to study them all! I took Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Textiles and Biology. Then I studied Textile Science and Technology at University 91ֱ��, but it took me a long time to decide what I wanted to do at university.”

Now researching her PhD at the University’s Northwest Composites Centre, she says its important all students get the support they need to succeed: “I am a woman who loves science and engineering, and I get to live that every day. Every female should have access to STEM subjects and be encouraged to study them. And so should every male. For me it’s not about getting more women into engineering. It’s about ensuring that every student is supported in the decisions they make on their education journey."

Caroline Gaju, MSc Student, Engineering Project Management, Rowland Equity and Merit Scholarship

Caroline comes from Rwanda and has an Equity and Merit Scholarship funded by a donor to the University. The Equity and Merit Scholarship scheme, , offers talented students from some of the world’s poorest countries the opportunity to gain vital skills that will benefit their communities back home.

She says: “The Dylan Thomas line, ‘rage and rage against the dying of the light’, is something that inspires me a lot. It speaks about fighting to keep your inspiration burning, and that is underlying theme of my life.”

It is this inspiration that is the driving force behind her ambition to excel in a “male-dominated profession” and encourage girls to follow careers in engineering.

Caroline adds: “My experience in engineering, both at university and in the professional world, has revealed a male-dominated profession. In this patriarchal society, there is a huge need for more women to be given the opportunity to gain more knowledge and exposure, so that that genuine gender equality can be realised.”

Caroline also uses her own experiences to educate and inspire the next generation by taking part is mentorship programmes designed specifically to encourage girls to embrace the ICT industry in Rwanda.

Ellie Townsend, MEng Student, Civil Engineering, MEng Civil Engineering with an integrated Foundation Year

Ellie joined the University’s Civil Engineering programme through the University’s Foundation Scholarship scheme, because she lacked the Physics A Level needed for her course. Foundation Scholarships offer a ‘Year 0’ for students from diverse educational backgrounds or those without the appropriate qualifications for their chosen degree.

Having completed the one-year foundation programme, students are able to progress onto their chosen undergraduate course.

Ellie’s Foundation Scholarship is generously funded by Engineering Manufacture and Management alumnus Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson, who this week was in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to secure low-carbon electricity.

She says: ‘Lacking a Physics A-level, my confidence in progressing onto an engineering career was low. Entry requirements to do civil/structural engineering required both maths and physics at most universities, but once I discovered the foundation year, I believed this was my chance to work hard and get where I wanted to be.”

Her hard work paid off and Ellie is now taking full advantage of what she describes as a second chance: “I am a strong believer in the fact that if someone wants it enough, they will work hard enough for it. And that is what I did. Being a foundation year student feels like a second chance to try and prove what I'm capable of and I am thrilled to be given that chance.”

So why did Ellie have such an ambition to study civil engineering? She explains: “I really wanted to choose a profession that allowed me to give back to the community. Plus, I also wanted to thrive in a male-orientated career!”

91ֱ�� graduate Ray Kileo, who was able to undertake his studies thanks to a scholarship, is transforming Tanzanian capital city Dar es Salaam after returning there to work on its transport system.

Ray grew up with six siblings in a village in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. From his days at a technical school he dreamed of making a real difference to his country, and he worked hard to eventually graduate from Dar Es Salaam Institute of Technology as a civil engineer in 2011.

However, while he was able to gain work in his chosen discipline, he became aware that the East African construction industry lacked specialist knowledge in the field of project management - this meant that most construction schemes were being led by experts from overseas.

His life changed forever when his friend sent him a website link to 91ֱ��’s Equity and Merit Scholarships - after successfully applying, he was able to study for an MSc in Construction Project Management at 91ֱ��. The University waived Ray’s tuition fees, and a bursary to cover his living costs for the year was generously funded by donor Mrs Josie Rowland. He is now using his newly-acquired skills back in Tanzania’s capital city.

Dar es Salaam is a city of more than 4 million people which has seen huge expansion in recent years. This had led to chaos on the roads, with traffic problems so severe that they were having a negative impact on its economic growth.

Equipped with the necessary skills by his studies in 91ֱ��, Ray is now managing the construction of Africa’s first-ever bus rapid transit system, inspired by similar systems in Latin America.

Construction of ‘DART’ (Dar Rapid Transit) began in April 2012, funded by the Tanzanian Government and the World Bank. The scheme has already resulted in vast improvements to journey times, and has made jobs in the city more accessible for those living on its outskirts.

“Dar es Salaam’s future is very promising,” said Ray. “Its rapid growth is forcing policymakers to ensure improvements in planning, infrastructure and environmental management, and to correct mistakes made in the initial planning of the city. Other improvements are also being made in sectors like shipping, housing and commercial building.”

"We are extremely proud of our Equity and Merit programme, and hugely grateful for our donors who help fund it,” said Rob Summers, The University of Manchester’s Head of Development. “Education is one of the most powerful gifts you can give, and Ray’s story is testament to the transformative impact these scholarships can have not just on the students who receive them, but on their entire countries.”

The University of Manchester is leading a consortium to investigate advanced technologies, including robotics and artificial intelligence, for the operation and maintenance of offshore windfarms.

The remote inspection and asset management of offshore wind farms and their connection to the shore is an industry which will be worth up to £2 billion annually by 2025 in the UK alone.

Eighty to ninety percent of the cost of offshore operation and maintenance according to the Crown Estate is generated by the need to get site access – in essence get engineers and technicians to remote sites to evaluate a problem and decide what action to undertake.

Such inspection takes place in a remote and hazardous environment and requires highly trained personnel of which there is likely to be a shortage in coming years.

The £5m project will investigate the use of advanced sensing, robotics, virtual reality models and artificial intelligence to reduce maintenance cost and effort. Predictive and diagnostic techniques will allow problems to be picked up early, when easy and inexpensive maintenance will allow problems to be readily fixed. Robots and advanced sensors will be used to minimise the need for human intervention in the hazardous offshore environment.

The use of robots will allow operation in difficult or hazardous environments: sub-sea to inspect cables, in high-voltage environments to inspect high voltage equipment and around the wind turbines to check their mechanical structures. The latest in advanced sensors will be used, for example sonar techniques to assess sub-sea cable wear and degradation in situ. This, along with state-of-the-art system modelling and artificial intelligence, will be used to best assess the data produced.

The University of Manchester’s , who is leading the three-year project, said: “The UK has world-leading expertise in the technologies and science in this area, but they have often operated separately. The UK have supported this project to bring them together for the first time to make a real step change in this industry.”

The project is a collaboration between the universities of Manchester, Durham, Warwick, Cranfield, Heriot-Watt and a consortium of companies from the offshore industry. Techniques will be trialled in an offshore test site in Scotland and a project demonstration will be given at Salford Quays, 91ֱ��.

Energy

 is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

The University of Manchester is leading a multi-million pound project to develop satellites which will orbit much closer to the Earth – making them smaller, cheaper, helping to dodge space debris and improving the quality of images they can send back.

Remote sensing satellites currently operate at about 500-800km above the Earth, above the residual atmosphere that exists at lower altitudes. But this means that observations of the ground must also take place over this range, either limiting resolution or requiring large telescopes to be used.

The €5.7m grant from will allow the research team to design new technologies to build satellites that can operate at 200-450 km above the Earth’s surface – lower than the International Space Station.

, Scientific Coordinator for the project, said: “Remote sensing satellites are widely used to obtain imagery for environmental and for security uses such as agricultural land management, maritime surveillance and disaster management.”

“If we are able to get satellites closer to Earth then we can get the same data using smaller telescopes, or smaller and less powerful radar systems, all of which reduces the satellite mass and cost. But there are also many technical challenges which until now have been too great to overcome. This research tackles the problem on a number of fronts.”

One issue is that the atmosphere is denser the nearer to Earth that satellites get. This means that drag needs to be minimised and countered. To do this, the team will develop advanced materials and test them in a new ‘wind tunnel’ which mimics the composition, density and speed of the atmosphere as seen by a satellite at these altitudes. This will allow the team to test how materials interact with individual atoms of oxygen and other elements in the atmosphere at speeds of up to 8km per second. The ultimate aim is to be able to use these materials to streamline the satellites.

They will also test the materials on a real satellite launched into these lower orbits. The satellite will also demonstrate how the atmospheric flow can be used to control the orientation of the satellite, much like an aircraft does at lower altitudes.

In addition, the team will develop experimental electric propulsion systems which use the residual atmosphere as propellant. This approach has the potential to keep the satellites in orbit indefinitely despite the drag acting upon them. However, it also means that the satellites will re-enter quickly when they’ve reached the end of their mission avoiding the space debris problems experienced at higher altitudes.

All these technological developments will be worked into new engineering and business models identifying what future very low Earth orbit remote sensing satellites would look like and how they would operate. The project will also map out the path for future exploitation of the developed concepts.

Partners in the research are The University of Manchester, Elecnor Deimos Satellite Systems, GomSpace AS, University of Stuttgart, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, University College London, The TechToybox, EuroConsult and concentris research management. The project is scheduled to run for 51 months from January 2017.

University of Manchester scientists are leading a team which is to comprehensively map some of the world’s most radioactive sites using sensing technology mounted on an advanced robotic vehicle.

The world is home to a large number of sites which are contaminated with radioactive waste and require clean-up and analysis. Currently, the options to map and assess these sites are extremely expensive and time consuming – involving either removing samples for lab analysis or sending in remote sensors which only give part of the necessary picture.

The team, led by The University of Manchester, has been awarded a £1.6 million grant by to form a group which will develop a new robotic system with the ability to use a wider range of sensors than ever before to map nuclear sites.

Featuring optical spectroscopic techniques, advanced radiation detection methods and modern sensor technologies on remotely-operated vehicle platforms, each sensing technology will provide a piece of the ‘total characterisation’ jigsaw, together with 3D mapping of the material within the environment.

It will feature advanced robotics and control technologies, such as those used in NASA’s Curiosity Rover, to form the flexible platform necessary for trials in nuclear environments ranging from Sellafield in the UK, to Fukushima in Japan.

Principal Investigator, from The University of Manchester's , said: "This is an exciting project bringing together a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers to develop a really innovative system for remote characterisation of a range of nuclear environments which should lead to big improvements in the decommissioning process."

The Consortium, known as TORONE (TOtal characterisation by Remote Observation in Nuclear Environments), is also made up of scientists from Lancaster and Aston Universities, the National Nuclear Laboratory and the UK Atomic Energy Authority. The project is for three years’ duration and starts on 1st March 2017.

The TORONE group will be working with Sellafield, and Sellafield Ltd Robotics and Autonomous Systems Lead, Dr Paul Mort, said: “Characterisation of materials is of critical importance on the Sellafield site. Improved understanding of what materials are and where they are in our facilities offers considerable benefits when we are planning and carrying out decommissioning activities.

“A technology that is cheap and able to be remotely deployed simply and quickly to inspect materials in-situ, will make it safer for humans and give an opportunity to get better data to make more informed decisions. This technology would have far reaching applications on site and has the potential to improve productivity, thereby reducing decommissioning timescales and costs.”

, Director of The University of Manchester’s , said: “As we decommission nuclear facilities around the world, it has become very clear that we have to be smarter, because that allows us to be quicker, cheaper and safer. New ideas, such as these, are vital if we are to do this.”

Lancaster University Co-Investigator Professor Malcolm Joyce said: “This is an exciting opportunity to integrate the state of the art in radiation detection and robotics.”

The news follows another recent announcement that the University of Manchester is to that are more durable and perceptive for use in nuclear sites.

For more information on research in this area, visit .

TORONE is led by UoM Principal Investigator Dr Philip Martin (School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Sciences). Co-Investigators at UoM comprise Prof. Barry Lennox (School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering) and Prof Nick Smith (Royal Society Industry Fellow, Schools of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, seconded from NNL); Lancaster University Co-Investigator Prof. Malcolm Joyce (School of Engineering) and Aston University Co-Investigator Dr Michael Aspinall (School of Life and Health Sciences).

Funding of £1.6 million is from the EPSRC through its Remote Sensing in Extreme Environments call.

Energy

 is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

More than 350 industry and academic representatives came together at the University last week for the first Sir Henry Royce Institute workshop.

Scientists, engineers, investors and members of commercial organisations heard from University Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Bailey about establishing the centre for advanced materials research and innovation.

The £235m Institute will have its hub at the University, with spokes at the founding partners, comprising the universities of Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool, Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial College London.

The Institute will allow the UK to grow its world-leading research and innovation base in advanced-materials science, which is fundamental to all industrial sectors and the national economy.

The Institute’s chair, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, was at the event, which aimed to bring together the UK’s leading experts in key areas of advanced materials research

The delegates were involved in a series of break-out sessions looking at nine specific areas of advanced materials, including Nuclear Materials, 2D Materials and Materials for Demanding Environments. The sessions featured input from both academics and industry.

Recommendations and ideas from those sessions were captured and will be expanded upon at future events looking in closer detail at each of the areas of research.

Professor Bailey said that although the University’s The Sir Henry Royce Institute building is unlikely to be completed until 2020, research and innovation projects begin in April and collaborative work needs to start immediately.

He added: “It was fantastic to get such an excellent turnout for what was a very important first step in establishing the Sir Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials Research as the world’s centre for advanced materials.

“It is vital that the UK works together on this, drawing in the expertise not only from the founding partners and many other UK universities, but also crucial input from industry.”

The Institute is seen as a key element of the Government’s Northern Powerhouse initiative, an attempt to boost economic growth in the North of England and balance the UK economy.

It will focus on 10 key areas of materials research, which are grouped into four themes – Energy, Engineering, Functional and Soft Materials – critical areas to underpin the government’s industrial strategy, resulting in economic growth throughout the UK.

One of the UK’s most senior female engineers has been appointed the chair of the £235m Sir Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials, Chancellor George Osborne announced today.

, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, is the Vice-Chancellor of and a leading expert and Government advisor on education and technology in engineering.

She will act as independent Chair of the Institute, which has its hub at and spokes at the founding partners, comprising the universities of , , , , and .

The Institute will allow the UK to grow its world-leading research and innovation base in advanced-materials science, which is fundamental to all industrial sectors and the national economy.

It is also seen as a crucial element of the Government’s Northern Powerhouse initiative, an attempt to boost economic growth in the North of England and balance the UK economy.

After sixteen years as an academic researcher and university lecturer at Cambridge and Nottingham universities, Baroness Brown joined plc in 1994, where she held a number of senior executive appointments, including Director of Advanced Engineering for the Industrial Power Group, Managing Director of the Fan Systems Business, and Engineering Director for the Marine Business.  

In 2002 Baroness Brown was appointed Chief Executive of the , and in 2004 she returned to academia as Principal of the Engineering Faculty at Imperial College, London.  In December 2006 she became Vice-Chancellor of Aston University. She will stand down from this role next year, and has recently become a member of the House of Lords.

Baroness Brown is a member of the Board of and Chair of its Innovation & Growth Policy Network, a Council member of the , and a member of the Board of the Directors of the National Centre for Universities and Business.

Welcoming the appointment, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “Baroness Brown is a remarkable individual-an accomplished engineer, who has worked for Rolls Royce for a number of years, has held positions at Cambridge and Imperial and has been vice-chancellor of the University of Aston since 2006.”

The Institute will focus on 10 key areas of materials research, which are grouped into four themes – Energy, Engineering, Functional and Soft Materials – critical areas to underpin the government’s industrial strategy, resulting in economic growth throughout the UK.

The Institute will galvanise the economy of the North of England, and the UK more widely, whilst ensuring that the UK leads the world in the development and application of advanced materials.

Research into is one of the The University of Manchester’s research beacons. These are examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet

The University of Manchester has announced that it is to invest £350 million to create a new engineering campus.

The 91ֱ�� Engineering Campus Development () will be one of the largest, single construction projects ever undertaken by a higher education institution in the United Kingdom and will transform the way in which the University educates future engineers in response to the needs of the fast-changing global economy.

The build – due to open in 2020 – is part of to create a world-leading teaching, learning and research campus to develop the engineers and innovators of tomorrow.  The new site will act as a gateway between the existing University of Manchester site and the city and will be located opposite on Booth Street East.

Mecanoo, the architects behind HOME – a new centre for international contemporary art, theatre and film in 91ֱ�� – have been appointed to the project and tasked to build a campus which will open its doors to the public and reinforce 91ֱ��’s status as a city of science. The new campus will be a destination where world-changing engineering and applied science is on display and visible to all.

The campus will help demonstrate how UK engineering is one of the most creative industries in the world – a key feature on the ground floor of the main hall will be a dedicated ‘maker space’ which will provide dynamic workshops for students and academics to share ideas and innovate.

Professor Martin Schröder, Vice-President and Dean of at the University, said: “This outstanding new campus development will build upon our proud heritage of innovation and discovery across engineering and science that began with the establishment of the 91ֱ�� Mechanics’ Institute in 1824.

“MECD will inspire engineers to continue our pioneering spirit and to apply their knowledge and help modern industry overcome global challenges, such as climate change, finite natural resources and changing world markets.”

Once complete, the 91ֱ�� Engineering Campus Development will become home to the University’s four engineering schools and two research institutes from the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.  It will include extensive, modern teaching spaces that reflect the changing demands of students and staff for mobile and flexible learning. Cutting-edge technologies will enable students across all disciplines to engage with new modes of teaching and become part of the global classroom.

The MECD project is being delivered through the Construction Partnering Framework. Balfour Beatty is one of the framework partners appointed in June and the University has begun an engagement process with Balfour Beatty as its construction partner on the scheme. Demolition of the former Grosvenor Halls of Residence has already begun and will conclude during the first half of 2016.

The University of Manchester is inviting local residents, businesses and stakeholders the opportunity to attend an exhibition of plans for the new engineering campus. The drop-in session will be held on Thursday, 10 September, at the James Chadwick Building, 4^th floor, EBL Room 6 from 3-7pm.

Ket statistics:

• Costs more than £350 million
• The floor space will be more than 78,000m² (or 11 football pitches)
• 1,300 academics, researchers and support staff will move to the new campus
• 6,750 students will be based at the new site