A report setting out scenarios for the future of research may have missed a chance to help carve out a new career path in structured research, a group of research professionals heard last week.
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Changes to academic and research practices are taking place in universities as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and last week, a group of university professionals reflected on some of those shifts.
University equipment sharing databases were a response to new grant funding requirements, but Chris Wilkinson reports that the University of Cambridge’s database is taking on added significance in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers from across Science and Engineering South (SES) member institutions have joined the international response to the coronavirus in an effort to develop treatments, vaccinations and protect communities. The science and medical research communities are collaborating on what has been described as an unprecedented scale.
Joining the consortium in February 2020, Rosie Niven will be based at University College London (UCL) and will manage Science and Engineering South’s communication channels. She will combine this role with working as University Liaison Manager for UCL at the Alan Turing Institute, the national institute for data science and artificial intelligence.
Beamtime and Batteries at a World-leading Neutron and Muon source Rebecca Shutt PhD researcher, Advanced Characterisation of Materials Centre for Doctoral Training, UCL and Imperial College London My first interaction with the UK neutron and muon source, ISIS, was to apply for beamtime in November last year (2018). The experiment: to probe structural changes within battery electrodes whilst they are being cycled, i.e. to watch layers of graphene in disordered carbons “breathe” in response to in situ charging and discharging. I am at the very beginning of my PhD, so when I was granted beamtime my first reaction was to...
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75 Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) across the UK are set to receive over £800 million in support from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and industry partners; part of an increased research and development investment to boost the UK economy and deliver scientific excellence. 24 CDTs led by SES universities will soon benefit from UKRI’s funding of £446 million across 75 centres that will develop skills, bring innovation, and build better lives for UK citizens. The investment has been furthered by £386 million (committed through either cash or in-kind support) from 1,400 Industry partners. In total, over 1/3 of the...
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An iconic material, diamond combines huge aesthetic value with enormous practical worth – and both facets of its character are benefitting from pioneering laser science at the University of Oxford. Led by Professor Martin Booth, the Dynamic Optics and Photonics Group has achieved a breakthrough that’s now being harnessed to help tackle gemstone counterfeiting and could play a pivotal role in next-generation supercomputing. From writing tamper-proof serial numbers inside diamonds to creating defects in diamond that can then store data in quantum computers, this breakthrough has opened up remarkable possibilities in laser fabrication and its application to this most remarkable...
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How efficient labs could progress sustainability and excellence in research An exciting new tool is currently being piloted across the UK in an endeavour to standardise best practice across research efficiency, sustainability and quality. The countless benefits and developments in scientific research are widely known and recognised by society, from better drugs to safer materials and faster technology. However, there’s a rarely reported on ‘dark side’ to science where the materials and energy cost to deliver excellent research, both financially and environmentally, are piling up. With over 2/3 [1] of total university energy usage consumed by laboratory buildings, it’s no surprise that...
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With the NHS celebrating its 70th birthday this year, it’s an appropriate time to reflect on the vital role of drug discovery in the never-ending drive to improve healthcare – and on the ground-breaking research that makes such discoveries possible. Research outcomes can be strengthened hugely by working across disciplines and by combining complementary skills across institutions. An excellent example of both is a well-established collaboration between teams at Oxford University and UCL that’s generating deeper understanding of the innermost workings of the central nervous system. Harnessing a combination of cutting-edge experimental and computational techniques, the research is delivering insights...
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