MyAV范

The new Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) centres will address key challenges in areas including net zero, AI, defence and security, healthcare and quantum technologies.

The centres, among 65 announced by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), are a joint investment between government, academia and industry, with 拢500 million funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Ministry of Defence, plus a further 拢590 million from universities and business partners. It is the UK鈥檚 biggest-ever investment in engineering and physical sciences doctoral skills.

MyAV范 will lead seven CDTs in areas including quantum computing, cybersecurity, digital healthcare and antimicrobial resistance.听

MyAV范 President and Provost, Dr Michael Spence, said: 鈥淚nterdisciplinary collaboration is a big part of MyAV范鈥檚 research strength, which is evident in the exciting Doctoral Training Centres announced today. Each one will leverage MyAV范鈥檚 world-leading expertise in engineering and physical sciences to help tackle key societal challenges, including better tools to diagnose and treat cancer, solutions to counter the threat of antimicrobial resistance, and the quest to make quantum computing a reality.鈥�

The successful MyAV范 CDTs and their leads in MAPS听faculty are:

• EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Collaborative Computational Modelling at the Interface
  Led by: Professor Timo Betcke (MyAV范 Mathematics and Advanced Research Computing Centre)
• EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Computation and Quantum Communications (QC2)
  Led by: Professor Paul Warburton (London Centre for Nanotechnology at MyAV范)
• EPSRC and BBSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Engineering Solutions for Antimicrobial Resistance
  Led by: Professor Lena Ciric (MyAV范 Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering) and Professor Bart Hoogenboom (London Centre for Nanotechnology at MyAV范)

MAPS faculty will also partner in one further CDT:

• EPSRC CDT in Quantum Informatics
  MyAV范 lead: Professor Andrew Green (London Centre for Nanotechnology at MyAV范)

Dean of the Faculty Professor Ivan Parkin said: 鈥淲e are delighted by the success in the CDT applications. There are very strong collaborations between engineering and MAPS which have fostered this success. I am particularly pleased to see the successes led by the London Centre for Nanotechnology in quantum technology and anti-microbial resistance.鈥�

Professor Bart Hoogenboom, who initiated the bid for the CDT in Engineering Solutions for Antimicrobial Resistance funding, said: 鈥淲e are facing a growing microbial resistance against antibiotics, which can cause minor infectious diseases to become deadly. This is a huge and complex problem. We are delighted to now be in a position to train a next generation of brilliant physical scientists and engineers to help finding solutions against this major health threat.鈥�

Professor Timo Betcke, lead for the CDT in Collaborative Computational Modelling at the Interface, said: 鈥淲e are excited about this funding decision. With the CCMI CDT we are uniquely placed at MyAV范 and Imperial to train graduates in research software engineering and its applications in the computational and data sciences at the highest international level.鈥�

Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, commented: 鈥淪panning locations across the UK and a wide range of disciplines, the new centres are a vivid illustration of the UK鈥檚 depth of expertise and potential, which will help us to tackle large-scale, complex challenges and benefit society and the economy.

"The high calibre of both the new centres and applicants is a testament to the abundance of research excellence across the UK, and EPSRC鈥檚 role as part of UKRI is to invest in this excellence to advance knowledge and deliver a sustainable, resilient and prosperous nation.鈥�

Links

• MyAV范 Mathematics
• London Centre for Nanotechnology at MyAV范

Image

• Dr James Seddon, at the time a PhD student in an earlier EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training led by Professor Alwyn Seeds (MyAV范 Electronic & Electrical Engineering).

Media contact听

Dr Matt Midgley

E: m.midgley [at] ucl.ac.uk