Dozens of projects announced as EPSRC welcomes Year of Engineering
09/02/2018
As the ‘Year of Engineering’ gets underway, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has announced support for 28 pioneering new research projects.EPSRC, alongside the UK’s other Research Councils and Innovate UK, is supporting the Year of Engineering, a year-long government-wide campaign to celebrate UK engineering and inspire a new generation into engineering careers.
Throughout 2018, hundreds of organisations across the UK will showcase the world of engineering and look to inspire the next generation of engineers by bringing young people face-to-face with engineering experiences and role models.
Coinciding with the launch of the Year of Engineering, EPSRC has announced an investment of £6.6 million through the ‘Engineering for a Prosperous Nation’ call to support projects with a potentially transformative impact, in fields ranging from autonomous vehicles to energy storage and healthcare technology.
As part of the Engineering for a Prosperous Nation call, EPSRC encouraged bids for creative novel engineering research projects with the potential to contribute to EPSRC’s four ‘Prosperity Outcomes’ for the UK.
Applicants submitted anonymous outline proposals before pitching their ideas in a Dragon’s Den-style interview process.
28 projects at 17 different universities have been supported, with grants awarded to researchers across all career stages and representing a diverse range of fields.
Research areas include: the development of intelligent driver seats to act as co-pilots in autonomous cars; the use of diamond quantum technology to investigate neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease; the use of novel materials to create artificial leaves for use in solar power generation; and the investigation of new solutions to antimicrobial resistance in wastewater systems.
Professor Philip Nelson, EPSRC’s Chief Executive, said: “Engineers are creators, innovators and problem solvers; their pioneering work creates a better future for us all.
“EPSRC continues to invest in this vision by supporting the engineers of tomorrow and the projects announced are testament to our firm belief that novel, transformative research will help to make the UK a more prosperous nation.
“The Year of Engineering is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the UK’s proud heritage in this field and highlight the impact that engineering has on the UK and the world. Through this, we hope to inspire a future generation to continue and improve on that legacy in the future.”
www.epsrc.ac.uk
