Scholarship boost for new Structural Integrity Research Centre
04/03/2014
Twenty full scholarships are available on the 2014 Structural Integrity MSc programme, developed by Brunel University in collaboration with TWI as part of the work of the new National Structural Integrity Research Centre (NSIRC), which is due to open its doors in March 2015.Its work is essentially unglamorous, but in a world underpinned by ageing infrastructure, the centre’s mission to extend the working life of products, plant and the essential building blocks of civilisation will become increasingly critical.
Brunel’s Deputy Principal Professor Geoff Rodgers explains: “From oil rigs to buses, trains and aeroplanes, railway lines to power stations, metal fatigue, corrosion and wear are engineering enemies.
“Traditionally, the UK has been at the forefront of research into the design, service life and safety of products and structures, but five years ago we began to pick up early warning signs that our lead in the field was under threat.
“Equally, the pace of development of new materials is increasing, but to safely unlock the potential of nanotechnology and other novel materials we need to understand them deeply or risk product failure or wasteful overdesign.
“This new centre, co-funded by industry partners and bringing together the academic expertise of Brunel, Cambridge, UCL and Manchester Universities, will maintain the UK’s lead in this multi-faceted discipline.”
It will allow students to benefit from a unique environment in which industrialists and academics work together to solve real and challenging problems for industry. The programme synthesises relevant knowledge from the field of materials, structural analysis and non-destructive testing and inspection.
The scholarships, which cover full fees as well as a £15,000 living allowance, are aimed at new graduates who wish to develop their careers in this direction, together with practising engineers who wish to gain a recognised postgraduate qualification in an important discipline. They are open to both UK and EU citizens.
The overall objective of the one-year course is to produce high-quality engineers with an in-depth knowledge of the science and technology of structural integrity, materials degradation, asset ageing and inspection. The underpinning theory and principles of these disciplines will be covered in a set of eight taught modules. Application of theory will be consolidated during a research project.
The course also aims to equip students with an ability to assess all aspects of asset integrity management, and the necessary knowledge and skills to analyse and act on the survey results obtained.
www.brunel.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/structural-integrity-msc
