2008 VENTURE PRIZE ANNOUNCED
The Armourers and Brasiers have launched their 2008 Venture Prize competition which is designed to help scientists commercialise early stage research and enable the exploitation of new and exciting ideas.
The prize is worth £25,000 in the form of an investment into the enterprise and will be judged on a competitive basis by a committee of commercial, financial and technical experts.
Applications are welcomed and encouraged from all British-based materials scientists.
The closing date for applications is 31st January 2009.
Full details are available at www.armourersandbrasiers.co.uk
THE SCIENCE AND INNOVATION STRATEGY
This is an opportunity for you and your organisation to contribute to the DIUS Science and Innovation Strategy. We wish the strategy to reflect the views and challenges of a wide variety of communities, and we therefore ask that you support our work by not only responding yourself, but also by encouraging your members to join the conversation. I would like to thank all those who have already responded.
The letter from Ian Pearson, the Minister for Science and Innovation, provides the context and outlines the scope of the Strategy to improve the UK’s quality of life (social and environmental) and economic prosperity. We are looking for concise, insightful contributions (indicated on the DIUS microsite).
How to respond
You can either respond via our website or email us. In order to inform the strategy, we would like contributions by January 31st but by February 14th at the latest please.
Please note we are very keen to have an ongoing conversation beyond this date, and so there will be regular opportunities for dialogue as we develop policy over the next year and beyond.
1.Via our microsite
Please register at http://dius.dialoguebydesign.net/
2.Via email
Please email us at innovation.ideas@dius.gsi.gov.uk
TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY BOARD - AUTUMN CALLS FOR FUNDING
Two funding calls have now been announced for Autumn 2007:
Materials for Energy
The Technology Strategy Board and EPSRC have allocated and indicative amount of £12M to fund highly innovative collaborative research proposals in Materials for Energy. Funding is available for industry-led collaborative projects. To download details of the funding call, please click here to down load the PDF.
Low Carbon Technologies
The Technology Strategy Board has allocated an indicative amount of £10M to invest in highly innovative research in Low Carbon Technologies. This competition will support a relatively broad portfolio of low carbon technologies that will focus of specific barriers which need to addressed if these technologies are to be brought to market. To download details of this funding call, please click here to download the PDF.
Full details of all Technology Strategy Board calls are to be found on the website: http://www.technologyprogramme.org.uk
THE MATERIALS SCIENCE VENTURE PRIZE - DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS EXTENDED
The deadline for the 2008 Materials Science Venture Prize from the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers has now been extended until 31st January 2008.
The Armourers and Brasiers' Company is a leading supporter of materials science education and research in the UK and has launched this annual prize to help scientists commercialise early stage research and enable exploitation of new and exciting ideas. The prize is worth £25,000 in the form of an investment into the enterprise and will be judged on a competitive basis. The overall aim of the competition is to stimulate and encourage British materials science development whilst raising the profile of materials science research in Britain and providing recognition for leading scientists in the field.
Details of the competition are available for download here (PDF 122KB) and an application form is also available here (Word Doc 67 KB)
UK ENGINEERS MUST SEIZE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THE WORLD ON CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGY
Tuesday 18th September (Source Government News Network)
The Minister for Science and Innovation, Ian Pearson challenged the next generation of engineers to lead the world in developing environmentally friendly technologies to combat climate change.
Addressing industry representatives attending a Global Sustainability forum at Imperial College, Mr Pearson said that tackling climate change and the effects of population growth could generate at least £700 billion globally by 2015. This is an opportunity that British engineers should capitalise on, while helping mitigate the most damaging features of climate change, which is expected to see global temperatures rise by up to 6.4 degrees, and sea levels rise between 20 and 60cm by the end of this century.
To read the full article please click here
ENERGY MATERIALS STRATEGIC RESEARCH AGENDA, MINISTERIAL LAUNCH RESCHEDULED
Malcolm Wicks, Minister of State for Energy, will formally launch the Materials UK Energy Materials Strategic Research Agenda on Tuesday 4th December at an event to be held at the Tate Britain, Millbank, London. Full details of the event are available on the energy page.
To register for this event please click here
NEW PRIZE TO ADVANCE COMMERCIALISATION OF UK BASED MATERIALS SCIENCE R&D
The Armourers & Brasiers' Company in cooperation with FirstVentures, announced the creation of The Armourers and Brasiers' Materials Science Venture Prize - an annual £25,000 prize established to encourage and support British materials scientists in accelerating the commercialisation of materials-based research.
To read the full details of the official press release click here.
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NOMINATIONS FOR MATERIALS INTERNATIONAL REVIEW NEEDED
As you may know the EPSRC conducts a series of International Reviews as part of its evaluation process. These reviews provide a broad perspective of the research activity of a particular discipline. During each review a Panel of internationally leading researchers benchmark the strength of the UK research activity against researchers across the world and highlight any gaps or missed opportunities. The Panel visits a number of UK research groups and have access to a wide pool of experts and supporting data to help them reach their conclusions.
In January 2008 EPSRC will conduct an International Review of Materials research, and is currently seeking nominations for the Panel; an on-line nomination form is available by following the link below:
www.survey.bristol.ac.uk/epsrc/matsirnom
Nominations are required by December 10th 2006.
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MATERIALS PROPERTY VALIDATION CENTRE
The Materials Property Validation Centre will deliver certified/validated data from existing sources where possible and fill gaps on materials properties covering whole life cycle data, recycling, re-use etc., and provide access to local sources of help through a network of regional centres if needed.
In preparation for a DTI workshop to discuss the detailed requirements, a short web-based survey of industry need is being conducted alongside an initial review of available data sources by NPL.
Please select this link http://www.microandnanotech.info/property.html to enter your requirements.
Responses are requested by 5th January
Further Information from:
Graham D Sims, Dr
NPL Fellow - Composite Materials,
Divisional Knowledge Leader,
Division of Engineering and Process Control,
National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, TW11 OLW
Tel: 020 8943 6564
E-mail: graham.sims@npl.co.uk
Web: http://www.materialssolutions.info
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MATERIALS INDUSTRY VITAL FOR UK JOBS & WEALTH CREATION
A report by the Department of Trade and Industry has identified a number of issues that the materials sector in the UK must focus on if it is to continue to benefit from being a world leader in materials science. This economically important sector has a turnover of around £200bn and contributes 15% of GDP to the economy, employs 1.5m people directly and supports a further four million jobs.
A strategy for Materials, produced by The Materials Innovation and Growth Team was launched by the Minister for Industry and the Regions, Rt Hon. Alun Michael MP on 8 March 2006. It recognises a number of key challenges facing the materials community, including: globalisation; energy and climate change; sustainable production and consumption; and innovation in developing countries.
Some 200 representatives from across the materials community attended the launch event at the DTI’s 1 Victoria Conference Centre. Wyn Jones, Chairman of the Materials Innovation and Growth Team, opened the event along with Vice Chair, Steve Garwood. The Minister followed with the keynote speech. The event concluded with a lively and positive Q&A session with the Materials IGT Panel taking questions from the floor.
Copies of the slides used in the joint presentation, the Minister’s speech and the IGT Report can be viewed below.
Click here to view the Presentation Slides
Click here to view the Minister's speech.
The Materials Innovation and Growth Team Report is available for download on the reports and downloads page |
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