A new activity integral to the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites (EPSRC Centre) will be supporting over 30 EngD programmes, of four years duration, where selected Research Engineers will undertake specialist training and conduct an industrially focused research project, spending 75% of their time at a company.
The Industrial Doctorate Centre (IDC) has attracted new funding of £3.8M from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and aims to provide the composites manufacturing industry with elite Research Engineers equipped with the necessary advanced technical and leadership skills required for effective adoption of new knowledge and technologies in composites manufacture.
The IDC will have its base at the UK National Composites Centre in Bristol, with access to a complete range of equipment and techniques required for composites manufacturing research. It is open to all UK industry and academia and will eventually offer wide access to its bespoke taught modules.
Ivana Partridge, Director of the IDC, explains that the project demonstrates an urgent and growing need in the UK polymer composites manufacturing sector for greater numbers of technically qualified individuals. She says "The new IDC fills an existing gap in the provision of industrially focused higher level education in the UK."
The Research Engineers are expected to encourage joint industry and academia collaboration to a much greater extent than is usual in classical PhD training. The Industrial Doctorate Centre is now looking for industrial projects and supervisors to run innovative composites manufacturing projects, providing a commitment of cash support for Research Engineer training and stipend top-up. Eligible Research Engineers with an engineering/science background and an interest in industrially focused composites manufacturing research are asked to apply through [email protected], for a position with a tax-free stipend of £20k pa.
About the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites
The EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites is the focus for fundamental innovative composites manufacturing research in the UK, underpinning the development of next-generation composites manufacturing processes based on low cost, short cycle times, efficiency and sustainability. Operating across a number of the leading academic centres of excellence in the field, linking to the National Composites Centre (NCC) and supported by major composites producers and users, the EPSRC Centre provides a platform for developing fundamental composites manufacturing science and promoting its rapid exploitation by industry.
The EPSRC Centre, led Professor Andrew Long at the University of Nottingham, will deliver a co-ordinated programme of research at four of the leading universities in composites manufacturing, namely the Universities of Nottingham, Bristol, Cranfield and Manchester. It will develop partnerships and fund activities beyond this initial partnership to establish itself as a National Centre for fundamental composites manufacturing research.
This programme provides a hub for industrially focused development of innovative composite materials manufacturing technology, and its associated exploitation.