EPSRC Partnerships
A Partnership between an academic team of international excellence, with a strong funding track record, and the EPSRC. Within a defined research theme, a Portfolio Platform combines all current EPSRC grants into one award. This funding level is projected forward to create a coordinated, flexible, five year programme.
Portfolio Platforms provide long-term support to top research teams with a proven track record of achievement and sustained support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Stable funding allows teams to innovate, explore new directions in research, and establish collaborations with industry and other users. Partnerships facilitate multidisciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations as well as outreach to international collaborators and the public.
The funding body, the EPSRC, is the main UK government agency for funding research and training in engineering and the physical sciences, investing around £500 million a year in a broad range of subjects, operating to meet the needs of industry and society by working in partnership with universities to invest in people and scientific discovery and innovation. The knowledge and expertise gained maintains a technological leading edge, builds a strong economy and improves people's quality of life. There is also a strong emphasis on actively promote public engagement in science, engineering and technology.
The LATEST Partnership is delighted to report that the LATEST2 Programme Grant Application to EPSRC was successful and has attracted funding of £5.7 million over five and a half years. The new multi-disciplinary Programme Team comprising eight academic staff, led by Professor George Thompson, will build on the expertise of the LATEST Portfolio Partnership. The team is committed to expanding links with industrial and academic partners to provide continued momentum in this important field and to promote awareness of the importance of engineering and physical sciences.
• Read the Manchester Evening News press coverage of the award here.
PhD Studies in Advanced Light Alloy Research
Fully-funded PhD Studentships available
Applications are invited for studentships in Advanced Alloy Research at The University of Manchester. The Manchester light alloys group has gained an international reputation in light alloys research, and these opportunities have arisen as a result of the group's successful bid for a £5.7mn EPSRC Programme Grant LATEST2 "Light Alloys Towards Environmentally Sustainable Transport - 2nd Generation". The Programme aims to support dramatic reductions in the environmental impact of transport, by facilitating a step change in high-performance light alloy design solutions in the transport sector.
Key opportunities within the Programme
• Research in which you develop interdisciplinary skills.
• Opportunity to work in a team environment involving eight leading academic members of staff and collaborating partners from academia and industry
• Choice of experimental, theoretical and computational projects across a range of interacting research themes, supported by excellent facilities.
Interacting Research Themes include:
• Surface engineering, corrosion and environmental protection (including functionalised surfaces, the fundamentals of protective film growth, and environmentally-friendly replacement and novel conversion treatments;
• Joining of dissimilar materials; including friction welding techniques, and microstructure and interface reaction modelling;
• Advanced metal forming in aluminium, magnesium and titanium and other light alloys, deformation microstructures, texture and recrystallisation, research in 3D deformation structures and modelling.
The lead academics working on the Programme are Professor George Thompson, Professor Philip Prangnell, Professor Peter Skeldon, Dr Joseph Robson, Dr. Michael Preuss, Dr. João Quinta da Fonseca, Dr Xiaorong Zhou
Who should apply?
Applications are welcomed from graduates with a relevant honours degree (at least UK 2.1 hons or equivalent grade) in science or engineering as well as knowledge of one or more of the above research themes. In addition to having an excellent aptitude for research, applicants should also exhibit a wide range of personal skills.
Full scholarships, covering living expenses and fees, are available to eligible students.
How to apply?
To apply click on the link below, click apply on line, register and then select postgraduate research and enter PhD Light Alloys (LATEST2) in the search box:
Closing Date: 23rd July 2010
Further information can be obtained by e-mail to: lightalloys@manchester.ac.uk or Tel Susan Davis on +44(0)161 306 4856