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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/K004670/1
Title: Global - Promoting Research Partnerships: Strathclyde Escalator for Global Engagements in Research
Principal Investigator: Littlejohn, Professor D
Other Investigators:
Graham, Professor D Reese, Professor JM Dawson, Professor M
Florence, Professor AJ McArthur, Professor S Zhang, Professor Y
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Pure and Applied Chemistry
Organisation: University of Strathclyde
Scheme: Standard Research
Starts: 01 April 2012 Ends: 31 March 2013 Value (£): 499,040
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The University of Strathclyde is developing its reputation as a leading international technological university and demonstrates strengths in the areas of Photonics, Power and Energy, Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing, and Bionanotechnology. Within these themes international partners at various institutions in the USA and the Far East have been identified for longer term strategic engagements across multiple themes. To develop these and realise our ambitious targets the Global Engagements in Research Escalator framework has been proposed. This builds on existing linkages between international groups and the University and maps out the escalation activities.

The Photonics theme focuses on the application of gallium nitride visible light emitting diode technology in microsystems through international collaborations on advanced biomedical instrumentation and optical communications. It brings together under a unified technology platform two tremendous opportunities for solid state lighting: a high-bandwidth data communications interface for mobile communications and an interface for control of behaviour in organisms via optical stimulation of neurons.

In the Power and Energy theme an international research programme in smart grids will be created. This resonates with an area of international importance. In order to deliver the UK and global targets for a low carbon economy with renewable energy, the electric power system must change radically. New information and communication technologies must combine with advances in power system operation and control to accommodate electric vehicles, new energy services and a variety of renewable generation technologies. Our aim is to make novel advances in all of these areas by linking international experts and smart grid test facilities.

The Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing theme underpins society's major challenges in health, transportation, energy and climate. The engineering of flow systems on the micro and nano scales will play an important role in meeting these challenges; for example, nano-filtering seawater to make it drinkable for water-stressed populations, and embedding micro and nano devices in aeroplane and ship surfaces to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. Partnering with the best international researchers in the field, our aim is to deliver comprehensive new techniques for simulating multi-scale flows, and demonstrate them on strategic engineering grand challenges including next-generation lithography. Within this theme the EPSRC Centre for Continuous Manufacturing and Crystallisation is concerned with establishing new collaborations on the development of novel continuous manufacturing technologies to improve understanding of particle formation and exploit this knowledge to enhance manufacture of particles with specific beneficial properties. This has significant potential given the importance of particulate processing across many fine chemical industries including agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, dyes, pigments and energetic materials. The proposed links with international experts will lead to accelerated progress, raised profile of UK-based research and ultimately enhance the opportunities for high quality, collaborative research outcomes.

The Bionanotechnology theme drives invention, manipulation and exploitation of nanoscale structures based on biological interactions with an emphasis on healthcare applications, most notably diagnostics, regenerative medicine and improvements to drugs either by delivery or target elucidation. By focusing on the molecular control over such processes and systems and linking leading researchers in the physical and life sciences with those in engineering and health related disciplines, the aim is to produce world leading research with applications in areas such as biosensors, functional materials and self-assembled nanostructures.

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Organisation Website: http://www.strath.ac.uk