| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/G037426/1 |
| Title: |
Industrial Doctorate Centre: Nuclear Engineering |
| Principal Investigator: |
Billowes, Professor J |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Physics and Astronomy |
| Organisation: |
University of Manchester, The |
| Scheme: |
Centre for Doctoral Training |
| Starts: |
01 October 2009 |
Ends: |
31 March 2018 |
Value (£): |
3,594,778
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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A consortium of UK universities, led by the University of Manchester in partnership with Imperial College London and supported by Bristol, Leeds, Sheffield and Strathclyde, is proposing to continue a nuclear engineering doctorate programme, established in 2006, as an Industrial Doctorate Centre (IDC) in Nuclear Engineering.The broad theme areas of the Nuclear Engineering IDC are as defined in the original EPSRC call (2006) and cover Reactor Technology, Waste Management, Decommissioning, Materials, Socio-economic aspects and Safety Systems. This proposal builds on the Nuclear Engineering Doctorate programme, developed by this consortium and currently in its second year. The primary aim of the programme is to develop outstanding, vocationally oriented, Research Engineers through intensive, broadly-based training in collaboration with companies so that they are equipped to take up senior roles within the nuclear industry in support of plant life extension, new build, waste management, decommissioning & clean-up, and naval nuclear propulsion. The proposed programme will fund 50 Research Engineers in 5 cohorts. The programme comprises four elements: a Doctoral-level research project or portfolio of projects; a Diploma in Enterprise Management; Taught technical modules; and a professional development programme.EPSRC's original call for a Nuclear Engineering Doctorate Centre was in response to mounting concerns about the loss of key skills across a broad technical base within the nuclear sector. A number of reports had been commissioned (Coverdale 2002 and Nuclear Skills Task Force 2003 are just two) that formalised and quantified the issue. The focus of the original programme was on the UK's immediate concerns for nuclear decommissioning, waste management, continued operation and plant extension of current reactors, and naval nuclear propulsion. Since the launch of the nuclear EngD programme in 2006, the Government has given formal backing for a new generation of nuclear power stations to be built in the UK (announcement by John Hutton, Jan 2008) with the expectation that the nuclear share of electricity generation would be significantly above the current level of 19%. The new-build policy does not greatly change the focus of the nuclear EngD programme but it does increase the urgency for developing skilled nuclear engineers to ensure future plants are regulated, built, commissioned and run safely, reliably and efficiently. There is currently a high demand for graduates by the nuclear industry. The relevant Masters programmes in the UK (for example the EPSRC-funded Nuclear Technology Education Consortium and Birmingham PTNR programmes) report rapid take-up of almost all available students by UK nuclear companies. Nuclear research activity in the UK is also fast expanding as evidenced by: Establishment of a National Nuclear Laboratory later this year; four new Chairs in nuclear areas have recently been created in UK universities; the Northwest Science Council has endorsed Manchester's plans for a Centre for Nuclear Energy Technology and Phase I funding is being sought from the Northwest RDA; a 20m NDA/Dalton Nuclear Institute (Manchester) initiative will provide research access for UK academics to the Sellafield Technology Centre.The Nuclear Engineering IDC will be fully integrated with these activities and will continue its formal links to the EPSRC-funded KNOO (Keeping the nuclear option open) programme. Active discussions are underway with Prof. Biggs in Leeds (PI, DIAMOND project in Decommissioning, Immobilization and Nuclear Waste Disposal) to link in their activities.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.man.ac.uk |