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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/S023259/1
Title: EPSRC and SFI Centre for Doctoral Training in the Advanced Characterisation of Materials (CDT-ACM)
Principal Investigator: McLachlan, Professor M
Other Investigators:
Petit, Professor C Curson, Professor NJ Thornton, Professor G
Duffy, Professor DM Howard, Professor CA Porter, Professor AE
Stephens, Dr I E L
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Acutance Scientific Limited Agency for Science Technology (A Star) Alvatek Ltd
Asylum Research UK Ltd BASF Biolin Scientific AB
BP Brookhaven National Laboratory Bruker
Carl Zeiss Ltd (UK) Ceres Power Ltd CrystalMaker Software Ltd
Diamond Light Source DIAMOND light source Ltd European Synch Radiation Facility - ESRF
FELIX Laboratory Gatan, Inc. Helmholtz Association
Hitachi Ltd HPNow IHP GmbH
IKZ -Leibniz Institute of Crystal Growth Institute Max von Laue - Paul Langevin ION-TOF Gmbh
ISIS Japan Adv Inst of Sci & Tech (JAIST) JEOL
Kurt J Lesker Co Ltd Kyushu University (Japan) Malvern Panalytical Ltd
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nanyang Technological University Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Paul Scherrer Institute Rolls-Royce Plc (UK) SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corp)
Semilab Semiconductor Physics Laboratory Sensor Coating Systems Ltd Smith & Nephew plc (UK)
Solmates Stanford University Thermo Fisher Scientific UK
Toshiba Trinity College Dublin UK SuperSTEM Laboratory
University of Stockholm
Department: Materials
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Centre for Doctoral Training
Starts: 01 October 2019 Ends: 31 March 2028 Value (£): 6,631,929
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Biomaterials Magnetism/Magnetic Phenomena
Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Electronics Energy
Information Technologies Transport Systems and Vehicles
Water R&D
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
07 Nov 2018 EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training Interview Panel J – November 2018 Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
Materials characterisation is critical to the understanding of key processes in a range of functional and structural materials that have applications across several industrial sectors. These sectors include strategic priorities such as discovery of functional materials, energy storage and conversion and materials manufacturing, and healthcare. Materials characterisation is increasing in complexity, driven by a need to understand how materials properties evolve in operando, over their full lifetimes and over all levels of their hierarchy to predict their ultimate performance. The new generation of materials characterisation techniques will require: 1. Greater spatial and chemical resolution; 2. Correlated information that bridges nano- and centimeter -length scales, to relate the nanoscale chemistry and structure of interest to their intrinsically multi-scale surroundings, and 3. Temporal information about the kinetics of materials behaviour in extreme environments. The CDT will train students in a range of complementary techniques, ensuring that they have the breadth and depth of knowledge to make informed choices when considering key characterisation challenges. Our CDT will use an integrated training approach, to ensure that the technical content is well aligned with the research objectives of each student. This training in specific research needs will be informed by our industry partners and will reflect the suite of research projects that the students will undertake. Our portfolio of research projects will provide an innovative and ambitious research and training experience that will enhance the UK's long-term capabilities across high value industrial sectors.

Additionally, our students will receive training in a range of topics that will support their research progress including in science communication, research ethics, career development planning and data science. These additional courses will be distributed throughout the 4-year PhD programme and will ensure that a cohesive training plan is in place for each student, supported by cohort mentors. Each student graduating from the CDT-ACM will leave will a through understanding of the key challenges presented by materials characterisation problems, and have the tools to provide creative solutions to these. They will have first hand experience of collaborating with industry partners and will be well placed to address the strategic needs of the UK Industrial Strategy.

Our training will be developed in collaboration with leading partner organisations, and include international collaboration with the AMBER centre, a Science Foundation Ireland centre, as well as national facilities such as Diamond Light Source. Innovative on-line and remote instrument access will be developed that will enable both UK and Irish cohorts to interact seamlessly. Industry partners will be closely involved in designing and delivering training activities including at summer schools, and will include entrepreneurship activities.

Overall the 70 students that will be trained over the lifetime of the CDT will receive excellent tuition and research training at two world leading institutions with unique characterisation abilities.





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