EPSRC 20th Anniversary 1994-2014 EPSRC 20th anniversary CONTENTS 1994-2014 4-9 1994: EPSRC comes into being; 60-69 2005: Green chemistry steps up Peter Denyer starts a camera phone a gear; new facial recognition software revolution; Stephen Salter trailblazes becomes a Crimewatch favourite; modern wave energy research researchers begin mapping the underworld 10-13 1995: From microwave ovens to 70-73 2006: The Silent Aircraft Initiative biomedical engineering, Professor Lionel heralds a greener era in air travel; bacteria Tarassenko’s remarkable career; Professor munch metal, get recycled, emit hydrogen Peter Bruce – batteries for tomorrow 14 74-81 2007: A pioneering approach to 14-19 1996: Professor Alf Adams, prepare against earthquakes and tsunamis; godfather of the internet; Professor Dame beetles inspire high technologies; spin out Wendy Hall – web science pioneer company sells for US$500 million 20-23 1997: The crucial science behind 82-87 2008: Four scientists tackle the world’s first supersonic car; Professor synthetic cells; the 1,000 mph supercar; Malcolm Greaves – oil magnate strategic healthcare partnerships; supercomputer facility is launched 24-27 1998: Professor Kevin Shakesheff – regeneration man; Professor Ed Hinds – 88-95 2009: Massive investments in 20 order from quantum chaos doctoral training; the 175 mph racing car you can eat; rescuing heritage buildings; 28-31 1999: Professor Sir Mike Brady – medical imaging innovator; Unlocking the the battery-free soldier Basic Technologies programme 96-101 2010: Unlocking the mysteries of antimatter; spin out sells for US$330 32-35 2000: Plastic electronics: Professor 56 million; harnessing the power of pee Sir Richard Friend and colleagues invent a new research discipline; Strategic 102-107 2011: Spin out company sells Partnerships: forging ever-stronger links for £7.1 billion; Professor Colin Humphreys with industry and key collaborators on the GaN LED revolution; the world’s first synthetic organ transplant 36-41 2001: Makers in momentum – the Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre 108-115 2012: Meet the MASER – no programme; Professor Eric Yeatman, longer the laser’s less attractive cousin; the microelectronics maestro laundry additive that purifies the air as we walk; £60 million to encourage innovation 42-45 2002: Professor Dave Hawkes – 3D medical imaging for safer surgery; 116-119 2013: Massive investments in Professor Sam Kingman – using manufacturing, engineering and energy; microwaves to crush rocks drones to monitor radiation levels 46-49 2003: The future is fusion: a step 120-125 2014: Slide rules: how two 110 closer to limitless, clean and safe energy; doctoral students helped Lizzy Yarnold The SUPERGEN sustainable power slide to gold medal victory at the Sochi generation and supply programme Olympics; 20 years of the Southampton Optoelectronics Centre 50-59 2004: Wonder material graphene is first isolated; new adventures in ultrasound 126 V-signs: At last, the mystery of why begin; maths giant wins major award; birds fly in V-formation is resolved metamaterials pioneer is knighted 123 127 EPSRC: At a glance EPSRC 1994-2014 2 Top 20 Chief Executive Professor Philip Nelson reflects on EPSRC’s 20th anniversary – and two decades of investment in science and engineering research, collaboration, discovery and innovation essential for a successful nation. Twenty years isn’t grants and the training of 60,000 doctoral Returning to those 28,500 research grants, very long in the students. In addition to the £11 billion every one of these will have undergone a world of research, invested by EPSRC, a further £1.74 billion rigorous process of peer review, facilitated when a discovery has been contributed by research partners by dedicated EPSRC staff. This would not or breakthrough from business, the charitable sector, have been possible were it not for major can take decades universities, government, the charitable initiatives begun in 1994 to develop a robust to reach its sector, learned societies, research councils yet flexible process driven by research destiny. But in the and other funding agencies and government excellence and developed through close 20 years since organisations in the UK and internationally. engagement with the research community. EPSRC was formed, it’s hard not to be This is a powerful endorsement of our Our investment model has also evolved. For impressed by the incredible achievements founding commitments to both research example, we have successfully introduced of the inspirational scientists, engineers excellence and to strengthening the dedicated centres of excellence for the and mathematicians we have supported, pathways between fundamental research training of doctoral students; specialised and the world-changing research they and its translation into products and centres for manufacturing and innovation; have pioneered. services for the good of the UK economy and longer, larger, multi-partner research These achievements include the invention and society, and for a healthier and more grants – all focused on pooling resources of CMOS sensors now used in most sustainable world. and providing the tools and skills society camera phones (pages 6-7); research that Across our portfolio we work with around and industry need for all our tomorrows. made possible the invention of the DVD, 2,800 partner organisations, and, at the last As EPSRC enters its third decade, we barcode scanners and a host of low power will continue to work with the research commercial products (pages 14-15); optical count, 45 per cent of EPSRC-supported community and our partners, including fibre technology that drives the internet projects were collaborative with research those from industry and government, to (page 124); entirely new disciplines such partners. This is part of a growing and develop processes and initiatives that stay as plastic electronics (page 33); green productive dynamic that over two decades true to our Royal Charter of 1994, and chemistry for a more sustainable world has seen a greater desire from our partners ensure that the resources we invest keep (page 61); powerful medical imaging and co-investors to join in discovery and the UK at the cutting edge of international technology, including magnetic resonance innovation; harnessing creative research research excellence while developing the imaging (page 49); breakthroughs in physics from which we all benefit. research leaders of tomorrow. and mathematics for the quantum world To aid this process, EPSRC has a clear set of tomorrow (pages 26, 96-97) and major of strategies and policies, and professional Such is the breadth and scale of our advances in materials science, including staff with a comprehensive understanding research and training portfolio, this the Nobel Prize-winning isolation of of R&D issues and opportunities. People publication can but provide a snapshot of wonder material graphene (pages 50-53) who know how to join the dots between the people, projects and achievements from – all of which have helped to shape our university researchers, business and other the past 20 years, and the influence many of global destinies. organisations, both to enhance and deepen them are now having on the world, and are Since 1994, EPSRC has invested £11 the body of research itself, but also to already having on the future. If the past two billion in pioneering research and doctoral apply the fruits of research for societal and decades are anything to go by, EPSRC’s training; supporting over 28,500 research economic benefit. 40th anniversary will be very special indeed. EPSRC 1994-2014 3 1994 GENESIS On April 1 1994, the With an average of 5,000 submissions per “Our task is to judge the work we Engineering and year, at a stroke efficiency was dramatically support not only on the excellence of its Physical Sciences improved, costs came down and staff had research, but also on its relevance to Research Council came more time to support and engage with the the requirements of users in industry, into existence. research community. commerce and elsewhere. At first glance, the Interviewed in1994, Chairman, Dr Alan “The most important form of technology main difference from Rudge (pictured), explained EPSRC’s transfer from the science base is the EPSRC’s previous incarnation, the Science founding priorities: flow of people out of the universities into and Engineering Research Council (SERC), “EPSRC has an exciting and challenging industry, commerce and government. was its remit – which no longer included mission to support high-quality research “If we only supported long-term curiosity- astronomy; biotechnology and biological in the UK, and to make significant driven research, we would have a badly sciences; space research and particle contributions to national competitiveness balanced portfolio. On the other hand, if we physics. In fact, from its inception, EPSRC and to the quality of life. only supported short-term research, driven was a very different beast from SERC “There are three main objectives: by immediate and obvious relevance, there (1981-1994) and its predecessor, the would be something seriously amiss. Science Research Council (1965-81). • Developing and sustaining a national core competence in engineering and “The object is to maintain a well-balanced In addition to a more focused remit, from the physical sciences portfolio – and this is what EPSRC will Day One EPSRC set about streamlining its seek to achieve.” core activities, and its staff adopted a more • Maintaining a world-class teaching focused approach to everything they did. capability in terms of both technical Over two decades, EPSRC has stayed true An example is the early transition to solely content and techniques to these principles, which are enshrined in electronic research grant applications. • Advancing scientific knowledge its Royal Charter of 1994. EPSRC 1994-2014 March 29: Serbs and Croats sign a cease-fire to end the war in Croatia 4 Olympiadane is a chain of rings and Magnetic attraction was something of In 1994, Professor a record in the field Lynn Gladden, from of supramolecular the University of chemistry.