Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 12 EPSRC

the first 10 years 20th anniversary special 4-9 1994: EPSRC comes into being; Peter Denyer starts a camera phone revolution; Stephen Salter trailblazes CONTENTS modern wave energy research 10-13 1995: From microwave ovens to biomedical engineering, Professor Lionel Tarassenko’s remarkable career; Professor EPSRC: the Peter Bruce – batteries for tomorrow 14-19 1996: Professor Alf Adams, godfather of the internet; Professor Dame first 10 years Wendy Hall – pioneer 20-23 1997: The crucial science behind 20th anniversary special the world’s first supersonic car; Professor Malcolm Greaves – oil magnate 24-27 1998: Professor Kevin Shakesheff – regeneration man; Professor Ed Hinds – order from quantum chaos 4 28-31 1999: Professor Sir Mike Brady – medical imaging innovator; Unlocking the Basic Technologies programme 14 32-35 2000: Plastic electronics: Professor Sir and colleagues invent a new research discipline; Strategic Partnerships: forging ever-stronger links with industry and key collaborators 36-41 2001: Makers in momentum – the Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre programme; Professor Eric Yeatman, microelectronics maestro 42-45 2002: Professor Dave Hawkes – 3D medical imaging for safer surgery; Professor Sam Kingman – using microwaves to crush rocks 46-49 2003: The future is fusion: a step closer to limitless, clean and safe energy; The SUPERGEN sustainable power generation and supply programme 50-53 All RISE: Introducing the 20 Recognising Inspirational Scientists and Engineers (RISE) Leaders and their nominated rising stars 54-59 Linking thinking: Building a UK network for computational science 60-66 High and mighty: 20 years of EPSRC investment in high performance 67 Sticky science: Inspired by geckos, André Geim and 40 48 invent a new kind of super sticky adhesive PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 2 Big numbers Chief Executive Professor Philip Nelson on EPSRC’s 20th anniversary – and two decades of research excellence

Twenty years Since 1994, EPSRC has invested around economy and society, and for a healthier isn’t very long £11 billion in research and doctoral and more sustainable world. in the world of training. By any measure, this is £11 billion Returning to those 28,555 research research, when well spent. proposals, every one of these will have a discovery or From Peter Denyer’s development of the undergone a rigorous process of peer breakthrough can CMOS technology integral to most modern review, facilitated by dedicated EPSRC staff. take decades to camera phones (pages 6-7) to Alf Adams’ This would not have been possible were it reach its destiny. pioneering innovations in quantum well not for major initiatives begun in 1994 to But in the 20 lasers – which are fundamental to sustaining develop a robust yet flexible process driven years since EPSRC was formed, the roll- the internet as we know it (pages 18-19) by research excellence and developed call of inspirational leaders, world-leading – the underpinning support provided by through close engagement with the research and ground-breaking initiatives has EPSRC and its predecessors has helped research community. been such that we are devoting two editions shape the modern world. And, as we move As EPSRC enters its third decade, we of Pioneer to tell the story – and then only further into the 21st century, we’re investing will continue to work with the research scratching its surface. in the future, too, such as through Professor community to develop processes and As an engineer, I am wary of superlatives, Ed Hinds’ research into cold atom , initiatives that stay true to our Royal Charter but it’s hard not to be impressed by the fact which could lead to a completely new of 1994, and ensure that the resources that in 20 years we have awarded research technology, as significant as electronics or we invest keep the UK at the cutting grants to 28,555 applicants. optics (page 32). edge of international research excellence Add to this the number of grants on which Now here’s something that may surprise while developing the research leaders more than one researcher is named as a you. In addition to the £11 billion invested of tomorrow. co-investigator; factor in the research teams by EPSRC, a further £1.7 billion has been Such is the breadth and scale of our and doctoral students taking part in the contributed by research partners from research and training portfolio, this project – and then add the myriad industrial business, the charitable sector and other magazine can but provide a snapshot of and other partners who collaborated – and investors. This is a powerful endorsement the people, projects and achievements from you get a picture of the sheer numbers of of EPSRC’s founding commitments to both the past 20 years, and the influence many people who have benefited from EPSRC research excellence and to strengthening of them are now having on the world. If the support, and who have used it to further the pathways between fundamental past two decades are anything to go by, research in engineering and the physical research and its translation into products however, the 40th anniversary edition of sciences, often spectacularly so. and services for the good of the UK Pioneer will be very special indeed.

PIONEER 12 Summer 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.

PIONEER 12 Summer 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 , from of supramolecular the University of . Cambridge, was To get the rings awarded £360,000 by together, the EPSRC to establish Birmingham team, led a centre of expertise by Dr Fraser Stoddart, in the application used supramolecular of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemistry – where spectroscopy for use by the UK academic simple pieces are process engineering community. joined to make more NMR spectroscopy is a quality control Ring cycle complex supermolecules. technique used in analytical chemistry to The techniques devised to create the determine a sample’s content, purity and In the summer of 1994, capping a decade molecular structure. of intense research, a team of British molecule may shed light on the process The grant consolidated Professor Gladden’s chemists from the University of Birmingham by which life arose from relatively reputation as a pioneer in the development and worked out simple chemicals. of NMR techniques, including translating the exact structure of a billionth-scale Research such as this could also lead to them from the laboratory into industrial molecular version of the Olympic emblem, new smart polymers that respond to their practice. She has since received over called olympiadane, consisting of five tiny environment, and superfast, nanoscale 30 research grants from EPSRC. interlocking rings of atoms. devices for the computers of the future. In 2001, Professor Gladden (pictured) was awarded the OBE for her services to chemistry and elected a of the Royal Independent First funding Society in 2004. In 2006, she was appointed to EPSRC’s advice In 1994, EPSRC was allocated Council, its senior decision-making body. £364 million by the government for In 1994, in a move that set the In 2009, she was awarded the CBE for her its first year in existence. It went on blueprint for EPSRC’s commitment services to science. to invest £212 million in academic to wider engagement with the In 2013, Professor Gladden was named as research grants; £72 million in the academic, business and stakeholder a co-leader of the new UK Catalysis Hub, a training of postgraduate students and communities, EPSRC set up two £12.9 million EPSRC investment in catalytic £52 million in support of the Daresbury independent advisory panels to advise science. The Hub is an academic/industrial and Rutherford Appleton Laboratories. the chief executive on future research collaboration focused on supporting UK The responsibility for these facilities areas and their value. economic growth while helping reduce was later passed on to the Science & CO emissions, produce cleaner water and The Technical Opportunities Panel Technology Facilities Council (STFC). 2 (TOP), which mainly comprised generate more sustainable energy. In 2014, EPSRC is responsible for an academics, and the User Panel In 2014, Professor Gladden leads the annual research and training budget (UP), whose main component was ’s Magnetic of around £800 million. Around 25 per industrialists, advised on how Resonance Research Centre and is also cent of this is allocated to doctoral EPSRC’s budget could be divided in the university’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor level training. order to get maximum benefit, and for Research. also suggested priorities for many of EPSRC’s research programme areas. The new panel system was so Making it successful it remained largely Social Research Council (ESRC), the unchanged for nearly two decades, In April 1994, EPSRC launched Biotechnology and Biological Sciences and was complemented in 2007 its Innovative Manufacturing Research Council (BBSRC) and the by a Societal Issues Panel (SIP) (IM) programme, which aimed Department of the Environment. before evolving into a Strategic to bring industry and academia The programme marked an important Advisory Network in 2011, which together for the benefit of British step up towards a ‘joined-up’ offered a more flexible advisory manufacturing industry. approach to fostering multidisciplinary model combining multiple Joint sponsors of the programme partnerships between the science base stakeholder perspectives. included the Economic and and industry that continues to this day.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 April 6: The Rwandan Genocide begins. In 100 days some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred 5 1994 Going mobile

In the mid- Professor Denyer went on to become a 1990s, work prolific entrepreneur, adviser and mentor by VSLI Vision to university start-up companies and a Limited (VVL), a serial investor. small Scottish In 1998, Peter Denyer was awarded the electronics Royal Academy of Engineering’s company formed Silver Medal, and, in the same to commercialise year, together with colleagues the work of David Renshaw, Lu Mingying, Professor Peter and Wang Guoyo, he was Denyer and awarded the Rank Prize in Professor David Renshaw at Edinburgh Optoelectronics for their University, led to the development of pioneering research. electronic chips that can ‘see’ – paving Accepting the Rank Prize, the way for a revolution in mobile cellular Professor Denyer said: “Our technology – the camera phone. work was not always so Previously funded by EPSRC’s predecessor, well regarded, certainly in the Science and Engineering Research its earliest days when the Council (SERC), and then by EPSRC in doubters were many and 1994, Professor Denyer (pictured) and the believers were... well, his team pioneered the development and just ourselves.” manufacture of CMOS (complementary The Royal Society has metal-oxide semiconductor) sensor described Professor Denyer, technology now used in almost all mobile who died in 2010, as ‘a unique phones and also employed in digital combination of electronics cameras, webcams, video-conferencing engineer, distinguished cameras and the optical computer mouse. academic, inventor, company Conventional video cameras of the day CEO and multiple entrepreneur’. had separate light sensors that took “To say that Denyer ‘invented’ images and created electronic signals, the mobile phone camera,” wrote one which then went on to another piece of obituarist, “would be unfair to the rest of electronic hardware. his research team at Edinburgh University VSLI’s breakthrough combined image and to parallel researchers worldwide... capture and processing on a single chip, “But, although the camera phone and set the stage for Professor Denyer and phenomenon was but a twinkle in Denyer’s his team to step into history. eye when he started out, he became VSLI evolved into Vision Group plc and internationally-recognised as a driving became an early manufacturer of CMOS force in the technology known as CMOS image sensors, at its peak selling one which still features in hundreds of millions million cameras a year. of mobile phones around the globe.” By 2006, half of all mobile phones had In 2012, Facebook paid a billion dollars for digital cameras. It is estimated that in 2014 Instagram, a small business that develops the number of mobile phones globally will novelty software to make your phone exceed the number of people on the planet. pictures look like old Polaroids.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 April 18: Cricketer Brian Lara hits a world record 375 runs in one day 6 PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 May 10: Nelson Mandela is sworn in as South Africa’s first black president 7 1994

Going underground

In 1994, EPSRC awarded a grant of £390,000 to an engineering research team at Imperial College London to examine subsidence caused by extension tunnelling. The team was led by soil mechanics expert Professor John Burland, who went on to play a leading role as a member of an international team commissioned by the Italian Government to stabilise the Leaning Tower of Pisa – a feat they achieved in 2001. The team, which was also funded by the Department of the Environment and London Underground, conducted important work that informed the safe construction of London’s new Jubilee extension line. Interviewed in 1994, Professor Burland said: “Research in subsidence has been almost impossible, because it has always happened by the time you get on the scene. The Jubilee extension gives us an ideal opportunity to observe how buildings respond to subsidence.” In addition to the Pisa project, Professor Burland advised on a project to ensure the stability of the Big Ben Clock Tower. In May 2008, engineers announced that the Leaning Tower of Pisa had been stabilised and that they had stopped the building from moving for the first time in its history. In April 2011, the scaffolding was removed. In 2014, Professor Burland is working with London Underground and Crossrail on an EPSRC-sponsored project to assess potential damage to existing tunnels before and after excavation works as part of the multi-million pound London Crossrail project.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 May 6: The Channel Tunnel linking England and France officially opens 8 Going underground

Fluid power

In 1994, marine energy pioneer Artemis applications, including highway and off-road Artemis has also designed and Intelligent Power was formed to vehicles. A specially adapted BMW saloon manufactured valves, electronics and control commercialise EPSRC-supported research has achieved fuel savings of 30 per cent. software for two new wind turbines for into hydraulic wave energy technology Mitsubishi for deployment in the west of developed by Professor Stephen Salter In 2010, Artemis Intelligent Power was and offshore of Fukushima, Japan. acquired by Mitsubishi Power Systems (pictured) and Dr Win Rampen at the In 2014, Professor Stephen Salter, who Europe (MPSE); it is currently developing a University of Edinburgh in the 1970s and 80s. received the Sustained Achievement Award unique gearless power transmission for very Artemis Intelligent Power performs from the Royal Academy of Engineering large offshore wind turbines. research, development, and technology in 2012, remains a director of Artemis licensing associated with Salter and In 2014, Artemis’ parent company, Mitsubishi Intelligent Power. The device he designed Rampen’s Digital Displacement® (DD) Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI), established a in the 1970s, the Salter Duck, was one of technology, as well as other innovations in new joint venture company with Vestas Wind the world’s first wave energy devices and the control and transmission of fluid power. Systems dedicated to business in offshore remains one of the most efficient. wind turbines. Artemis has won numerous industry awards Professor Salter is Emeritus Professor at for its energy-saving applications, and Plans for the new company include an early the UK Centre for Marine Energy Research continues to work with global companies market launch of a turbine incorporating at Edinburgh University, supported by the to develop DD systems and power the world’s first Digital Displacement® SUPERGEN Marine Energy Consortium, led transmissions for a range of energy-saving Transmission. by EPSRC (see page 48).

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 August 31: The Provisional Irish Republican Army announces a “complete cessation of military operations” 9 1995 Master of logic

In 1995, Lionel on jet engines. This award followed the developed under the EPSRC-led RCUK Tarassenko Sir Henry Royce High Value Patent Award Digital Economy Programme, uses the (pictured in 1995), seven years earlier, in 2001. latest computer tablet technology to record an EPSRC-funded Also in 2008, Professor Tarassenko became and evaluate patients’ vital signs. The researcher from the first Director of the Oxford Institute of system is being rolled-out across all adult the University Biomedical Engineering (IBME). The IBME wards in the Oxford University Hospitals of Oxford’s hosts a Centre for Doctoral Training in NHS Trust’s acute hospitals, with funding Department of Healthcare Innovation, under the EPSRC- from the NHS Technology Fund and the Engineering led RCUK Digital Economy programme. Safer Hospitals, Safer Wards programme. Science, It also hosts a Centre of Excellence in Origins developed the core technology behind the Medical Engineering funded jointly by the Lionel Tarassenko’s career-long passion Sharp Logicook, the world’s first ‘smart’ Wellcome Trust and EPSRC and led by for digital signal processing began in the microwave oven. It is an early highlight in a Professor Tarassenko. early 1980s at Racal, before it evolved into remarkable career – particularly in the field Commercial success Vodafone, which he joined as a graduate, at of biomedical engineering. A successful entrepreneur, Professor a time when mobile telephony was still just Professor Tarassenko’s pioneering Tarassenko has founded several spin out an idea. His time at Racal included work work, originally in neural networks and companies, including t+ Medical, Oxford on the company’s first speech coder, which subsequently in machine learning, led BioSignals Ltd and Oxehealth. Award- enabled the spoken word to be captured to a host of different applications based winning products include t+Diabetes, a and transmitted digitally. on pattern recognition – from jet engine mobile phone-based tool for diabetes self- After three years at Racal, Professor diagnostics to patient monitoring. management; and a system for gestational Tarassenko returned to academia to study Professor Tarassenko’s research has diabetes management, which have been for a doctorate in biomedical electronics in brought him international recognition taken up by hospitals throughout the Oxford paediatrics. He has remained in academia for his work in signal processing and region, from Reading to Milton Keynes. ever since, and recently returned to biomedical engineering, and he has held In 2006, Professor Tarassenko won the paediatrics-related research to work on the Chair in Electrical Engineering at the Institute of Engineering & Technology the non-contact monitoring of babies’ vital since 1997. IT Award for Visensia, a data fusion signs using webcams. In 2000, he was awarded a Fellowship from system providing early warning of patient He describes his move back into university- the Royal Academy of Engineering. Six deterioration in critical care. It was the first based research as the best decision he years later he was awarded the Academy’s data fusion system to be approved by the ever made. Silver Medal for his contribution to British US Food and Drug Administration. Over Professor Tarassenko says: “I have been engineering. Today, he chairs the Royal 137 licences for the product have been sold very fortunate that my research has Academy of Engineering’s Biomedical in the UK and the US in the last two years. made a positive difference to the care of Engineering Panel. In 2013, Professor Tarassenko launched tens of thousands of patients, and has In 2008, Professor Tarassenko was a new iPad-based early warning patient been translated into products which have awarded the Rolls-Royce Chairman’s monitoring system for ward-based monitored the efficiency of thousands of Award for Technical Innovation for his work monitoring in hospital. The system, jet engines”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 January 12: A major earthquake kills 5,092 people in Kobe, Japan 10 PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 26 February: Barings Bank, the UK’s oldest merchant bank, collapses following £840 million of losses incurred by rogue trader, Nick Leeson 11 1995 Full charge

batteries, particularly enhancing their In 2012, Professor Bruce received the ability to store and retain charge. AkzoNobel Science Award from the Royal He is part of a team of four innovative Society of Chemistry in recognition of his scientists behind research into developing outstanding scientific contribution in the Lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. fields of chemistry and materials science. Together, Professors John Goodenough, In 2014, Professor Bruce FRS, now at the Mike Thackeray, Bill David and Peter University of Oxford, is working on three Bruce were able to discover electrode EPSRC-funded projects on the materials materials resulting in a lower cost and chemistry and electrochemistry of Lithium- safer alternative to the more expensive air, Lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. Lithium cobalt oxide electrodes, which are The project is funded under the Sustainable unsafe when used in large batteries. As a Power Generation and Supply (SUPERGEN) In 1995, an EPSRC-supported team led by result, the Lithium manganese oxide spinel initiative, part of the RCUK Energy Professor Peter Bruce, from St Andrews became the material of choice for the Programme, led by EPSRC. University, developed a rechargeable first generation of modern electric vehicle Professor Bruce says: “Lithium batteries Lithium battery material enabling lighter, batteries, used in cars such as the Nissan are one of the most important technological more reliable, more efficient and greener Leaf and Vauxhall Ampera. developments of the past 20 years. The UK batteries than the prevailing Nickel In 2007, Professor Bruce was elected has played a central role in this technology. Cadmium (NiCad) type. a Fellow of the Royal Society. He is one New materials and new electrochemistry

Over the next two decades, Professor of the pioneers of the Li-air (O2) battery, will continue to drive the field, leading to new Bruce (pictured) attracted substantial and which can exceed the energy density of generations of Lithium batteries for use in continuous funding from EPSRC, The Royal rechargeable Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries transport and electricity grid storage.” Society and internationally. He and his and could hold the key for next-generation In May 2014, EPSRC invested £4 million in a colleagues made important advances in the energy storage devices, including for new SUPERGEN Energy Storage Hub, led by science underpinning rechargeable Lithium electric vehicles. Professor Bruce (see page 48).

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 April 19: A truck bomb at Federal Building in Oklahoma City kills 168 and injures 500 12 Intelligent Energy

In 1995, EPSRC- With 350 staff across operating sites and Peer review progress supported offices globally; it has established major In 1995, EPSRC started its new research into global partnerships including with the system for the peer review of renewable energy, Suzuki Motor Corporation with whom it has grant applications by independent co-led by Dr Paul formed a joint venture company in Japan. experts. The new peer review college Adcock and Dr The company retains close links with comprised 1,650 individuals from Phil Mitchell, from Loughborough and other major UK academia and industry grouped into Loughborough universities, and over half its employees 16 colleges of varying size based on University, resulted in a hybrid battery/fuel hold PhDs. In the last decade it has EPSRC research programmes. cell power source for road vehicles. The achieved a host of notable achievements. fuel cell was used at cruising speeds while Every research proposal was assessed In 2005, the company unveiled the world’s a set of batteries provided acceleration. by at least two college members first purpose-built fuel cell motorbike, The objective was to create an entirely new together with one person from a list which emits only water vapour, is near- sustainable power source that would slot put forward by the proposer. silent and non-polluting. into the same space as existing engines. After an initial sift based on referees’ In 2008, the company’s fuel cell technology Interviewed in 1995, Dr Adcock (pictured reports, small panels drawn from was used in the first manned flight of a fuel in 1995) said: “The great thing is that from college members put the remaining cell-powered aircraft by Boeing. the driver’s perspective the experience will proposals into peer-ranked order, be just the same as a conventional vehicle.” In 2012, a fleet of zero carbon London which went towards the decision about His optimism was well-founded. taxis was used to transport passengers at which proposals should be funded. the London Olympics. The taxi’s hydrogen In June 1995, together with Dr Jon Moore For 20 years the peer review system fuel cell system, hydridised with Lithium and Anthony Newbold, Adcock and Mitchell has evolved and matured, but retains polymer batteries, allows the vehicles to formed university spin out company true to its founding values. operate for a full day without refuelling, and Advanced Power Sources (APS) Ltd to gives them a top speed of 80 mph. commercialise their work. In January 2014, in partnership with US In 2001, their work led to the formation Mondex retailer and product development company, of another spin out company, Intelligent Brookstone, Intelligent Energy launched Over a decade before Energy, which absorbed APS as part the Upp™ personal energy device to the advent of chip of its strategy. A core team of EPSRC- power USB compatible portable electronic and pin technology funded researchers from Loughborough devices. The device provides at least one and smartphone University joined the company at its week of charge even to the most power- banking, the inception and to this day continues to lead hungry smartphones. cashless society its R&D, providing stability and insight into took a step closer in In March 2014, Intelligent Energy received product development. 1995 with the trial launch of Mondex, an £38 million from GIC, the Singapore Today, Intelligent Energy is one of the electronic purse introduced by NatWest Government’s sovereign wealth fund, for fastest-growing companies in Europe and Bank, Midland Bank and BT. 10 per cent of its share capital, to build is the world’s largest independent fuel its consumer electronics and distributed The Mondex smart card, which resembled cell company. power and generation divisions. a pocket calculator, was launched in Swindon, where residents had the chance to experience e-purchasing for themselves. Mondex allowed users to transfer cash from bank accounts to the card and back again using card-readers. Behind Mondex was a research team led by Professor Haroon Ahmed at the University of Cambridge’s Microelectronics Centre, who spent three decades of EPSRC/SERC- funded research on the reverse engineering of silicon chips and the inspection of integrated circuits, which they used to test Mondex’s integrity. The team also made important inroads into the integration of sensors and electronics on the same chip. Mondex didn’t catch on, but Professor Ahmed’s research demonstrated the possibility of safe and secure e-banking.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 British mountain climber Alison Hargreaves becomes the first woman to climb Mount Everest without oxygen or assistance. 13 1996 Legacy of light

In 1996, the first DVD strained layer laser technology, has made former PhD student under Alf Adams, players went on sale. it possible to send information around are carrying forward Alf’s legacy, and are But what if they the planet much more quickly than was applying new advances in infrared laser never existed? hitherto possible. technology to tackle emerging challenges Imagine a world without The internet is physically connected by such as the internet’s insatiable need the internet, DVDs or hugely complex fibre-optic technology for power. barcodes. If it weren’t underneath the world’s oceans, which it Professor Sweeney, who holds an EPSRC for one man, Professor uses to send light from one continent Leadership Fellowship, and who leads Alf Adams (pictured), from the University to another. The data carried by these fibre- the Surrey Photonics Group, says: “A key of Surrey, the technology that made these optic networks is not stored in ‘clouds’ as element of my Fellowship is to re-engineer inventions so widely available, or indeed we might think, but in huge data centres in the basic crystalline materials from which possible, might never have been invented. strategic sites across the globe, the largest the lasers are made. Supported by funding from EPSRC’s of which require the power it takes to “If our research proves to be correct, predecessor, the Science and Engineering light a small city to keep their hard drives then most of the temperature control Research Council (SERC), Professor spinning and, crucially, keep them cool. electronics required by internet lasers Adams’ ground-breaking research into According to a 2010 Greenpeace report, could be removed – leading to a substantial infrared lasers at the University of Surrey two per cent of the world’s electricity usage reduction in their energy demand.” in the 1980s paved the way for a host of can now be traced to these data centres. In 2014, Alf Adams, now Emeritus Professor low-cost and low-power commercial and It’s estimated that the internet accounts at Surrey, was awarded the prestigious Rank industrial products without which the for around three per cent of the world’s Prize in optoelectronics for his research modern world could not function. total energy consumption, a figure that is into the structure of semiconductor lasers. Research underpinned by this technology growing exponentially. Although he did not file a patent for his continues to this day. The internet in In 2014, a team at the University of Surrey invention, and so has not made a penny from particular, which relies on Alf Adams’ led by Professor Stephen Sweeney, a it, he has no regrets.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 October 3: OJ Simpson is found not guilty in the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman 14 PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 November 22: Toy Story is released. It is the first feature-length film created entirely using computer-generated imagery 15 1996

Man of steel In 1996, University of Cambridge In 2011, the UK Ministry of Defence realising that a good way of carrying metallurgist Professor Harry Bhadeshia unveiled a new type of vehicle armour, out long-term work is to put it out to developed a new, carbide-rich and silicon- using another of Professor Bhadeshia’s universities. But academics benefit too – free steel alloy for railway tracks, which inventions. The armour is made from super industry gives us an awareness of critical promised to be tougher and more resistant bainite, the strongest low-alloy steel that issues which we couldn’t get just from to fatigue than traditional materials. has ever been produced, more than six reading academic papers.” The alloy had remarkable properties: as times stronger than conventional steel. Computer modelling has also come on well as being enormously resistant to wear It is also the world’s first nanostructured enormously, and is integral to Professor itself, it also reduced wear on the train material to be manufactured in bulk. Bhadeshia’s research. He says: “I think of wheels, which was almost unheard of. Now, with sponsorship from the Ministry of computer modelling as being like electron Professor Bhadeshia received support for Defence, and with EPSRC input, Professor microscopes, which we also use a lot of. It his basic research into steel from EPSRC. Bhadeshia is attempting to design a kind of helps to cut out the variables, and identify Every year, 17 million people pass along rails steel that has what he calls an “impossible where new knowledge is needed.” made from Harry Bhadeshia’s steel, which combination of properties”. Since 1990, the Material Algorithms Project form the backbone of the 31-mile Channel The new steel will be strong enough to (MAP), funded by SERC/EPSRC and led by Tunnel rail link, Europe’s busiest railway. be ballistic and blast-resistant, but also Professor Bhadeshia, has been particularly In 2009, the SKF University Technology capable of being welded, meaning it will be important in this field, freely distributing Centre on Steels was set up in Cambridge, possible to make large things out of it, such algorithms useful in generating computer with Professor Bhadeshia as its head. The as military vehicles. models of materials. Centre continues to pioneer research in Over the last 20 years, Harry Bhadeshia Professor Bhadeshia says: “MAP is now advanced bearing technology for aircraft has seen significant changes in his field. the largest free source of these algorithms engines, with major support from industry, He says: “The intensity of research has in the world. Without EPSRC’s support, it supplemented by EPSRC. increased enormously; with industry would not have been possible.”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 March 16: Mike Tyson knocks out Frank Bruno in the third round to win the world heavyweight boxing title 16 The Hall story

In 1996, Professor Wendy Machinery (ACM), the world’s leading Hall, from the University community of computer scientists. of Southampton, In 2007, among over 20 EPSRC research was awarded a five- grants she has received, Professor Hall year EPSRC Senior established with Professors Leslie Carr and Fellowship to develop the a Web Science Network for multimedia assistants researchers from different technical and of the future. social science research disciplines to develop Running on auto One of the first computer scientists to a research agenda. Among the network’s undertake serious research in multimedia activities are exchange schemes for doctoral In 1996, a collaboration between a and hypermedia, Professor Hall has been at students and collaborative workshops. University of Portsmouth research team and manufacturer Cetrek led to the development the forefront of this multifaceted discipline In 2009, Professor Hall became a Dame of a ‘smarter’ autopilot for motor boats, ever since. Commander of the British Empire. In the trawlers and small ships. The influence of her work has been same year she was elected a Fellow of the significant in many areas including digital Royal Society. The device used a ‘fuzzy logic’ controller, designed by Dr Martyn Polkinghorne from libraries, the development of the Semantic Also in 2009, Professor Dame Wendy Hall the University’s School of Manufacturing, Web, and the emerging research discipline became principal investigator of the new Materials and Mechanical Engineering, to of Web Science – the science of the World EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in learn about its own performance and make Wide Web. Web Science, based at the University of allowances for heavy cargo, the weather and In 2006, Professor Hall was a founding Southampton and led by Professor Leslie changing tides. director, along with Professor Sir Tim Carr. The centre has evolved into the EPSRC Berners-Lee, Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt Centre for Doctoral Training in Web Science The device used self-organising techniques and Daniel J Weitzner, of the Web Science Innovation, which Dame Wendy will lead from to ensure the vessel arrived at its pre-set Research Initiative, a global forum for its inauguration in October 2014. destination efficiently. scientists and scholars to collaborate on Throughout her career, in addition to playing During sea trials the system was 50 per cent the first multidisciplinary scientific research a prominent role in the development of her faster than a standard autopilot when taking effort specifically designed to study the Web subject, Professor Hall has helped shape a 90 degree turn. at all scales of size and complexity. science and engineering policy and education Dr Polkinghorne and his new autopilot were In 2008, Professor Hall was elected and has also championed the role of women subsequently featured on BBC science President of the Association for Computing in science, engineering and technology. programme Tomorrow’s World. Quiz masters form of transport cause sickness. In seasickness, for example, In 1996, two members of a team that the up and down motion is to triumphed in the final of BBC Television’s blame; in road vehicles the University Challenge, Nick Bradshaw and horizontal motions – braking, Jim Totty, were PhD students supported accelerating and cornering – tend by EPSRC. to cause discomfort. The key to their success was simple, A second tranche of EPSRC according to Nick Bradshaw, and was all funding enabled Professor Griffin down to the nature of the scientific mind. and his colleagues to research Interviewed in 1996, he said: “I think there the design of vehicle seating are more science students who can answer arrangements and also the arts questions than there are arts students prediction of motion sickness. who can answer science questions.” Good vibrations In 1999, after surveying over 3,000 coach In 2014, Nick Bradshaw (below middle passengers, the team concluded that In 1996, Professor Mike Griffin, from the left) is Vice President of Equity Derivative people are more likely to feel sick during University of Southampton’s Institute of Development at Barclays Capital. Sound and Vibration Research, developed road travel when a vehicle is cornering or procedures for predicting seasickness. making a similar manoeuvre. These were subsequently incorporated However, when passengers are provided into international standards used by ship with a good view of the road ahead designers and shipping operators. feelings of motion sickness are reduced – Professor Griffin’s team’s earlier study suggesting that travel sickness could be of ships, coaches and small passenger significantly reduced by improved forward aircraft identified which motions in each external vision.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 December 10: The General Motors EV1, the first production electric car of the modern era, is launched and becomes available for lease 17 1996

Flake’s progress

In 1996, Professor Brian Wilshire from the preserving the delicate ridge lines that ranging from inking systems and University of Wales, Swansea, developed make each print unique. casting materials to fire and explosive ‘magnetic flake’ powders that would The technology was successfully trialled detection systems. allow scene-of-crime officers to study by the UK Forensic Science Service and The company’s Magneta Flake™, fingerprints without having to brush led to the launch of a spin out company manufactured specifically for the recovery them with fine powder, which could lead to commercialise Professor Wilshire’s of latent fingerprints, is fast becoming to smudging. research, K9 Scene of Crime Equipment the first choice preference with many law The powder consisted of tiny iron flakes Ltd, (later Crime Scene Investigation enforcement agencies. A ‘dark’ form of the with an organic coating that helped it stick Equipment Ltd). flake, for use on lighter surfaces, has been to the greasy residue in a fingerprint. A In 2014, staffed by ex-members of the developed in conjunction with the University key element of the process was the use police and security services, the company of Central Lancashire with additional of magnetism to remove excess powder, has developed a wide product portfolio, funding from EPSRC.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 June 23: The Nintendo 64 goes on sale in Japan 18 Car control

Going electronic In 1996, Professor Cliff Burrows, Director of the Fluid Power Centre at the University In 1996, EPSRC began successful of Bath, was awarded £445,000 by EPSRC trials that resulted in the introduction to study driveline controls in cars; of full electronic submission of focusing on maximising efficiency and research proposal forms. reducing emissions. With an average of 5,000 grant The research built on a project funded by applications from researchers the Department for Trade and Industry, received each year since 1994, the Ford, Lucas and Johnson Matthey. initiative dramatically improved efficiency, drove down costs, and A key element of the project was a enabled EPSRC staff to spend more constantly variable transmission, which In 2001, Professor Burrows was made time on supporting the research effectively made gear changing stepless, Director of the newly established EPSRC community and devote less time on so the engine could work at peak Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre paper-led administration. efficiency across a wide range of operating at the University of Bath (see page 36). In conditions, improving fuel economy. 2001, Professor Burrows received the OBE. Man on fire In 1996, a team led by Dr Dougal Drysdale at the University of Edinburgh’s Fire Safety Research Group used an EPSRC-funded research grant to develop mathematical models to predict the way fires develop in buildings and in tunnels. The team also used EPSRC funding to build test apparatus to measure the upward spread of flames on walls. Dr Drysdale went on to write the seminal reference text on fire protection engineering, An Introduction to Fire Dynamics, in 1999. He said it

In 2014, Dr Drysdale is acknowledged as a is provided to the battery by a compact, leading international authority in his field. In the long term there will be all-electric lightweight, low-cost, 1.2 litre petrol cars which will have a tiny internal engine and generator. Each drive combustion engine driving a generator wheel is connected to an electric to provide power to electric motors in motor which allows for independent the wheels. rear-wheel control. The Evora’s battery can be charged overnight using a conventional domestic Interviewed in 1996, this prediction was made by mains supply. Further innovations David Davies, Director of the Human Sciences and Advanced Technology Research Institute at include regenerative braking control and the EPSRC-supported Loughborough University adaptable suspension designed to both of Technology, increase fuel economy and enhance the driving experience. In 2012, nearly two decades after The work is part of the FUTURE making this statement, David Davies vehicles consortium comprising seven is bang on the money, when UK car universities and 10 industry advisers manufacturer, Lotus, unveiled its and is funded under the £10 million Evora 414E hybrid vehicle. The fully Low Carbon Vehicle Integrated Delivery working concept vehicle was developed Programme, funded by EPSRC and the in collaboration with a consortium of Technology Strategy Board. EPSRC-supported engineers. The team estimate that cars featuring The Evora (pictured) uses a hybrid this technology will be on sale by the end electric drivetrain. Electrical energy of this decade.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 July 4: Hotmail, a free internet e-mail service, is launched 19 1997

Hot wheels On October 15 1997 Thrust SSC set a new World Land Speed Record of 763 mph and, in doing so, broke the sound barrier. An EPSRC-supported team of scientists played a vital role in the project.

Words: Phil Davies

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 February 23: Scientists in Scotland succeed in cloning an adult mammal, dubbed Dolly the Sheep 20 Behind this feat was a team led by World page 44), and the other at the Rutherford the Thrust SSC design team develop Land Speed Record-holder Richard Noble, Appleton Laboratory, the Swansea team and construct a viable design for the with RAF jet fighter pilot, Andy Green, used their aviation design software to refine 16.5 metre, 10.5 tonne car. behind the wheel. the concept of rear-wheel steering. This There was still a world record to beat. Playing a crucial part in Thrust’s involved the use of computational fluid Team Thrust then travelled to Black Rock supersonic success were Professors Nigel dynamics (CFD) – numerical methods and Desert in Nevada, where they successfully Weatherill, Ken Morgan and Dr Oubay algorithms to analyse the flow of fluids. smashed the 1983 World Land Speed Hassan, a team of EPSRC-supported Following computer simulations of the run, Record held by Richard Noble himself with researchers from the University of the team discovered a potential issue: the the 663 mph Thrust 2, and zoomed into the Wales, Swansea. shockwaves generated when breaking the record books. sound barrier. The team, having previously worked with In 2008, EPSRC became a founding the likes of NASA, Rolls-Royce and British Not only would the shockwaves ricocheting sponsor of the BLOODHOUND SSC project, Aerospace, were approached by Richard off the ground and back at Thrust make Richard Noble’s latest land speed record Noble who asked them to use their the supersonic vehicle slow down, they attempt. The plan is hugely ambitious computational modelling techniques to could prove disastrous, causing it to flip – to design and build a car capable of help design Thrust SSC. and crash. exceeding 1,000 mph (see page 65). Through the use of two Cray Research After two years of testing and exhaustive Professors Hassan and Morgan are supercomputers, one at Edinburgh computer modelling, the Swansea providing their expertise in computational University, supported by EPSRC (see researchers succeeded in helping to the project.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 May 2: Labour wins the UK General Election 21 1997 Black gold

In 1997, an EPSRC-supported team from second, horizontal well from where it rises “We’ve seen this project go from something the University of Bath, led by Professor to the surface. With EPSRC’s support, that many people said would not work into Malcolm Greaves, collaborated with the research led to an ‘add-on’ catalytic something we can have confidence in, all in Petroleum Recovery Institute, Calgary, process, known as CAPRI. the space of the last 18 months.” Canada, on an innovative project to In 2006, Petrobank Energy and Resources, In 2014, THAI is undergoing commercial release ‘heavy’ oil and bitumen trapped in Calgary, started the first THAI field pilot at development at Kerrobert in Saskatchewan, underground reservoirs. These crude oils Conklin in the Athabasca Oil Sands region Canada. Meanwhile, a team led by are very difficult to recover because of their of Alberta, Canada, the largest single Professor Joe Wood, from the University of high viscosity. petroleum resource on the planet. Birmingham, including colleagues at the Over the next decade-and-a-half, Interviewed in 2007, Professor Greaves universities of Nottingham and Manchester, Professor Greaves, who began research said: “It’s been a struggle to get the are using high pressure experiments and into the technology in 1990, continued to invention from an idea to a prototype and specialised computer modelling software refine the revolutionary Toe-to-Heel Air into use. For most of the time people to simulate the detailed behaviour of the Injection (THAI™) system. weren’t very interested because heavy oil THAI-CAPRI process for in-situ catalytic The THAI process injects air into the was so much more difficult and expensive upgrading of heavy crude and bitumen. oil deposit down a vertical well and to produce than conventional light oil. In addition to heavy oil reservoir research, then ignites it. The heat generated in “But with light oil now hitting around the team are investigating light oil the reservoir reduces the viscosity of $100 a barrel, it’s economic to think of applications, where air can be used as an the heavy oil, allowing it to drain into a using heavy oil, especially since THAI can injectant gas for medium and high pressure produce oil for less than $10 a barrel. reservoirs. Emeritus Professor Malcolm Greaves, who is an adviser on the project, says: ”In-situ upgrading of heavy crude, which is one of the main objectives of THAI/ CAPRI, is a massive advance for the oil industry. If it can be done effectively, it could save billions of dollars on refinery upgrades in the UK alone.” At the University of Bath, Emeritus Professor Greaves is conducting studies of downhole gasification in light oil reservoirs for improved oil recovery and hydrogen production/storage – generating a large- scale source of hydrogen for the future hydrogen economy.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 August 31: Diana, Princess of Wales, dies in a car crash in a road tunnel in Paris 22 Material gains With EPSRC funding, in 1997 Dr Jon Binner, from the University of Nottingham, developed a way to dramatically speed up production of advanced ceramic components for use in high-tech applications such as military jet engines. By reducing production time to hours rather than months, and hence reducing costs, the microwave treatment process opened up exciting possibilities for ceramic matrix component (CMC) processes in a much wider range of industries such as car manufacturing and mining. The far-reaching project is one of over Taking the heat 20 EPSRC research grants related to ceramics and advanced materials awarded In 1997, an EPSRC-supported research of Nottingham, in partnership with to Professor Binner, who in 2013 assumed team at the University of Nottingham, Roger Bullivant Ltd, to pioneer a process the presidency of the Institute of Materials, led by Professor Saffa Riffat, developed a that turns the foundation piles of new Minerals and Mining, a major engineering novel heat pump for heating and cooling buildings into heat exchangers for ground institution with 18,000 members. buildings. Heat pumps collect heat from source heat pumps. The process has the the environment instead of producing potential to significantly reduce carbon Also in 2013, Professor Binner, now based energy from burning fuel. dioxide emissions. at Loughborough University, received a five-year EPSRC grant to lead a project to In the 2000s, Professor Riffat, now In 2010, the research project won the develop materials for extreme environments, President for the World Society of Manufacturing & Process category at a collaborative programme between Sustainable Energy Technologies, led an The Engineer magazine’s Technology & Loughborough, Imperial College London and EPSRC-sponsored team at the University Innovation Awards. Queen Mary, University of London.

Friendly fire Faradays fire up

In 1997, Dr Jim Lesurf, from St Andrews In 1997, EPSRC introduced its pilot The Faraday Packaging Partnership, for University, working with consumer and Faraday Partnerships – a forerunner example, brokers packaging technology defence conglomerate General Electric of the Technology Strategy Board’s and expertise for the academic and Company and the Defence Research Knowledge Transfer Accounts. Aimed at commercial spheres. The organisation Agency, developed a low-cost system to improving the interaction between UK sums up its winning formula with the help NATO forces avoid shooting their own research and industry, the programme following maxim: Nail the problem. Find side during a war. provided funding for academic research the brains. Present the facts. Exploit Dr Lesurf’s project saw the development of teams to forge partnerships with the outcomes. a target identification device that would give industry, particularly SMEs. Another successful partnership, allied vehicles the same radio signature In total, 24 partnerships were funded 3D-MATIC, which reconstructs 3D as a warm rock or a tree. It built on his under the initiative, which was run by objects and scenes from photographic basic research in the fields of millimetre- the Department of Trade & Industry with data, led to the foundation of the wave and terahertz technology, supported funding from the UK Research Councils, Computer Vision & Graphics Group by EPSRC. Dr Lesurf led the mm-wave with some partnerships evolving and at the University of Glasgow, led group at St Andrews before his retirement flourishing to this day. throughout by Dr J Paul Siebert. in 2004.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 September 15: Two US students register a domain for a new kind of website. They call it Google 23 1998 Making people better

In 1998, EPSRC Century; an award followed in 2001 by Transforming the treatment of disease awarded an inclusion in the MIT Technology Review List Among Professor Shakesheff’s Advanced of the World’s 100 Top Young Innovators. commercial achievements, he has designed Fellowship to In 2001, Professor Shakesheff formed new materials which have since been Professor Kevin spin out company Regentec Ltd to licensed by three companies and which are Shakesheff, from commercialise his research, developing a being developed as products in Europe and the University of family of injectable scaffolds that solidify the United States. Nottingham, to within the body. Professor Shakesheff says: “Regenerative continue his work medicine will transform the treatment of in the emerging In May 2014, Regentec rebranded as Locate many of today’s ‘incurable’ diseases. But field of regenerative medicine – creating Therapeutics, after securing investment it’s going to take a long time and if we try new advanced materials and technologies from precious metal and technology group to go too fast we will set the field back by that help stem cells form human tissues. Heraeus Holding, which will help take the company to its next stage of development. many years. The reason for this is that Building on this research, Professor regenerative medicines are very complex. Shakesheff (pictured) co-developed 3D In 2002, Kevin Shakesheff and Steve “My hope is that, within a decade, scaffolds that can be injected into the body Howdle formed Critical Pharmaceuticals regenerative medicine will be able to create without the need for surgery, and which to bring their research to market. The many products and treatments that have leave no solvents or toxic by-products. company, which won the 2002 UK Research both commercial and clinical benefits. The scaffolds are made from biodegradable Councils Business Plan Competition, “The final product will be a living entity polymers which, once inside the body, is thriving to this day, and is developing that is probably personalised for just transform into an open-pored structure unique biological drug products including one patient. like a sponge, creating an environment controlled-release scaffolds. for cells as well as for naturally occurring In 2006, Professor Shakesheff became “We know how to reprogram cells to substances capable of stimulating cellular Director of the Centre for Biomolecular become stem cells; we have technologies growth known as growth structures. Sciences at Nottingham. Under his such as 3D printing and advanced materials that can build those cells into The work was stimulated by an EPSRC leadership, the centre has expanded into organ structures, and we understand a lot Adventure Fund, which allowed the a multidisciplinary £25 million institute. of the cell and tissue biology that allows researchers to apply for funding at a Much of the centre’s research falls within tissues to form and repair. much earlier, speculative stage. EPSRC’s remit. Professor Shakesheff, together with Since 2009, Professor Shakesheff has “I can’t see any fundamental barrier that Professor Steve Howdle, also from the been co-Director of the EPSRC Centre for will stop future generations being able to University of Nottingham, found a way to Innovative Manufacturing in Regenerative grow a personalised organ. Specifically, process scaffolds outside of the body using Medicine. He is also Director of the UK I hope to see, and help, stem cells being carbon dioxide. Using this process enables Regenerative Medicine Platform Hub used to reverse the damage that occurs scaffolds to form at low temperature and in Accellular Technologies, both at the to the heart after a heart attack, restore so preserves the growth factor and cells University of Nottingham. patient health after a stroke and repair ageing joints. attached to them. In 2014, Kevin Shakesheff was named Continuous achievement as one of the UK’s 10 most inspirational “I would very much like these technologies In 2000, Professor Shakesheff was named scientists and engineers in the EPSRC RISE to be the foundation of commercial and Royal Institution Scientist for the New awards (see page 52). clinical success in the UK.”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 May 23: The Good Friday Agreement is accepted in a referendum in Northern Ireland with 75 per cent voting yes 24 Making people better

PIONEER 09 Winter 2013 25 1998 Mighty atom

In 1998, for a few seconds, a corner of a A BEC occurs when super-cooled atoms received over 20 EPSRC research grants, lab in Brighton became the coldest place slow down, lose almost all of their energy, including a 2002 Basic Technology grant in the universe. Dr Malcolm Boshier and and are effectively frozen in space. The (see page 30) to develop ‘atomic chips’. colleagues at the University of Sussex’s atoms then all behave identically to form This was followed by a Basic Technology Centre for Optical and Atomic Physics what can be likened to a giant ‘superatom’ Translation grant. used lasers and magnets to trap and visible to the naked eye and big enough to Interviewed in 2005, Professor Hinds cool 100,000 rubidium atoms to just a photograph, yet which still follows the laws said: “By manipulating cold atoms, either few hundred-billionths of a degree above of quantum mechanics. individually or as a cloud or as a BEC, absolute zero (273 degrees Celsius). The BEC has become an important tool we hope to develop a completely new Even the coldest parts of outer space for investigating quantum behaviour, and technology which will be as powerful as are millions of times warmer than the could lead to new and exotic kinds of electronics or optics, but based on the flow temperature reached at Sussex. instruments such as fantastically sensitive of cold atoms instead of the flow of charged When atoms are cooled to such low microwave antennas, super-accurate particles or photons.” temperatures, strange things happen. The GPS navigation technology and quantum Among notable achievements since temperatures created what is known as a information processors. then, Professor Hinds pioneered on-chip Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), the first Professor Ed Hinds, the centre’s director, integration of cold atom physics, most time it had been achieved in Britain. It has and the project’s principal investigator, prominently demonstrated by creating a been described as a new state of matter. played a pivotal role in supporting Bose-Einstein condensate on a permanent- Professor Boshier’s activities, and magnet chip. then in taking the research forward. In 2006, Ed Hinds became a Royal Society In 1999, Professor Hinds was Research Professor, under a scheme that awarded an EPSRC Senior allows senior researchers to devote their Fellowship to further his research full time to research. The award, he says, into cold atom physics. He has since “made all the difference in letting me drive this technology forward”. In 2008, he won both the Thomson medal and prize and the Royal Society Rumford Medal. In 2013, Professor Hinds FRS, now Director of the Centre for Cold Matter at Imperial College London, received the Faraday Medal from the Institute of Physics. In 2013, the UK Government committed £270 million over five years towards the development of quantum technologies. Approximately £234 million was allocated to EPSRC. In 2014, Malcolm Boshier is Scientific Director of the Quantum Institute, Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA, and part of a team attempting to harness atoms provided by a Bose-Einstein condensate to build new devices such as ultra-sensitive miniature sensors.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 February 15: Comic Relief is born, beginning with the first Red Nose Day 26 Stardust Meanwhile, in another part of the galaxy, in 1998 an EPSRC-funded research team led by chemist David E. Williams from University College London designed an experiment that looked at the energy of chemical reactions where hydrogen and other atoms join Laser vision together to form simple, In 1998, Dr Steve Rothberg and colleagues small molecules. Alan Hockwell and Jeremy Coupland, The research helped to show EPSRC-supported researchers from that reactions which take Loughborough University, won a major place in cosmic dust could prize at the Metrology for World Class help explain why there is so Manufacturing Awards. much water in deep space. Metrology, loosely described as the science of measurement and application, is crucial to everything we do – from determining the amount of fuel in a tank to measuring Technology, said: “There are so many the length of a piece of wood. It is crucial applications for this technology, from to manufacturing. displays on mobile phones or video The Loughborough team won their award recorders to sophisticated, full-colour flat- for the development of a new kind of panel displays. laser measurement system that took the “I believe this will eventually result technology into new realms. in a quantum leap in opportunities In the same year... for this technology. It is going to A team led by Professor Julian Jones change the way we do things.” at Heriot-Watt University developed an In 2000, the partnership with award-winning technique to control focus Seiko-Epson led to the world’s for laser welding. Laser welding, used first full colour active matrix ink- across the manufacturing sector, requires jet printed polymer LED display. highly precise tolerances, typically within an It measured around five square accuracy of plus or minus 1mm. centimetres and was just two Heriot-Watt’s Dr Duncan Hand and Dr millimetres thick. Frank Haran played a key role in the In 2007, CDT was acquired by project. Together they realised it was long-term collaborator Sumitomo possible to use the light emitted by the Chemical Company and in 2011 it welding process itself as a basis for was valued at £21 million. gauging if the laser is in focus. In 2010, Cambridge Display The research team’s breakthrough, in Thin thinking Technology, whose co-founders collaboration with industrial partner include Professor Sir Richard Friend (see Lumonics UK, was largely made possible In 1998, Cambridge Display Technology page 32) and Professor , by the EPSRC-funded Laser Engineering (CDT), a company formed to commercialise won a prestigious Technology & Innovation Manufacturing Applications initiative organic light emitting diode (OLED) Award from The Engineer magazine for a involving research groups at Heriot-Watt technology, announced it was planning project to create high quality white light and Liverpool University. to develop a full-size flat-plastic colour using polymer organic LEDs (P-). In 2014, Professor Julian Jones is Vice- display in collaboration with Seiko-Epson. In 2014, CDT is a world leader in Principal of Heriot-Watt University; The company’s portfolio and vision the research, development and Duncan Hand is Director of the EPSRC attracted investments from the rock band commercialisation of P-OLED technologies. Centre for Innovative Manufacturing Genesis, technology venture capitalist Among many potential applications these in Laser-based Production Processes Herman Hauser and Lord Young. technologies could result in cheaper, at Heriot-Watt; and Frank Haran is Interviewed in 1998, Dr Andrew Holmes, brighter, clearer displays with wide viewing Senior Engineering Manager, Honeywell a co-founder of Cambridge Display angles and ultra-fast response times. Process Solutions, Canada.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 December 10, Sir John Pople, who spent his career in the United States, wins the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 27 1999 Imaging innovator

In 1999, Professor which provides navigation and positioning Mike Brady, from the products and services, received a Queen’s University of Oxford, Award for export achievement. launched start-up In 1995, Professor Brady’s career took company, Mirada, to a sharp turn, when he moved into commercialise his medical imaging. EPSRC-supported From 2001 to 2003, Professor Brady research into was Director of the EPSRC/MRC medical imaging. Interdisciplinary Research Centre in In 2001, further medical imaging and signals at the spin-out activity involving two of Professor University of Oxford (see page 35), and in Brady’s companies led to the launch of 2002 he helped create the programme Mirada Solutions, which became a leading for the Life Sciences Interface Doctoral developer of software solutions and Training Centre at Oxford, a new initiative analytical tools for medical imaging. to train the interdisciplinary researchers In 2003, Mirada Solutions was acquired of tomorrow. by CTI Molecular Imaging for $22 In 2004, Professor Brady was knighted for million, and in 2005 was purchased by his services to engineering. He continues Siemens Healthcare. to play a key role in breakthroughs In 2008, following a management in image analysis, working with new buyout, which included acquisition of the technologies and techniques such as technologies and customer base at the positron emission tomography, MRI core of Mirada’s earlier developments, the and computer tomography (3D X-rays), company relocated to Oxford. Now Mirada which have revolutionised the way we Medical, it is a prominent global brand in look inside our bodies. medical imaging software. Professor Brady In one EPSRC-supported project, he is a non-executive director. developed a mathematical physical model The success of Mirada is just one chapter of the passage of X-rays through tissue to in a remarkable story of innovation and explain the creation of a mammogram. This evolution for Professor Brady, who has enabled the matching of one mammogram had a hugely successful research career against another – a major step forward in ranging from developing automated the early detection of breast cancer. sensor-guided vehicles to the detection of Professor Brady’s entrepreneurial flair breast cancer. includes both the creation of spin out In the 1980s Professor Brady founded companies, and activities devoted to the MIT’s world-famous robots laboratory commercialisation of science. For many before going on to lead the Robotics years he served on the board of Isis Research Laboratory at Oxford, developing Innovation, which manages technology innovations such as collision-avoidance transfer and academic consulting for the in robots. University of Oxford. He formed his first spin out company, In 2014, Professor Brady, who has received Guidance Control Systems (GCS), in 1991 over 30 EPSRC grants during his career, to commercialise EPSRC-supported leads the Department of Oncological research at the robotics lab. In 2006, GCS, Imaging at the University of Oxford.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 January 1: The Euro currency is introduced 28 Imaging innovator

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 January 23: Nikon launches its D1 three megapixel digital SLR camera, costing US$6,000 29 1999

Basic functions In 1999, the foundations were laid for the and laser sciences for generic non-invasive out company, Cortexica Vision Systems, cross-Research Council Basic Technology healthcare therapies. in 1999. Programme, led by EPSRC. The aim of In 2010, Professor Dholakia’s team Launched with the help of Imperial the programme was to give technology developed a new method to create minute Innovations, Cortexica pioneered visual research the same status as scientific self-healing holes in cell membranes to imaging technology that mimics the way research, and to develop new technologies enable targeted drug delivery to cells and the human brain identifies images – with the potential to be adapted across all tissue at will. resulting in an app-based product range areas of science, ultimately leading to new Interviewed in 2010, Dr Gunn-Moore said: that goes from strength to strength, industries of the future. “As a biologist I never thought I would end up including fashion, shoe and accessory The 10-year programme resulted in over working in the physics world. This work came search apps. 50 funded projects with a total investment from a chance conversation with Kishan. Another project funded under the initiative of over £165 million. From April 2005, the It truly is amazing that the light syringe we saw £7 million invested in far-reaching programme was solely funded by EPSRC. created has come so far so fast, and we research led by Professor Tom McLeish Because science is essentially convergent, are able to perform experiments we never at to unlock the full bringing many methods together to answer thought would be possible four years ago.” potential of plastics. The project was part a single question, while technology is In 2012, Professor Dholakia was awarded of what became a successful 20-year more divergent (in that it can be applied a £4.5 million EPSRC Programme Grant collaboration between academics and in many fields), the Basic Technology to ‘Challenge the Limits of Photonics’. The industry experts to explore how better Programme focused on supporting risky investment is one of many EPSRC grants to build ‘macromolecules’ – the basic new technologies of wide application. he has received since 1999, as he helps components of plastics. The programme’s many highlights included pioneer a new scientific field. In 2011, Professor McLeish and his a four-year 2006 project led by physicist Another project, led by the late Professor team made a breakthrough that should Professor Kishan Dholakia at the University Maria Petrou, from Imperial College ultimately allow experts to create the of St Andrews, working alongside biologist London, demonstrated the true ethos ‘perfect’ plastic with specific uses and Dr Frank Gunn-Moore, also from the of Basic Technology; with fundamental properties by using a high-tech recipe University of St Andrews, which resulted science progressing to technology book. It will also increase our ability to in breakthroughs in the use of ultrasound development and on to formation of a spin recycle plastics (see page 64).

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 February 12: President Bill Clinton is acquitted by the United States Senate in his impeachment trial 30 Clear thinking He said it In 1999, Professor • 83% of employers said PhD holders Mohammed Sarwar, had improved the company’s from the University position relative to competitors Industry needs doctoral-level recruits of Northumbria who are adaptable and active right • 60% said PhD recruits are integral at Newcastle, led from day one so that they can fit in to commercial success new research with team objectives. They must be • 63% actively target PhDs that culminated able to talk about what they can do and when recruiting in significant improvements in communicate their skills to people who • 74% said PhD recruits achieve high the production of come from different disciplines. impact results within two years glass containers. of joining Working with Professor Tony Ledwith, EPSRC’s second • 66% targeted PhD recruits with industrial chairman, interviewed in 1999. With a background industry experience in industry, Professor Ledwith, a former member container of EPSRC’s governing body, emphasised the • 92% of PhD recruits get up to speed manufacturer importance of building closer academic/industrial more quickly after joining compared PLM Redfearn, ties – which EPSRC champions to this day. to graduates the research • 73% highly rate PhD recruits’ team found a influence on standards and way to reduce the In 2011, in keeping with its good practice weight of some commitment to ensure doctoral level glass containers recruits are given the opportunities Around 33 per cent of all doctorate by 33 per they need to flourish in industry, EPSRC holders whose PhDs and related cent without commissioned a major independent doctoral qualifications were supported compromising survey of leading research-intensive by EPSRC continue into academia, while quality or companies on the economic and nearly half find employment in business strength. social impact of PhD-holders they and public services. had recruited. Manufacturers, finance and IT A further benefit was that the The survey, the first of its kind, involved companies are the biggest employers of process had 86 of the UK’s largest research- doctoral graduates in engineering and a consequent intensive companies, including Airbus, physical sciences, representing around effect on energy Augusta Westland, Jaguar Land Rover, 75 per cent of those going into industry consumed during Rolls-Royce, Unilever and Vodafone. and public services. In addition, these manufacture and Among its many findings, the study sectors contribute nearly one third of transportation. showed that: Gross Value Added to the UK.

Stiff records Many new technological innovations stand ever-higher tolerances – repeatedly. And or fall on the precision of their engineering. for ultra-precision engineering we need For example, mirrors and lenses used ultra-stiff structures. The tetrahedron in space programmes must have near- is one of the stiffest geometries known, perfect lenses; and for the next generation because of its high symmetry and ‘closed of car engines improved fuel efficiency loop’ form.” and reduced emissions will depend on The Cranfield team’s tool achieved world- components that have been engineered to record stiffness, enabling it to grind brittle minute tolerances. materials such as glass and ceramics in a To achieve precise nanoscale surface ‘ductile’ fashion. specifications, in 1999 an EPSRC- The benefits of ultra-precision machines supported team at Cranfield University, led such as these are already feeding directly by Professor John Corbett, developed a new into many important areas of technology, breed of machine tool, dubbed Tetraform C, from the manufacture of more reliable based on a tetrahedral frame. car engines to making silicon integrated Interviewed in 1999, Professor Corbett circuits with nanometric accuracy said: “We need tools capable of producing and repeatability.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 December 31: Boris Yeltsin resigns as President of Russia, leaving Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the acting President 31 2000 Flexible friends

In 2000, Professor Since 2009, the Technology Strategy Board RUSNANO, focusing on building a mass- Richard Friend has invested some £40 million, unlocking production factory for thin, light and flexible (pictured), Professor more than £100 million of R&D activity, plastic-based e-paper displays. including academic research into new In 2012, Professor Sir Richard Friend joined and Stuart Evans plastic electronics technologies. EPSRC’s Council, the senior decision- formed Plastic Logic In 2007, the EPSRC-funded Cambridge making body responsible for determining Ltd to commercialise Innovation and Knowledge Centre (CIKC) EPSRC policy, priorities and strategy. their EPSRC- in Advance Manufacturing Technologies In 2012, Eight-19 was crowned Small supported research for Photonics and Electronics was Business of the Year and won the at the University of Cambridge’s launched, providing additional support Renewable Energy Project of the Year . for Professor Friend’s research team and award at the BusinessGreen Leaders The company’s formation built on the other innovators in the field. This was Awards for its work on the Indigo pay-as- team’s 1989 invention of polymer organic complemented in 2013 by the EPSRC you-go solar system. light-emitting diodes (P-OLEDs), developed Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in In 2013, The University of Cambridge’s with colleagues at the university’s Large-Area Electronics, also at Cambridge. EPSRC-supported Graphene Centre signed chemistry department and with EPSRC In 2009, Plastic Logic and electronic display a research collaboration agreement with funding. Their genius spawned an entirely spin out company Liquavista collaborated Plastic Logic on graphene in flexible new industry – plastic electronics – and the on a project to develop flexible electronic plastic electronics. A major element of the subsequent creation of a new research field displays that support full colour and video agreement is to develop ‘wonder material’ where plastics are made to emit light. – allowing products such as electronic graphene as a transparent, conductive layer Plastic Logic was the first to fully newspapers that can show moving images. for plastic backplanes for unbreakable LCD industrialise the mass production of plastic In 2010, Professor Sir Richard Friend, and flexible OLED displays. electronics in the world’s first factory who was knighted in 2003, Professor In 2013, Plastic Logic joined forces with dedicated to the technology, achieving Neil Greenham and Professor Henning Intel® and Queen’s University Belfast to production yields of plastic electronic Sirringhaus co-founded Eight-19 Ltd to develop Papertab, a flexible, 10.7” plastic displays comparable to the LCD industry. develop organic solar cell technology touchscreen tablet resembling a sheet of With a host of potential applications – from for manufacture. The company’s unique paper. Stuff magazine named Papertab flexible electronic displays and paper-thin proposition includes off-grid pay-as-you- its Innovation of the Year at its 2013 tablet computers, to ultra-efficient lighting go-style mobile phone technology for the Gadget Awards. and low-cost, long-life solar cells – it is developing world – powered by solar cells In 2013, the Plastic Electronics Leadership estimated the global market for plastic based on printed plastic. Group revealed that the UK sector involved electronics will grow to over £80 billion Eight-19 was formed to commercialise 33 universities and 134 companies; had by 2020. The research also created technology developed at the CIKC in generated annual revenues of £234 million; manufacturing processes that combine the Advance Manufacturing Technologies and employed 1,950 people in industry and power of electronics with the pervasiveness for Photonics and Electronics, one of 575 in academia. of printing. seven EPSRC-supported Innovation and Professor Friend says: “EPSRC was quick The story since has been one of constant Knowledge Centres focused on facilitating to provide critical support at the start of achievement, supported by EPSRC the commercial exploitation of academic our research and has since been effective through research grants and dedicated science and technology in partnership in funding the UK community across manufacturing and innovation centres with industry. chemistry, physics and engineering, so that focused on plastic electronics, large area In 2011, Plastic Logic announced a major the UK community has been consistently electronics and related research. US$700 million investment from Russia’s world-leading.”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 January 6: US students Jerry Yang and David Filo launch Yahoo 32 Flexible friends

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 May 4: Ken Livingstone becomes the first Mayor of London 33 2000

Perfect partners In 2000, a ground-breaking strategic internationally-leading capability hitherto think more broadly about the scientific partnership in combinatorial chemistry unavailable either in UK universities or challenges they are attempting to address. with UK pharmaceutical giant Glaxo in industry. “Our strategic partnership has stimulated Wellcome (now GSK) resulted in joint Subsequent EPSRC/GSK investments areas of research within academia and, funding for 10 state-of-the-art mass included installation of new analytical conversely, has introduced new ideas to spectrometers in UK universities – and equipment at the universities of the industrial chemists through two-way marked the beginning of an enduring, Southampton and Swansea, open to exchange of information.” highly productive relationship with GSK. industry and academics alike. It was the first of EPSRC’s flagship In 2014, EPSRC’s portfolio of Strategic In 2008, EPSRC and GSK co-invested in a Strategic Partnerships with major Partnerships includes a range of five-year, £10 million drug discovery and companies and other research funders and international blue chip industries development project. users; providing access to world-leading including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, knowledge, highly-trained people and high In 2012, the two organisations announced Procter & Gamble, Jaguar Land Rover, and, specification equipment that is directly they would jointly support a department more recently, Tata Steel in 2014. utilised by industry. (chair) in sustainable chemistry at the University of Nottingham. Over 40 per cent of the research supported The new partnership accelerated the UK by EPSRC is collaborative with industry. pharmaceutical sector’s understanding GSK’s Director of Academic Liaison, Dr of combinatorial technologies, helped Malcolm Skingle, says: “Working with You can find out more about EPSRC’s advance analytical processes used in drug EPSRC changed the cultural mind-set Strategic Partnerships in Pioneer 13, development, and provided the UK with an within GSK such that our chemists now published later this year.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 June 19: Tiger Woods wins golf’s US Open by 15 shots, a record for all majors 34 Famous five Life model

In 2000, EPSRC co-invested £50 million In 2000, University of Processing (CVSSP) at the University of in five new Interdisciplinary Research Surrey-based EPSRC Surrey, together with members of his team, Collaborations (IRCs) focused on new Advanced Research co-developed a web-based system that applications for information technology, Fellow, Professor Adrian could revolutionise the way we shop for computer science and communications in Hilton, developed new clothes online. businesses, homes and hospitals. computer imaging The software they developed takes detailed The investment saw the creation of five technology that allowed measurements of the shopper’s body via a university-based centres and marked a step internet users to create much more personal web-cam. Whether shoppers are change in how interdisciplinary research is ‘lifelike’ models of themselves. pear, apple or hourglass-shaped the new facilitated and fostered, through long-term Able to walk, run and jump, these avatars, software makes it easier for them to order academic/industry collaborations. which could be imported into computer- the correct size. Four of the new IRCs, funded in full by generated scenes using standard 3D The software, co-developed with London EPSRC, tackled issues such as developing modelling packages, gave users a clearer College of Fashion, Bodymetrics and ultra-fast communications using optical impression of whom they are dealing with digital creative agency Guided, works like technology; embedding computers into online, and thus enhanced internet safety. a virtual tape measure, taking accurate everyday objects and environments; In 2003, Professor Hilton (pictured) was measurements and advising the user improving knowledge management awarded a five-year EPSRC Platform Grant on which size garment to buy on a to prevent information overload; and to develop his research into Visual Media, participating retailer’s website. A launch of improving the dependability of computer- and to build a team to pursue long-term the system is anticipated within two years. based systems. research in visual content production, Also in 2013, Professor Hilton received The fifth IRC, funded by EPSRC and the interaction and information retrieval. a five-year EPSRC Programme Grant Medical Research Council, examined how In 2009, the research, which included a to pioneer a new-generation 3D sound to transform medical images and data into project to develop 3D representations of system which creates the live concert or useable clinical information. real faces for realistic animation, was sports experience from the comfort of the Twenty universities and over 40 companies followed by a second five-year EPSRC listener’s living room. were involved in the new IRCs, which also Platform Grant. The programme is in collaboration with the brought to the fore the leadership talents In 2013, Professor Hilton, now Director universities of Southampton and Salford, and innovative research capabilities of of the Centre for Vision, Speech & Signal the BBC and UK industry. the centres’ directors: Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt (knowledge management); Professor Tom Rodden (embedded computing); Professor Wilson Sibbett Cool news (optics); Professor Cliff Jones (computer Between 2000 and 2003, EPSRC-funded system dependability); and Professor research at the University of Sussex led to Mike Brady and Professor Dave Hawkes major improvements in the longevity and (medical imaging), all of whom have safety of the Advanced Gas-cooled made pioneering contributions in their Reactors (AGRs) which currently respective fields. provide about 75 per cent of Interdisciplinary Research the UK’s nuclear energy Collaborations (IRCs) generating capability. EPSRC Interdisciplinary Research Estimates at the time Collaborations (IRCs) are centres of suggested that if the internationally-acknowledged scientific and 14 UK operating AGRs technological excellence, with sufficient closed unnecessarily critical mass to make a significant impact early, it could lead to in areas of key future industrial relevance losses running into to the UK. billions of pounds, IRCs generally involve several universities threaten the UK’s carbon together with industrial partners, and are dioxide emission targets funded through large, long-term grants, and widen the nation’s typically around £10 million over six years. energy deficit. Recent investments include IRCs in The research also Early-Warning Sensing Systems for informed the scale of the Infectious Diseases; Bionanotechnology; decommissioning process Tissue Engineering; Quantum Information required for the first generation Processing and Ultrafast Photonics. Magnox reactors.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 July 25: An Air France Concorde supersonic passenger jet crashes just after take-off from Paris, killing all 109 aboard and four on the ground 35 2001 Makers in momentum

In 2001, British manufacturing received By 2011, the programme had created Another project, at the University of Bath’s a boost with the launch of 12 EPSRC over 1,300 doctoral level manufacturing Innovative Design and Manufacturing Innovative Manufacturing Research Centres engineers. It had also created 160 new jobs; Research Centre, led to the development (IMRCs). The centres were the first in a safeguarded a further 230 jobs and brought of greener, faster and more efficient food series of investments focused on getting 20 new technologies to market. packaging processes. more science and technology out of the lab Laser focus In collaboration with an independent food and into the factory. One of the centres, based at Heriot-Watt and drinks research centre and industrial Each IMRC built on work already being University, pioneered the development of partners, the team developed an improved done in areas such as rapid prototyping; ‘form-fill and seal’ food packaging process revolutionary planar waveguide CO2 lasers, e-business; recyclable materials and in collaboration with research groups at for foods such as rice, confectionery, pasta modular construction methods. the University of Hull and industrial partner and crisps. During the programme’s 10-year lifespan, Rofin-Sinar UK. Project leader, Dr Ben Hicks, says: “The 15 separate IMRCs were launched, Now manufactured by major international project has shown that reducing costs and each addressing a series of companies for applications in industry saving the planet can go hand-in-hand. manufacturing challenges. and medicine, including glass patterning, “Using the lessons learned from this EPSRC invested a total of £192 million fabric decoration, and inscribing date codes research, 39,000 tonnes of waste could be in the centres, supplemented by on consumer products, global sales of diverted from landfill per year. Based on the £207 million in industrial support from these advanced laser products now exceed current level of landfill tax, this would save over 700 collaborators. US$1 billion. £1.9 million in taxation alone.”

PIONEER 0912 WinterSummer 2013 2014 September 11: Two passenger planes hijacked by terrorists crash into New York’s World Trade Center causing the death of 2,752 people 36 PIONEER 0912 WinterSummer 2013 2014 October 7: The US invasion of Afghanistan starts with an air assault and covert ground operations 37 2001 MEM’s the world

In 2001, Dr Eric In the 1990s, Dr (later Professor) Yeatman Also in 2011, Professor Yeatman became Yeatman, Professor (pictured) co-founded one of the UK’s co-director of the Digital Economy Lab Richard Syms and first research groups into micro-electro- at Imperial College London. He is also Dr Andrew Holmes, mechanical systems at Imperial, helping principal investigator of the Lab’s flagship from Imperial position the university as a world leader in project Digital City Exchange. College London, co- the field. The Digital City Exchange is a five-year founded Microsaic In the 2000s, Microsaic went on to develop multidisciplinary research programme Systems plc to and market a range of next-generation where researchers are exploring ways to take their EPSRC- mass spectrometry (MS) instruments digitally link utilities and services within a supported research for the analysis of gaseous, liquid and city, enabling new technical and business to market. solid samples. opportunities. The programme is funded by The company’s core product was a desk- A key feature of Microsaic’s MS systems is the RCUK Digital Economy Programme, led sized mass spectrometer instrument that that they are much smaller, consume less by EPSRC. can measure the masses and relative energy, and have lower running costs than Professor Yeatman has acted as a design concentrations of atoms and molecules conventional instruments. in substances. consultant for several international EPSRC support for Professor Yeatman’s companies, and as technical advisory board The device was based on micro-electro- work has included successive Platform member to two venture capital funds. mechanical systems (MEMS) technology Grants, enabling him to co-invent a number In 2014, Professor Yeatman’s research developed at Imperial. of new research methods and help position interests are in energy sources for wireless MEMS is a technology that uses integrated Imperial College London as a world leader in devices, radio frequency and photonic circuit methods to produce tiny mechanical the field of MEMS and related technologies. MEMS, and sensor networks. devices such as sensors, valves, gears, In 2011, Microsaic was admitted to the Professor Yeatman says: “High value- mirrors, and actuators in the form of London Stock Exchange. In the same year, added tech products such as scientific semiconductor chips. Professor Yeatman, who was the company’s instruments are an area where the UK MEMS devices generally range in size chairman throughout the 2000s, was can and does have a strong competitive from 20 micrometres (20 millionths of a awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering position internationally. metre) to a millimetre, and usually consist Silver Medal. He was made a Fellow of of a central unit that processes data, and the Academy in 2012, and through the “EPSRC support is a vital enabler of components such as micro-sensors that Academy acts as mentor to several young the developments underpinning this interact with the surroundings. academic entrepreneurs. strategically important research field.”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 October 23: Apple releases the iPod 38 Straight talking

In the fast-changing world of smart consumer electronics, in 2001 a team of computer experts from Imperial College London, Jeff Kramer, Jeff Magee and Naranker Dulay, developed a new computer language that enables manufacturers to keep reusing software components in products at no extra development cost. Working with software architects at Phillips, the team customised the system for electronic products. Interviewed in 2001, Professor Magee said: “The previous way that TV sets were built gave much less flexibility and involved much more rewriting Keeping mum of software.” Phillips deployed 300 of its software In 2001, Dr Serpil Acar, a Loughborough developed at Loughborough and tested in engineers to work on the system, University-based specialist in engineering specialist crash test laboratories. leading to commercial success. design for women, and in mathematical In 2014, Dr Acar is founder of the modelling of the spine, began a three-year Biomechanics and Injury Prevention EPSRC-supported project to develop a new research group at Loughborough and also seatbelt for pregnant women. leads the Interdisciplinary Computing Working with car makers Jaguar, Ford and Research Division. The Loughborough team Nissan, over the next decade Dr Acar’s are now in discussion with commercial SeatbeltPlus project evolved into an award- partners to bring SeatbeltPlus to market. It winning patented design. A prototype was could retail for as little as £10.

Called to account Hear today In 2001, after extensive consultation In 2001, researcher Dr John with the research community, EPSRC Culling developed a low-cost hearing test that can be introduced a new initiative, Doctoral done in the home to help people detect hearing Training Accounts (DTAs), which loss earlier. The test worked by measuring offered a more flexible approach in a person’s ability to pick out conversation the way it funds doctoral training by from background noise and on standard passing the funds to universities to audio equipment. allocate rather than issuing them In 2010, Dr Colling developed innovative direct to students. sound-mapping software based on human The new DTAs opened up a wide hearing to help architects design out range of options in the way funds unwanted noise. The maps showed were used to achieve the high quality hotspots where conversations would of student training demanded in an not be intelligible if the room increasingly competitive doctoral were busy. Architects can then training market. adjust their designs to reduce EPSRC required universities to make reverberation until the hotspots commitments relating to the quality are eliminated and audibility of supervision offered to doctoral is maximised. students. It also expected students to The new software is intended receive broadening skills. to be used in conjunction In 2014, the Doctoral Training with standard architectural Account was renamed across all computer programs widely seven UK Research Councils as employed in room design. The Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) research could also help in but still retains its flexible approach the future development in return for high quality doctoral of hearing aids training from universities. and cochlear implants.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 October 25: Windows XP is released 39 2001

Natural marvels

In 2001, Alex Parfitt, an EPSRC-supported “Because the idea has come from biology, BAE Systems scientists have recreated this PhD student at the University of Bath, it is a reliable, low-energy system. We have effect with bug-eye – a camera with nine working with a team led by Professor developed a gel-based system that mimics lenses – and about the size of a mobile Julian Vincent, used mechanisms found this behaviour and are applying it as a cover phone camera lens. in nature to devise an adaptive deployable for camouflaging large military vehicles.” This digital device has 60 degrees of camouflage system for the Ministry of In 2003, Alex Parfitt joined BAE Systems peripheral vision and is small and light Defence, which co-funded the project. where he continued his work in bio- enough to fit onto a helmet, which could The team developed a gel that mimics inspired technology. A recent project saw help soldiers spot an enemy out of the the ability of cuttlefish to blend into the development of night sight technology corner of their eye and doubles their level their surroundings. inspired by the Xenos peckii fly, a tiny of vision from previous equipment. Interviewed in 2001, Parfitt, a postgraduate parasite that has 50 separate lenses in It has been suggested that the technology biologist in the university’s department of each of its raspberry-like eyes. could be adapted for use in CCTV cameras mechanical engineering, said: “The beauty Each of the lenses produces a different able to survey a wide panorama of crowded of the cuttlefish system is that it uses the image, which when meshed together forms spaces, or perhaps developed as a tool to light surrounding the fish to camouflage it. a single panoramic view in the fly’s brain. help with keyhole surgery.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 December 15: The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and over £20,000,000 to fortify it, without fixing its famous lean 40 Meet the new boss

Interviewed in 2001, John O’Reilly, EPSRC’s recently appointed chief executive, addressed an area of perennial concern that remains equally true in 2014, commenting: “One of our challenges is that the demand for research funding massively exceeds our ability to fund, and in many areas there are more good applications than we can fund… “What we must do is ensure that our money goes into supporting the best research. But this does not mean the resources will be spread thin, with equal shares around – that is not the mode of operation of EPSRC, nor should it be.” Plasma makes perfect In 2001, Professor Christopher Whitehead the chemicals responsible for the smell of and Dr , from the University decomposing waste. of Manchester, co-founded Plasma Clean In 2014, Plasma Clean is one of the Ltd to commercialise core technology country’s leading developers of air Professor Whitehead invented during his purification solutions. EPSRC-funded research into plasmas. With a nationwide network of approved Plasmas are sometimes described as the specialists, the company provides cost- fourth state of matter after solids, liquids effective grease, odour and smoke control and gases. For example, the core of the sun for a wide range of environments, including is in a plasma state. commercial kitchens, washrooms, food Professor Whitehead’s research led to storage, public waiting areas, and food and plasma technology that can blast apart commercial waste sites.

Order from chaos £140 million for In 2001, EPSRC Senior Fellow Laurence Eaves won the prestigious Guthrie Medal e-Science and prize of the Institute of Physics. Mobile monitor In 2001, EPSRC joined forces with the In parallel with his work into quantum In 2001, Professor Bryan Woodward and six other UK Research Councils in the chaos, Eaves and his team studied how Dr Fadlee Rasid, from Loughborough three-phase £140 million e-Science electrons can ‘tunnel’ through materials University, began development of a unique Programme, which it went on to lead. when a magnetic field is present. This led system which uses a mobile phone to The funding supported a range of to the development of a new technique, transmit a person’s vital signs, including projects designed to position British magneto-tunnelling spectroscopy. the complex ECG heart signal, to a hospital science at the forefront of research into The technique provides physicists with or clinic anywhere in the world. computing technologies (see page 57). a new way to measure the structure of The system enabled a doctor to observe In 2005, the e-Science Core low-dimensional semiconductor materials, remotely up to four different medical Programme leader Professor Tony Hey such as quantum wells, which are at the signals from a freely moving patient. became Microsoft’s Corporate Vice- heart of the modern semiconductor laser Signals that could be transmitted included President of Technical Computing and, diodes used in telecommunications and ECG, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and in 2011, Corporate Vice President of DVD players. It could also help in the body temperature. The technology marked Microsoft Research Connections. development of the next generation of an important advance in telemedicine and transistors and lasers (see page 27). is thought to be a world first.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 January 26: An earthquake hits Gujarat, India, causing more than 20,000 deaths 41 2002 3D vision In 2002, Professor Dave Hawkes and and prostate. A 1992 SERC grant enabled of the UCL/KCL Centre for Cancer Imaging colleagues at King’s College London (KCL) Professor Hawkes, with PhD student funded by EPSRC and Cancer Research UK, developed 3D medical imaging technology Derek Hill and postdoctoral student Daniel and co-leader of an EPSRC/Wellcome Trust that enabled surgeons to steer clear of vital Rueckert, to develop the widely used and smart surgery project in liver surgery. regions and yet still work close to them. highly cited image registration technology In June 2014, he was named as co- that underpins much of this work. During an operation it is essential that the investigator of a £10 million EPSRC/ surgeon is aware of critical structures, In 2003, Professor Hawkes became Director Wellcome Trust project to develop blood vessels or nerve fibres that need to be of the EPSRC/MRC-funded Interdisciplinary instruments and visualisations to assist avoided. By taking MRI and X-ray computed Research Collaboration on Medical Images surgeons operating on the fetus for spina- tomography scans of the patient pre-surgery, and Signals, a joint initiative between bifida and other congenital problems while the team developed a 3D representation of University College London, Imperial College still in the womb. the area that the surgeon could follow on a London, the University of Oxford and KCL. Professor Hawkes says: “EPSRC’s support computer screen during surgery. In 2004, Professor Hawkes co-founded IXICO over more than two decades has enabled me To avoid surgeons needing to glance between to bring aspects of his research to market. to build a significant research programme. patient and screen, Professor Hawkes later The CEO of this London Stock Exchange- Most importantly, it led to other support co-devised with Dr Philip Edwards a way to listed company, which provides imaging that pushed several innovations through insert 3D images into the surgical operating solutions to the pharmaceutical industry, is to clinical trial and commercialisation. microscope’s field of view. The microscope Derek Hill, his former PhD student. “This work has achieved wide-ranging displays the image just where the surgeon is In 2005, Professor Hawkes moved his team impact in areas such as neurosurgery, looking, helping them ‘see through’ overlying to UCL, forming the UCL Centre for Medical the study of disease progression in tissue and visualise the exact area they plan Image Computing. He was awarded a five- dementia, image-guided biopsy and focal to operate on. If the surgeon is searching for year EPSRC Programme Grant in 2009. ablation – which is poised to significantly change the management of patients with a tumour, for example, the image indicates In 2014, Professor Hawkes, who has led or prostate cancer. how far away it is. The system became highly co-investigated 39 EPSRC research grants useful to neurosurgeons. since 1992, co-leads the EPSRC Centre for “There is now a significant body of world- The team have since made major advances Doctoral Training in Medical Imaging at UCL leading medical image computing research in 3D modelling of soft tissues, developing and also heads the university’s Centre for at UCL, KCL, Imperial and Oxford that can novel treatments of the liver, breast, lung Medical Image Computing. He is co-Director trace its roots back to the initial investment

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 January 9: Michael Jackson receives the Artist of the Century award at the American Music Awards 42 The team went on to develop SCRATCHbot, Shrewd thinking which ‘feels’ its way using rat-like In 2002, an EPSRC-supported team from whiskers, and subsequently won the 2009 the universities of Sheffield and the West of Best of What’s New Award from Popular England began work on a whiskered robot Science magazine. inspired by rodents. Interviewed in 2002, In 2012, the team’s next creation, Shrewbot, Sheffield’s Professor Tony Prescott said: was inspired by the four-centimetre long “For most rodents, whiskers are at least as Etruscan shrew, one of the world’s tiniest significant as eyes are to sighted humans.” mammals, and used ‘active touch’ rather conditions with vital clues about their The robot was designed for use in than vision to navigate its environment. surroundings. The helmet was fitted environments hazardous to humans – such In 2013, inspired by their rodent research, with ultrasound sensors that detect the as natural disaster zones and fire sites – Professor Prescott’s team developed distances between the helmet and nearby which are often cramped, full of dust and a ‘tactile’ helmet, which could provide walls or other obstacles; and was exhibited smoke, and offer limited visibility. firefighters operating in challenging at the 2013 Gadget Show Live event.

And the Emmy goes to ... Advancing doctoral training In 2002, EPSRC launched its first Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs). What began as a pilot programme to support doctoral training in the life sciences evolved into a major initiative for training the interdisciplinary researchers of tomorrow in strategically important areas. Such was the success of the early CDTs, which evolved from EPSRC’s pioneering Engineering Doctorate initiative in the 1990s, there are now 115 centres In 2002, Professor Andrew spanning EPSRC’s portfolio. Zisserman and Professor Andrew CDTs bring together diverse areas Fitzgibbon received an Emmy Award, the of expertise to train engineers and US TV industry’s equivalent of an Oscar, scientists with the skills, knowledge and for their work on Boujou, a 3D camera confidence to tackle today’s evolving tracker used in special effects movies issues. They also create new working such as the Harry Potter and Lord of the cultures, build relationships between Rings franchises. Boujou was borne out teams in universities and forge lasting of an EPSRC-funded research project at links with industry. the University of Oxford’s Department of Students receive a programme of Engineering in the 1990s. taught coursework to develop and In 2014, Andrew Fitzgibbon is a member enhance their technical interdisciplinary of the Microsoft Research Group in knowledge, and broaden their set of Cambridge. A recipient of a Silver Medal skills. Alongside this they undertake from the Royal Academy of Engineering, a challenging and original research in 2013, he was a core contributor in the project at doctoral level. development of Kinect for Xbox 360. Combined governmental and partner In 2014, Professor Andrew Zisserman is funding for CDTs is now £962 million, Principal Investigator at the University including £31 million in capital of Oxford’s Visual Geometry Group and a investment. It is the UK’s largest world-renowned computer scientist. He investment in postgraduate training, began his academic career as a member involving over 5,500 students in areas of Professor Mike Brady’s Oxford Robotics of key importance to the UK economy Group in the 1980s (see page 28) and was and society. made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2007. You can find out more about CDTs in Pioneer 13, published this autumn.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 March 30: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother dies aged 101 43 2002

New wave crushes rock

In 2002, Dr before grinding, when they will fall apart Engineers at the centre are researching Sam Kingman easily. Rio Tinto, one of the world’s new ways of separating ores based (pictured), from largest mining companies, supported the on the properties of individual rocks, the University of research from its outset. meaning that waste material with no Nottingham, made In 2006, Professor Sam Kingman was valuable minerals contained within it a breakthrough in awarded a personal chair at Nottingham, can be rejected prior to energy-intensive his EPSRC-funded making him one of the youngest further processing. research into using microwave radiation professors in the UK. He later became Professor Kingman says: “Over 20 to break up mineral-bearing rocks. Director of the National Centre for granted patents, 28 PhD students Traditional crushing and grinding of rocks Industrial Microwave Processing (NCIMP). graduated, more than 80 journal papers to extract minerals is massively energy In December 2013, the University of published, and many tens of millions of inefficient. Typically, only one per cent Nottingham and Rio Tinto agreed a pounds of industry investment across of the energy input into rock grinding £6 million, five-year partnership to numerous sectors all across the world actually causes size reduction. develop the next generation of innovative can all trace their roots to my EPSRC first Dr Kingman’s process uses bursts of technologies for the mining industry. grant project. microwave radiation to crumble the rock, The programme is centred around a “Without the support of EPSRC, none of prior to grinding. new facility at Nottingham, the Rio Tinto this would have happened, I am still to Most rocks need just a fraction of a Centre for Emergent Technologies. Its this day extremely appreciative of the second to weaken them sufficiently Research Director is Professor Kingman. support I have been given.”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 October 30: Freeview television service begins transmitting in parts of the UK 44 Mussels mastered In 2002, EPSRC-supported researchers at the University of Cambridge, led by Dr David Aldridge, developed an elegant solution to the problems caused by freshwater zebra mussels, which are a major pest, clogging pipelines in water treatment works and power stations, and costing millions of pounds each year to remove. The conventional solution is to poison the mussels with chlorine, but the team developed a greener, more targeted approach that neatly overcame one of chlorine’s major drawbacks – zebra mussels can taste it in the water and close their shells, surviving for three weeks before opening up again, meaning chlorine Together with Bristol firm, TasteTech, The research has been of great interest to must persist over this time to be effective. BioBullet developed a pellet that is both the UK water industry, with at least four Working with Dr Geoff Moggridge from the mussel-palatable and waterproof. companies funding the research to date. Department of Chemical Engineering at Interviewed in 2002, Dr Aldridge said: “The In 2010, following approval by the Drinking Cambridge, the team developed a way to beauty is that we engineer the coating Water Inspectorate, trials began with poison the mussels, 4cm-long creatures materials so that the pellet dissolves and Anglian Water Services Ltd to use the which lay up to 30,000 eggs per year, by degrades, and the entire product degrades pellets in the UK for potable water systems. tricking them into swallowing a dose of within hours of going in the water. toxin packaged to resemble a pellet of food. In the same year, the company secured The research led to the formation of a spin “There’s also no impact on the wider funding of £500,000 from the Technology out company, BioBullet, which developed biodiversity living in rivers and streams that Strategy Board, match-funded by Anglian, potassium chlorine as the lethal ingredient. might receive the outflow water.” Thames Water and TasteTech.

Medallion man British steel In 2002, In 2002, Dr Mary Ryan from Imperial Professor College London and Professor David Chris Williams from University College London Hull, a solved the mystery of why stainless steel theoretical can unexpectedly fail. The metal is not physicist meant to corrode, but it can, and when it from Imperial College London, was does the results can be disastrous, whether awarded the prestigious Dirac medal it’s a hole in your dishwasher or a failed and prize by the Institute of Physics industrial plant. for his decade-long research into superstring and M-theory. ‘Stainlessness’ is created by alloying iron with chromium. As the steel ingot cools The prize followed an EPSRC after it has been made, tiny sulphur-rich Senior Research Fellowship, impurity particles, about 10 millionths of awarded in 1996. around them, creating a tiny nutshell of a metre in diameter, solidify at a lower steel that is not stainless. Corrosion of this In 2012, Professor Hull was made temperature than the steel, remaining layer, just one 10 millionth of a metre thick, a Fellow of the Royal Society. molten for a time after the metal is enough to trigger the main attack. In 2013, Professor Hull (pictured has solidified. In 2011, Professor Mary Ryan was awarded in 2002) was awarded an EPSRC Using an advanced new microscope the the Institute of Minerals, Materials and Programme Grant to lead team found a region around the impurity Mining’s Rosenhain Medal and Prize in research into new geometric particles with significantly less chromium recognition of distinguished achievement structures from string theory, than the rest of the steel. in materials science for her outstanding alongside co-investigators Jerome During cooling of the steel the impurity contribution to applied electrochemistry Gauntlett, Amihay Hanany and particles ‘suck’ chromium out of the steel and corrosion. Daniel Waldram.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 December 22: Joe Strummer, lead singer of the seminal British punk band The Clash, dies at age 50 45 20032003 Fusion for the future In 2003, EPSRC assumed responsibility for The plasma in the centre of JET reaches the UK fusion programme, with £48 million temperatures of 100 million degrees, about in funding allocated via the Office of Science 10 times hotter than the centre of the sun. and Technology. These high temperatures are not a safety Fusion, the process by which the concern because the amount of fuel inside sun produces heat and light, has the the tokamak is extremely low, weighing potential to provide an almost limitless about as much as a postage stamp. clean, safe, renewable energy source for In 1997, JET produced 16 mega watts of future generations. fusion power, a world record that still stands The EPSRC grant was awarded to the UK today, but 24 mega watts of heating power Atomic Energy Authority at its Culham site in were needed to do this. Calculations predict Oxfordshire. The grant underpinned the UK’s a bigger tokamak is required to break even. involvement in the EURATOM Joint European A new international tokamak experiment, Torus (JET) project, also at Culham; the called ITER, is under construction in development of the UK’s own fusion device, Cadarache, France. Three times bigger MAST; and research on the materials than JET, it is expected to produce 10 times needed for a fusion power station. more fusion power than heating power – Today the UK fusion programme is centred considered proof that it is possible to build a on the innovative MAST experiment and viable fusion power station. employs around 150 people. While the MAST To match ITER’s designs, JET’s vessel walls remains the UK’s flagship programme, have been changed from graphite to a the UK continues to run JET and is also combination of tungsten and beryllium. New developing materials and technology results with these materials in place are facilities. The fusion programme as a whole helping scientists and engineers to prepare employs around 1,000 people. for ITER’s first operation in 2019. The fusion reactions that turn hydrogen into In 2014, the Culham centre announced it helium in the core of the sun produce a lot will try to set a new world record in nuclear of energy and could be used as the basis for fusion by the end of the decade – when it a power station on Earth. However, making plans to run JET at maximum power, and this process efficient is difficult as additional reach the coveted breakeven goal where energy is required to get the nuclei close fusion yields as much energy as it consumes. enough to fuse together. Formidable Words: Jack Snape engineering and scientific challenges need Jack is an operational research analyst at to be addressed. the Department for Business, Innovation One way of achieving fusion is to trap a and Skills. He is a former EPSRC-sponsored plasma with a magnetic field and heat it PhD student in Plasma Physics and Fusion up in a doughnut-shaped device called a Energy at the , and a tokamak. The JET programme at Culham is Postgraduate Fellow at the Parliamentary the world’s largest tokamak experiment. Office of Science and Technology Education.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 August 2003: Ground-breaking social networking website MySpace is launched – one year before Facebook 46 47 2003 Power rangers

In 2003, SUPERGEN, the UK’s flagship the several dozen university departments Tim Jones and Ross Hatton, working initiative in sustainable power generation involved, along with their numerous with Molecular Solar Ltd, a company and supply, was launched. The ambitious industrial partners, the consortia have they formed to commercialise their work, multidisciplinary research initiative, led broken new ground in the way they have pioneered the development of a new type of by EPSRC, covers a vast green energy approached their subjects. Rather than flexible, organic solar cell. landscape, taking in areas such as climate working on specific, discrete projects in Molecular Solar achieved a record voltage change, fossil fuel extraction rates, isolation, the SUPERGEN projects look at for the cell, which could soon be used in a emissions control, and increasing public entire topics; an approach which has led to wide range of consumer electronics – from awareness of environmental concerns. expansion into areas such as extending the e-readers to mobile phone chargers. life of power plants, advanced photovoltaic SUPERGEN aims to contribute to the UK’s Centres flourishing under the SUPERGEN materials and asset management. environmental emissions targets through a initiative include the UK Centre for Marine radical improvement in the sustainability of An example of the benefits of this approach Energy Research at Edinburgh University the UK’s power generation and supply. is research overseen by the Excitonic Solar (see page 9). Focusing on collaborative research projects Cells Consortium. Tasked with developing between industry and academia, the a new class of solar cell based on organic initiative began with an investment of materials, the consortium’s research £25 million in four consortia: Marine inspired complementary technologies using Energy, Networks & Power Control, the same low temperature processing Hydrogen Energy & Storage and Biomass techniques used to prepare flexible organic & Biofuels. light emitting diodes. Over the At the University of Warwick, a next decade, SUPERGEN-sponsored SUPERGEN, research team led which stands by Professors for Sustainable Power Generation and Supply, built into a network of eight consortia and six hubs, supported by over £100 million of investment, offering a major route for industry involvement in academic research. As well as developing an array of technology now being furthered by

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 February 17: London introduces congestion charging 48 He said it

So far I have been lucky only twice – with our gecko experiment and the one using diamagnetic levitation. So that’s once every five years. According to these poor statistics I do not expect anything before 2008. Fortunately, one cannot predict or plan even minor discoveries. Nobel for MRI pioneer Professor André Geim, from the In 2003, Professor Peter Mansfield, from He went on to secure a place at Queen University of Manchester, interviewed the University of Nottingham, and Paul Mary, University of London – and never in 2003, on science that hits the Lauterbur were awarded jointly the Nobel looked back, going on to develop rapid media spotlight. Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for their imaging techniques, thus facilitating One year later, together with Dr discoveries concerning magnetic resonance images that can distinguish between Konstantin Novoselov, André Geim imaging (MRI)”. healthy and cancerous tissue. made history by isolating ‘wonder Since their launch in the 1980s, MRI Now Emeritus Professor at the University of material’ graphene. scanners, which create detailed images Nottingham, Peter Mansfield has received In 2010, Geim and Novoselov received of the body to assist in the diagnosis of UK Research Council support throughout the Nobel Prize for their graphene medical conditions, have transformed his career, including from EPSRC and its research – and were made Knights of diagnostic medicine and saved the lives of predecessor the Science and Engineering the Realm in 2011. many thousands of people. Research Council (SERC). You can find out more about this Despite being told at 15 he would Today, there are more than 20,000 MRI remarkable story in Pioneer 13, never become a scientist as he had no scanners globally, and over 70 million scans in autumn 2014. In the meantime, qualifications, on leaving school Peter are performed each year. turn to page 66 for more on the Mansfield enrolled in evening classes to get The annual market value for the technology gecko experiment. the qualifications he needed. is estimated to exceed £5 billion by 2015.

Piston power

In 2003, a team of researchers at the longer than a mobile phone battery. So you He was, of course, speaking in the heady University of Birmingham’s School of might only need to charge the phone twice days before the advent of energy-sapping, Manufacturing and Engineering designed a year, not twice a week.” daily-charging smartphones. and built a fully working single piston micro engine that could be balanced on the tip of your finger. The project hit the mainstream news headlines – and saw team member Mike Ward gracing Richard and Judy’s sofa at ITV to describe the team’s innovative research. The idea behind the project was bold: that a micro engine powered by hydrocarbon fuel would have over 200 times the energy capacity of a typical battery. Interviewed in 2003, Dr Kyle Jiang, who led the EPSRC-supported project, said: “If you ask a group of mobile phone users which part of the phone they dislike the most, 10 out of 10 will say the battery. “What we realised was that a micro engine powered by a cartridge of fuel such as methane or propane could last 30 times

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 April 14: The Human Genome Project is completed with 99 per cent of the human genome sequenced to an accuracy of 99.99 per cent 49 ALL RISE The results are in. The Recognising Inspirational Scientists and Engineers (RISE) Awards, which mark EPSRC’s 20th anniversary, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering, celebrate the incredible innovation that has taken place over recent decades by honouring some of the exceptional individuals who made these achievements possible.

The selection process drew nominations from panel have recognised in the awards as role will be to communicate the importance universities, industrial partners, professional RISE . and impact of their research, helping their bodies and learned societies, and resulted In this special 20th anniversary edition of partners become champions for science. in a distinguished assembly of established Pioneer we turn the spotlight on the 10 RISE The RISE leaders have also nominated their leaders and future leaders in the making. Leaders, whom the judges believe will be Rising Stars, tipped to lead internationally The calibre of the nominees was standard-bearers for engineering and the excellent research in the future, and who exceptionally high, with a number already physical sciences over the coming decades. will attend the final RISE awards ceremony, recognised as Fellows of the Royal Society, The 10 RISE leaders have been paired with together with the RISE Leaders and RISE Royal Academy of Engineering and Academy distinguished individuals from the world of Fellows, at the House of Commons in of Medical Sciences, whom the RISE judging public affairs, science and business. Their June 2014.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 50 over 75 staff and students, the centre has high speed data communication. an active grant portfolio of over £20 million, Professor Haas, whose career in and is regarded as one of the university’s communications engineering started with most strategically important assets. Siemens AG in Munich, set up a company Professor O’Brien holds a 10-year Royal to exploit Li-Fi technology, which promises Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging to be cheaper and more energy-efficient Technologies, one of only two to be than existing wireless radio systems. TIME Professor Jim awarded. He has received over 18 major magazine named Professor Haas’s work as prizes for his work and holds three patents one of its 50 Best Inventions in 2011. Al-Khalili OBE for quantum technologies. Professor Haas, who established the Li-Fi Jim Al-Khalili is Professor of Physics and He says: “Quantum technologies are R&D Centre at the University of Edinburgh, Professor of Public Engagement at the destined to fundamentally change our has presented his work on visible light University of Surrey. lives, affecting health, quality and security. communications internationally. His Potential applications include the ability TEDGlobal presentation on Li-Fi has been In 1994 he was awarded a five-year EPSRC to design and create new materials and watched on YouTube over 1.5 million times. Advanced Fellowship, during which he pharmaceuticals at a fraction of today’s became established as a leading expert on Professor Haas says: “The time I spent costs; ultra-secure communications; nuclear reaction theory involving exotic (halo) in industry helped me greatly in gaining sensors of unprecedented precision; and nuclei. His publications on the subject have a thorough understanding of the needs computers that are exponentially more now amassed over 1,000 citations. and the vision of the communications powerful than any current supercomputer for industry and has enabled me to ensure Professor Al-Khalili is an active science some tasks. The first commercially available that my research remains relevant communicator, writer and broadcaster. quantum devices are only now beginning beyond academia.” He was an EPSRC Senior Media Fellow to emerge.” between 2006 and 2011 and is an award- Professor Haas, whose RISE Champion is Professor O’Brien, whose RISE Champion winning presenter of scientific programmes Jonathan Leigh-Smith, Head of Partnerships is Danny Finkelstein, Executive Editor on TV and radio. For the past three and Strategic Research at BT, has and Chief Leader writer of The Times, years he has presented BBC Radio 4’s nominated Dr Lev Sarkisov, from Edinburgh has nominated Peter Shadbolt, from the . University, as his Rising Star. , as his Rising Star. Professor Al-Khalili says: “I am proud to have achieved what I have and to have been able to establish myself both as an academic researcher and teacher as well as a respected author and broadcaster. A generation ago, this double life would simply not have been possible.” Professor Al-Khalili, whose RISE Champion is the Shadow Science Minister, Liam Byrne MP, has nominated Dr Radu Sporea, from the University of Surrey, as his Rising Star. Professor Harald Haas Professor Haas, Chair of Mobile Professor Communications at Edinburgh University, pioneered research into using light sources Jenny Nelson, Professor of Physics at to transmit data – a technology he named Imperial College London, became Imperial’s Li-Fi. In contrast to wi-fi, which uses radio first Greenpeace Fellow, in 1989, when waves to exchange data, Li-Fi uses LEDs for she joined the university to work on the application of quantum semiconductor Professor Jeremy structures to solar photovoltaics (PV). O’Brien In an Imperial career spanning 24 years, she has gone on to lead her own PV research Jeremy O’Brien is Professor of Physics and group, who have advanced solar energy Electrical Engineering at the University of research across disciplines and countries Bristol and is internationally recognised through productive collaborations. for his pioneering research and Many of the team have progressed to leadership in quantum information science independent careers in the science of solar and technology. energy and energy materials. He is founding director of the University of Bristol’s Centre for Quantum Photonics. With (Continued on next page)

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 51 has been recognised by successful, their work could form the basis international awards from the of a new treatment strategy for patients Pharmaceutical Sciences suffering from severe loss of vision. World Congress, the Royal Professor Williams’ development of a Society and the Royal silicone oil tamponade for the treatment Pharmaceutical Society. of retinal detachment has led to a patent Among his achievements, he and a clinical product which is now used has designed new materials which clinically worldwide. have since been licensed by three Professor Williams, a Royal Academy companies and which are being of Engineering Leverhulme Trust Senior developed as products in Europe and Research Fellow, says: “A key challenge the United States. is how to progress the excellent science Professor Shakesheff says: “My hope being done in labs into clinical practice, so is that, within a decade, regenerative I am grateful for having the opportunity to medicine will be able to create many collaborate with clinicians, which has led (Continued from previous page) simpler technologies and treatments me to develop new approaches to treat that have both commercial and clinical clinical problems.” benefits. Using injected cells to repair parts Professor Nelson says: “We need to Professor Williams, whose RISE Champion of organs, such as heart tissue after a heart understand and improve the performance is Professor Sir , Government attack, or using stem cells to find new of materials, devices and systems to make Chief Scientific Adviser, has nominated classes of drugs are realistic breakthroughs solar power more accessible and affordable, Dr Paolo Paoletti, from the University of by 2020.” and so help accelerate the transition to a Liverpool, as her Rising Star. low carbon energy supply. Professor Shakesheff, whose RISE Champion is Jeremy Farrar, Director of the “For scientists, this means working across Wellcome Trust, has nominated Dr Marianne disciplines to connect with those working Ellis, from the University of Bath, as his on energy storage, distribution, policy and Rising Star. economics, and it means finding ways to identify the most critical problems to address. The overall challenge is making it all happen quickly enough.” Professor Nelson, whose RISE Champion is Zac Goldsmith MP, has nominated Dr Piers Barnes, from Imperial College London, as her Rising Star. Professor Rodrigo Quian Quiroga

Professor Rachel Professor Quian Quiroga is Director of the Williams Centre for Systems Neuroscience at the University of Leicester.

Rachel Williams has over 20 years’ The centre is the hub of a network of experience in the design and collaborations within the UK and worldwide. development of advanced materials for He is also head of the Bioengineering Professor Kevin medical applications. Group in the university’s Department of Engineering. As head of ophthalmic bioengineering within Shakesheff the department of Eye and Vision Science His main research interest is in the study at the , she and her of the principles of visual perception Kevin Shakesheff is Professor of Advanced team are working with ophthalmic surgeons and memory, and in the development of Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering, and industry partners to treat sight- advanced methods to study neural data and and Co-Director of the EPSRC Centre for threatening conditions such as age-related clinical applications. Innovative Manufacturing in Regenerative macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and His most renowned scientific achievement is Medicine at the University of Nottingham. retinal detachment. the discovery of concept cells in the human He has played a major role in shaping Among their research, the team are brain, which play a key role in memory pharmaceutical science, regenerative developing a synthetic membrane on which formation. These findings have led to new medicine and interdisciplinary research to grow retinal pigment epithelial cells, or lines of research into how perception and at Nottingham. their equivalent, that can be transplanted memories are represented in the brain. His work, part of a worldwide effort to under the retina in the eye of a patient Professor Quian Quiroga, whose discovery cure major diseases by growing tissues, with age-related macular degeneration. If of concept cells was selected as one of

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 52 the Top 100 Scientific Stories byDiscover magazine in 2005, says: “In the long term we hope our research will help our understanding of, and eventually find new treatments for, pathologies like Alzheimer’s disease. There is also the opportunity to contribute to the understanding of epilepsy and its treatments.” Professor Lee Cronin Professor Quian Quiroga, whose RISE Champion, Professor John Perkins, is Professor Cronin is Regius Professor of Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department Chemistry at the University of Glasgow. for Business, Innovation and Skills, has Between 2006 and 2011 he held an EPSRC nominated Dr Hernan Rey, from the Advanced Research Fellowship, and in 2009 University of Leicester, as his Rising Star. he received a Wolfson-Royal Society Merit Award. In the same year he was elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Professor Cronin heads a world-leading interdisciplinary research group of over 50 Professor Stephen members, with a unique range of expertise, bringing together inorganic chemists, Haake chemical engineers, complex system modelling, evolutionary theory, robotics and In 1996, Professor Haake founded the artificial intelligence. Centre for Sports Engineering Research Professor Sadie Creese The Cronin Group’s work includes highly at the , laying the speculative ‘blue-skies’ projects as well as foundations for the development of sports Sadie Creese is Professor of Cybersecurity research focused on real-world applications engineering as a field of academic study. in the Department of Computer Science at such as the development of inorganic the University of Oxford. With an extremely The Centre, which Professor Haake fuels for water splitting, and the use of broad portfolio of cybersecurity research, continues to lead, and which relocated configurable robotics for the programming her experience spans time in academia, to Sheffield Hallam University in 2006, is of drug discovery and novel materials. industry and government and embraces now the largest of its kind in the world The group also has an ambitious aim of mathematical and computer sciences, with around 40 staff and PhD students. creating life from self-replicating, evolving psychology, management studies and the His research group was made a UK Sport inorganic chemical cells known as iCHELLs. school of government. Innovation Partner in 2008 and worked with Professor Cronin says: “One of the Professor Creese, who featured in the 2014 teams that secured 24 Olympic medals in biggest questions left, the origin of life, Sunday Times/Debrett 500 Most Influential London 2012. and the possibility of new life/alien life, is a people in the UK list, is a member of the Professor Haake, who holds an EPSRC wonderfully inspiring and thought-provoking World Economic Forum Global Agenda Senior Media Fellowship, is founding question well within the remit of the chemist/ Council on the Future of the Internet and Chairman of the International Sports chemical engineer. has also engaged widely with government Engineering Association and organiser of including giving evidence on cybersecurity to seven of the International Conferences on “As a research group, our aim is to select committees. the Engineering of Sport. engineer/discover routes to artificial life. These routes may also be relevant to Prior to joining Oxford, Professor Creese He is also Director of Research for the determining the origin of life.” was Director of e-Security within The National Centre for Sport and Exercise University of Warwick’s International Medicine which works to improve the public Professor Cronin, whose RISE Champion Digital Laboratory. She has also worked health and wellbeing. is Dave Allen, Senior Vice President of Respiratory Research at GlaxoSmithKline, for Qinetiq, the defence, aerospace and Professor Haake says: “One of our biggest has nominated Dr Oren security company, where she developed, challenges is that of sedentary behaviour, Scherman, from the established and directed the UK Cyber which contributes to chronic illnesses University of Cambridge, as Security Knowledge Transfer Network. such as cardio-vascular disease, diabetes his Rising Star. Professor Creese says: “Cybersecurity and others. Sports engineering in the next research is both intellectually rewarding and decade needs to help find solutions to this offers the potential to bring new solutions to global problem.” meet incredibly important challenges.” Professor Haake, whose RISE Champion is Professor Creese, whose RISE Champion Sir John Armitt, former Chairman of EPSRC, is James Quinault, from the Government who also chaired the Olympic Delivery Cabinet Office, has nominated Jason Authority, has nominated Dr Jon Wheat, Nurse, from the University of Oxford, as her from Sheffield Hallam University, as his Rising Star. Rising Star.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 Linking thinking

Since its inception in 1994, EPSRC has been at the frontline of support for computational science, investing in major research programmes across the research spectrum – from designing supersonic cars to modelling DNA. In this special report, BBC journalist Roland Pease describes the breadth of EPSRC’s support for computer hardware and software systems – a journey that takes us from supercomputers capable of billions of calculations a second to the development of a national computational science infrastructure for the benefit of researchers and industry alike.

June 28 2012 was a wet day in Newcastle. green spaces and other details, the mind- Chris Kilsby’s was one of 11 projects Very wet. Storm clouds loomed over the blowing calculations needed to produce supported through an EPSRC initiative to city, and in just two hours nearly two inches accurate predictions would require a top-of- test how cloud computing could supplement of rain poured onto its streets. It was the the-range computer. the more conventional provision, and kind of event that only happens once every But instead of booking time at a state-of- illustrates EPSRC’s forward-looking attitude 120 years. But a team of engineers in the-art HPC facility such as the EPSRC- to academic and commercial access to Newcastle had already seen what was going funded HECToR supercomputer in computing research and facilities in the to result. Edinburgh (see page 60), Chris Kilsby got 21st century. Only months earlier Professor Chris out the departmental credit card and paid “The job of EPSRC is straightforward – it’s Kilsby, Dr Vedrana Kutija and Vassilis to run the simulations on the Elastic Cloud to take tax payers’ money and convert it Glenis of Newcastle University had ground EC2 network run commercially by Amazon. into the very best ideas that have impact through gigabytes of data to simulate just It was an experiment in another way of for the long-term future of the UK,” explains those conditions. doing academic computing, which EPSRC Lesley Thompson, Director of Science and “Actually, we’d wondered if we’d got supports together with the Joint Information Engineering at EPSRC. “It’s impossible to something wrong in the computer Systems Committee (JISC) as part of a do that without thinking about the role that calculations,” Chris Kilsby admits. “Two suite of initiatives to provide academic computing plays in making all that happen.” metres of flooding seemed an extreme and business users with the right kind of Gesturing to an iPad on the desk in front prediction, but it turned out we were right.” computing power as and when they need it. of her, she continues: “Twenty years ago The accuracy of the predictions wasn’t just Professor Kilsby says: “We wanted to test it would have been inconceivable that I’d a vindication of this pioneering EPSRC- the flexibility of doing cloud computing. have this sort of device in the research lab sponsored research into flood risk, it was The great thing is you just pay for what to write my notes in. Nor would I have had also a testament to the power of high you need. If you want to run the model a PC in the lab powerful and flexible enough performance computing (HPC), and its a hundred times, it’s easy to scale it up. with which to conduct my research – from potential to help mitigate the effects of For academics, we found this makes modelling, imaging and number-crunching some of the most pressing problems facing an excellent alternative to the heavily to speaking with co-researchers in other humanity, such as climate change and the subscribed central facilities. And for parts of the country via Skype; sharing data spread of infectious disease. commercial partners, this might be the most over broadband or reading research papers With the whole of Newcastle divided up on effective way to run the processor-heavy via the internet. a two-metre grid, recording roads, buildings, simulations we develop.” (Continued on page 56)

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 54 Computational science

The Difference Engine In 1823, the brilliant mathematician, Charles Babbage, secured £1,500 from the British Government to build his Difference Engine, one of the earliest automatic calculators and a landmark in the pre-history of the computer. Babbage’s design came over 100 years before Alan Turing, the father of theoretical computer science, devised his hypothetical ‘automatic machine’, in 1936, which contained the DNA for the world’s first digital computer. Building costs for Babbage’s visionary machine spiralled to £17,000 (the price of two 19th century battleships), tempers frayed and the Difference Engine was never completed; neither was another Babbage design, for a programmable Analytical Engine, which featured all the conceptual elements of the modern electronic computer. In 1991 the London Science Museum unveiled the fruits of its six-year project to build a Babbage Engine to original designs (pictured) to explore the viability of Babbage’s schemes. It worked. In 2014, the UK Government announced it is investing £42 million in a world-class data science research institute dedicated to Alan Turing – famous for his wartime code-breaking work but also a pioneer in computer science and artificial intelligence. The Turing Institute will collaborate with e-infrastructure and Big Data investments across the UK research spectrum including the Open Data Institute, the Catapult Network and ARCHER, the EPSRC-funded National High Performance Computing Facility (see page 61).

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 55 (Continued from page 54) medical research without looking at the engineers that a service may be needed. “Today, collectively, the e-infrastructure – relationship between genomic data and As Lesley Thompson explains, the data the computers, the networks, the wi-fi, population data.” sets don’t have to be engine metrics: “You the software, the hardware and the Proving that it can keep up with the rapidly can apply the same software technology people – is an absolutely integral part of changing face of digital electronics, the to looking at medical conditions, or to the research methodology.” myGrid consortium is now developing a analysing road traffic flows.” As well as supporting a series of world- version of the interface and its associated Under the DAME project, which was class supercomputers to tackle specific products to run on smartphones and funded under the EPSRC-led e-Science challenges such as predicting weather tablets, so researchers can access vital Core Programme, the team successfully patterns or designing new materials, data while on the road, or at conferences. developed AURA, a breakthrough EPSRC has driven forward a number MyGrid’s widespread use across the technology that mimics the brain’s ability to of major investments in long-term country clearly justifies its description as make sense of massive amounts of data. computational research programmes on part of the UK’s scientific e-infrastructure – Lesley Thompson says EPSRC has long behalf of all the UK Research Councils, a resource hundreds of teams resort to – to made a conscious effort to support this including, notably, the £140 million support their research. side of computing, with specific e-Science Programme at the investments in software funding beginning of the century (see that might otherwise be overlooked opposite page). during routine peer review. EPSRC also has a firm eye “Today, collectively, Software sustainability is another on the future, publishing in area EPSRC continues to invest 2014 a roadmap which aims the e-infrastructure in – ensuring that what software to understand and maximise researchers write today remains opportunities across the UK – the computers, usable for years to come, despite e-infrastructure landscape – for the networks, the changes in computer architecture all researchers in engineering or suppliers. and physical sciences, including wi-fi, the software, Susan Morrell, EPSRC’s Head the commercial sector. Lesley Thompson, of Research Infrastructure, says: Among the success stories, the hardware and Director of “The support of people in the Lesley Thompson points to Science and the people – is an e-infrastructure eco-system is as myGrid, an initiative which, Engineering, important, if not more so, than she says, “underpins most absolutely integral EPSRC the capital investments we make. bioinformatics research in part of the research People with transferable skills the UK, and also illustrates make the computers productive the value of the physical and methodology.” and useful, and so support for staff engineering sciences to all of and training will need to be central the health and life sciences.” to future investments.” MyGrid was a product of the Computer scientist Professor e-Science initiative in the early Simon McIntosh-Smith at the 2000s to seize on the advantages of But Lesley Thompson explains that University of Bristol describes EPSRC’s grid computing and translate them into software in general should also be seen focus on sustainability as “absolutely right, the biological sciences (see page 57). in a similarly holistic light. She says: it’s a brilliant programme”, adding that the The myGrid interface supports a suite “Historically, we’d worry about buying the UK is a world leader “envied in the US” for of bioinformatic programmes which use biggest computer and not worry about the its forward-looking approach. computer science, mathematics and software. Now that’s changed, and we’re As Pioneer went to press, EPSRC information theory to model and analyse putting a lot of effort into software.” announced it is investing a further biological systems. MyGrid enabled £4 million in research to support the researchers to perform virtual experiments, That shift of focus has been encouraged by development of software for computational collaborate on and share workflows, and successes like DAME, software developed science and engineering. access a wide range of databases. under the e-Science initiative in partnership with Rolls-Royce to support the engine- Lesley Thompson insists support for The success of myGrid, according to maintenance programme it sells to airlines e-infrastructure will continue to be a core Lesley Thompson, underlines how far (see page 58). part of EPSRC’s research and training approaches that were once the preserve provision for the coming decades, as it has of physical sciences have diffused DAME searches in-flight engine- for the past 20 years. The future, however, throughout the community. She says: “It is performance data, such as pressure and is never certain in the fast-moving world of inconceivable now to think of doing social temperature, for signatures of unusual computational research. science research without access to big behaviour. The DAME system is trained databases, and the comparative studies for long periods to learn combinations Lesley says: “There may come a time when that birth cohorts and so on give you; and of readouts that are normal, so that there’s a tipping point in technologies. it’s also inconceivable that you would do atypical patterns readily stand out, alerting For example, when cloud computing

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 56 Computational science

The UK Research Councils e-Science Programme In 2002, EPSRC joined forces with the quantities of data accessed over the internet Programme, and also coordinated six other UK Research Councils in the using large-scale computational resources. related activities. three-phase £140 million e-Science A key aim for the multidisciplinary The programme resulted in over 140 Programme, designed to position programme was to develop next- stakeholder collaborations, 30 licenses British science at the forefront of generation infrastructure in information and or patents, and 14 spin out companies. research and doctoral training into communications technology (ICT). Among Industry took up over 103 key results. computing technologies. key initiatives, the e-Science Programme In addition, the programme attracted Loosely described, the programme built a network of e-science centres £20 million in industrial collaboration aimed to make new scientific discoveries linked to regional Grid centres. EPSRC and £7.1 million in cash and in in-kind by analysing extraordinarily large was responsible for the e-Science Core industry transfers.

takes over, or when quantum computing come a time when it, too, goes the way Professor Kilsby is upbeat about taking on becomes a practical reality and of the dinosaurs. Perhaps earlier than we the challenge, despite its complexity. He displaces all high-performance might think.” says: “The Somerset Levels cover a huge computing infrastructure. Meanwhile, UK researchers are kept busy area of land, and predicting where flooding “Quantum would be a completely using today’s machines to process the may occur is made more difficult by the disruptive technology – and none of the floods of data churned out by the latest complicated network of drains and the software we have would work. That’s an science. And the data of floods. additional problem of coastal flooding from the seaward side. interesting problem. Having proven the value of their detailed “In the coming years we will be investing inundation models in Newcastle, London “But we know our models can handle £240 million in research into quantum and Melbourne, Professor Chris Kilsby’s it. Putting them to work on the technologies, in line with the Government’s team at Newcastle are keen to turn Somerset Levels would be a great way Industrial Strategy, so while we will their attention to the flood plain that has to test the potential of expensive new continue to invest in and develop current been most in the news this year, the flood management measures before state-of-the-art new technology; there will Somerset Levels. they’re built.”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 57

Nothing like a DAME

An example of how research into new Under the DAME project, which was The project was co-funded by the e-technology can have a direct impact funded under the EPSRC-led e-Science Department for Transport, which wanted on industry is the Distributed Aircraft Core Programme, the team successfully to see how the company’s FREEFLOW Maintenance Environment (DAME) project developed AURA, a breakthrough technology could be used to improve at the University of York. technology that mimics the brain’s ability to management of the UK road network. Under project leader Professor Jim Austin, make sense of massive amounts of data. FREEFLOW uses clever pattern DAME brought together four partner The team set up spin out company, Cybula recognition to spot traffic jams without universities with Rolls-Royce and Data Ltd, to market its pattern recognition requiring expensive teams of staff to Systems and Solutions to develop cutting- software, and to further develop the monitor feeds from roadside cameras. edge e-technology to reduce engine application of its work in areas such as One team member, Professor Lionel maintenance times and improve the inter- power generation, wind energy systems Tarassenko, a pioneer of neural network operation of the maintenance team. The and medicine. The company has an annual technologies, formed a spin out company, technologies developed are now used on turnover of £500,000, 13 staff (growing to Oxford BioSignals, to develop generic Rolls-Royce Trent engines. 17 this year) and a pipeline of two years’ technology for intelligent data acquisition contracts with customers including and advanced signal interpretation. EDF Energy and Asda. Applications of the technology include innovative sleep diagnostics systems and patient health monitoring software. Industrial applications, which have been adopted by companies such as Rolls- Royce, span aero engines, railways, pipelines and energy. In 2001, Professor Tarassenko’s research into jet engine health monitoring was awarded the Rolls-Royce Chairman’s Award for Technical Innovation. In 2008 he received the Sir Henry Royce High Value Patent Award (see page 10). In 2011, Professor Austin’s Advanced Computer Architectures (ACA) group at York University, which developed AURA, won Outstanding Engineering Research Team of the Year in the prestigious Times Higher Education Awards. Professor Austin says: “We have benefited from a consistent and talented team over 10 years, supported through EPSRC and Technology Strategy Board grants. “This support has allowed us to build the deep expertise needed to solve the hard problems industry faces.”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 58 Computational science

Fighting the scourge of sleeping sickness – with software

A multidisciplinary international research The research brought together a range of “Taverna’s infrastructure enabled us to team, including EPSRC-sponsored high-tech tools and field observations. develop the systematic analysis pipelines we University of Manchester scientists, have Professor Andy Brass and his team in required and to rapidly evolve the analysis found two genes that may prove of vital the School of Computer Science at the as new data came into the project. We’re importance to the lives and livelihoods of University of Manchester needed to screen sharing these workflows so they can be millions of farmers in a tsetse fly-plagued a multitude of genes to identify variants re-used by other researchers looking at swathe of Africa the size of the USA. that give resistance to the deadly parasitic different disease models. The team’s research is aimed at finding the disease. They managed to capture, “Without Taverna, we would have been biological keys to protection from a single- integrate and analyse the highly complex looking where others had already looked. celled trypanosome parasite that causes set of biological data by using software But because we had the tools to look more both African sleeping sickness in people and called Taverna, developed by Manchester widely, we spotted things that had been a wasting disease in cattle. computer scientist Professor Carole Goble missed. That’s pretty exciting.” Sleeping sickness affects an estimated CBE and her team working on the myGrid As a result, the team identified two key 300,000 Africans each year, eventually killing project, which was funded under the genes, and breeding trials have started with more than half of them. Another devastating EPSRC-led UK e-Science Programme (see one of these to see if new lines of resistant blow comes in animal form, with sick cattle page 57). cattle can be raised. costing farmers and herders huge losses The automated data analysis enabled by Professor Brass says: “This breakthrough and opportunities. The annual economic Taverna was essential. Professor Brass demonstrates the real-life benefits of impact of ‘Nagana’, a common name in says: “The Taverna workflows we developed computer science and how a problem Africa for the form of the disease that affects are capable of analysing huge amounts of costing many lives can be tackled using cattle, has been estimated at over £3 billion. biological data quickly and accurately. pioneering systems.”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 59 PIONEER 12 SpringSummer 2014 2014 60 Computational science High and mighty From predicting global weather patterns to developing new drug therapies to modelling aircraft aerodynamics, supercomputers are the thoroughbreds of computational science, used to crack some of the most challenging research problems. Roland Pease explains EPSRC’s role at the heart of UK high performance computing since 1994.

On June 20 1994, Ian Lang, says: “Traditionally, progress in science has Professor McIntosh-Smith says: “The cage the then Secretary of State been made through theory and experiment, contains 40 million atoms, yet using just a for Scotland, turned on the but an increasing range of problems now part of ARCHER’s capacity we were able most powerful supercomputer require to be simulated computationally. to show how all those atoms moved and in Europe. The brand new “The thrill in 1994 was introducing a interacted. It’s mind blowing stuff. Now Cray T3D, housed at the radically different technology to hundreds of that ARCHER is fully operational, we’re Edinburgh Parallel Computer researchers. T3D brought high performance planning to see how pores in the cage flex, Centre (EPCC) boasted parallel computing to the masses.” and how other molecules can move in and 256 processors and could out, which is what you’d need in a drug Setting the standard do 40 billion calculations a delivery system.” T3D set a standard for national high-end second, placing it 16th in the top Theoretical chemists have long depended computing which has been sustained 500 global rankings. on the fastest computers to unravel the largely by EPSRC, with contributions Nothing like it had been seen in complexities of molecular behaviour, and from the Natural Environment Research the UK before. The newspapers have been hungry for each step forwards Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology had a field day, predicting the new in performance. In the 1990s, quantum and Biological Sciences Research Council £8 million computer offered scientists calculations could handle hundreds of (BBSRC) on behalf of all UK research the chance to unlock some of the atoms, now with new approaches they councils, by a series of increasingly powerful universe’s most intractable problems. can do tens of thousands, says Professor machines. The latest of which, ARCHER, Mike Payne of the University of Cambridge, Today the Cray T3D would be outclassed was inaugurated, also in Edinburgh, in whose CASTEP programme is a mainstay of by an average notebook computer – that March 2014. is what exponential improvement brings the field. With 76,000 high-speed processor cores over two decades. Used to discover improvements in catalysts, (compared to the two cores of a standard batteries, metallurgy, semiconductors But at the time the T3D, managed on desktop PC), and 300 times T3D’s capacity, and many other commercially behalf of the UK Research Councils by ARCHER, which is owned and managed by significant materials, CASTEP illustrates EPSRC, marked a step change in scientific EPSRC, can crunch through a million billion supercomputing’s role as a ‘third pillar of computing in the UK, and in the use of calculations a second, 40,000 times faster science’ alongside theory and experiment, supercomputers, which are considered than its venerable predecessor. vital to solve research challenges involving a phrase coined by Nobel laureate With the extra power, researchers can be huge amounts of data. For example, they Kenneth Wilson. more ambitious than ever. are used to predict the behaviour of each of “Programmes like CASTEP complement the billions of atoms present in a potential Simon McIntosh-Smith of Bristol University, experiment,” says Mike Payne. “Whenever cancer drug, to determine its effectiveness. one of the team that helped procure an experiment is ambiguous about, say, the ARCHER, got an early chance to put the Other uses include carrying out complex structure of a pharmaceutical compound, mammoth machine through its paces, calculations in diverse areas such as you do the calculations to sort out simulating the structure of a monstrous simulating the Earth’s climate, calculating the alternatives.” molecular nanocage that chemists at the the airflow around aircraft, and designing university recently synthesised and hope Since its launch, CASTEP has achieved novel materials. to use in drug delivery as well as to mimic worldwide cumulative sales of US$30 million. Professor Arthur Trew, head of the EPCC, cellular chemistry. (Continued on page 62)

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 61 Supercomputers, like Formula One cars, require specialised expertise to use, and were created to solve specialised challenges involving huge amounts of data. You wouldn’t drive a McLaren F1 car to the shops

(Continued from page 61) really important thing about connected Comprising leading academics, industrialists Not that every calculation requires the best e-infrastructure is that the right computers and representatives of bodies such as the machine in the land. The improvement in can talk to the right people; that they can Met Office, the ELC advises government computer performance, tracked by the well- access the right software, and they’re also on all aspects of e-infrastructure including known Moore’s law, means that calculations connected with the right class of computer. networks, data stores, computers, software that were unimaginable 20 years ago, “It’s worth bearing in mind that and skills. possible on a top-10 machine a decade supercomputers, like Formula One cars, In 2012, the ELC published its Strategic ago, can now be achieved on the kind of require specialised expertise to use, and Vision for UK e-infrastructure. Among computer a large university can invest in. were created to solve specialised challenges ‘next steps’ arising from the report, the Simon McIntosh-Smith says: “Access to involving huge amounts of data. You ELC committed to developing a detailed high performance computing for research wouldn’t drive an F1 car to the shops.” plan for private sector engagement in is pyramid-shaped, which EPSRC has The provision isn’t just for academics. Even the e-infrastructure, working with the helped to form. It begins with the research with T3D in 1994, industry contributed Technology Strategy Board. This will include team’s departmental provision within its £1 million towards expanding and improving detailed talks with large corporations, SMEs university. The next tier is access to the the hardware and to supporting partnerships and trading partners. EPSRC-supported network of regional high with university teams. Lesley says: “If you’ve never used high performance computers, such as the N8 Today, while many large industrial sponsors performance computing or have never facility in the north of England. Next comes benefit from the UK’s national computing accessed academics who can help you with the national facility, ARCHER, and finally facilities through joint research projects, your software problems, how do you find you can request use of the best machines in Lesley Thompson wants to see more SMEs out who’s got the door you can open? So Europe through PRACE, the Partnership for and start-ups making use of them too – the idea behind the report, which EPSRC is Advanced Computing in Europe. Everything something she is working on as a member supporting, is to establish a kind of dating is interconnected.” of the UK E-infrastructure Leadership agency to connect people to the right Dr Lesley Thompson, EPSRC’s Director Council (ELC), jointly chaired by Science resource as well as to the right people, who for Science and Engineering, says: “The Minister David Willetts. can help connect them to the infrastructure.”

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 62 Computational science 20 years of high performance computing

Some of the most challenging research 2002 largest-ever models of the North Western problems can only be tackled using the European Continental Shelf. The UK National Supercomputing Service most powerful computer systems available. for academic research was established. The For example: service was supported by the UK Research 2014 • Designing life-saving drugs Councils and run by the HPCx consortium, In 2014, HECToR was replaced by ARCHER • Predicting weather patterns comprising the Universities of Edinburgh (Academic Research Computing High End • Simulating global ocean currents and Manchester and the Research Resource) – over three times more powerful Councils’ Daresbury Laboratory. HPCx was • Predicting the spread of epidemics than HECToR but also one of the greenest the flagship UK academic supercomputer supercomputers ever built, using a state- • Modelling how air flows off aircraft and from 2002 to 2007. of-the-art water-cooled housing enabling other vehicles ground-breaking performance and scalability • Studying how the smallest while maximising energy efficiency. particles interact 2008 A second national supercomputing service, Combined with the newly-installed UK • Design of materials and processes for HECToR (High-End Computing Terascale Research Data Facility on the Edinburgh use across industry Resource), was installed at the University of campus, ARCHER provides a service unique • Exploring fundamental questions about Edinburgh. Managed by EPSRC on behalf in the UK. the forces of nature, such as through of contributing UK Research Councils, the Harnessing the might of some of the world’s creating large-scale simulations of £113 million machine was one of the most most powerful supercomputers with one galaxy formation and evolution advanced supercomputers in the UK. of the UK’s largest data-store and analysis Capable of performing over 114,000 centres, the facility will provide important Because problems such as these span calculations a second for every man, support for Big Data applications. the spectrum of research, in the 1990s a woman and child on Earth, HECToR In addition, the UK Research Data Facility, coordinated National High Performance occupied an area of two tennis courts and although associated with ARCHER, will Computing Programme was set up on had a memory of 90 Terabytes, equivalent serve both ARCHER users and any users of behalf of all the UK Research Councils to over 180,000 iPhones. To match high performance computers, regardless of and managed by EPSRC, which has since HECToR’s one Petabyte of disk space for Research Council remit. played a pivotal role in the nation-wide storing data, an iPhone would have to hold Support for ARCHER (and previously provision of high performance computing. 200 million tracks, and it would take until the HECToR) users is also provided by a Highlights include: year 3155 to listen to each track just once. dedicated team. Training courses are HECToR was made available to UK available for all levels of user – from 1994 academics across Britain who remotely basic introductions to high performance computing, to advanced techniques and In 1994, EPSRC selected the University accessed the system. application tuning. Training courses are of Edinburgh to host Europe’s fastest Among notable achievements made free to UK academics whose work is supercomputer, the Cray T3D, capable of 40 possible by HECToR, scientists covered by the remit of the participating billion arithmetical operations per second, developed new gels which can be tuned Research Councils, EPSRC, and the Natural and harnessing 256 processors. The system for applications such as personal care, Environment Research Council (NERC). was accessed across the UK`s high-speed foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals; helicopter Others may attend on payment of a academic network. This was followed by a rotor wake simulations essential for course fee. Cray T3E system, which ran until 2001. designing new aircraft; and one of the

“The thrill in 1994 was introducing a radically different technology to hundreds of researchers. The Cray T3D brought high performance parallel computing to the masses.”

Professor Arthur Trew (pictured), head of the Edinburgh Parallel Computer Centre at Edinburgh University, which has hosted EPSRC-supported supercomputers for over 20 years. In 1994, the Cray T3D supercomputer boasted 256 processors and could perform 40 billion calculations a second, placing it 16th in the top 500 global rankings. Today it would be outgunned by an average notebook computer.

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 63 Numbers game From predicting the effects of new drug types to unravelling the secrets of plastic, high performance computers are vital across the research spectrum – as demonstrated in three very different R&D projects.

The relationship between the chemistry has generated a series of scientific and of large polymer molecules and the computational tools which, an impact properties of the plastics they make has study showed, have allowed the plastics been hard to untangle because of the sheer industries in the UK and Europe to design complexity of their molecular structure and new materials based on an understanding their interactions. of their fundamental molecular structure, The software, developed by Professor rather than through extensive observation Tom McLeish of Durham University and and experimentation. colleagues, had “cut the Gordian knot” One industrial partner reported: “These tools according to one expert commentator give us a competitive edge that is essential when key results were published in Science in today’s environment.” in 2011, meaning the team had solved a The long-term aim, says Professor McLeish, seemingly impossible problem. is to “develop new plastics for almost every “Polymers are nature’s chosen technology,” conceivable manufacturing application.” Virtual plastics Professor McLeish said in an interview in Improved chemical-resistant films and Pioneer in 2010. “All biomolecules consist coatings, revolutionary nano-composites Designer plastics that can be conceived, of long chains. Our work will help mankind whose lightness makes them ideal for use synthesised and tested entirely on a match that approach.” in aircraft engines, and harder-wearing solar computer have been made possible thanks The £8 million EPSRC-funded Microscale panels, are just some of the possibilities the to 20 years of EPSRC support. Polymer Processing (MuPP) project MuPP team foresees.

Pharma on a chip

A virtual test tube developed by Professor Mulholland says: “An important The research was conducted under the computational chemists at the University aim in developing a safe, effective drug is Collaborative Computational Project for of Bristol, working with pharmaceutical understanding how it will be broken down in Biomolecular Simulation (CCPBioSim), company Pfizer and the biomedical the body. funded by EPSRC. discovery firm Vernalis, could help reduce “This process would be made cheaper, CCPBioSim is developing a software suite the risk of side effects with future drugs. quicker and safer if we could predict reliably and scripts for performing multi-scale Professor Adrian Mulholland, who holds how a candidate drug reacts in the body – simulations using commonly available third an EPSRC Leadership Fellowship, and for example, by using computers. party software and programs from the colleagues have developed a computational “This study uses molecular modelling CCPBioSim community. model to show in atomic detail how the anti- methods which are able to describe inflammatory drugs ibuprofen, diclofenac chemical reactions in large and complex and the blood-thinning agent warfarin are enzymes such as cytochrome P450s. broken down by a group of enzymes called Our results agree well with experiments, cytochrome P450s, which play an important and point to how modelling of this sort part in the metabolism of drugs. can help in developing predictions of Cytochrome P450 comes in many forms, drug metabolism.” and each can potentially interact with any Their hope is the approach will speed future particular biomolecule in many ways, so drug development by screening out poor understanding in detail whether potentially candidates at an early stage. harmful metabolites will be formed is an The research was co-funded by EPSRC and important aspect of understanding a drug’s the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences toxicity profile. Research Council (BBSRC).

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 64 Computational science Blood and Thrust

Supercomputer calculations performed Professors Hassan and Morgan are by researchers at Swansea University’s also providing their expertise to the Department of Aerodynamics were vital to BLOODHOUND SSC project, to help the design of BLOODHOUND SSC – the ensure a successful aerodynamic supersonic car at the heart of an EPSRC- design (see inset). Wing Commander supported World Land Speed Record Andy Green will pilot the vehicle. attempt led by Richard Noble. The supersonic car is due to make its first attempt to break the sound barrier next year in South Africa, and to reach 1,000 mph in 2016. To reach those speeds safely, every detail of the machine’s surfaces has had to be examined. That is where the computational simulations of Dr Ben Evans, Dr Chris Rose and colleagues have proved so important. Ben Evans says: “Wind tunnels have massive limitations. BLOODHOUND SSC is a car, so it’s rolling on the ground and there are no wind tunnels where you can simulate a rolling ground with a car travelling faster than Mach 1, faster than the speed of sound. Our job is to make sure the vehicle stays on the ground, and that the drag is as low as possible.” With EPSRC funding, the team ran aerodynamic simulations over five years which resulted in significant changes to the vehicle’s front wheel configuration, the shape of the nose, the jet engine intake shaping, rear wheel fairings and wing shape and size. Controlling the rear of the car turned out to be more of a problem than keeping the nose down. The design is now frozen, and construction close to completion, but the researchers say their work is not finished. They are continuing to explore the effects, for example, of the supersonic shock wave from the car on the sandy surface it will be driving over. The current World Land Speed Record is held by RAF pilot Andy Green, driving Thrust SSC, which broke the sound barrier in 1997. The Thrust SSC project was led by Richard Noble, and EPSRC- supported academics, Professors Nigel Weatherill, Ken Morgan and Dr Oubay Hassan, at Swansea University played a pivotal role in the vehicle’s computational modelling (see page 20). Picture courtesy Siemens NX Picture

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 65 Sticky science Words: Gemma Hulkes

Whether scooting up walls, darting Typical of their restless spirits, however, across ceilings, or just hanging around Geim and Novoselov moved on to in a perpendicular kind of way, geckos new research. Another Friday night have superhero qualities Spiderman can experiment one year later led to the only dream of. In 2003, the lithesome isolation of wonder material graphene, lizards were the inspiration behind a in 2004. super sticky ‘gecko tape’, a synthetic The secret to ‘discovering’ this natural material created by EPSRC-sponsored marvel? Adhesive tape, once again, researchers at the University of which they used to peel away layers of Manchester, Professor André Geim and graphite until they arrived at a single Dr Konstantin Novoselov. layer of carbon, one atom thick. What Professor Geim, a noted innovator, had was left, graphene, has astonishing a long-standing practice of gathering properties and seemingly unlimited his research team for what he labelled potential applications – from super- ‘Friday night experiments’ – where they fast computer chips and broadband would try unusual things. On one of to flexible touch screens and a new these evenings the team looked at how generation of water purification devices. to replicate the adhesion found on a Six years later, Geim and Novoselov gecko’s foot. received the Nobel Prize in Geckos have millions of tiny keratin Physics for their work on graphene, hairs on the surface of their feet which which you can read more about in they use to climb with; the hairs act Pioneer 13, published this autumn. together to create formidable adhesion. Geim’s group mimicked this by creating a synthetic hair-covered film. Their gecko tape clung so well to a surface, the team postulated that a human so-equipped could hang by one hand from a ceiling, just like a gecko. This new adhesive material generated excitement in a variety of science and engineering fields, and led to considerable exposure in the popular media, which speculated on the gecko tape’s potential applications – from new types of car tyre to robots that can climb walls.

PIONEERPIONEER 09 12Winter Summer 2013 2014 66

Total value of EPSRC’s research portfolio: £2,400,000,000

Total number of doctoral students supported since 1994: 60,000

Total research projects invested in since 1994: 28,550

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the UK’s main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences. EPSRC invests around £800 million a year in research and postgraduate training to help the nation handle the next generation of technological change. The areas covered range from information technology to structural engineering, and mathematics to materials science. This research forms the basis for future economic development in the UK and improvements for everyone’s health, lifestyle and culture. EPSRC is committed to excellence and impact, supporting a research base and skills portfolio that meets key challenges of the 21st century, such as supporting an ageing population and meeting the need for sustainable energy. To this end, EPSRC has pioneered ways to stimulate research and encourage multidisciplinary collaboration. Research supported by EPSRC is judged by peer review to be of the highest quality and straddles the boundaries of scientific disciplines – ensuring there is

About EPSRC a balance between discovery-led research and challenge-led research across its portfolio. EPSRC works with around 2,000 companies and partner organisations. Around 40 per cent of supported research is collaborative with industry. By ensuring the early engagement between industry and the research base, the fruits of EPSRC’s investments can be maximised, helping to keep the UK at the forefront of global research and innovation.

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You can find out more about EPSRC and how you can work with us by visiting our website: www.epsrc.ac.ukPioneer is made by: as well as keeping up to date byEPSRC following works alongside us on Twitter: other Research www.twitter.com/ Councils which have responsibility in other research areas. epsrcEditor: Mark Mallett ([email protected]) The Research Councils work collectively on issues of Design: Rachael Brown ([email protected]) common concern via Research Councils UK.

Contributors: Phil Davies; Gemma Hulkes; Grace To provide feedback on this magazine, and to subscribe to print and/or electronic versions of Palmer; Roland Pease; Matt Shinn; Jack Snape Pioneer, please e-mail [email protected] [email protected] Pictures courtesy of thinkstock.com unless Contact: 01793 444305/442804 otherwise stated. Printed by RCUK’s in-house service provider

PIONEER 12 Summer 2014 67 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 09 EngineeringEngineering andand PhysicalPhysical SciencesSciences ResearchResearch CouncilCouncil 10 Leading UK infrastructure edge the next 50 years Spotlight on the research leaders of tomorrow

Smartphones in space The pulling power of the PhD The lensless microscope Bug magnets Peer review – why it works Alf Adams, godfather of the internet Science minister on engineering the future The train that runs on hydrogen

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