Issue 289 ▸ 23 october 2015 reporterSharing stories of Imperial’s community President Xi at Imperial Chinese state visit boosts research and education ties with the College → pages 3, 6 & 7 RISK AND REWARD LAKE DISTRICT SELF REFLECTION Imperial Martian Imperial and MIT lakes launches launch joint existed for independent research fund millennia say research into PAGE 2 researchers gender bias PAGE 5 PAGE 8 2 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 23 October 2015 • issue 289 of these increasing external Imperial and MIT launch joint expectations, both universities need to find ways to support ‘risky’ research fund fundamental research where the results are less immediate EDITOR’S CORNER Two of the world’s top universities, travel costs, among other activities and the impacts promising but MIT and Imperial, have launched that often do not receive financial less certain.” a fund to intensify research support at the earliest stages. The MIT’s President Professor Words and collaborations between their two institutions have invested L. Rafael Reif, added: “So many academics, following an agreement an initial $300,000 into the of the breakthroughs that the MIT actions signed on 5 October at MIT’s programme. If the fund succeeds, and Imperial faculty have enjoyed campus by respective presidents the universities anticipate can be traced directly to our L. Rafael Reif and Alice P. Gast. significantly increasing their institutions’ shared commitment Earlier in the Summer, financial support. to basic research. It is critical that Imperial launched its The MIT – Imperial College London Imperial’s President Professor we continue to find ways to support College-wide Strategy Seed Fund will kick-start early- Alice Gast said: “This exciting research interests whose payoff for the next five years. stage, risky and ‘blue skies’ collaboration will further might be significant, but only In the document is a call research ideas that might not strengthen the ties between two over time.” to ‘collaborate with our otherwise be pursued. of the world’s great universities. The initiative builds on decades toughest competition to The awards are expected to The world turns to MIT and Imperial of strong connections between create an amazing team’ cover small-scale experiments, to solve a broad range of societal Imperial and MIT, including and to ‘act courageously the development of prototypes and problems. Amid the immediacy thousands of top-tier journal and take calculated risks’. papers, hundreds of student It’s early days of course, exchanges and scores of academic but recent events certainly partnerships. seem to resonate with These include a Global Fellows those themes. In the Programme that brings together past decade, Chinese some of the most promising PhD science and engineering students from both universities, have risen to compete an undergraduate summer effectively with Europe exchange scheme and many and America; yet it’s research collaborations. become clear that the —ANDREW SCHEUBER, COMMUNICATIONS AND best way to solve global PUBLIC AFFAIRS Presidents Reif and Gast (L&R) discussing the seed fund challenges is through collaboration – something that was highlighted in President Xi Jinping’s visit to Imperial this week (pages 3, 6, 7). This was Pitch perfect also evidenced by a new joint venture to pursue Imperial played host to Pitch@Palace Bootcamp on risky research with MIT – Wednesday 14 October, with more than 40 start- one of Imperial’s closest ups presenting their ideas in front of an audience of institutional competitors industry experts, academics, and the Duke of York. (page 2). Meanwhile, the College and student Pitch@Palace aims to support entrepreneurs by body have commissioned connecting them with potential supporters and independent research investors. Imperial is the first university to host Pitch@ into addressing gender Palace Bootcamp, which acts as a one-day selection bias and sexism at event to determine which teams secure a place at the Malav Sanghavi demonstrates Lifebox to the Duke of York Imperial. Clearly, the final stage of the competition held at St James’s Palace. outcomes and actions Of the five Imperial teams that took part, two were are what matters, but it selected by the judges to pitch their ideas at St James’s (Development and Innovation), who helped judge the is a bold and arguably Palace in November. entries, said: “At Imperial, we boast not only world- courageous move, as the Lifebox, led by Malav Sanghavi (Dyson School of leading expertise in science, engineering, medicine lead academic Dr Alison Design Engineering), is a low cost baby incubator made and business, but a culture of innovation that few can Phipps, points out herself from cardboard intended for use in the developing rival. Our students and researchers are using their (page 8). world. Also through to the final is Knyttan, co-founded academic talents to find new solutions to society’s ANDREW CZYZEWSKI, EDITOR by alumni Hal Watts and Ben Alun who have developed grand challenges. It is therefore fitting that we are the a new way of controlling industrial knitting machines first university to host Pitch@Palace bootcamp. I look Contact Andrew Czyzewski: enabling customers to create their own unique designs. forward to seeing what the teams have in store.” [email protected] Professor David Gann CBE, Vice-President —DEBORAH EVANSON, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS 3 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 23 October 2015 • issue 289 >> newsupdate Chinese President explores Imperial academic partnerships President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China visited Imperial on Wednesday 21 October as a series of new UK-China education and research collaborations were announced. The President and First Lady Madame Peng Liyuan were joined by the Duke of York Prince Andrew, the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Commercial Secretary to the Treasury Lord O’Neill, and several senior Chinese ministers. They were welcomed to Imperial, the UK’s number one research partner with China, by President Professor Alice Gast and Provost Professor James Stirling. Professor Gast explained how Imperial experts President Xi Jinping meets Imperial students and representatives from Imperial College Union and their Chinese partners are working together on cutting-edge research in fields including nanotechnology, bioengineering, computing, advanced materials, environmental engineering Chinese institutions SOLID FOUNDATIONS and public health. are a great source of Imperial has intensified its research “UK-China relationships are increasingly innovative ideas and they collaborations with China significantly important and increasingly beneficial to both over the last decade. countries. British universities have been instrumental are outstanding partners.” in building and strengthening these relationships,” 2005 2015 said Professor Gast. Institute and Hamlyn Centre. China UCF Group, “As China’s top research partner in the UK, telecommunications firm Keybridge and China Imperial’s academics and students benefit from Construction Bank International (CCBI) are to provide 3% 22% collaboration on a daily basis. Chinese institutions continued support to research and innovation are a great source of innovative ideas and they conducted by the two Imperial centres. Imperial Science and are outstanding partners,” she added. In addition, the Chinese Scholarship Council Nature papers co-authored by Chinese academics announced plans for scores of China’s most Funding boost academically able scholars and students to receive Imperial’s key Chinese funding to come to Imperial, as well as support for research partners: President Xi visited Imperial’s Data Science Institute Imperial’s finest PhD students to undertake research • Huawei • China Southern Railway and Hamlyn Centre (see pages 6–7), before meeting work at Chinese universities. • Tsinghua University a group of the College’s 2,000 strong Chinese Imperial is also set to partner with Zhejiang • Zhejiang University student community. University, a longstanding research collaborator, • Shanghai Jiao Tong Coinciding with the visit, came the announcement on a new centre for transnational entrepreneurship • Wuhan University • Peking University of a £3 million gift from financial services firm China to be based in London. • Chinese Academy of Sciences UCF Group to provide support for the Data Science —ANDREW SCHEUBER, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS Special relationship Welcome to Woodward HeForShe The US Defense Secretary The College’s newest On Thursday 8 October, You have heard about joint UK student hall of residence Imperial welcomed the and US initiatives in were officially opened campaign bus for the UN’s learned to innovation during a visit at a ceremony held on HeForShe initiative, a question, to in brief to Imperial this month. 15 October. Woodward global solidarity movement President Professor Alice Buildings in North Acton is for gender equality. challenge and Gast, welcomed Dr Ashton the College’s largest student The movement aims to to investigate. Carter and UK Secretary of residence, housing 693 engage men as advocates State for Defence, Michael students and a 14 person for equality, to help Believe in your Fallon, to the College on wardening team across its support the elimination of Friday 9 October. Dr Carter three blocks. discrimination. Staff and capabilities and and Mr Fallon marked students were invited to use your talents their visit with tour of visit the bus, meet HeForShe the