New centre to forward the quest for carbon-free, safe energy
Posted on 10 January 2014
The centre, which also involves the universities of Durham, Liverpool, Manchester and Oxford, is one of 19 CDTs in a wide range of engineering and scientific fields announced by Universities and Science Minister David Willetts.
The new centres will receive Government funding via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Fusion is the process that powers the sun. If scientists can harness fusion power on Earth, it would provide effectively limitless, carbon-free, safe energy. Major international facilities are operating or under construction, such as ITER, to address the final science and technology questions that will guide the design of the first demonstration fusion power plants. The Fusion CDT will train the generation of fusion scientists who will exploit these new facilities, and then use that knowledge to build the first fusion power stations.
Professor Howard Wilson, from York’s Department of Physics, who will lead the new Fusion CDT, attended the launch event for the new centres.
The new EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in the Science and Technology of Fusion Energy will benefit from world-class facilities in the UK as well as internationally
Professor Howard Wilson
Professor Wilson, who is also Director of the York Plasma Institute (YPI), a collaboration between the University and EPSRC, said: “The new EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in the Science and Technology of Fusion Energy will benefit from world-class facilities in the UK, such as Orion, CLF, MAST and JET, as well as internationally, to train the generation of scientists and engineers who will play leading roles on the new international fusion devices, positioning the UK to be amongst the first to benefit from fusion power.”
The Fusion CDT will train five cohorts, each of 15-16 PhD students, across areas such as plasma and materials science, including related fusion technologies. As well as advancing fusion energy, the training programme will benefit other students in related fields such as technological plasmas and nuclear materials for fission power.
The new CDTs come on top of the 72 centres unveiled by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in November 2013. EPSRC has funded the new centres by renegotiating contracts with universities and by gaining further financial support from partners in industry and academia.
The Fusion CDT will receive contributions - including access to experimental facilities - from partner institutions such as the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE). It will also work closely with international partners including ITER, NIF and F4E. The total investment in the new centre from the universities involved, partners and the EPSRC is in the region of £13m.
David Willetts said: “The Government will be investing in a further 900 students through an additional 19 Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs), bringing our total investment in CDTs to £390m.
“In addition, universities, industry and other charitable partners will be adding a further £124m to support the training of tomorrow’s scientists and engineers. The combined public and private investment amounts to £764m.”
Professor David Delpy, Chief Executive of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), said: “The support of the academic and industrial communities has been tremendous and we would not have been able to fund these new centres without their cooperation. These new CDTs will provide training and advances in research in many areas of science and engineering including quantum technologies, manufacturing, robotics, energy and sustainability and brings the total number of Centres funded in this round to 91.”
Notes to editors:
- More information on the York Plasma Institute at the University of York at www.york.ac.uk/ypi
- More information on the Department of Physics at the University of York at www.york.ac.uk/physics
- 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 £800m 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 works alongside other Research Councils with responsibility for other areas of research. The Research Councils work collectively on issues of common concern via Research Councils UK. www.epsrc.ac.uk
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