Technology transfer
Technology Transfer
BIC & Disruptive Forces Seminar
Membership with the Big Innovation Centre and the Disruptive Forces Seminar
Prof. Fionn Dunne and Dr Saira Naeem (Imperial College) met with Prof. Birgitte Andersen from The Big Innnovation Centre (BIC) to establish a new partnership with the HexMat Programme and Imperial College. BIC aims to facilitate in making the UK a global innovation hub and to transform the UK economy. Industrial uptake of research and influencing policy were both discussed together with the potential impact of the HexMat programme.
Imperial College and the Big Innovation Centre hosted the Disruptive Forces seminar on 30th June, 2014. This was a half-day meeting, bringing together leading industrialists and academics. The HexMat team presented some pioneering transformational techniques being developed in materials technologies, including characterisation, microscopy and modelling, addressing how industries can better take up research in materials for improved materials properties, behaviour and performance.
![(Left to right) Professors David Rugg (Rolls-Royce), Adrian Sutton (Imperial College), Fionn Dunne (Imperial College), Will Hutton (BIC), Michael Preuss (Manchester) and Angus Wilkinson (Oxford) on the speakers' panel at the BIC.](/media/migration/research-groups/1--tojpeg_1444923786615_x2.jpg)
The meeting was chaired by Will Hutton (Chair of BIC) and speakers included Fionn Dunne (HexMat PI, Imperial College), Michael Preuss (HexMat Co-I, Manchester University), Adrian Sutton (Materials Physicist, Imperial College), Angus Wilkinson (HexMat Co-I, Oxford University) and David Rugg (HexMat partner, Rolls-Royce).
The afternoon included a break-out session (download summary), giving the opportunity for discussions and a drinks reception and networking.
For further details and speaker's presentations, see the BIC webpage.
Visit to Rolls-Royce
Engagement with Rolls-Royce
HexMat academics, postdoctoral researchers and postgraduate students from Imperial, Manchester and Oxford spent a day at Rolls-Royce, Derby on 28th April 2014, meeting key industrial representatives in the aero and nuclear sectors. The visit also included a tour of the Rolls-Royce Heritage Centre.
![HexMat team at the Rolls-Royce Heritage Centre (left to right); Dr Terry Jun, Zebang Zheng, Dr Rajesh Korla, Dr Zoltan Szaraz, Yi Guo, Vivian Tong, Dr Eleni Sarakinou, Prof Angus Wilkinson, Dr Hamid Abdolvand, Dr Ben Britton, Tomi Erinosho, Dr Thomas White, Dr Zhen Zhang.](/media/migration/research-groups/22--tojpeg_1444924191472_x2.jpg)
![Rolls-Royce Engineering Fellow, David Rugg, giving a tour of the Heritage Museum.](/media/migration/research-groups/33--tojpeg_1444924343119_x2.jpg)
Following last year’s success of the HexMat ‘titanium day’, Rolls-Royce invited the HexMat team to Derby again for a similar day, but this time focused on zirconium alloys. The team from Imperial College London, University of Manchester and University of Oxford met with key Rolls-Royce engineers and were presented with Rolls-Royce’s research interests in relation to HexMat. Some key speakers included Aidan Cole-Baker (Engineering specialist – Core Materials), Ted Darby (Corporate Specialist – Nuclear Materials), Mike Martin (Structural Integrity Specialist) and Steve Curr (Chief Technologist – Core).
![Mike Martin (Structural Integrity Specialist)](/media/migration/research-groups/44--tojpeg_1444924407111_x2.jpg)
![Steve Curr (Chief Technologist – Core)](/media/migration/research-groups/55--tojpeg_1444924437803_x2.jpg)
![Ted Darby (Corporate Specialist – Nuclear Materials)](/media/migration/research-groups/66--tojpeg_1444924475367_x2.jpg)