Jointly funded by the Wolfson Foundation and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the scheme aims to provide universities with additional support to enable them to attract science talent from overseas and retain respected UK scientists of outstanding achievement and potential.
Professor Hywel Morgan, professor of Bioelectronics in Electronics and Computer Science and Deputy Director of the Universityâs Institute for Life Sciences, received his award for his research into âLow cost thin film transistor electronic systems for healthcare and diagnosticsâ.
Professor Morgan says: âMy research focuses on the fusion of low cost electronic devices with microfluidic systems for next generation miniature diagnostic systems. The long term goal is to develop sophisticated yet inexpensive analytical devices that have a wide range of applications, from allowing doctors to make faster and more accurate diagnosis, to answering fundamental research questions about disease.
âI am thrilled and honoured to have received this award from the Royal Society and Wolfson Foundation. It will allow me and my group to push forward our research in this very exciting and fast moving interdisciplinary field.â?
Professor Morgan is one of two University of Southampton professors among the Royal Societyâs new Wolfson Research Merit appointments. Professor Tim Minshull, a marine geophysicist within Ocean and Earth Science, has also received the award for his research into âThe ocean-continent transition at magma-poor rifted marginsâ.
ECS Electronic Engineering students Dominic Maskell and Nathan Ruttley were invited to take part in the final of the Capgemini Super Techies competition, held in London earlier this month.
Over 200 teams had entered for the competition, with 16 making it through to the final. This is the first year that Capgemini had held the competition in the UK, although it has been a feature of their Indian operation for a number of years. Only 12 universities in the UK were selected to take part. The competition asked teams of two students to review a business case study, and to make innovative recommendations to solve the challenges involved.
The teams were asked to submit a short presentation of three slides, and to outline their solution including both technology and business ideas. Dominic and Nathan successfully took part in nationwide heats before being invited to the UK Final in the company's London offices.
Dominic and Nathan, who are in the second year of their MEng Electronic Engineering degrees at the University, came second in the group stage of the competition and plan to enter again next year. 'I really enjoyed taking part in this event,' said Dominic, 'and would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in combining technology and business.
'Not only did it give Nathan and I a chance to improve our presentation skills and receive detailed feedback, but also to network with Capgemini graduates. Overall, it was great fun and we are proud we got as far as we did.'
'Congratulations to Dominic and Nathan on an excellent achievement,' said Professor Neil White, Head of Electronics and Computer Science. 'We encourage our students to take part in these challenges, and it is especially good to see that Dominic and Nathan excelled not only in the engineering context but also on their business acumen too!'
Professor William Webb, President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and alumnus of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS), will be giving an Engineering@Southampton distinguished lecture at the University of Southampton on Wednesday 6 May.
His lecture is entitled: âThe Internet of Things: why is the promise taking so long to fulfil?â. Professor Webb will consider the fact that the Internet of Things promises much: to make our world work better, improve healthcare, reduce congestion and much more. But despite that fact that 50 billion devices are predicted within a decade, little has happened. William will discuss why this is the case, and explore the lack of wireless connectivity standards in some areas and the plethora in others. He will look at how standards are formed and become widely accepted; the key drivers and motivators of the major players in the industry; and, finally, he will predict how we might resolve the connectivity issue and reach the promised 50 billion.
William, who is the youngest President of the IET for over 100 years, has held a number of senior positions in the IT and telecommunications sectors. He began his engineering career at Southampton in 1986 and after completing his undergraduate degree in Electronic Engineering, he embarked on a PhD with Professor Ray Steele and also worked for his consultancy company part-time. He has held a number of senior positions in the IT and telecommunications sectors. He is currently CEO of the Weightless SIG, the standards body developing a new global M2M technology. He is also a Director at Webb Search, an independent wireless communications consultancy.
He was one of the founding directors of Neul, a company developing machine-to-machine technologies and networks, which was formed at the start of 2011. Prior to this he was a Director at Ofcom where he managed a team providing technical advice and performing research across all areas of Ofcomâs regulatory remit. He also led some of the major reviews conducted by Ofcom including the Spectrum Framework Review, the development of Spectrum Usage Rights and most recently cognitive or white space (refers to frequencies allocated to a broadcasting service but not used locally) policy. He worked for a range of communications consultancies in the UK in the fields of hardware design, computer simulation, propagation modelling, spectrum management and strategy development, as well as spending three years providing strategic management across Motorolaâs entire communications portfolio, based in Chicago.
ECS Entrepreneurs will be hosting a Dragons' Den event on campus on Saturday 2 May and graduates from 2014 are eligible to pitch their business ideas for real investment.
ECS students have a reputation for their commitment to enterprise and to developing new business ideas and technology applications. The ECS Entrepreneurs society has been encouraging student enterprise since it was founded two years ago, and it is now moving to directly help students fund and develop their business ideas through an exciting Dragons' Den event.
All current students in the University as well as graduates from 2014 have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to 'Dragons' who include Southampton graduates Max Toti and Russell Champion.
The event takes place in the Bridge Bar of the Students' Union, Highfield Campus, from 2 pm on Saturday 2 May. To find out more about pitching your business idea or attending the event, see the event webpage:
http://www.ecs-entrepreneur.com/dragonsden
âThe hollow cathode is one of the key components for modern propulsion thruster designs, which emits electrons for long-time space applicationsâ?, said project leader Professor Steve Gabriel.
The collaboration aims to:
Establish the scaling laws and physical modelling of hollow cathodes for a variety of current classes
Develop a 100-A-class hollow cathode design for future high power electric propulsion
Enable space applications of high power electric propulsion in Japan and the UK based on the cathode technology achieved by this collaboration.
Fundamental to this work is TDHVLâs knowledge and research ability in numerical modelling techniques, as well as its research strength in state-of-the-art space science. The partnership will be the cornerstone for future international R&D collaborations between TDHVL and JAXA.
Southampton research is underpinning a new project that could revolutionise power cable performance.
The University of Southampton will be collaborating with energy companies, a technology innovation company and cable manufacturers to develop a new generation of insulation material for power cables, to improve their performance in onshore applications and for the growing offshore renewable energy industry.
The technology underpinning the project was initiated nearly two decades ago by University academic Professor Alun Vaughan and his team, who showed that by blending together different polymers it was possible to retain the desirable characteristics of each of the components and produce materials with significantly improved overall performance. They initially demonstrated the viability of this using different polyethylenes, before moving on to the much more challenging and novel case of polypropylene.
The attraction of polypropylene is that the resulting materials are able to withstand higher temperatures. In cable applications, this means that greater fluctuations in power flow can be accommodated, leading to improved reliability in future power networks that will include an increasing proportion of intermittent renewable generation. To achieve this, after the material development phase, the next steps will be to adapt the cable manufacturing process and to test the compatibility of the concept with the accessories system of the grid.
Over the past 20 years the concept has been developed and is now being translated to engineering a new generation of power cables with the new three-year SUSCABLE II project. The collaboration sees Southampton working with the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, GnoSys Global Ltd, National Grid, Scottish Power and cable manufacturers.
Alun, Head of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering research group in Electronics and Computer Science, said: âIt is very rewarding to see work that we initiated as pure, curiosity-driven research being developed into real-world applications that can help provide solutions to some of the biggest energy transmission challenges facing the world today.
âWe hope that the materials expertise that Southampton can bring to this collaboration will be fundamental in developing a medium voltage cable design that will be taken to market. Ultimately, our aim is to be at the forefront of this major change in cable technology and use this project as a springboard to develop high voltage cables using thermoplastics, which will provide better performance in service and can be recycled at the end of life.â?
ORE Catapult Innovation Engineering & Programmes Director Chris Hill added: âInnovative technological improvements in the performance of onshore and undersea power cables is an important step in the drive to lengthen the life of connections between offshore wind turbines, and between wind and marine offshore renewable energy power stations and onshore connections, improving their ability to handle increasingly variable peak loads.
âUsing innovative materials and testing their robustness and resilience in cable designs could lead to a step change in electrical cable technology, and ultimately drive down whole life network costs.â?
Regius Professor Nick Jennings has been selected to advance the world-leading teaching and research of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) at the University of Southampton.
Professor Jennings, a Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government, will assume the high-profile post as head of the ECS in August.
He replaces Professor Neil White, who completes an accomplished term of four and a half years which maintained the academic unitâs reputation as one of the best places in the world to study electronics, electrical engineering, computer science, web science and IT.
âIâm delighted and honoured to be the next head of ECS,â? Professor Jennings said. âItâs a fantastic department with great staff and students.
âI look forward to seeing us continue to lead nationally and internationally in our research, education and enterprise endeavours and to making the most of the fact that we combine computer science and electronics in the same department.â?
Professor Jenningsâ expertise in the areas of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and agent-based computing led to an appointment last year as the UKâs inaugural Regius Professor of Computer Science.
Across a distinguished career, he has generated more than £23 million in research grants, published more than 550 articles and graduated more than 40 PhD students.
Professor Bashir M Al-Hashimi, Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering, said: âNick has been doing some excellent work and Iâm looking forward to working with him as Head of ECS and as a member of our Faculty Executive Group.
âThis outstanding academic unit has a rich history in innovative research and enterprise combined with world-leading education, and I am confident that Nick is the best person to take it forward to even greater success.â?
The University of Southampton is rated first in the UK for the volume and quality of research in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and 100 per cent of Computer Science research impact was recognised as world-leading or internationally excellent in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.
The institution is in the UK top 3 for Electronics and Electrical Engineering and the UK top 10 for Computer Science and IT, according to the Guardian University Guide and Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2015.
ECS Electronics students have achieved outstanding results in this yearâs competition for scholarships offered by the United Kingdom Electronic Skills Foundation (UKESF), gaining 18 places on the Scholarship Programme and consolidating the departmentâs reputation for consistent success at the top of the UKESF âleague tableâ.
The UKESF Scholarship Programme has been running for five years. It was established by the National Microelectronics Institute (NMI) to help attract, prepare and retain talent for the UK electronics industry, and to ensure and enhance its global leadership position. Partners include some of the UKâs leading companies as well as partner universities noted for their excellence in electronics research and education.
The ECS students receiving Scholarships this year will gain a financial award of £1655 for each year of their studies, as well as the opportunity to undertake paid summer placements with some of the UKâs leading companies. ECS students will this year be joining: ARM, SCR, Plextek Consulting, Imagination Technologies, Swindon Silicon Systems, Selex ES, AWE, STFC, Nvidia, Atmel Technologies, Dialog Semiconductor, Fujitsu, and Cirrus Logic. Students also gain industrial mentoring and professional development training at UKESF Summer Workshops.
âThis is another fantastic result for Southampton, with 18 ECS students being awarded new scholarships,â? said Dr Geoff Merrett, Associate Professor in ECS. âIt is a testament to the quality and enthusiasm of our students, and to the high regard that industry has for them.â? The ECS achievement this year extends not only to the award of the largest number of scholarships (over 25 per cent of the total awarded), but to the success rate in terms of the ratio of applications to awards, which is higher than any other university department in the programme. Since the Scholarships were inaugurated, ECS has also gained more awards (51) than any other department.
Many ECS students have benefited from the Scholarship programme over recent years, as well as from the summer placements and summer school. âThe UKESF programme has really helped my development as an engineer,â? said Josh Oldfield, who is in the third year of his MEng degree in Electronic Engineering and has undertaken placements with ARM. âIt has given me a chance to develop and test my skills in the engineering workplace, as well as developing my interpersonal skills, and helping the next generation of students embark on their engineering careers.â?
In 2014 Josh was nominated for the title of UKESF Scholar of the Year, one of two finalists for this annual title awarded by the NMI. Over the course of the Programme ECS has had two winners for the title Scholar of the Year (Adam Malpass in 2011 and Ashley Robinson in 2013), as well as three runners-up: Josh Oldfield, Sam Hipkin and Tom Dell).
âWe fully support the aims of the UK Electronics Skills Foundation and value highly the opportunities created for students,â? says Professor Neil White, Head of Electronics and Computer Science. âAs a department with close links to the UK electronics industry, we thoroughly support the aspirations of UKESF in highlighting the outstanding career opportunities that are open to electronic engineering graduates. We work closely with the leading companies in the UK and worldwide, and are extremely proud of the contribution that our graduates continue to make to the development of electronics.
âThis year we are also extremely pleased that one-third of our 18 Scholarships have been awarded to female students, underlining the considerable efforts the department is making through our outreach programme and our Athena Swan initiative to improve diversity in our subject at university and in industry more widely.â?
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UKESF is a collaboration between industry, universities and the public sector, which promotes the electronics industry and its value to society and the economy, and aims to secure a sustainable supply of quality and industry-prepared graduates. It offers a sector-specific programme for employers in the electronics sector to engage with young people at school and university through to graduate employment.
ECS Alumnus and Visiting Professor Max Toti has this year seen his company Captec recognized for its success in three notable business listings.
Max set up Captec in 1985. The company designs and manufactures ruggedised computer systems that can be deployed anywhere, regardless of operating environment. Captec's expertise is to design and manufacture computers that will operate reliably, over a long life, in any environment, engineering protection for any one of many stress factors such as temperature extremes, shock, vibration, dust, and fluids. The company is increasingly developing computing platforms at the edge of technology in Mobile Computing, the Internet of Things and Wearable computing applications, with embedded software and cloud connectivity. Captec's Headquarters and operations are based in Fareham with operations in Canada and the USA.
Max commented: âAs an ECS alumnus I am proud to attribute part of my career and companyâs successes to the excellent degree that ECS gave me, and the self-confidence that it inspired. ECS has created, and continues to create a huge pool of highly talented engineers and computer scientists who are changing the world. The combined successes of ECS alumni around the world is an inspiration to all others following our footsteps, reinforcing the message that if we can do it, so can you. ECS continues to pioneer the nurturing of future talent and provide support and encouragement to its alumni to spark the new generations of entrepreneurs.â?
Max has provided mentorship to ECS students in recent years and has also addressed graduating students in recent years, passing on some of the lessons that he has learned in his business career. He is a member of the ECS Alumni Board and will be one of the 'Dragons' in our 'Dragons Den' competition taking place on Saturday 2 May.
"We are delighted to see Max and Captec achieving this national and international success and recognition," said Professor Neil White, Head of Electronics and Computer Science. "Our students are able to experience the highest quality of education and gain excellent jobs in industry. Max's success helps provide inspiration to them by demonstrating that it's also possible to set up an innovative company, providing new opportunities for others in a highly competitive field, achieving great success and benefiting UK business. We look forward to more success in the future, from Max and other ECS graduates!"
As the first ACM President from outside North America, Dame Wendy initiated the establishment of ACM Councils in Europe, India and China, extending the organisationâs scope to a borderless audience. She also focused on the education of upcoming computer science generations, promoting gender diversity and nurturing talent in computing from all corners of the world. She has been recognised for this work with the Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award, which will be presented at the ACM Awards Banquet in June.
Commenting on the award, current ACM President Alexander L. Wolf said "Hall provided leadership and inspiration at a time when the computing discipline exploded onto the international scene, promoting ACM as the foremost association of computing professionals worldwide.â?
A Professor of Computer Science within Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton, Dame Wendy was a founding director of the Web Science Research Initiative to promote the discipline of Web Science and foster research collaboration between the University of Southampton and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She was President of the British Computer Society and, since 2014, has served as a Commissioner for the Global Commission on Internet Governance. In 2009, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). She was elected President of the ACM in July 2008.
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the worldâs largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the fieldâs challenges.