Summer 2011 ISSUE 03 Engineering INSIGHT...Summer 2011 - Issue 03] 1 Summer 2011 [ISSUE 03] Racing Ahead! Students Get Set For Prestigious Motorsport Event The University’s New Technology

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 1

Summer 2011 [ ISSUE 03 ]

Racing Ahead!Students Get Set For PrestigiousMotorsport Event

The University’s New Technology and Innovation Centre Launched

Flagship Environmental Network Comes to Strathclyde

Continued Knowledge Exchange Success

Engineering INSIGHT

engineering insight [ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 2

INTRODUCTION

Welcome from the Dean of Engineering Welcome to this latest edition of Engineering Insight, which has a particular focus on our knowledge exchange activities.

Our commitment to growing knowledge exchange is highly resonant with being ‘a place of useful learning’ and this has been central to Strathclyde’s mission since it was founded in 1796 by John Anderson. It is Strathclyde’s focus and determination to grow knowledge exchange that will set us apart from other Universities and I am pleased to highlight some of our recent knowledge exchange successes in this edition.

Working in partnership with industry has always been a priority for Engineering. Not only does this provide a strong platform from which our graduates will develop their careers, but it provides significant benefits to the businesses and industries that we collaborate with, opening doors to new opportunities for engagement and collaboration.

Recent collaborative ventures such as the Advanced Forming Research Centre, the Power Network Demonstration Centre and the launch of the University’s Technology and Innovation Centre demonstrate the University commitment to working in partnership with industry to address global challenges through sustainable innovation and knowledge exchange in engineering, science and technology.

Contents

[ Introduction ]

Professor Scott MacGregor Dean, Faculty of Engineering

01

Flagship ECT Network Comes to Strathclyde 02

New Ventures and Expansion 03

• The University’s New Technology and Innovation Centre Launched• AFRC Hosts Visit by Universities Minister• Support for Scottish Firms in Medical Technology Innovation• Launch of New £3 Million Materials Research Laboratory• New Engineering Doctorate to be Launched September 2011• Re-launch of Distance Learning in Chemical Engineering• Smart Grid Research Centre Powers Ahead

Knowledge Exchange 08

• Strathclyde Students Get Set for Prestigious Motorsport Event• What are Knowledge Transfer Partnerships?• KTP Helping to Put a Spring into One Company’s Step • Success in Space for KTP• Bruce Leads the Way in Knowledge Exchange• Inspirational Blade Runner to Speak at Conference• CPD Courses in Pressure Systems Reaches Silver Jubilee• DMEM CPD Course Helping to Enhance Profitability • EWB Students Host International Conference• Knowledge Transfer Account Supports Testing of New Pharmaceuticals• Developing Cool Products

Faculty Office Faculty Manager Assistant Faculty OfficerGayle Wilson Gabrielle Weir [email protected] [email protected]

Marketing Development Coordinator International Recruitment AdvisorAnnabel Dalgleish Christine Donald [email protected] [email protected]

Faculty Secretary Dean’s SecretaryAndrea LaRoche Susan [email protected] [email protected]

Faculty Development Officer Faculty Administrator (Research & Knowledge Exchange) Caroline McGuire Carol Brady [email protected] [email protected]

International 15• Funding Boost for Renewable Energy Project• Engagement in Europe• In My View• Going Global to Give to The Gambia

Research and Innovation 18

• Strathclyde Alumnus Produces Unique Energy Saving Device• SMILING Shoe Developed to Improve Mobility• Designing the Energy Networks of 2050• Strathclyde Helps Graduates With Launch of Luxury Luggage Brand • One Step Closer to Low Carbon Vehicles• Strathclyde Students are Out of This World

In Brief – Student Successes 22

Faculty of EngineeringUniversity of StrathclydeLevel 2McCance Building16 Richmond StreetGlasgow G1 1XQ

t: +44 (0)141 548 2749f: +44 (0)141 552 0775e: [email protected]: www.strath.ac.uk/engineering

The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number SC015263.

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 3

The Scottish Environmental Technology Network (SETN) was recently established as a new unit

in the Faculty of Engineering. SETN was initially founded in 2006 by the Contaminated Land Assessment & Remediation Research Centre (CLARRC) at the University of Edinburgh to support the development of the emerging Environmental and Clean Technology (ECT) sector in Scotland.

CLARRC was later incorporated into SETN in November 2010 to coincide with the move to Strathclyde, which was designed to allow SETN to maximise the impact of knowledge exchange in this important area of the economy.

SETN is a membership organisation that supports enterprises and research networks to develop new products, processes and services. Building on a strong foundation of knowledge exchange and innovation experience, SETN is able to connect businesses with researchers from across the spectrum of disciplines at Strathclyde and from the wider Scottish research base.

Derek Panton, Director at Ecolibrium (Environmental Consultants) Ltd, Edinburgh has said of SETN, “Their highly professional and knowledgeable staff have always exceeded my expectations. From insight into technology developments to address specific waste streams, through information on emerging carbon standards, to more practical assistance identifying the most appropriate chemical analysis, SETN has consistently gone beyond my requirements to assist my business.”

The new SETN laboratories are now fully operational with considerable in-house capabilities across a wide range of environmental matrices including soils, waters, wastes and other materials. Capabilities include GC-FID, GC-MS, ICP-OES, HPLC and IC. Space is also available to undertake bench scale trials. Funding for projects is provided by SETN Innovation Grants, which will support a company with up to £5,000 seed funding to test an idea before applying for SMART or other funding. John Ferguson, Head of Strategy at Binn Eco Innovation

Flagship ECT Network Comes to Strathclyde

[ Flagship ECT Network Comes to Strathclyde ]

02

SETN Director Colin Cunningham explained;

Employment in the low carbon, environmental and clean technologies sector is likely to increase in Scotland by a minimum of 34,000 jobs by 2020. Scotland’s low carbon market was worth around £8.5 billion in 2007-08 and is forecast to rise to around £12 billion by 2015-16.

SETN receives funding from the Scottish Government and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is located in Strathclyde’s Royal College Building in the centre of Glasgow.

www.setn.org.uk

Park, Perth said, “It is one of the simplest and most effective small grant systems I’ve ever used. The people involved at SETN and the support they offer is second to none.”

Internships are offered to highly-qualified students, from both Scotland and Europe, to enable them to gain valuable experience whilst providing companies with a cost efficient way to undertake collaborative research and development projects. The first SETN interns are tackling issues such as coupling algal photo-bioreactors to anaerobic digestion plants in order to capture carbon dioxide, treat wastewater and produce high value products such as proteins and oils.

SETN offers its members the free use of its meeting facility, a well-equipped 40m2

room available for workshops, training and other small events. The fifth SETN annual conference will be taking place in Glasgow this year. The combination of exhibit area, talks and workshops has been very popular with members and is an excellent opportunity for researchers to make their work known to industry professionals. Other informal networking events and specialist workshops are run throughout the year.

SETN played a strong role in supporting the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council in developing the ECT Action Plan. This in turn has fed into the Low Carbon Economic Strategy, an integral part of the Scottish Government’s economic strategy for sustainable economic growth and a key component of meeting Scotland’s climate change targets. Colin Cunningham talking with SETN member

Deborah Benson, photo by Chris Scott/Chrisdonia

“The ECT sector is a key part of our low carbon economy and different

from renewable energy. ECT includes areas such as water and waste water

treatment, resource efficiency, recovery and recycling, sustainable transport,

building technologies and environmental monitoring.”


researchers to respond to real problems in partnership with industry, government agencies and other organisations.

Professor Jim McDonald, Principal & Vice-Chancellor commented;

“Strathclyde’s Technology and Innovation Centre will help transform Glasgow and

Scotland. It will attract millions of pounds of inward investment to the city, drive global businesses and create jobs –

helping develop highly qualified graduates and postgraduates.

“As a leading technological University, we are committed to sharing knowledge to address challenges that affect every

area of society, including energy, health, manufacturing and economics. TIC will

forge new levels of collaboration between researchers, the public and private

sectors to accelerate the pace of research and development and deliver benefit to

companies, the economy and Scotland.”

[ New Ventures and Expansion ]

New Ventures and Expansion

A world-leading research and technology centre that will transform the way universities,

business and industry collaborate to bring a global competitive advantage to Scotland, has been launched at the University.

The Technology and Innovation Centre at Strathclyde (TIC) will bring together 850 academics, researchers and project managers from the University and its leading industrial partners to work side-by-side in a new state-of-the-art building in the heart of Glasgow. Together, they will find solutions to challenges in sectors central to economic regeneration in Scotland and further afield, including power and energy, photonics and sensors, advanced engineering, pharmaceutical manufacturing and bio-nano systems.

Developed with industry, for industry, the Technology and Innovation Centre is already attracting interest from major international companies, and its first partners include Scottish and Southern Energy, ScottishPower and the Weir Group. At £89 million, the project is the University’s single-biggest investment in research capacity and has attracted financial backing from Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council.

TIC will enable industry to rapidly develop research and technology, and access world-renowned academic groups, facilities and graduates from the University. The Centre will also support Scotland’s ambitions for increasing

inward and indigenous investment to the city to co-locate with TIC.

Staff from the University and industry will work side-by-side to find solutions to major challenges of the 21st century, such as climate change, sustainability, healthcare and the requirement to build low carbon industries. The strength of the University’s partnership with industry will also increase graduate employment opportunities and enhance the student learning experience through collaborative project work.

Dr Steve Graham, the former Director of Scottish Enterprise’s Manufacturing Advisory Service, has been appointed as Executive Director of TIC. He is working with colleagues from across the University to help deliver the project and support Strathclyde’s bold vision – to transform research, teaching and knowledge exchange and to deliver useful learning for the technological age.

The Centre will become the cornerstone of Scottish Enterprise’s new International Technology and Renewable Energy Zone (ITREZ) – a global economic hub to bring innovative businesses to Glasgow to sit alongside the University.

Design consultants have now been appointed and work on TIC’s high-spec building is expected to begin at the start of next year, with the official opening taking place in 2014. At 22,000 square metres, the landmark building will house specialist, shared and flexible laboratory facilities, enabling world-class

03

The University’s New Technology and Innovation Centre Launched

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 5


UK Universities and Science Minister David Willetts gained an insight into Strathclyde’s

extensive collaborations with industry on a visit to the University.

Mr Willetts met Principal Professor Jim McDonald at Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) in Inchinnan. Mr Willetts learned of the partnerships between the University and businesses which transform pioneering, world-class research and teaching into innovative end products with high impact on industry, science and society.

He was also informed about the initiatives underway across the University which reflect and deliver Strathclyde’s ambitious agenda as a leading international technological university. Afterwards, the Principal escorted Mr Willetts on a tour of

the Centre. Mr Willetts said: “I was delighted to be invited to visit the University of Strathclyde. It provides a shining example of how, through collaboration, universities can provide fantastic opportunities for students and researchers, as well as excellent outcomes for industry and society as a whole.”

Professor McDonald said: “We had great pleasure in welcoming the Minister to Strathclyde. We are committed to working closely with major industrial partners and these collaborations pave the way for our research to have a real influence on the major global challenges of the 21st century.”

The AFRC, formally opened in January 2011 by HRH the Duke of York, develops cutting-edge techniques to support manufacturing

in the aerospace, energy, marine and automobile industries. It is a collaborative venture between the University of Strathclyde, Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Government and internationally renowned engineering firms including Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Mettis Aeropace, TIMET, Aubert & Duval and Barnes Aerospace. For more information about the AFRC, go to www.strath.ac.uk/afrc

04

AFRC Hosts Visit by Universities Minister

A network to help Scottish companies tap into the £170 billion global medical

technologies market has been launched at the University.

Strathclyde MedTech will see businesses and academics working together to bring the next generation of healthcare technologies to market - from new imaging and diagnostic equipment, to devices to help older patients manage health problems at home.

The medical technology market is estimated to be worth £150-£170 billion worldwide, growing to around £300 billion by 2015. Technology firms have stressed that if they are to take advantage of the sector’s potential and create the complex products sought by cost conscious clinicians and patients, specialist advice and support is required.

Professor Trish Connolly, Director of the Strathclyde Institute of Medical Devices, where the new initiative is based, said: “Scottish companies have a long history of success in engineering new technologies, and they are ideally placed to pioneer the next generation of healthcare devices

Support for Scottish Firms in Medical Technology Innovationneeded by patients around the globe. The medical technologies of the future can only be created through a fusion of engineering, science and medicine.

“Strathclyde MedTech will lower the barrier to innovation in the medical technology sector, by providing companies with the support and advice needed to navigate complex regulatory and technical issues. We will be looking to work with both companies already involved in medical device development, and those in other sectors, including electronics, textiles, healthcare and even automotive component companies.”

Strathclyde MedTech will provide companies with advice and support, as well as encouraging Scottish companies to collaborate with the University and other firms. Funding will be available to help firms work with the University through consultancy or research projects, including feasibility studies and testing for technologies in areas including diagnostics, cardiovascular devices, rehabilitation and assisted living, drug delivery, biomaterials and cell / tissue engineering.

The network has received nearly £700,000 in government funding, £376,000 from the Scottish Government’s Seekit Fund, and some £308,000 from the European Regional Development Fund.

Professor Jim McDonald with David Willetts

Professor Trish Connolly


AMRL Director, Professor Jim Thomason said:

The facility comprises two designated Advanced Materials Research Laboratories housed within the

“The AMRL opens up a wide range of opportunities for world class research and knowledge exchange in materials

science and engineering at Strathclyde. I look forward to working with partners across the University and from industry

to develop and support exciting new activities that will establish the AMRL as a

nationally leading Laboratory.”


The Faculty of Engineering is launching its new Advanced Materials Research Laboratory

(AMRL) in June 2011. £3 million has been invested in the new materials research equipment that brings a step-change in multi-disciplinary materials research capability to the Faculty and University.

Materials research is fundamental to a wide range of science and engineering disciplines. The new AMRL provides state-of-the-art facilities to departments not just across the Faculty but across the University and beyond. It will provide a hub for multidisciplinary research projects ranging from nano-scale through to component testing. As well as familiar discipline-based materials research into metallics, ceramics, polymers, composites, biomaterials and geomaterials, the AMRL will support new research partnerships in a range of multidisciplinary applications such as nano and micro-electromechanical systems (NEMS & MEMS), sensor technology, photonics and printed electronics.

05

Launch of New £3 Million Materials Research LaboratoryDepartment of Mechanical Engineering; Materials Characterisation Laboratory and Experimental Mechanics Laboratory and also has AMRL equipment housed within the Bioengineering unit.

The facility includes an X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) which allows phase identification of metals and ceramic materials at ambient and also elevated temperature up to 200 degrees celsius. The AMRL is also equipped with a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), which is a high resolution analytical variable pressure, field emission scanning electron microscope for imaging metallic and ceramic based materials.

The Bioengineering Unit has installed three materials testing machines that can probe the mechanical behaviour of biological tissue and biomaterials from the macro- to the nano-scale: an Instron E10000 with axial-torsion capability; a BOSE Electroforce 3200 with biodynamic chambers and an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and Nanoindentation system from Asylum Research.

The manager of the Bioengineering facility, Dr Phil Riches, stated: “This investment has created a world-class facility to question our understanding of the mechanical behaviour and mechanobiology of biological tissue and biomaterials. Whilst we have embarked upon our own exciting research agenda, we also look forward to collaborating with national and international partners, to fully realise the potential of this investment.”

The end of June will see the official launch of the AMRL with delegates from the University and industry expected to attend. Attendees will be invited to participate in tours of the laboratory where they will be shown some of the equipment that is available for use. University Principal, Professor Jim McDonald, will be one of several speakers at the launch.

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 7


06

After a successful bid for funding, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research

Council (EPSRC) has awarded £1.23 million to support the development and running of a new Industrial Doctorate Centre (IDC) in Advanced Forming and Manufacture. This will be a joint collaboration between the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) and the Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management (DMEM).

The IDC offers the opportunity to study for an Engineering Doctorate in Advanced Manufacturing: Forging and Forming, with at least 32 students undertaking the EngD programme over the next 7 years. Studentships covering fees and an annual stipend will be available for UK and EU students.

The course will help develop a new pool of research engineers

New Engineering Doctorate to be Launched September 2011

September 2011 sees the launch of the restructured successful distance learning programme

in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering. Formerly, the distance learning undergraduate programme followed a calendar year starting in January, with the postgraduate programme running from September to August. The new programmes, starting in September 2011, will run together alongside the full time academic year allowing greater flexibility in module offerings and closer matching to the full-time programmes.

The Department has a long and successful history with distance learning, beginning with the introduction of the BEng Honours Chemical Engineering back in 1991 and building on this success with the MSc Process Technology and Management in 1997. Both of these qualifications are now accredited by the IChemE.

Aligning these courses to run alongside the full-time calendar brings a number of benefits to both the department

and its students, the most simple and obvious one for the student being the introduction of a summer break to reset and prepare for the next term! The alignment also brings some flexibility for MSc and CPD students.

Distance Learning Manager Kenneth Moffat explains, “We often have MSc students who have found themselves working in a Chemical Engineering field, but who originated from either chemistry or another engineering background and require some bridging before tackling the more advanced technical modules. The alignment of these courses means that an MSc student could, for example, take some additional modules from the BEng curriculum either prior to or during the first year of the MSc. There is also an opportunity for CPD students to create their own custom programme by selecting modules from both the undergraduate and the postgraduate courses.”

Alongside the date change, the Department has also decided to

with the knowledge and experience to impact significantly on the UK’s forming and forging industry. This will be achieved predominantly through access to knowledge and expertise within the AFRC and its connections with leading global manufacturers. The major programme themes will provide students with the opportunity to explore and generate novel research concepts across the major programme themes such as; Forging Technology, Advanced Materials, Automation, Process Improvement, Micro-system Manufacture, Information Management, Operations Management and Process Design. By working with key global manufacturing players such as Aubert & Duval, Barnes Aerospace, Boeing, Mettis Aerospace, Rolls-Royce and TIMET, students will be well positioned to help influence the UK’s manufacturing industry as a whole.

The new course will commence in September 2011.

Re-launch of Distance Learning in Chemical Engineering fully convert the course into a true distance learning programme. Moffat explains, “In the past most of our distance learning modules were based around campus tutorials, but the numbers attending tutorials have been dwindling due to students work and family commitments and the number of students based outside of the UK. Modern technology is now allowing us to use new methods and we are introducing video lectures, online tutorials and virtual learning environments which ensure that distance learning students will receive the same experience whether they are one mile or 10,000 miles from the campus!”

For more information on the distance learning programmes in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering please contact [email protected]

Information on courses is available at www.strath.ac.uk/chemeng/distancelearning/

The Engineering DoctorateThe Engineering Doctorate (EngD) is a well-established four-year postgraduate award intended for the UK’s leading researchers aiming for a career in industry. It provides postgraduate engineers with an intensive, broad-based research programme incorporating a taught component relevant to the needs of, and undertaken in partnership with, industry. It is an alternative to the traditional PhD, being suited to the needs of industry and providing a more vocationally-orientated doctorate degree, with the student spending a significant proportion of their time working in industry.



Site of PNDC building

07

Smart Grid Research Centre Powers Ahead

A £12.5 million Power Network Demonstration Centre (PNDC)that will accelerate the adoption

of new ‘smart’ technologies, for the electricity supply industry-the first of its kind in Europe – is being created by the University of Strathclyde and leading energy companies including ScottishPower and Scottish and Southern Energy, with support from Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council. The industrial membership of the Centre is open to interested organisations within the UK and international energy sector, and significant interest has already been generated from potential new members.

The Centre will play a key role in increasing the UK electricity grid’s flexibility and efficiency, as well as demonstrating and improving the next generation of smart electrical network technologies. This will support the integration of new renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, and smart household appliances with the grid, such that emissions and cost can be minimised.

The project is directed by Professor Graeme Burt from the Institute for Energy and Environment (based within the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering), and will see up to 25 staff based at the state-of-the-art Centre. Built in Cumbernauld, the PNDC network will include the most advanced, control, monitoring, and communications systems, and is expected to be operational in early 2012.

First Minister, Alex Salmond, said: “The Power Network Demonstration Centre brings together the skills and expertise of academics and industry leaders to drive forward innovation and efficiencies

in energy and smart grid technologies. The creation of this world class research centre reinforces Scotland’s reputation as a leader in energy and engineering and will help to shape global energy efficiencies and carbon reductions.”

Professor Jim McDonald, Principal of the University, said: “The Power Network Demonstration Centre will support the development and accelerated deployment of new electrical power distribution technologies, helping the UK’s energy and engineering industries compete on the world stage. Scotland is ideally placed to develop the next generation of smart, electrical technologies that will reduce carbon emissions from the energy sector, improve energy efficiency and ensure we maintain a secure supply of power. But it is critical that we remove the technical and economic barriers to connecting these technologies to our existing infrastructure. The new Centre will do just that, and set new standards in electrical distribution.”

Lena Wilson, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise said: “The Power Network Demonstration Centre will be a valuable addition to Scotland’s business infrastructure, helping bring together academia and industry to boost productivity and enhance competitiveness through innovation and the commercialisation of new electrical technologies. “With increasing demand worldwide to boost reliability and effectiveness of renewable energy and carbon reducing technology, the Centre will provide a much needed testing ground to facilitate faster development

and adoption of technologies and maintain Scotland’s position as leader in renewable energy and innovative low carbon technologies.”

The news comes after the energy industry and Government outlined their support for upgrading the electricity network across the UK.

The PNDC Vision

• Toprovideapurposebuiltplatform for showcasing state-of-the-art electrical distribution, generation, storage and demand side innovation.

• Tocreatearapidtechnology pipeline accelerating the proving and deployment of integrated smart grid solutions.

• Toprovideanindustrystandard controllable test bed facility for the development of emerging smart grid technologies that will support the realisation of a de-carbonised grid.

How the PNDC should look when completed

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 9

[ Knowledge Exchange]

08

Strathclyde Students Get Set for Prestigious Motorsport Event

A team of students from the University of Strathclyde are approaching completion of the

build of a single-seat racing car in preparation for the prestigious ‘Formula Student’ event.

Considered a breeding ground for world class engineers, the event challenges university students from around the world to design and build a single-seat racing car, which is then put to the test on Europe’s top racing venues. The Strathclyde Motorsport Team will fly the flag for Scotland at the UK event, at the Silverstone Circuit, home to the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, in July after leading the way in recent trials. The team will be the country’s only representative for the German version of the event at Hockenheim, in August.

The team comprises students from Strathclyde’s Faculties of Engineering and Business and is currently ranked first in Scotland, and fifth in the UK among the rival teams from other institutions.

Amy Bolland, a final year Mechanical Engineering student and Sponsorship Director for the team, said: “Formula Student provides an excellent opportunity for us to put into practice the skills we learn throughout our degree. It is a real-life exercise in design, manufacture and business that demonstrates the importance of team-work and working under pressure.

“These skills are invaluable to employers and give us a competitive edge in terms of technical and managerial experience. Previous graduates have managed to get jobs in really high-profile companies, like Accenture, ExxonMobil and even McLaren Mercedes F1.

“We are working really hard to put the finishing touches to the design for this year’s car, using the test results and past experience to make sure we give ourselves the best possible chance of being successful. We have high hopes for a good finish, particularly in the German competition where the standard is very high.”

Any student from first year through to fifth year is eligible to get involved in the project with almost 50 students currently involved with the team.

The students pride themselves on taking the lead in the project, with three academic supervisors having an overview and offering assistance when required.

Dr Ian Taylor, a lecturer in Strathclyde’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, is one of the team’s academic supervisors. He commented: “The Formula Student team at Strathclyde has gone from strength to strength since its formation in 1999 and is now amongst the top UK teams. The Engineering Faculty actively encourages and supports the student-led team, as we recognise the benefits to the students’ personal development, educationally, technically and professionally.

“Through their involvement in the team, the students are expected to establish links and partnerships with external sponsors, thus providing invaluable industry contact but also offering a unique insight into the wide variety of jobs available in the Engineering sector.

“The students are looking forward to this year’s event and I am sure that

their hard work and commitment will be rewarded. More importantly, they will be a great deal better off for the experience and the skills they have picked up which will serve them well as they look to start their careers after graduation.”

The car is designed and manufactured entirely within the University and when complete will be capable of a top speed of around 140mph. The acceleration, 0-60 in 3.48secs, is faster than a Lamborghini Diablo and Porsche 911 GT1. It will weigh around 225kg and four of the students will share driving duties for the event.

There are two categories for which points are awarded - firstly a dynamic event, involving races and sprints, followed by a static event, which involves presenting the car as a business case.

Final testing will be taking place in the next couple of months at Knockhill Racing Circuit, Fife, before the students take to the track for the event.

To see how Strathclyde’s Formula Student project is progressing visit www.formulastudent.strath.ac.uk

Knowledge Exchange

The car built by Strathclyde Motorsport Team


Established in 1975, the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme is one of the

world’s leading knowledge transfer mechanisms. Part-funded by 18 Government organisations, and led by the Technology Strategy Board, KTP projects apply the world-leading knowledge and expertise of academics to business-critical projects.

To help facilitate this, a talented graduate/postgraduate (known as the KTP Associate) is appointed to work within the business, supported by an academic supervisor. Each KTP project lasts between 12 and 36 months, depending on the time required to deliver tangible outcomes. Businesses and organisations from a broad range of sectors are eligible to participate in KTP, including public funded organisations, charities and social enterprises.

KTP projects help strengthen the relationship between the academic

and business communities, and frequently provide the catalyst for the establishment of an ongoing collaboration. KTP often delivers significant increased profitability for business partners through improved quality and operations, increased sales and access to new markets. Further to the benefits delivered to businesses involved, nearly 70% of KTP Associates are offered full-time employment with the host organisation on completion of their KTP, making it obvious how valuable this programme can be to the future of all those involved.

KTP at the University of StrathclydeThe University of Strathclyde has been active in KTP since it was first established, with the Faculty of Engineering having been involved in a large number of projects. In the past 15 years, the University has been involved in 139 projects which have generated over £17 million in grants. Currently the University have 21 projects running, and

What are Knowledge Transfer Partnerships?over half of these are within the Faculty of Engineering. The University is ranked first in Scotland and eighth in the UK for KTP activity.

West of Scotland KTP CentreThe West of Scotland KTP Centre has been developing successful Knowledge Transfer Partnerships for over 15 years. During that time they have helped establish over 260 projects and generated more than £30 million in KTP grants. The West of Scotland KTP Centre is the largest Centre in Scotland and is recognised as one of the premier Centres in the UK.

The Centre works with companies to identify an academic or researcher with the right knowledge and skills to assist the organisation. A project is then defined and agreed which will enable the company to draw on that expertise.

Visit http://www.ktpws.org.uk/ for more information.

[ Knowledge Exchange ]

KTP Helping to Put a Spring into One Company’s Step

For over a decade now, the Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering

Management (DMEM) has been instrumental in delivering innovative solutions to strategic problems in a wide variety of Scottish companies through the KTP scheme. The Department has been managing an average of eight to ten KTP projects every year for the past four years helping participating companies to access knowledge, technology or relevant skills to improve their performance, productivity and competitiveness. DMEM have been considered as a benchmark for KTP projects across many universities in Scotland today.

One success story is the organisational transformation of Highland Spring, a privately owned company which produces still and sparkling bottled water. The University has been working with Highland Spring since it was an SME (Small to Medium Sized Enterprise) employing about 90 people and turning over £12 million.

Over the past 15 years DMEM has helped the company, through a number of consultancies, KTP and student projects, to shape and adopt a brand management strategy, re-engineer their supply chain processes and implement an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This served to streamline their processes reducing their cost base whilst significantly improving their customer service levels. The company has continued to expand and attract more business and has went on to secure an investment of around £5 million that has contributed towards

their new state-of-the-art production facility. With further KTP help they grew to around 250 people with a turnover of approximately £50 million.

Highland Spring became the fastest growing bottled water business in the UK and number one sparkling water brand and kids’ brand in the UK. Over the past three years, they have been continuing their organic growth which has been accelerated with acquisitions such as Gleneagles water, Glen Livet Water and Green Core. Today their turnover is around £80 million and they employ around 400 people. The Department’s third KTP programme with the company has just been launched which is helping to implement new business systems bringing together all the new businesses under a single management structure. With help from the KTP scheme and the collaboration with the DMEM Department, Highland Spring has been transformed from an SME to a Leading Bottled Water Manufacturer.

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 11


Would you recommend others to get involved in KTP?

Yes, it has enabled a number of opportunities for me personally. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships can help Associates, like myself, to enhance career prospects by providing the opportunity to manage a challenging project central to a company’s strategic development and long-term growth.

How can other people that are interested in the KTP programme get involved?

The best way to find out about current KTP vacancies, and to apply, is through the KTP website www.ktponline.org.uk The Partnership Approvals Group meets approximately every six weeks and so vacancies for Associates change on an almost daily basis. The types of projects that are available vary enormously.

What are you planning to do when your time working with Clyde Space ends in June?

That depends upon how the Government decides to proceed with funding the development, but it is likely I will remain at Clyde Space to complete UKube-1. I hope in the future to keep doing interesting work and developing my experience, and one day to perhaps set up my own business or even spin off a subsidiary from this one.

Steve Greenland was talking to Annabel Dalgleish, Marketing Development Coordinator for the Faculty of Engineering.

For further information about the KTP programme contact Stuart McKay: [email protected] t: 0141 548 2369

Success in Space for KTP

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project involving the Advanced Space Concepts

Laboratory in the Faculty of Engineering is helping Glasgow company, Clyde Space, towards realising its goal of launching Scotland’s first satellite.

Steve Greenland was appointed as a KTP Associate in 2008 to work with both the University and Clyde Space to develop an advanced micro-spacecraft that could be used for a range of applications, such as increasing mobile telecommunications capacity. With the creation of the UK Space Agency last year the aspiration to launch Scotland’s first satellite became a reality, and Steve is now the technical lead on the first CubeSat mission, UKube-1, overseeing a team across the UK and beyond.

Steve’s time is split between working at Clyde Space and also at the University, where he works closely with his supervisor Professor Colin McInnes, Director of the Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory based within the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Clyde Space, Glasgow’s only space company, designs and builds satellite components for space programmes all over the world. It has provided essential components for international space missions, including SOHLA-2 in Japan, InnoSat in Malaysia, and PARADIGM UT in the USA. They also have their own internet shop where it is possible to buy spacecraft online.

The University and Steve’s partnership with Clyde Space is coming to a successful conclusion, after 3 years, in June 2011. Steve is keen to share his experience with Engineering Insight of being a KTP Associate and to encourage others to get involved in a KTP programme.

How did you get involved in KTP?

I met the CEO of Clyde Space whilst working on a spacecraft out in Japan (he supplied the power system and had just set up his company). I was also an admirer of Professor Colin McInnes, now my supervisor at University of Strathclyde, for his work in advanced space concepts. An opportunity to work with both of them in a dual role came up with the KTP programme, and I took it.

What you do while working as a KTP Associate for Clyde Space?

My work began as an explosion, chasing numerous opportunities and mission concepts. Whilst some proved unfeasible or incompatible, these are now formalised around UKube-1 the company’s first complete spacecraft being built for the UK Space Agency. I control the budgets for UKube-1, the total value of the company being measured in hundreds of thousands. That can be a little scary at times, but I also enjoy the responsibility. As the company is small, there is also some need for flexibility in my role, and I also act as the R&D manager for the company and principal systems engineer.

What has been the best part about working as a KTP Associate?

Space is a small community and developing contacts both in Government and across the world has been key in securing the UKube-1 opportunity. KTP gave me some of the tools to achieve this.

Has working as a KTP Associate brought you certain opportunities that you may not have had otherwise?

Without the financial support from the Government channelled through the KTP programme we would not be able to build UKube-1. The KTP programme, therefore, was a keystone in progressing the company aspiration to develop a spacecraft.

Steve Greenland

UKube-1 developed by Clyde Space

10



11

Bruce Leads the Way in Knowledge Exchange

The Faculty of Engineering recently launched a Knowledge Exchange Award Scheme which

serves to recognise a significant knowledge exchange contribution by an outstanding individual or team who have demonstrated a proven track record in knowledge exchange or have helped enhance knowledge exchange activity in their Department.

The 2010 recipient of the award is Dr Bruce Postlethwaite, a Senior Lecturer within the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering. Bruce is the Knowledge Exchange contact within the Department and his commitment to this important role has been exemplary in raising the awareness and importance of knowledge exchange. Bruce’s efforts have provided opportunities for all academic staff to engage in knowledge exchange initiatives such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, innovation vouchers and Strathclyde Links.

Another new initiative championed by Bruce is the production of ‘The Scene’,

a newsletter which showcases teaching, research and knowledge exchange activities within Chemical and Process Engineering.

Bruce’s successes don’t stop there. Whilst opening up knowledge exchange opportunities to staff in the Department, Bruce himself has continued to forge ahead with his own knowledge exchange activities including: successfully leading a KTP application with Silberline Ltd, which is seeking to improve production methods for metallic flake pigments; submitting another KTP application with Rossyew in Greenock; and bringing to completion the first stage of Project Fingal, a major process development project from Marine Biopolymers Ltd, which is funded via a SMART award. This latter project is concerned with developing new routes for alginate extraction from Scottish seaweed and is expected to lead to a major investment in the Western Isles within the next two years. The Chemical Engineering Department has been the

research contractor for this work and will be involved with the pilot and full-scale plant design and development.

Inspirational Blade Runner to Speak at Conference

The University of Strathclyde’s National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics will host a one-day

prosthetics sporting conference on Friday 11 November 2011 at Hampden National Stadium in Glasgow. This will be the second sporting prosthetics event which the National Centre has hosted since 2009, and delegates will be welcomed from all sports, rehabilitation and academic fields.

One of the highlights of the event will be keynote speaker Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympian, also known as the ‘Blade Runner’. Oscar runs with the aid of carbon fibre transtibial artificial limbs and is the double amputee world record holder in the 100, 200 and 400 metres events.

As the London 2012 Olympic Games and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games draw closer, the event aims to explore innovative concepts and examples of good practice in sporting prosthetics for the benefit of the prosthesis user. It is hoped that the event will also empower people, particularly those with disabilities, to

become more active and participate in sport and exercise.

The conference will provide a forum to examine the design innovations of sporting prostheses; the prosthetic and physiotherapy rehabilitation associated with sport; as well as the mechanisms by which people affected by disability can become involved in physical activity, exercise and sport. Key commercial partners will be showcasing their rehabilitation and sports innovations at the dedicated conference exhibition.

The conference builds upon a growing research and knowledge exchange profile at the National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics. The event will be part of a departmental initiative known as SPEEAD (Sporting Prosthetics for Everyday and Elite Athletes with a Disability). The aim of SPEEAD is to benefit the prosthetics profession, the academic community and, most importantly, those who use prostheses and wish to become more active and participate in exercise and sports. With SPEEAD in its third year of activity,

the National Centre is proud to be continuing collaborative partnerships with national and international academic, commercial and charitable partners.

For more information about SPEEAD or about the conference visitwww.strath.ac.uk/prosthetics or contact Sarah Deans: [email protected]

Oscar Pistorius, the ‘Blade Runner’, photo by Getty Images and BT

Bruce Postlethwaite being congratulated on his award by Dr David Nash, Vice-Dean Knowledge Exchange and Professor Carl Schaschke, Head of the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 13


DMEM CPD Course Helping to Enhance Profitability

The Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management is successfully

delivering a number of CPD courses on Lean Six Sigma. The training has been delivered by Professor Jiju Antony, a leading authority in the field of Lean Six Sigma and the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma.

The Lean Six Sigma methodology provides organisations with a systematic approach to enhance profitability and overall business performance as well as improve productivity and customer satisfaction. It provides businesses with the tools to improve the capability of their business processes. Virtually any key business process where the Lean Six Sigma methodology is properly applied and sustained could return high-yield, bottom-line results.

The Department has trained over 300 people from over 50 companies ranging

from manufacturing, to public sector organisations such as Government councils, NHS and police services. More details can be obtained from the website: http://www.strath.ac.uk/siom/ leansixsigma/

For enquiries relating to Lean Six Sigma training please contact Angela Kinlan: [email protected] t: 0141 548 3548

“An excellent introduction to Lean Six Sigma should be mandatory for all Senior

Managers and Executives. The course has given me the drive to promote Six

Sigma within my organisation. The best feature of the training was the enthusiasm of Professor Anthony, he brought Lean Six

Sigma to life using excellent real-life examples.”

12

Fiona Blake Smith, Scottish Police Service

Jim Boyle (Piping Systems Design), taught and participated in the first course in June 1986. Further support is provided by Professor Donald Mackenzie and Dr Jim Wood who lead the Design-by-Analysis and finite element analysis courses and on-line CPD activity.

The programme continues to attract over 150 delegates per year. For more details about the programme contact Dr David Nash: [email protected]

Dr David Nash with course participants at the University

and has been developed with a more practical emphasis on training. Over the past 25 years, over 4000 delegates have passed through the programme. The programme’s six courses are now recognised as ‘industry standard’ courses with many companies choosing them to meet their core training requirements. Some of the key course material also sits within the new Power Plant Engineering Masters level programme which is supported by Doosan Power Systems and the Industrial Power Association (IPA).

The courses have been successfully run in the UK and overseas including USA, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Singapore, Hong Kong, Egypt, Malaysia and in many European countries. They have also been presented in a number of UK on-site locations, most recently for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in Bootle in January 2011.

The CPD programme is now led by Dr David Nash who, along with Professor

The Department of Mechanical Engineering will celebrate 25 years of successfully running

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses in the field of pressure vessel and piping systems design in June 2011.

These industrially-focused courses were borne out of the vision of Professor John Spence and Professor Alwyn Tooth who wanted to provide the background to the master pressure vessel standard BS5500 which was initially issued in 1976.

The first course that ran had over 50 delegates and speakers drawn from industry and the Department used 35mm slides, acetates and Perspex models to illustrate the underpinning research and theoretical basis of the Standard. The course was so popular that it ran for a second time that year to meet demand.

Since then, the programme has expanded to a suite of six courses

CPD Courses in Pressure Systems Reaches Silver Jubilee



EWB Students Host International Conference

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Strathclyde hosted the Scottish International Development

Conference at the University in February of this year. The event brought professionals and students together in a relaxed atmosphere to learn about issues relating to international development. The weekend was focused on Engineers Without Borders’ aim of applying engineering knowledge to help solve problems within the developing world.

The conference opened with a keynote speech by Richard Carter, Head of Technical Resources at Wateraid, who talked about sustainability within sanitation projects. He also talked about the problems faced when aid projects start to fall apart; a lack of simple replacement components can cripple a project, a theme which ran through the weekend.

The main day of the conference comprised interactive workshops and talks. Andrew Lamb, CEO of EWB, opened the day with a presentation about EWB’s approach to sustainability within placements. Afterwards, Steven Hunt of Practical Action and Lorna Brady of the Institution of Civil Engineers facilitated the first workshop. Steven discussed energy scarcity within developing countries with

reference to Practical Action’s “Poor Peoples Energy Outlook”, a report on the availability of different energy sources within the developing world, the effects these scarcities create and some suggested solutions. Lorna talked about the Institution of Civil Engineers’ (ICE) toolkit, a pack developed to help engineers embarking on projects in developing countries. She was joined by the ex-President of the ICE, Paul Jowitt, who explained how he thought engineers could apply the toolkit.

The afternoon session included a talk by Robert Reed of the Water Engineering and Development Centre and

workshops by Robert and the University of Strathclyde’s Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department and EWB Strathclyde. Robert talked about low-cost sanitation solutions within developing countries, giving a basic overview of the different technologies used to provide low-cost sanitation. Robert’s workshop presented a case study of a village and gave participants the opportunity to consider different solutions to its sanitation problems. This emphasised that although there may be many possible sanitation solutions, finding one that will work in the long term and be universally accepted is more challenging.

Sunday opened with a talk by Professor Bob Kalin, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at Strathclyde. He discussed different approaches to civil engineering projects in developing countries and went on to present some examples of when projects had been ruined by oversights or imposing solutions that weren’t suited to the climate. Afterwards, EWB Glasgow University ran a workshop on water pumps. This was split into two sections: a practical session and a discussion session. The practical session involved testing different types of water pumps and finding out how they work through experimentation. The discussion session involved each member of the group taking on the role of a different party in a project to build a water pump within a community. The workshop was designed to show how different vested interests can sidetrack a project.

Feedback from the weekend has been extremely positive, with professionals and students agreeing that the event had been worthwhile and that delegates had been impressed by the interesting speakers and engaging workshops that had ran over the weekend.

To find out more about Engineers Without Borders go to www.strath.ac.uk/engineering/undergraduates/ewb/

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 14

[Knowledge Exchange]

Knowledge Transfer Account Supports Testing of New Pharmaceuticals

The EPSRC awarded The University of Strathclyde a £2.6 million Knowledge Transfer Account (KTA)

to help business and industry take advantage of the University’s research, technology and consultancy activity.

The KTA is being used to accelerate and enhance Strathclyde’s strong links with industry through a range of activities, including partnership research programmes, two-way secondments, studentships, opportunities to licence pioneering technologies and the creation of new start-up businesses. Company relationships linking to EPSRC research are now managed through the KTA approach which provides a structure for companies to engage with the University depending on the size of company and their previous interactions with the University. This ‘company escalator model’ aims to escalate relationships through emergent, managed and framework levels.

An emergent collaborative KTA programme between Professor Helen Grant, of the Bioengineering Unit and Orla Protein Technologies Ltd – a spin-out company from Newcastle University

- is measuring the function of liver cells (hepatocytes) on novel glass scaffolds to create a 3-dimensional model system for testing the toxicity of new candidate pharmaceutical products.

Understanding and predicting drug metabolism is crucial for evaluating the safety and efficacy of new pharmaceuticals and, although animal experiments and human clinical trials are undoubtedly necessary, these are expensive and ethically controversial. 3-D matrices to control the functional stability of hepatocytes in culture are being sought to provide an in vitro system for industrial scale screening of new pharmaceuticals.

The project is being taken forward through the research efforts of Subhashree Mohanarengan, an MRes student, from India.

Also involved in this project is the company Cyprotex which is one of the largest contract research organisations involved in pre-clinical ADME (absorption/distribution/metabolism/excretion) and toxicity testing of chemicals and pharmaceuticals. They will be supporting the work that is

required to confirm that the new cell model responds to a bank of standard toxic chemicals in the same way as is seen in the current commercially used cell test systems.

This project has allowed the Bioengineering Unit to gain exposure to two very different sized companies. It has also given the two organisations the opportunity to gain experience in working with the University. This will form the foundation to escalate the relationships for the mutual benefit of all parties involved.

A long term partnership between the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of

Strathclyde and Henry Technologies Ltd is helping the company maintain a technological edge by providing research and development and knowledge exchange in advanced engineering analysis techniques.

Henry Technologies Ltd is a leading international supplier of refrigeration system components to the commercial refrigeration market. Through a partnership starting in 2004, and by a series of projects funded directly by Henry, or partly funded by KTP and EPSRC, the Department of Mechanical Engineering has been developing techniques to allow Henry designers to better understand their products and develop better value, technical solutions.

Sandy MacDonald CEO of Henry Technologies Ltd believes that knowledge is a key factor in the sustainability of any business and that better performing, more cost effective products result from committed investment in research and development.

Dr Bill Dempster and his colleagues in the Department of Mechanical Engineering have been developing design tools and testing techniques specifically for Henry’s flag ship products: safety relief valves and oil separators.

A KTP project enabled a design methodology based upon computational fluid dynamic (CFD) techniques to be embedded within Henry and has led to a new family of safety valves that can significantly reduce greenhouse emissions.

A similar physics-based approach is currently being applied to Henry’s oil separator product range by developing a generic test rig for performance testing of existing and new designs which will also allow validation of the flow-modelling techniques.

Bill adds “The use of advanced CFD analysis techniques has generally only been available to large companies who have made significant investment in technical design teams. In the present case, by working in partnership with Strathclyde, we have shown that an SME like Henry Technologies Ltd can acquire technical analysis expertise to support new product development.”

For more information, contact Dr Bill Dempster: [email protected]

Developing Cool Products

Subhashree examining cells using the Ziess fluorescence microscope in the Bioengineering Unit.


Funding Boost for Renewable Energy Project

International

[ International ]

An innovative project that has given thousands of people in Malawi access to electricity has received

further funding following a successful trial by researchers in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.

Over the past three years, the Community Renewable Energy Development (CRED) project, supported by a £137,000 grant from the Scottish Government International Development Fund, has engaged with communities in the Southern African country to provide local people with the knowledge and expertise to sustain their own power supply.

Solar panels were installed in six rural communities with each community supported to take ownership and responsibility for all aspects of system operation and maintenance. The project included elements of training, support, revenue generation and rigorous evaluation of the outcomes to establish the sustainability credentials.

The success of the project has led to extended opening hours for schools, better telecommunications and it has also provided solar powered refrigeration of vaccines which can help improve health and reduce common disease.

Additional funding of £31,700, has been provided to undertake a more stringent evaluation of the results and identify any further requirements for trials in community energy ahead of a potential scale-up programme. Professor Graham Ault, of the University’s Institute for Energy and Environment in the

Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department, said: “The focus of the project has been to maximise the use of renewable energy, particularly solar power, to improve education and health facilities.

“This additional Government funding will allow us to bring in additional partners to provide a further level of practical expertise to the project. It means we will be in a position to move forward towards seeking investment to roll out the project to the rest of the country.”

The Government of Malawi has a target of increasing electricity access from 8% to 15% of the population by 2015. Partners in the study, led by the University of Strathclyde, include Community Energy Scotland, IOD Parc and the University of Malawi Polytechnic.

For more information about the project contact Professor Graham Ault: [email protected]

Engagement in Europe

The Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering’s engagement in Europe has

been further enhanced following the appointment of Professor Graeme Burt as a board member of the Association of European Distributed Energy Resources Laboratories (DERlab e.V.).

DERlab e.V. was founded in 2008 as a not-for-profit association of independent world-class laboratories for the grid-integration of decentralised power generation. The Association, of which Strathclyde is a supporting member, develops joint requirements and quality criteria for the connection and operation of distributed energy resources, and supports the development of DER technologies. It offers testing and consulting services, pre-competitive and pre-normative research as well as training activities to back the transition towards more decentralised power systems.

“DERlab aims to cluster the best European DER laboratories from each EU member state and is now starting to

involve institutes from other continents as well”, said Dr. Philipp Strauss, outgoing Spokesperson for DERlab´s Board. “The new members will bring all their valuable technical expertise to the network.”

Commenting on his appointment, Professor Burt said: “I am honoured to have been appointed to the board of DERlab e.V. This represents further recognition of Strathclyde’s contributions to energy research leadership in Europe, and acknowledges the excellent contribution that researchers within the Department’s Institute for Energy and Environment have made to collaborative research with leading EU research centres.”

DERlab’s Network of Excellence has grown considerably over the last three years, and now includes 15 EU and one non-EU member – the Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico, USA.

Activities are coordinated by the Kassel-based Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES).

Further information is available from: www.der-lab.net

New DERlab Board members; Professor Graeme Burt, Maria-Luciana Rizzi, Roland Bründlinger and Dr. Philipp Strauss

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 16

[ International ]

What was the highlight of your visit?

I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try haggis (I now know this to be a typically Scottish dish) it was served with neeps (turnips) and mashed tatties (potatoes). It was really tasty.

We visited Ross Priory on the beautiful banks of Loch Lomond. Ross Priory, owned by the University of Strathclyde, is a rather grand old house which is used as a leisure facility by Strathclyde staff. It has beautiful gardens, a small golf course and sailing facilities.

Strathclyde, Scotland and Glasgow – I just love it all!

Raakhee Gogoi was talking to Christine Donald, International Recruitment Advisor at the Faculty of Engineering.

Raakhee Gogoi is the Office Manager at the Bangalore Office of Chopras. Chopras are

Educational Consultants in India and their role is to recruit applicants to a number of different Universities, including Strathclyde. Raakhee was nominated as joint “Agent of The Year 2011” by the Faculty of Engineering. Raakhee spent a week in the Faculty of Engineering where she was given a greater insight into our teaching and research work.

Raakhee gives her impressions of her visit to the Faculty of Engineering and its nine departments.

How did you become Agent of the Year 2011 for the Faculty of Engineering?

I participated in a competition run by the Engineering Faculty at the University of Strathclyde. Basically I had to answer questions relating to the Faculty and the competition finished with a section asking for my opinions on some aspects of the Indian market. The competition attracted a large number of applicants and I consider myself very fortunate to have won.

What was your first impression of the City of Glasgow?

This was my first visit to Scotland and I had perceived Glasgow to be really cold but I soon realised that the temperature is more or less the same as the rest of the United Kingdom. Glasgow is a very friendly and student-centred city.

Glasgow has a lot of lovely old buildings which are very well preserved. The Students from the Department of Architecture exhibited their project work at the “Barras” area in the East End of Glasgow. In the past this area was a street market where vendors sold all sorts of items from barrows hence the name “Barras”.

Did the visit change your perception of Engineering at Strathclyde?

I suppose it only further strengthened my belief that the Faculty of Engineering is one of the strongest in the UK with its ‘state-of-the-art’ laboratory and

teaching facilities. It was really good to see at first hand all the interesting and ground-breaking research that modern engineers are involved with. In some ways, for me, the visit brought the information in the Prospectus and the University website to life.

Did the Faculty of Engineering live up to your expectations?

Absolutely! The staff were really nice and the students were very enthusiastic about their studies. All of the staff were very open to the suggestions that I made about enhancing or even changing certain courses to make them more relevant to the Indian market.

The weather in Glasgow is very different from Bangalore. How did you find the Scottish weather?

The weather is very very different. The coldest it gets in Bangalore is about 15 degrees celsius at night with a maximum of 20 degrees. One of the things about Scottish weather is that it is very changeable – while I was there it went from rain to snow to sunshine in the space of one day! Someone had said to me “If you don’t like the weather now – just wait a little while” I can now confirm that it is very true.

In My View

Raakhee Gogoi

Ross Priory owned by the University of Strathclyde


carry out an inspection of the nine previous installations in the surrounding communities.

In addition to staff in the Department of EEE raising funds to support the project, this year’s fundraising activities have included university alumni. Lakshmi Iyer, a Strathclyde alumnus from India, joined Christine Donald, International Recruitment Advisor for the Faculty of Engineering, on a sponsored walk of the West Highland Way: a 96 mile walk from Glasgow to Fort William through some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery.

Lakshmi, who is currently Head of UK operations for North and West India for student recruitment agents Study Overseas, commented; “I am delighted that my former university is doing such worthwhile work – for the students themselves it is an excellent opportunity to see daily life in a developing country and to see at first hand the huge difference that technological know-how can make to these communities. I hope we can raise a lot of money for this year’s expedition to The Gambia.”

To find out more about The Gambia Project or to make a donation go to www.strath.ac.uk/give2gambia All money raised goes direct to The Gambia Project and there are no administrative or other costs associated with the project.

[ International ]

Going Global to Give to The Gambia

The Gambia Solar Energy Project is an initiative within the Department of Electronic and Electrical

Engineering (EEE) which is committed to providing sustainable light and energy solutions to rural schools and communities within The Gambia.

Suffering widespread poverty, 60% of rural Gambia’s population of one million live below the poverty line. Access to clean and safe drinking water or electricity is not available and one in five people are malnourished. The Gambia Project is helping to make a difference to the lives of some of those people who live in The Gambia by bringing electricity to schools and health centres.

Since 2006 when the project started, solar power has been installed at seven schools and two health clinics. Fundraising for the project takes place all the year round and fundraising activities have included a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro, a motorbike ride from Scotland to The Gambia, race nights, ceilidhs and marathons.

The Project Team, led by Michael Dolan and Scott Strachan, will visit The Gambia again in June 2011. Assisted by five undergraduate students and a doctoral researcher, the team plan to install solar power at Kudang Upper Basic School and

“The electricity is very important for us. Normally we use a candle at home. Now it is very easy to come here and study and

pass exams.”

Kaddy Ceesay aged 9, Mumud Fana Lower Basic School.

www.strath.ac.uk/give2gambia www.strath.ac.uk/give2gambia www.strath.ac.uk/give2gambia

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 18

[ Research and Innovation ]

Research and InnovationStrathclyde Alumnus Produces Unique Energy Saving Device

A former Strathclyde Enterprise Fellow has developed a unique energy saving device that could

save households hundreds of pounds a year.

The wireless Energy EGG uses smart technology to switch off fully-powered appliances, eliminating more wasted electricity in the home than other products on the market which simply switch off those devices left on standby.

Brian O’Reilly developed the Energy EGG and set up his company, TreeGreen, after securing funding from

the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Scottish Enterprise for an Enterprise Fellowship hosted by the University. He was also supported by the Strathclyde Entrepreneurial Network, which supports students and alumni in business creation, business growth and the development of new product ideas.

The Energy EGG has patent pending technology which uses a motion sensor to differentiate between a user sitting still and an empty room, ensuring it does not switch appliances off when they are in use, a common problem with motion-controlled lighting systems.

Brian got the idea for the Energy EGG after being ‘driven to distraction’ by his three young daughters continually leaving on games consoles, TVs and stereos when they had finished using them and the impact this was having on ever-increasing energy bills.

Brian received research and development support from the University and the device is now on commercial sale after he secured a deal with retail giant Tesco. He has also

been in sales negotiations with several leading hotel chains, multiple retailers and distributors over the flagship product.

The University is a partner in the product and licensor of part of the technology. Scottish Enterprise has provided additional grants and advisory support, while Glasgow City Council has assisted with funding and premises.

SMILING Shoe Developed to Improve Mobility

An innovative training shoe that will help older people improve their mobility has been developed

by a team of international researchers including engineers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The project named SMILING (Self Mobility Improvement in the Elderly by Counteracting Falls) focuses on the use of motorised shoes to improve walking and balance to reduce the risk of falling. A prototype has been trialled in four countries - Italy, Switzerland, Israel and Slovakia - and the results are currently being analysed.

Israeli company Step of Mind Ltd initiated the SMILING project. Dr Simona Bar-Haim, Scientific Director, said: “A young person has a flexible brain that adapts and learns from new challenges. SMILING helps older

people respond to unexpected events, to restore brain flexibility.” Providing elderly people with a platform to maintain a healthy lifestyle and an adequate level of physical activity is at the heart of the project.

Dr David Carus, an Honorary Research Fellow in the University’s Faculty of Engineering, and a member of the SMILING project, said: “As people get older, there are major functional changes in motor behaviour that can restrict people’s participation in everyday activities.

“The SMILING solution uses four motors in each shoe which react differently with every step taken by the person. This challenges the user to actively respond to the situation as they can’t see what is coming next to allow time for an

appropriate course of action.

“People can re-learn the process of walking in later years and take that approach into real life situations. As the project moves into its latest phase, we are moving closer to a product that will significantly prolong independent living and in turn increase participation in society.”

The University has been responsible for designing and constructing the shoe’s mechanical structure and work will continue to streamline the model following feedback from those involved in the trial.

The project received financial support from the European Commission under the European Union 7th Framework Programme of Research and Development.

“The Energy EGG is a simple but highly effective way of helping people reduce their day-to-day power consumption. Brian and TreeGreen have combined

engineering excellence with a real eye for design and business, and we’re looking forward to watching the Energy EGG go

from strength to strength.”

Professor Graham Ault from the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, said:

Brian O’Reilly and his family with The Energy EGG



Transforming the UK electricity network to support the delivery of a low carbon economy is the vision

of a new £3.2 million Energy Networks “Grand Challenge” research project.

Professor Stephen McArthur from the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering has been awarded the grant by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), alongside substantial support from nine industrial partners to lead research investigating how fundamental changes to the existing electrical power system will support the transition to a decarbonised energy network and revolutionise the electricity network by 2050.

The drivers that will shape the 2050 electricity network are numerous: increasing energy prices; increased variability in the availability of generation due to renewable energy sources; increased utilisation due to growth in loads such as electric vehicles and heat pumps; and increased customer participation in system operation. As a consequence, by 2050, we will witness new physical and commercial patterns of consumption, a high degree of operation and planning uncertainty, and a high degree of complexity. These changes mean the energy networks of the future will be far more difficult to manage and design than those of today, for technical, social, environmental and commercial reasons.

This four and a half year research project proposes a new autonomic power system as the solution to overcoming these changes. This system will rely on a fully distributed intelligence and control philosophy to deliver the future flexible grids required to facilitate the low carbon transition, while

Designing the Energy Networks of 2050balancing the adoption of emerging technologies with uncertainty and complexity issues. It will also consider the new market and economic models required to underpin the future electrical power system with a focus on consumer participation.

Professor McArthur said: “As befits a Grand Challenge, the research project is very ambitious in terms of the science and the future vision of the electricity network. It challenges the current thinking within network operators and manufacturers, but offers the opportunity to deliver radical and fundamental advances to the power sector. If the plans for a low carbon economy are to be achieved, transformation of the existing electricity network is needed – and the adoption of an autonomic power system is the way forward.

“The ultimate beneficiary of this research will be the consumer as our approach will make a customer driven, demand response a reality.”

The multi-disciplinary research team comprises experts from a consortium of UK Universities - Strathclyde, Durham, Imperial, Manchester, Cambridge and Sussex - spanning the electrical engineering, computer sciences, mathematics, business, economics and social policy disciplines. Starting in October 2011, the grant will fund up to 21 years of researcher time and 24 PhD studentships. Complementing the academic expertise, there is strong support from a broad range of influential external partners including IBM, E.ON, KEMA, Accenture, National Grid, SSE, Mott MacDonald, PB Power and Agilent. The partners will provide access to

laboratories, products, simulation environments and electricity network data to underpin the research activities.

The investigators delivering this novel research programme from Strathclyde are; Professor Stephen McArthur, Professor Graham Ault, Dr Ivana Kockar (Electronic and Electrical Engineering); Professor Maria Fox and Professor Derek Long (Computer and Information Sciences).

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 20


Designing the Energy Networks of 2050

Strathclyde Helps Graduates With Launch of Luxury Luggage Brand

Two graduates of the University of Strathclyde are celebrating the successful launch of their new

luggage brand in the USA after enlisting the help of the University’s Strathclyde Entrepreneurial Network (SEN).

Kevin Fox and Lawrence Broadley, who studied Product Design and Innovation at the University’s Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management (DMEM), have recently taken their company LAT56° stateside after a promising introduction in the UK market.

The duo secured an exclusive launch with Selfridges to retail their innovative luggage, designed specifically for business travellers, and now the products are available in the US and the rest of the world thanks to an online launch. The luxury brand now has offices and logistics in Glasgow, London, San Francisco, and Hong Kong.

Kevin said: “After graduating we knew that it would be difficult to turn an idea into a successful business but a few years down the line, with the help of the University, we are confident we have managed to do that.

“Lawrence and I both spend a lot of time outdoors taking part in adventure sports and we wanted to bring some of our knowledge to everyday life with a product that wasn’t already on

the market. We knew that principles applied to outdoor gear could be used to design a lightweight, easy-to-carry garment bag that would give crease-free protection for a suit or similar piece of clothing.”

After graduating from the University, Kevin and Lawrence were able to access SEN to make an impact on the marketplace. SEN assists entrepreneurial students and graduates from the University with new venture creation.

Fiona Ireland, Alumni Relations Officer and SEN Project Manager, said: “It was clear from an early stage that the

LAT56° team had real ambition to take their product idea into the marketplace and the University, through SEN, has supported them throughout their journey.

“Initially, we were able to assist in funding prototypes and as the company’s growth potential was recognised, we provided further help and advice on issues including intellectual property, branding, e-commerce and training.

“As a leading technological university, Strathclyde is able to support innovation and enterprise at all levels across the University. This is an excellent example of the ability of our entrepreneurial graduate community and we are delighted to have had such a positive impact on this particular business venture.”

The LAT56° collection includes the Rat-Pak™ which is a suit carrier garment bag and the larger Red-Eye™ that adds space for a night or two away from the home or office. The Suit Packing System™ is the internal component set and is intended for use with an existing suitcase. The garment bags are made of military-grade ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and although soft to carry, are tough and hold their shape brilliantly.

Visit www.lat56.com to see more on the brand.

Kevin Fox and Lawrence Broadley

One Step Closer to Low Carbon Vehicles

The EPSRC is providing £10 million to fund four-year fundamental research projects to support the

development of technologies to be implemented in future Low Carbon Vehicles. One of them, the TARF-LCV (Towards Affordable, Closed-Loop Recyclable Future Low Carbon Vehicles) project consortium, has assembled a team from eight UK universities, including Strathclyde, to form a critical mass for addressing the challenges facing the development of recyclable lightweight materials for future Low

Carbon Vehicles in the UK.

The vision of the TARF-LCV consortium is that the future LCV is achieved by a combination of multi-material concepts and mass-optimised design approaches through deployment of advanced low carbon input materials, efficient low carbon manufacturing processes and closed loop recycling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs).

When fully operational, the TARF-LCV team will consist of 45 researchers

across the eight partner universities. The award to the University of Strathclyde will support one full-time postdoctoral researcher and three PhD students.

Each of the eight teams from the partner universities will research different areas, with the Strathclyde team, led by Professor Jim Thomason, researching lightweight recyclable glass fibre reinforced polymer composite technology solutions. The project will commence on 1st August 2011.



Strathclyde Students are Out of This World

A team of Engineering students from the University of Strathclyde have completed the first phase of

an innovative ‘near-space’ flight test and technology demonstration programme - the first of its kind in the UK.

Using a helium balloon, the fifth-year students launched an advanced craft to altitudes of over 35 km, more than triple that of a commercial airliner. At this point, the device is above more than 99% of the atmosphere and is exposed to a near-space like environment.

In addition to returning stunning images of the tenuously thin atmosphere, and full-HD video of the entire flight, each of the four launches recorded a vast array of scientific and engineering data from temperature and pressure, to humidity and battery voltage.

The data was transmitted to the Strathclyde Spacecraft Tracking and Command Station, STAC, located within the University campus, and operated by undergraduate students.

Dr Malcolm Macdonald, Associate Director of the University’s Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory, who led the student activity said: “The use of low-cost helium balloons allows our

students to design, develop and deploy their own payloads, and to fly them in a ‘near-space’ environment, giving the students an opportunity to validate their design concepts in a realistic space-like environment. The concept is hugely popular with students as it really pushes them hard and provides them with valuable practical experience of the knowledge they have gained throughout their course.

“The photos that have been taken from the balloon are spectacular, but are not the goal of these flights. Rather, the flights allow us to build flight-heritage, knowledge and help develop the highly skilled professionals fit for the modern world.

“Our students are hugely ambitious, so they don’t want to stop here and are currently attempting to get funding to develop Scotland’s first ever student-built spacecraft. These flights, and future ones alike, provide a great low-cost way of proving the students’ design concepts will work before launching spacecraft into orbit.

“Within the University we have some of Europe’s leading space technology researchers working on frontier research into visionary space systems. This ranges from new and novel orbits for future Earth Observation platforms, to advanced autonomous on-board planning algorithms for Europe’s ExoMars rover, and a leading role in the development of the new UK Space Agency’s first ever spacecraft, UKube-1, to be launched in the second quarter of

Image was taken at 30km altitude above the Scottish/English border and shows the estuary of the Solway Firth with a view South into England beyond that.

2012. So it’s gratifying to see students being able to learn from all this great research which is going on around them.”

Due to the high-knowledge value of the flight payloads each flight must be carefully planned and simulated to consider the wind speed and direction to be sure that the payload does not land on water.

In addition, the students must be careful to comply with real-world restrictions and regulations, such as coordinating launches with the air traffic controllers. To date, launches have taken place in Newton Stewart, Cumnock and North Berwick, with the payload coming to rest as far afield as South Edinburgh and Northumberland. Radio signals and smart phone technology are used to view the GPS coordinates of the balloon and when it bursts a parachute safely carries the payload back to land.

The success of the project looks set to have an impact across the University with other departments now interested in using the technology. Dr Macdonald added: “With some very minor design tweaks we can create a period of ‘freefall’ before the parachute deploys and this absence of gravity opens up some great, low-cost fundamental science research opportunities which we are now investigating.”

[ Summer 2011 - Issue 03 ] 22

In Brief - Student Successes• The Royal Academy of Engineering has awarded seven students from the Faculty with Engineering Leadership Advanced Awards. The seven awards were among 42 that were awarded nationally. Awards went to; Andrew Allan, Roy Brown, Douglas Herbert and Nicola Todd studying Electrical and Mechanical Engineering; Dale Carter studying Electronic and Electrical Engineering; Ruaridh Clark studying Aero-Mechanical Engineering and Stuart McCready studying Chemical Engineering.

• Fourth Year Architecture student Scott Abercrombie has won a National Award for architecture students with an exciting and imaginative dissertation scheme for the future of Glasgow. The award was made under the Patrick Geddes Memorial Trust Awards Scheme for Scott’s unusual dissertation called, ‘Food and the city: can Glasgow’s future be influenced by Cuba’s past?’.

• Final year PhD student Minan Zhu of the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering has won the Best Poster prize at the ‘Energy Harvesting 2011’ event held at the Institute of Engineering and Technology in London.

• TwomembersoftheDMEMcommunity, Robbie Renwick and Professor Graham Wren have been jointly named “Strathclyder of the Year”. Robbie, a second year Sports Engineering student at the University, took gold in the men’s 200m freestyle event and silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. Professor Wren has overseen a number of ambitious, world-leading Strathclyde projects, and is currently overseeing the University Technology and Innovation Centre initiative.

• Architecturestudent,MichalSupron, studying in his second year of the BSc in Architectural Studies programme, has won joint first prize in the Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts inaugural architectural drawing competition. The competition was open to all UK-based architects and students, backed by the Norma Frame Foundation.

• CivilEngineeringstudentscelebrated at this year’s Institute of Structural Engineers model competition at Dundee University, winning two of the four prizes on offer. Third year students Andrew Coyle, Gabriel Alhucema-Brown and Ross MacPherson won 2nd prize in the load/cost category, and fourth year students, Robert Kerr, Kirsty Barrie and William MacLeod won ‘most deserving solution’ prize.

• StudentsfromtheDepartmentofElectronic and Electrical Engineering triumphed in the Annual Institute of Engineering and Technology Power Academy Essay Competition. Nicola Pellow, an Electrical and Mechanical Engineering student (EME) secured first prize, with joint runners-up prizes being awarded to Stuart Carey (EEE) and Stuart Glen (EME).

• GiulianoPunzooftheAdvancedSpace Concepts Laboratory has been selected as the UK research student delegate who will attend the 62nd International Astronautical Congress in Cape Town in October. The International Astronautical Congress is the largest space conference in the World. Giuliano was selected to represent the UK through a competitive selection process based on the quality of his research and judged against research students from across the UK. The shortlist of five students included two students from the Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory. Both PhD students are supervised by Dr Malcolm Macdonald, Associate Director of the Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory.

• TheDepartmentofElectronicand Electrical Engineering has been included in the prestigious Fundacion Iberdrola scholarship programme for postgraduate studies in the UK and USA. The programme contributes to excellence in training in the fields of energy, with a focus on environmental protection as well as the development of low carbon technologies and sustainable energy models.

• Fivestudents,includingThomasSinn PhD researcher at the Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory, have recently received confirmation that their experiment, Suaineadh, is likely to be sent into space, as part of the REXUS/BEXUS Programme (Rocket/Balloon Experiments for University Students). The Suaineadh project is an international cooperation between the Universities of Strathclyde, Glasgow and KTH in Stockholm, Sweden. Thomas, who is Project Manager, and the team will be supervised by Dr Massimilano Vasile, of the Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory.

• EmmaLarge,afinalyearEngDstudent in the Bioengineering Unit has won the In Vitro Toxicology Society student presentation prize at the British and Dutch Toxicology Societies Joint Annual Congress.

• AndrewCastleaMEnggraduatefrom DMEM won the Institute of Engineering Designers annual prize that was open to final year students’ “best project”. Andrew’s project was entitled “Improving the gardening experience for the ageing population”.

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Summer 2011 ISSUE 03 Engineering INSIGHT...Summer 2011 - Issue 03] 1 Summer 2011 [ISSUE 03] Racing Ahead! Students Get Set For Prestigious Motorsport Event The University’s New Technology