Article from the Spring 2010 issue of CBI inbusiness

THE UNIVERSITIES of Warwick and Birmingham have announced the appointment of six Business Engagement
Managers to work on their research projects under the Birmingham Science City Partnership, which have been funded by the Regional Development Agency, Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The projects, all part of the Birmingham Science City Research Alliance, a collaboration between the region’s foremost research Universities, Warwick and Birmingham, focus on Advanced Materials, Energy Futures and
Translational Medicine. Mike Ahearne, Debbie Girdlestone and Karl West, who are based at Warwick, and Adrian
Jickells, Rubina Mian and Richard Simpson based at Birmingham), will promote the research programmes throughout the region nd provide direct help to businesses, allowing them exclusive access to specialized
state-of-the-art scientific equipment and to the niversity’s research expertise. This direct contact with the Universities and access to roundbreaking equipment will enable companies to take forward the research and
translate it into commercial outputs or use it to optimize their manufacturing processes.

Collaborations with business at this level are already proving successful with local companies already benefiting through the advanced Materials Programme. Director of the Science City Research Alliance for the Universities of Warwick and Birmingham, Professor Pam Thomas said: “We are very pleased to have our six Business Engagement Managers in post. Whilst we have already had some good collaborations and contacts
with companies throughout the region we are always looking for new opportunities and working proactively to secure them. The Birmingham Science City Research Alliance has the potential to make a large impact on
some business both within the region in particular and also worldwide and we are keen to extend the reach of the work we are undertaking.”

If you are interested in working with the Birmingham Science City Research Alliance within these fields please contact our new Business Engagement Managers on the
details below:

Mike Ahearne - Energy Futures Project “Energy Efficiency and Demand Reduction”
m.ahearne@warwick.ac.uk

Debbie Girdlestone - Translational Medicine 1 “Clinical Research Trials and Infrastructure
Platform” d.girdlestone@warwick.ac.uk

Karl West - Advanced Materials 2 “Innovative uses for Advanced Materials in the Modern World”
k.s.west@warwick.ac.uk

Adrian Jickells - Energy Futures Project “Hydrogen Project”
a.jickells@bham.ac.uk

Rubina Mian - Translational Medicine 2 “Experimental Medicine Network of Excellence”
r.mian@bham.ac.uk

Richard Simpson - Advanced Materials 1 “Creating and Characterising Next Generation Materials”
r.simpson.1@bham.ac.uk

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) aims to stimulate technology-enabled innovation in the areas which offer the greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity. Promoting, supporting and investing in technology research, development and commercialisation.

Emily Nott from the TSB has kindly agreed to come to Warwick and give a presentation about the organisation. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the presentation. Emily will be giving two identical presentations in the morning and afternoon of Tuesday 2nd March.

Date: 2nd March
Time: 10am - 12pm  & 2pm - 4pm
Venue: Computer Sciences, room 007
URL: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/rss/tsb

If you'd like to attend please email L.Ottignon@warwick.ac.uk stating your preferred time.