Congratulations are in order for six University of Warwick students, who have been awarded a scholarship to attend the 2024 Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

The students, two of which are postgraduate students studying on WMG’s MSc Cyber Security Management programme, will attend the conference between 11-13 April 2024.

Established through a National Science Foundation Grant to Tennessee Tech University in 2013, WiCYyS has grown into a premier organisation with international reach dedicated to bringing together women in cyber security from academia, research and industry to share knowledge, experience, networking and mentoring.

This is the third consecutive year that University of Warwick students have been awarded a scholarship to the Conference. In 2021, students at WMG at the University of Warwick formed a WiCyS Student Chapter, with 2022 marking a year of transformation and growth when six female students received an international scholarship to attend the annual conference of 1,650 attendees in the USA. This year marks another huge success, with another six students being awarded this prestigious scholarship.

Sarah Aktaa – current academic lead for WiCyS at the University of Warwick says: “The WiCyS initiative cuts across the whole university and through every level of course, from degree year 1 to Master’s level. We are really proud of how the female students have come together and expedited so much energy into the initiative – leading to another six female students receiving a fully funded scholarship to this prestigious event!”

Dr. Elzbieta Titis who supervised WiCyS Chapter last year says: “I am extremely happy and proud to see our students thriving at developing the WiSYC Chapter at Warwick as they continue forming valuable industry connections and making new friendships internationally. To many more such endeavours to materialise and memories forge at the current conference in Nashville, Tennessee!”

If you’re interested in a career in Cyber Security, take a look at the postgraduate and undergraduate courses at WMG, which are certified by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC):

MSc Cyber Security Management

MSc Cyber Security Engineering

BSc Cyber Security

The MSc International Trade, Strategy and Operations (ITSO) course, at WMG, University of Warwick, is collaborating with a series of key industrial partners to offer students the opportunity to work on Company Collaboration Projects (CCP) again this academic year.

Company Collaboration Projects are collaborative dissertations that give students the opportunity to work on real-life challenges facing industry. The projects provides another option for students when selecting their dissertation, and in turn help to develop key skills and employment capabilities, whilst helping organisations to resolve their challenges via systematic research.

The CCP dissertation option was presented to students, at a special launch event for 23/24, by WMG’s ITSO Course Director, Dr Di Li. At the event, WMG’s Associate Dean (Postgraduate Education), Professor Dan Nunan highlighted the values of knowledge study and the practical impacts.

The students also heard from senior executives at industrial partners, including Dr Filomeno Martina, CEO and co-founder at WAAM3D, and Ms Shu Jia, Assistant CEO at Rexville Solutions, who shared more details about the projects available this year.

Ms Shu Jia explains: “The Company Collaboration Projects have brought great impacts to our business by helping us save costs of several millions. We are so happy to continue the collaborations on this with the ITSO programme at WMG.”

Dr Filomeno Martina comments: “WAAM3D is delighted to work together with WMG on the Company Collaboration Projects, which are a key aspect of our academic engagement. WMG’s projects are well organised and deliver highly valuable outputs. We feel honoured to support the WMG students with both their academic studies and professional development.”

ITSO student course representative, Rong Fu, says: “This event not only helps ITSO students to have a clearer understanding of the type of projects available, but also provides the opportunity to communicate with corporate staff and supervisors face-to-face. The CCP allow us the opportunity to apply what we have learnt in solving real-world problems which is extremely attractive and helpful for our future career development.”

Find out more about WMG’s International Trade, Strategy and Operations Master’s Programme here: MSc International Trade, Strategy and Operations | University of Warwick

If you represent a company who is interested in finding out more about CCP please email WMG’s Assistant Professor and ITSO Course Director, Dr Di Li, here: D.Li@warwick.ac.uk.

Keir Starmer today visited WMG at the University of Warwick to meet researchers, technicians, and students at one of the world’s leading centres for industrial innovation and skills.

He was joined by Labour’s mayors and mayoral candidates, including Richard Parker (West Midlands), Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester) and Claire Ward (East Midlands).

The Labour leader and the mayors visited WMG’s International Manufacturing Centre (IMC), where Warwick experts work with industrial partners to drive forward innovation in fields such as sustainable transport, connected and autonomous vehicles, agritech and advanced manufacturing.

WMG is an academic department within the University and is widely regarded as an international role model for successful collaboration between academia and the public and private sectors, driving innovation in science, technology, and engineering.

Keir met with the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart Croft, and the Dean of WMG, Professor Robin Clark, and had an opportunity to see innovative projects such as Warwick Racing, Warwick Moto, and the Driving the Electric Revolution programme for novel electric motors for use in electric transport.

Speaking after the visit, Keir said: "I was delighted to visit WMG at the University of Warwick today to hear about their pioneering work to drive growth through its support for business and industry. We need the UK’s universities to be central to our future economic growth, through their contributions to innovation, sustainability, and the talents of our people.

"Meeting some of the University’s impressive researchers, technicians and students, who are working on the technology of the future, their driving purpose is what an incoming Labour government will bring, if we are privileged enough to serve. We’ll work hand in hand with universities, sixth forms and further education colleges to deliver on each of our five missions to give Britain its future back.”

Vice Chancellor, Professor Croft said: “We were pleased to host the Labour leader and the mayors and mayoral candidates to show them some of the cutting-edge research and product development which takes place here on our campus.

“The University of Warwick is unique with respect to the way it has worked hand-in-glove with industry and businesses for decades, developing innovative products and services with them and finding real-world solutions to complex problems. Collaboration, openness, and creativity is at the heart of our approach, which has led to a host of breakthrough technologies and innovations.”

Dean of WMG, Professor Robin Clark, added: “At WMG, we focus on working with industry to create real innovation to drive growth in our economy, and give people the practical skills to make a difference to the world around them. It was a pleasure to introduce Keir to our researchers, technicians and students who are really helping make our country more sustainable, safer, and prosperous.”

The University of Warwick is ranked as one of the world’s best universities, with 92% of its research rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Congratulations are in order for the accomplished individuals of WMG who marked a significant milestone at the University of Warwick's Winter Graduation Ceremonies this week.

A total of 1,381 Master's, Postgraduate Research and Undergraduate students graduated from across WMG.

There were 1,225 Master’s students; 1,072 were full-time, 35 part-time, and 118 studied overseas.

Twelve graduated from the Postgraduate research programme including 11 PhD students and one Master’s of Science by research student.

A total of 144 were undergraduate students; three graduated with a BSc in Cyber Security, one with a BSc in Digital Healthcare Science; two with a BEng in Automotive Engineering and the remaining 138 were Degree Apprenticeship students.

At the WMG graduation event, the alumni speeches delivered by esteemed speakers, Philomena Lavery (MSc Cyber Security and Management, 2020), and Dr. Benjamin Wood, (MEng Mechanical Engineering, 2006; EngD Engineering, 2012) were nothing short of inspiring. Their words not only resonated with wisdom but also ignited a sense of motivation and empowerment among the graduates.

Philomena Lavery, Senior Vice President Digital Security at AVEVA, and Dr. Benjamin Wood, Director, Research & Technology – Manufacturing Innovation at Hexcel Corporation, brought a unique blend of expertise and experience to the podium. Their heartfelt messages added an extra layer of significance to the celebration, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended.

Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, said, “Congratulations to all our graduates. Your dedication and remarkable achievements have not only sculpted your academic journey but have also enriched the vibrant and innovative community here at WMG.

“I take immense pride in your accomplishments, and they stand as a testament to your resilience and commitment to excellence. I hope you continue to reach for new heights and inspire those around you now and in the future. Well done!”

Professor Steve Maggs, Director of Alumni and Industry Engagement, added: “As these graduates embark on new horizons, we celebrate their remarkable journey and commend their dedication. With a total of 1,381 Master’s, Postgraduate Research and Undergraduate students, this class not only signifies academic prowess but also adds depth to our diverse community.”

Professor Steve Maggs, further says, “At the University of Warwick, connections do not end when our students graduate; you join a community like no other. As a Warwick graduate, you become part of a global community of more than 285,000 alumni in more than 180 countries and territories, with over 29,000 of those who are WMG graduates. Wherever you are in the world, you can keep connected with the friends and networks developed during your studies and also have the opportunity to make new connections.”

Check out the WMG alumni web pages for more details: https://warwick.ac.uk/alumni

To find out more about studying at WMG visit: Study | WMG | University of Warwick

WMG at the University of Warwick was pleased to host its annual Scholarship Dinner celebration for full-time Master’s students last week.

This academic year, WMG has welcomed a total of 225 scholarship students from across 45 different countries. The event was a chance to celebrate the achievements of the students and give them an opportunity to network with staff and peers.

The WMG Excellence Scholarship - a competitive, merit-based scholarship through which WMG provides tuition fee discounts to particularly strong applicants - was awarded to 130 of the students.

A further 23 students received a Chevening Scholarship funded by the UK Government Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Chevening Scholarships are widely considered one of the top scholarships for Master’s degrees, making them extremely prestigious and highly competitive.

The remaining 72 students received scholarships from partner sponsors from UK and international funding bodies including governments, charities, development funds, industry, and banks.

Professor Dan Nunan, Director of Full Time Postgraduate Programmes, who hosted the celebration event explained: “The annual scholarship dinner for MSc students was the biggest ever with nearly all of our 225 scholars attending.

“We are very grateful to the many external organisations who provide funding, sponsorship and other forms of financial support that enable students, who would not otherwise be able to study at Warwick, to attend. This year around £5m will be provided in scholarships and other support to students at WMG. Having this support is key in enabling WMG to continue to attract the best, and highest potential, students from all around the world.”

Cathy Fawcett, Student Recruitment and Marketing Manager at WMG, and organiser of this event commented: “It’s so gratifying bringing together all our scholars for a celebration like this. For so many, joining Warwick is the culmination of several years’ effort as the competition, particularly for awards like Chevening, is immense. A special thanks to the staff - course leaders, representatives and others who did a fantastic job of hosting tables and making this a really special occasion for our scholars.”

If you’re interested in studying for a postgraduate course at WMG, find out more here about the range of Master’s programmes across engineering, technology, digital, management and business.

Take a look at the WMG scholarship opportunities here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/study/masters-degrees/how-to-apply/finance/

Expert comment from Professor of Supply Chain Management, Alok Choudhary.

“The ongoing Red Sea crisis might have far-reaching consequences on the global supply chain, trade, and economic dynamics. Serving as the shortest sea route connecting Asia and Europe, the Suez Canal transports 17,000 ships annually, representing 12% of the world's total trade volume and $1 trillion worth of goods.

“The implications of this disruption on trade are significant. Rerouting ships an additional 3500 nautical miles is expected to result in significant delays, causing logistical challenges for major companies. The increased shipping and logistics costs incurred due to longer travel times are likely to be passed on to consumers, leading to a potential spike in prices for a wide array of goods, from everyday consumer items, oil and gas to crucial components for industries such as automotive and manufacturing.

“The ripple effect on production cycles is a cause for concern, as delays in delivering key components may lead to further disruptions. In particular, the automotive and consumer goods industries may face challenges in maintaining production schedules if crucial components do not reach their destinations on time.

“One of the most immediate impacts could be felt in the oil market, with potential consequences for global oil prices. The disruption in the timely transportation of both refined and crude oil through the canal may contribute to an increase in oil prices. This could have a cascading effect on economies, particularly in regions heavily reliant on oil imports, and may be reflected at fuel pumps worldwide.

“Here in the UK, the rise in oil prices could pose a challenge to economic stability and may halt falling inflation. Higher shipping and logistics costs, coupled with potential delays in the delivery of goods, might contribute to inflationary pressures. This could have broader implications for the UK economy, impacting consumer spending and overall economic growth.”

Read more about Supply Chain research at WMG here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/research/research-areas/supply-chain

The University of Warwick announces Warwick Agri-Tech to help the future of farming with automation – addressing issues such as labour shortages, food insecurity and loss of biodiversity.

Warwick Agri-Tech, will also support the UK to meet climate targets while enabling the production of enough nutritious food for the growing population. It will combine two world class faculties at WMG at The University of Warwick and the School of Life Sciences (SLS), working with the High Value Manufacturing Catapult to spearhead automation in areas such as horticulture, crops and forestry.

Robots will be a key tool for farmers as food production comes under increasing pressure. There is a constant demand to grow enough high quality, nutritious food to feed an expanding human population, and to do so in a way that won’t harm the planet.

According to scientists, the UK will need to produce 50% more food by 2050, while reducing land consumption by 50%. This is further challenged by labour shortages, a broken food system and the fact we are overusing the Earth’s biocapacity (the capability of ecosystems to produce useful biological materials and to absorb waste).

The University of Warwick is in a unique position to tackle these issues and develop farming technology, with expertise in both automation and life science.

Warwick Agri-Tech was born out of an initial project which developed a crop monitoring robot (Crombot) to move autonomously up and down glasshouses and check fruit for ripeness. Officially launching today, with a visit from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Warwick Agri-Tech will continue its research on several key projects:
· An Autonomous Logistics Project – developing an autonomous vehicle to help horticultural companies to optimise their product handling logistics.
· A Smart Tree Production System – Warwick Agri-Tech is working with J&A Growers, who are the leading UK growers of quality bareroot trees and hedging, to autonomously sort and grade sapling trees. This will ensure resilience against labour shortages and is scalable in the face of the UK’s ambitious tree planting targets.

· Autonomous Precision Application – creating an autonomous, AI-based weed control robot, to reduce utilisation of herbicides by over 90% - improving soil health and biodiversity.

The University’s leading crop research centre at based at the Innovation Campus, Stratford-upon-Avon is a leading, 200-hectare agricultural research site. Scientists at the University will collaborate directly with industry partners and the Government to drive implementation of new technology in the farming sector.

Professor Gideon Henderson, Chief Scientific Adviser, said: “Seeing the innovation going on here is really inspiring – I firmly believe that Agri-Tech in the UK has a huge future and I look forward to seeing new ways of working being trialled here at Warwick become mainstream agricultural practices in the future.”

Professor David Greenwood, Director for Industrial Engagement, and CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult at WMG, said: “The emerging needs of the agriculture sector have provided a perfect opportunity for The University of Warwick to bring together our expertise in manufacturing automation with our expertise in life sciences, so we can simultaneously develop robots suitable for use in greenhouses and fields, and ways of growing crops which take advantage of the opportunities of automation. As the UK struggles with availability of agricultural labour, and high food prices, this promises to unlock nutritious and affordable food for all.”

Professor Miriam Gifford, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, said: “Warwick Agri-Tech will benefit from the entrepreneurship of WMG and the history of excellence in agricultural innovation from the School of Life Sciences’ Warwick Crop Centre, plus the combined stakeholder groups to inform and enable outputs. The fresh food industries need automation urgently. Warwick Agri-Tech will grow rapidly into research and innovation space screaming for workable solutions and expecting substantial funding initiatives.”

More information about Warwick Agri-Tech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXC3jzqrga0

Expert comment from Dr Harjinder Lallie on the UK's vulnerability to cyber attacks.

Dr Harjinder Singh Lallie, Director of WMG’s Cyber Security Centre at the University of Warwick, commented: "The continued reliance on what is sometimes outdated technology including systems, software, and related processes, makes the UK infrastructure increasingly susceptible to crippling cyber-attacks. As systems become older and more dated, the cost of upgrading increases exponentially in comparison with regular upgrades.

“Added to this is the growing pay and associated skills gap between the public and private sector which makes the public sector less attractive for cyber security graduates in an increasingly open market. The potential for our infrastructure to be susceptible to ransomware attacks should not therefore come as a surprise.”

The MSc International Trade, Strategy, Operations (ITSO) course, at WMG at the University of Warwick is collaborating with the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) to provide students with access to key industrial opportunities and engagements.

The WMG ITSO course is the first accredited Master’s programme in the UK by the IOE&IT. It is a unique interdisciplinary course that integrates the most essential and related pillars of international trade, strategy, and operations management within trade and business management towards supplying compound talents for industries. Following the philosophy of research-informed teaching for practical implementation, the course also seeks industrial access and opportunities for students.

As part of the collaborative partnership, an event was held recently introducing students to a new innovative way of learning and forging direct links between students and the IOE&IT.

At the event, Ms Helen Hastie, Membership Development Manager, from IOE&IT shared, with the students, information about professional memberships and the associated access to industry specialists and activities when studying ITSO. This includes annual events such as the import and export show, international trade awards, and MemberCon – a UK trade networking event. This helped students to improve their knowledge, skills, and opportunities for career development.

Ms Helen Hastie said: “It was a delight to return to welcome the newest cohort of students from WMG into our membership community. International trade offers a unique opportunity for development not only at a country-to-country level, but professionally. This next generation of international trade expertise is being actualised via WMG ITSO course facilitating exciting career opportunities and growing networks. The IOE&IT is delighted to continue supporting this growth.”

ITSO student course representative, Sitong Li commented: “The event is very helpful and we have also been given access to the latest daily news and information on international trade. In addition to learning knowledge, the connection between our course and IOE&IT is a supplement to our study in the actual operations of international trade, and help us to gain more of the practices outside the classroom.”

Find out more about WMG’s International Trade, Strategy and Operations Master’s Programme here: MSc International Trade, Strategy and Operations | University of Warwick

If you have an enquiry about the ITSO course, please email WMG’s Assistant Professor and ITSO Course Director, Dr Di Li:d.li@warwick.ac.uk or wmgmasters@warwick.ac.uk

The multi-year, multi-million-pound investment is a strategic partnership between TAE Power Solutions and the WMG, High Value Manufacturing Catapult programme to improve the performance and sustainability of energy storage solutions.

With a UK base in the West Midlands, TAE Power Solutions’ mission is to bring their technological advantages developed within Fusion power generation into e-mobility to drive forward carbon reduction and sustainability through increased performance for reduced cost.

TAE Power Solutions use their advanced technology to control energy at a modular-level, enabling dynamic, ultra-precise load balancing across individual battery modules. This increases pack longevity, efficiency, fault-tolerance, and repairability, ultimately reducing lifetime costs and delivering lifetime benefits for consumers and OEMs.

The £4 million partnership aims to use the combined expertise of WMG and TAE to develop the firm’s novel power management systems and energy storage technology to unlock benefits for many new applications across the full spectrum of e-mobility and electric transportation.

The focus over the first two years of an ongoing strategic alliance will be to breakdown the challenges faced by traditional battery control systems, ultimately delivering smaller, lighter, more durable, more efficient, and safer battery packs.

The project will also focus on researching topics related to the “4Rs” - reduce, reuse, recycle & recover, to ensure sustainability of the technology is designed in from the beginning, a key issue in the battery manufacturing industry.

Charles Martin, Strategic Partnership Manager at WMG’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult said: “The team at WMG is very honoured and excited to be starting this new research relationship with TAE Power Solutions. This partnership will leverage WMG’s extensive expertise in batteries, power electronics and e-motor technologies to develop TAE’s novel approach to maximising the performance and life from existing and new battery technologies.

“Using WMG’s state of the facilities and working closely with TAE’s experts, the combined team’s goal is to expand the barriers of existing battery performance whilst enhancing the UK’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities.”

Ben Russell, Chief Commercial Officer of TAE commented: “At TAE we are very excited to be working with WMG on this project, enhancing our core engineering research capability and delivering usable, data driven, world class knowledge into the development of our technology creating the world’s best, integrated power systems.”