WMG News - Latest news from WMG

The University of Warwick has been selected to be a partner in the largest miscarriage research centre in Europe.

Funded by the leading pregnancy charity, Tommy’s, researchers from the Institute of Digital Healthcare (IDH) and Warwick Medical School (WMS), will be joining doctors from University Hospital, Coventry to investigate the causes of early miscarriage.

The Institute of Digital Healthcare, at the University of Warwick, will develop a clinical database, led by Professor Theo Arvanitis, to support the work of the Centre and improve on outcomes based on information-driven approaches.

WMG at the University of Warwick are delighted to be part of a £19.4m project to support the development of next-generation electric vehicle batteries in the UK, funded through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC UK Ltd).

The funding will support leading edge manufacturing research focussed around Nissan's Sunderland battery manufacturing plant - the largest full scale automotive Li-ion battery manufacturing facility in Europe. WMG researchers will play a key role in helping Nissan take forward this opportunity and will receive £1m for the research.

The consortium led by Nissan with WMG at the University of Warwick, Hyperdrive, Newcastle University, and Zero Carbon Futures (ZCF), will bring together engineers, researchers, new technology and existing facilities, assets and knowledge to create and prove new and improved manufacturing processes for the next generation of automotive batteries.

WMG has particular skills around battery chemistry and the manufacturing processes used to scale this up to high volume production. WMG role in the project will be to investigate potential improvements to battery chemistry and increasing manufacturing yield, and to optimise automated manufacturing processes to enable Nissan to remain at the forefront of electric vehicle technology.

Professor Alan Chalmers has been awarded a prestigious Tartessos Award from the Spanish Society of Virtual Archaeology for his ‘pioneering work and life-long contribution to the field of Digital Cultural Heritage’.

The Spanish Society of Virtual Archaeology is a non-profit scientific association with the aim of combining all professionals from different disciplinary areas related to archaeology, cultural heritage and new technologies.

Professor Chalmers was presented with the award at the Digital Heritage 2015 international conference in Grenada last year.

Professor of Experiential Engineering, Paul Jennings comments on US plans $4bn for self-driving rules.

Self-driving, or autonomous, vehicle technology is developing at a rapid rate. Many of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers are already unveiling self-driving car solutions and are being joined in the race by new players such as Google, Tesla and UK initiatives such as those by RDM Automotive LTD.

The need for a consistent set of regulations and international testing standards, as identified by the $4bn US DoT initiative for common rules, is critical in bringing self-driving cars to our roads. We know for example that current rules require the use of trained drivers for testing, but we have to consider how to engage end-users early on in the testing of self-driving vehicles. I believe these factors are key to increasing public acceptance and trust in autonomous driving technologies.

WMG at the University of Warwick is to play a significant role in a new £23 million interdisciplinary Research Hub designed to drive forward UK research in the Internet of Things (IoT). Ed Vaizey, Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy has today (Wednesday 6^th January 2016) confirmed that the University of Warwick is one of nine leading UK universities in the PETRAS consortium which will work together over the next three years to explore critical issues in privacy, ethics, trust, reliability, acceptability, and security.

Funding for the Hub includes a £9.8 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) which will be boosted by partner contributions to approximately £23 million in total.

WMG at the University of Warwick has begun a new programme to take Turkish airlines staff through its Engineering Business Management Master Program and demand for the course is so great that there is already a queue.

The first 26 students have joined the course which will is taught and delivered by WMG and Yıldız Technical University in Istanbul. Twenty more Turkish Airlines staff are about to join the programme and a further 100 are now on a waiting list to take part.

WMG has appointed Sue Parr as its Business Development Director to develop the Professional and Executive Programmes.

Sue, who joined WMG in December, brings a wealth of knowledge with her, after 12 years at the Open University where she was Director of Executive Education. It was there that she successfully created and developed a division responsible for delivering customised solutions for private and public sector organisations from SMEs to global businesses. She also developed an impressive portfolio of innovative online and blended programmes.

Prior to the Open University, Sue spent many years working with organisations in management learning and development, also coaching middle and senior managers in a range of organisations. Sue began her career in publishing, holding senior management and board roles in international companies. She later ran a small business creating e-learning courses, some of which were award winning, for organisations.

The West Midlands Health Informatics Network’s second annual conference will be held on 26 January 2016 at The Institute of Digital Healthcare (IDH) at WMG, University of Warwick. The conference will provide attendees with the opportunity to find out about innovation and research, share good practice and experiences, and network across health and care settings.

Senior Indian Alumni of the University of Warwick are gathering together at New Delhi’s Taj Mahal Hotel on Saturday 5th December to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the University of Warwick and the significant role Indian students and alumni have played in its history.

Many leading Indian figures have graduated from the University of Warwick and gone to play leading roles in Indian society and business.

Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director, TVS Motor Company said:

My education at WMG at the University of Warwick provided a fantastic combination of engineering and management‎. The strong tie-ups with global industry leaders in automotive and other sectors gave me great exposure. The tie up with WMG and the personal guidance of Lord Bhattacharyya have been instrumental to the growth and success of TVS over the last 30 years and I am extremely fortunate to have learnt so much from him."

The event will be addressed by The University of Warwick’s Vice Chancellor Professor Sir Nigel Thrift, and Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, Founder and Chairman of the WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group) at the University of Warwick.

£60m of Government funding for the Energy Research Accelerator confirmed by Government in the Spending Review supported by a further £120m investment by industry and universities.

• Research will transform UK expertise in energy storage, thermal energy and energy efficiency.
• Six Midlands Innovation Universities and the British Geological Survey welcome £180m Midlands energy research endeavour.
• Industry investments from Blueprint, Cofely, Dearman Engines, Highview and Jaguar Land Rover.

The Government has today confirmed a £60 million capital investment in the Energy Research Accelerator (ERA). Together with private sector and university support the decision unlocks £180 million total investment in the Midlands region.

Today’s announcement has been welcomed by ERA’s leadership partnership, the six leading UK universities forming the Midlands Innovation group – The University of Warwick Aston University, The University of Birmingham, The University of Leicester, Loughborough University, The University of Nottingham - and the British Geological Survey.