We are proud to announce our Athena SWAN Silver Award has been renewed for another five years. We would like to thank everyone who has helped with the progress we have made advancing gender equality in the department, with our Women in Physics group highlighted as an example of good practice.

Read our submission.

We would like to wish Professor Steve DixonLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window a huge congratulations as he has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering during their AGM on 20 September 2022. Steve is a Professor and Director of the Centre for Industrial Ultrasonics.

Read more about Steve's pioneering research.

WMG’s SME group have been awarded as manufacturing innovation champions for their work with Midlands manufacturers at an awards ceremony held in Birmingham by membership group – the Technology Supply Chain.

They were celebrated for the delivery of the DI4M (Digital Innovation for Manufacturing programme), a four-year project funded by the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) to aid SME manufacturers adopt digital technology for increased productivity and profitability.

Over 300 businesses have already benefited from one-to-one project support from WMG experts to implement automation, new information systems, and digital manufacturing techniques with transformative results.

One of the beneficiaries of the programme, Daniel Robinson, Head of Finance, Operations & I.T, Gordon Ellis & Co said: “We’ve spent over 150 years in the industry. We know it well, however, we are looking to the future and need to use digital to continue to be innovative and competitive. WMG have the know-how in smart factories, and we got support that we wouldn’t have got anywhere else.”

Dr Mark Swift, Head of SME Programmes at WMG, University of Warwick said: “We are delighted to have received this award in recognition of our work with the Midlands manufacturing community. Our team cut through the technical jargon to get things done. From quick wins, helping businesses minimise waste in a process to longer term projects, implementing technology such as sensors and cameras to better track production throughput. The results can be transformational for businesses who are having to navigate some of the most challenging times.”

WMG were also jointly awarded the engineering innovation champion prize for delivery of the Made Smarter programme with partners at the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth LEP Hub, West Midlands Combined Authority and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).

Find out more about WMG’s work with SMEs here

Akzhunis Arystanbek, WMG Master’s in Supply Chain Logistics Management graduate, has won the Logistics Research Network Dissertation of the Year Award 2022 from the Charted Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT).

Akzhunis’s dissertation entitled “Implementation of Demand Sensing in Supply Chain Management” was nominated by Professor Dan Nunan, Director of full-time Postgraduate Programmes, at WMG at the University of Warwick.

The Awards are open to all UK students, and recognise outstanding dissertations at three levels – Bachelors, Master’s and PhD.

However, this year the panel of judges only awarded a prize in the Master’s category, with Akzhunis’s work being the only nomination that met the exceptional high standard required.

Akzhunis will be presented with her certificate and prize money at the Logistics Research Network Conference (LRN 2022) dinner and awards ceremony on the 8th September.

Alexa Kirkaldy, Associate Professor, at WMG, University of Warwick explains: “Akzhunis’s dissertation was nominated for this award, not only for its academic excellence, but also for the contemporary topic addressed which is essential to the future of world logistics and supply chain management.”

Akzhunis Arystanbek said: “It is a huge honour and pleasure for me to receive this award. My study involved an investigation into a very specialised area of supply chain management. When writing a dissertation, we all stand on the shoulders of giants.

“After graduating I moved on to continue my career in supply chain management at a metals and mining company in Kazakhstan.”

Akzhunis’s research was supervised by David Food, Industrial Fellow at WMG and Head of Supply Chain at Board International, who said: “Akzhunis was a thoroughly diligent and focussed researcher who delivered value and insight both through the creation of the data and in the interpretation of the results, delivering insights that would be commercially beneficial.”

Find out more about WMG’s Postgraduate Programmes here: WMG (University of Warwick) Full-time Master's (MSc) Programmes

• Six industry-academia partnerships from across the UK shortlisted for the annual Bhattacharyya Award including solutions for tsunami resilience, sustainable aviation, industrial decarbonisation, and cybersecurity
• Winning partnership to be announced at awards ceremony on 29 September 2022
• Applications for Bhattacharyya Award 2023 open until 16 December 2022

The Royal Academy of Engineering and WMG at the University of Warwick have shortlisted six exceptional industry-academia partnerships from across the UK for the second annual Bhattacharyya Award.

The Bhattacharyya Award and a cash prize of £25,000 will be presented to the team who best demonstrate how industry and universities can work together. The winning partnership will be announced on 29 September 2022.

The Bhattacharyya Award is a tribute to Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya KT CBE FREng FRS, the Regius Professor of Manufacturing at the University of Warwick and founder of WMG who advocated for greater collaboration between industry and universities. Funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the annual Bhattacharyya Award is open to UK universities and colleges that have demonstrated a sustained, strategic industrial partnership that has benefitted society and is deserving of national recognition. Industry-academia partnerships from any academic discipline are eligible for the Bhattacharyya Award.

This year’s shortlist spotlights partnerships that address some of the most pressing challenges in the UK and globally, including coastal resilience against tsunamis, low carbon electricity supply, cybersecurity, sustainable aviation, and support for rail and steel industries.

The full shortlist of finalists is as follows:

· University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce: Advanced Metallic Alloys

Dating back to 1989, this collaboration has enabled transformative advances in engine efficiencies - directly addressing environmental concerns, while also saving billions of pounds over 30 years of large fleet activity. The partnership is at the heart of activities to develop and deliver the new engine technologies required to achieve or better the ACARE Flightpath 2050 targets of 75% reduction in CO2 emissions and 90% reduction in NOx.

· University of Cambridge and ARM: Digital Security by Design

This partnership focuses on redesigning the architecture that integrates both hardware and software with technology that will fundamentally improve cyber security. This new architecture, known as CHERI (Capability Hardware Enhanced RISC Instructions), could stop around two thirds of hacks, cyber-attacks and data breaches, according to Microsoft. The partnership launched a prototype known as Morello, which has been adopted by the UK government’s Digital Security Design programme and is being rolled out to industry and academia for wide-scale testing and development.

· Imperial College London and Transport Strategy Centre: Optimising Transport Systems

The Centre’s focus on urban transport systems has become increasingly important as the world attempts to tackle the challenges of climate change and transport-related air pollution. Its work has provided over £1.5 billion worth of benefits to the rail industry over the last 15 years. The Centre’s research and collaboration has benefitted 125 major transport providers in the UK and globally – influencing funding policy, improving cost efficiency, service quality, and safety, and helping transport operators respond to Covid-19.

· University of Manchester and National Grid: Impacts to Electricity Networks

By providing low carbon electricity, this partnership has delivered significant CO2 reductions, increased productivity, stimulated large investment in new jobs and engineering activity in the UK, and supported the growth of many SMEs. Knowledge generated by the partnership has provided cost savings of approximately £11 million to the UK energy network and helped to develop many key projects - including the T-Pylon in Somerset that delivers power to six million homes.

· Swansea University and Steel Strategic Alliance: Sustainable Steelmaking

This partnership aims to help the UK to become a leader in sustainable steelmaking, with a focus on decarbonising the whole manufacturing supply chain. Some of its major projects include the creation of the Materials and Manufacturing Academy, that provides industry-led postgraduate training, the Steel and Metals Institute, providing advanced steel testing, and the SUSTAIN Future Manufacturing Research Hub, that develops carbon-neutral steel supply chains and sustainable solutions for transport, energy and buildings.

· University College London, HR Wallingford and Arup: Advanced Tsunami Engineering

This collaboration began following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which killed more than 250,000 people and caused widespread destruction. The partnership led to the creation of a new tsunami simulator, unique worldwide for its ability to recreate realistic representations of tsunamis. The partnership’s work has improved knowledge of tsunami interaction with coastal environments, developed emergency evacuation protocols and provided tsunami assessments in the UK, including for the Wylfa Newydd nuclear plant project in North Wales, as well as internationally.

Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, former President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Chair of the judging panel for the Bhattacharyya Award, said: “All six shortlisted partnerships are excellent examples of industry-academia collaboration, with timely and innovative responses to some of the most challenging issues facing society today. It is a privilege to showcase these successful collaborations and we hope that doing so fosters even greater connection between industry and academia in the UK.”

Margot James, Executive Chair of WMG, University of Warwick, said: “It’s great to see the extremely high quality of industry-academia partnerships shortlisted for the second annual Bhattacharyya Award. As a celebration of Lord Bhattacharyya’s legacy, the Award continues to highlight how building symmetry between academia and industry is so vital for meeting the needs of society, and adapting to global challenges. We look forward to seeing which collaboration is selected as the overall winner.”

The winner of the Bhattacharyya Award will be announced on Thursday 29 September 2022, at an event showcasing the shortlisted partnerships at the University of Warwick.

Those wishing to attend the Bhattacharyya Award ceremony can register via the Academy’s website.

Applications for Bhattacharyya Award 2023 are now open until 16 December 2022 and can be submitted via the Academy’s online grant system.

Notes for Editors

For media enquiries please contact: Chris Urquhart at the Royal Academy of Engineering Tel. +44 207 766 0725; email: Chris.Urquhart@raeng.org.uk

An engineering student from WMG, at the University of Warwick has been recognised for his hard work by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

The IET Manufacturing Prize is awarded annually to outstanding students who are completing a course of study which has been accredited by the IET. Prize winners are nominated by their university based on having shown distinction in their course leading to the award of a first degree.

As part of his win Nathan Bird will receive a certificate and two years free student membership of the IET.

Nathan said: “It is an honour to have been awarded this Manufacturing award from the IET and congratulations to others who have been given similar awards. This would not have been possible without the help from the many amazing staff at WMG and the School of Engineering, at the University of Warwick, and for that I thank them and hope my path crosses with them in the future."

Professor Danielle George MBE, President of the IET, said: “Our IET Prizes are a fantastic way for talented engineering students to be recognised for their outstanding ability in the early stages of their engineering journey. IET Membership provides early career professionals with the opportunity to connect with a global community, grow their networks and develop their technical knowledge.

“The IET is passionate about promoting engineering excellence and our awards and prizes showcase some of the very best engineering talent. All of the winners should be incredibly proud of their achievements. I wish them all the best for a very fulfilling and successful career – they are all difference makers of the future.”

Professor Gill Cooke, Pro-Dean (Education) at WMG, University of Warwick, added: “We are delighted to recognise Nathan’s achievements and we wish him every success in the future.”

To find out more information about the range of prizes and awards available to young and aspiring engineers through the IET, visit: www.theiet.org/awards.

Congratulations to Fatemah Jafar and Tishtrya Mehta for being announced the winners of Warwick's first student award for Public and Community Engagement.

Read more about Fatemah's and Tishtrya's contribution to Public and Community Engagement.

Congratulations to Ally Caldecote and the Christmas Lecture Team for being shortlisted for the 'Team Award' at the Warwick Awards for Public and Community Engagement 2022.

Congratulations to Matthew Nicholson who has received commendation for his teaching in the 2022 Warwick Awards for Teaching Excellence. Matthew is a second year PhD student in Particle Physics, researching the use of Gadolinium in the Super-Kamiokande detector and measurements of Supernova Relic Neutrinos.

Hear more from Matthew on his teaching.

Congratulations to our three 2022 PhD Thesis Prize Winners.

Congratulations to our three 2022 thesis prize winners:

Springer Thesis Prize

Recognising outstanding PhD research - Arnau Brossa Gonzalo

Winton Thesis Prize

Recognising outstanding astrophysical research - Ben Cooke

Faculty of Science Thesis Prize (Physics)

Recognising outstanding research from across the faculty - Sam Holt