It was a pleasure to welcome Rachmat Kaimuddin, Deputy Coordinating Minister for Transportation and Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment Affairs of Indonesia Infrastructure; and HE Dr Desra Percaya, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to the UK; to WMG at the University of Warwick on Monday (24th June).

Rachmat Kaimuddin and HE Dr Desra Percaya, were invited by Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG; and Dr Kogila Balakrishnan, Director of Client and Business Development (Southeast Asia).

 The adoption and transition to transport electrification has become high on the agenda in Indonesia, and the guests were particularly interested to hear more about WMG’s work in entrepreneurship and innovation as well as it’s Clean Transport Accelerator programme and electrification research projects.

 The visitors also had the opportunity to meet with Dita Amry, MSc Innovation and Entrepreneurship Deputy Course Director; James Black, Principal Engineer on the Clean Transport Accelerator programme; and Simon Webb, Chief Technology Officer. 

After the meeting, the guests were given a guided tour of the National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC) and the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) where they chatted to researchers and engineers tackling real-life industry problems. 

Dr Kogila Balakrishnan, WMG’s Director of Client and Business Development (Southeast Asia) said: "We were honoured to host Deputy Coordinating Minister Rachmat Kaimuddin and Ambassador Dr. Desra Percaya. Their visit underscores the growing importance of transport electrification in Indonesia and highlights the potential for collaborative innovation between our institutions. We are excited about the possibilities this partnership holds for advancing clean transport technologies and entrepreneurship."

Deputy Coordinating Minister, Rachmat Kaimuddin felt that the session was informative and helpful in providing a comprehensive understanding of WMG.

He said: “We’re looking forward to fostering friendship going forward and seeing how we can best collaborate.” In closing, Ambassador Desra also shared a similar expectation for concrete cooperation with WMG and relevant stakeholders to support energy transition efforts in Indonesia.

Find out more about WMG’s research here: Research Areas (warwick.ac.uk)Link opens in a new window

The University of Warwick is shedding the light on a distinguished battery researcher this International Day of Women and Girls in Engineering.

Dr Melanie Loveridge, Reader in Battery Materials and Cells at WMG at The University of Warwick, is also committed to improving the inclusivity of women and minority groups in her area of work. Her research focuses on lithium-ion batteries, helping to power net zero and a more sustainable world.

Dr Loveridge said: “The first lithium-ion batteries were used in small Sony cameras, now we are relying on them to power electric vehicles. We need much bigger sources of power to last longer, which has been a significant challenge.

“I conduct forensic analysis of batteries to help understand how they degrade over time, which is really important in knowing how to improve the way we manufacture them. Understanding why batteries fail is crucial, as the world shifts to more sustainable energy sources.

“My team uses specialised equipment such as electron microscopy, Xray based characterisation and mapping chemical elements in materials to look at the components within batteries under high magnification. Battery forensics needs a huge orchestra of highly sophisticated techniques.”

Starting her career in the industry, Dr Loveridge became fascinated with the science of batteries and decided to pursue an academic role to learn more. This has led to her publishing over 40 academic papers.

With over 15 years’ experience in academia, she has also given evidence from for her research specialisms for influential panels such as the House of Lords Science & Technology Committee and The Shadow Cabinet’s Round Table on Energy Storage.

Dr Loveridge added: “My research area is such a multidisciplinary field. I can interact with engineers and scientists from across many academic disciplines and industry partners, which is not commonplace in a lot of academic circles. It’s amazing to collaborate with lots of different people.”

Alongside her academic achievements, Dr Loveridge champions equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in her work. She has recently been appointed as Associate Dean of Research – where she is supporting an enhancing culture project funded by The University of Warwick, on a survey-led initiative with an aim to understand the challenges and barriers faced by minority groups and women in leading STEM-based research.

“Fortunately, lots of the funders I work with, such as the Faraday Institute, really value diversity and inclusion; we now have to show how we have outlined commitments to EDI in all of our grant applications. I think the gender imbalance in senior roles will change, but this will take time.

"As part of my EDI role, I’m also trying to make the working environment more inclusive, particularly for special interest groups. I find this really rewarding.”

By championing sustainable research, such as Dr Loveridge’s vital work on batteries, The University of Warwick is committed to creating a more sustainable world. Its Strategy 2030 sets out five key sustainability pathways to follow, including achieving Net Zero carbon emissions from scopes 1 and 2 by 2030, and scope 3 by 2050.

Find out more about Dr Loveridge’s research here: Battery Materials and Cells Group - WMG (warwick.ac.uk)

Dr Harjinder Lallie, Associate Professor (Cyber Security) at WMG at the University of Warwick explain: “The London cyber attack demonstrates the importance of cyber defences and proper back up plans, especially in organisations where it really can be a matter of life or death, like the NHS. With hospitals now having to resort to paper records in the wake of the attack, we must seriously weigh up the costs of defending ourselves versus the cost of doing nothing and accepting these attacks from hostile actors.

“With these attacks often able to manipulate our data as well as hold it to ransom, our most private data – such as our health records – must be protected more closely. To leave the medical information of patients out there without proper cyber security defence is the equivalent of leaving the files on a park bench or on a train. We must invest more in our own defences if we don’t want to see these types of attacks repeated time and again.”

WMG at the University of Warwick is proud to be an active partner in Coventry City Council’s pioneering digital recycling scheme, the #CovConnects Device Bank.

The project, which is part of the Council’s Digital Inclusion programme and supported by the Cities Climate Change Strategy, was launched on principles of circular economy by reusing and repairing end of corporate life devices which are then distributed to local communities.

The Council was awarded the funding following a successful application to the Time after Time fund. The fund was created and is distributed by Hubbub and Virgin Media O2, and looks to fund projects that help to close the digital divide while reducing electronic waste.

Cllr Richard Brown, Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources at Coventry City Council, said: “Our #CovConnects programme is all about making sure none of our residents are digitally excluded. That’s why I’m delighted we’ve won this funding.

“This money will allow us to expand our efforts and get more of these devices into the hands of the most vulnerable. Having your own device, which you can use every day, is something that has the potential to completely transform your life.

“This project is a true partnership with the NHS, WMG and other partners across the city. Together we can make Coventry truly digitally inclusive.”

Dr Russ Hall, WMG’s Lead for Circular Economy and Sustainable Manufacturing at the University of Warwick, and Chair of the Coventry City Climate Change Board Circular Pathway, added: “It’s really important to be a part of this fantastic scheme. We want to research the reuse, remanufacture and recycling of digital equipment. This is a great example of where sustainable practices like circular economy can address societal issues like digital poverty, and we want to do all we can to help it flourish and grow. It has real environmental benefits as part of the circular economy and can play a vital role in overcoming digital exclusion.”

Digital Recycling is a key element within the Council’s Climate Change Strategy. Dr Russ Hall and Friya Tailor from WMG, are working with colleagues from the Council to evaluate the environmental benefits of the project. The research will in turn be shared nationally enabling other organisations to learn from the scheme.

To find out more about the #CovConnects programme, visit: https://www.coventry.gov.uk/cov-connects

Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub established the Time After Time fund in 2022 in response to the nation’s growing e-waste problem, with the UK producing more electrical waste per person than any other country in the world (except for Norway).

#CovConnects was selected as one of eight winners from more than 120 entries by a panel of judges including TV presenter and environmentalist George Clarke, non-profit, Material Focus, digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation, plus Hubbub and Virgin Media O2.

Find out more about Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing research at WMG here: Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Group (warwick.ac.uk)

WMG at the University of Warwick and Cadbury have used powerful X-ray scanning equipment to uncover the secrets of how the structure of biscuits, which is essential for the perfect ‘crunch’, forms.

The discoveries have been released to mark National Biscuit Day this Wednesday, 29th May. Biscuits are the UK’s favourite sweet treat, with the average person in the UK eating around six a week.

WMG researchers scanned biscuits in a bespoke oven as they baked, imaging the inside of the biscuit to reveal how the porous structure, essential for the perfect ‘crunch’, forms during the baking process.

Associate Professor at WMG’s Centre for Imaging, Metrology and Additive Technologies, Jay Warnett, said that this was just the beginning for the technology:

“Joining forces with Cadbury, we're cracking the code to the perfect biscuit. Through our X-rays, we're helping uncover the ideal baking time, thickness, and recipe for the ultimate eating experience”.

“But our research doesn't stop there; we're diving deeper into the world of biscuits and baked food and hope to continue working with Cadbury for a long time to come”.

Researchers at WMG, who were approached by Cadbury, constructed an oven from scratch inside an X-ray CT scanner – a similar machine to what you might find in a hospital.

Using the latest algorithms, the imaging process was sped up to scan the biscuit every 20 seconds throughout the baking process. When put together, the WMG and Cadbury teams could observe the biscuit baking over time.

Principal Scientist at Cadbury, Thomas Curwen, is excited for the future of biscuit development:

“The latest algorithms have allowed us to watch and quantify the baking process inside the biscuit in greater detail than ever before. This capability will help us determine the function of different ingredients in more detail and how the structure that forms controls the eating experience. I am excited by what we can learn and how this will help us deliver the great tasting biscuits of the future.”

The research process, which was led by Dr Warnett and Research Fellow Dr Evelien Zwanenburg, has proved the concept possible, and is therefore likely to be the first step before a larger project later this year.

This future work aims to extend the work across other biscuit varieties and baked goods.