Manchester Uni gets £20m to train scientists

THE University of Manchester has been given £20m to train more nano and nuclear scientists with PhD scholarships that will see cohorts of doctoral students working together.

The investment forms part of a UK-wide initiative, as science minister Lord Drayson today announces a £250m investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to establish 44 centres for doctoral training.

The scheme aims to generate more than 2,000 PhD students over five years, with the centres focusing on research into areas such as climate change, energy, the ageing population, and high-tech crime.

Their approach will be to create communities of researchers working together, rather than the more traditional approach where PhD students go it alone.

The University of Manchester will lead three of the centres: for nanoscience, nuclear engineering and nuclear fission.

The centre for nanoscience will be run with support from Lancaster University, while the training centre for nuclear fission research is in partnership with The University of Sheffield.

The Manchester-led industrial training centre for nuclear engineering will be run in conjunction with Imperial College, The University of Bristol, The University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield and The University of Strathclyde.

A training centre for advanced metallic systems, led by The University of Sheffield, will be run in partnership with Manchester University.

Professor Francis Livens, who heads up the Nuclear Fission Research, Science and Technology (FIRST) Doctoral Training Centre at Manchester, said: “The new centre will allow us to train the next generation of research leaders to tackle the complex, multidisciplinary challenges that the nuclear industry presents.”

Professor Nigel Vincent, associate vice president for graduate education at the university, said: “This success will allow us to build stronger and better links at graduate level both with other leading national and international institutions and with industry.

“The training centres are a key component of the newly formed Manchester Doctoral College, which will enhance Manchester’s position as a leader in graduate education both nationally and internationally.”