The University has been awarded a multi-million grant from the Lloyd鈥檚 Register Foundation to bring together some of the world鈥檚 brightest early career researchers to find new ways of using nanotechnologies to improve safety at sea, on land and in the air.
Dr Themis Prodromakis, from the Nanoelectronics and Nanotechnologies Group at Southampton, is leading the 拢3m programme, which will receive match funding from partner organisations. He says:
“The Lloyd鈥檚 Register Foundation International COnsortium in Nanotechnologies (ICON) will assemble the world鈥檚 leading universities, research institutions and innovative companies to help them tackle many of today鈥檚 most challenging issues by recruiting talented PhD students from every continent.鈥�
Applications will soon be invited from scientists and engineers keen to pioneer research across a range of industries. Nanotechnologies are already widely used, for example in smart phones, cameras and gadgets.
Breakthroughs already being developed include cars, boats and planes built from lightweight materials stronger than steel with new functions such as self-cleaning and repairing;聽flexible textiles that can become rigid and shockproof to protect the wearer and聽sensors in hostile environments such as the deep ocean and space.
ICON will support more than 50 PhD students to undertake research at leading global universities, aided by matched funding. They will work together with partners from industry on interdisciplinary projects and access world-leading facilities, such as the 拢120m Southampton Nanofabrication Centre.
Read the full press release