Over 80 KEC professionals and academic researchers came to the Defence Academic Pathways (DAP) Materials Challenge Launch event, which PraxisUnico organised at the National Composites Centre on 14 October 2015.
The DAP partnership represents a significant number of the 15 most frequently cited companies from the REF impact case study analysis and the data on collaborative projects compiled by the recent Dowling Review. The companies represented by DAP have a proven track record for effective university-business collaboration; DAP was created to facilitate this process through e.g. assigning IP rights arising from collaborations to the university partner as standard. This event, supported by DAP, featured the launch of the 'Reducing the cost of inserting new materials' Challenge, led by BAE Systems and supported by EPSRC funding for this co-created, industry-led Challenge.
DAP's objectives are to:
- Develop mechanisms/process aimed at creating need based research focused on delivering an enduring challenge within a 10 year timeframe
- Link industrialists and academics, joining up the defence sector for greater leverage and influence
- Define research programmes linking Government funded research to a real requirement
- Provide industrial partners that can exploit it for the good of all parties
The event was targetted at both academics and KE professionals, and was a great opportunity to bring together real industry challenges and university skill-sets, to start a process of problem-solving based on identified need. The morning session gave an introduction to DAP and the five research themes/challenges, including an overview of the DAP Research Challenges and collaboration opportunities. The afternoon session featured the launch of the Materials Challenge, and included a workshop focusing on practical and technical applied research solutions for reducing the cost of inserting new materials onto platforms (testing, modelling, characterisation). It was great to see academics and their KEC colleagues working together in this way, which produced some exciting discussions.
The group heard from PraxisUnico's Malcolm Skingle about the value that working with universities can add, and the benefits it can bring to both parties in the partnership. They also heard from Neil Stansfield, Dstl said that the key to success is collaboration between UK academia, industry and government to harness ideas and exploit technologies.
Key technology areas of interest to the MOD are:
- Quantum Physics
- Autonomy & robotics
- Synthetic Biology
- Big data
- Advanced manufacturing
Presentations were also delivered by BAE Systems, GE, MBDA, Selex and Thales.
This event was a great success, bringing together and facilitating collaboration from the university research base with industry leaders. Looking ahead, PraxisUnico is working on more industry engagement events, including a Wellbeing & Wearables event with UKIF on October 27, and a "Working with Universities for Business Benefit" workshop for SMEs on March 1 2016.
For further information about DAP please contact: DAP@mail.dstl.gov.uk