Recipients of the inaugural SCGC–FIRST awards announced
27 March 2024
Chemistry Engineering Funding Materials science
SCGC-FIRST is a major new award scheme to develop novel ideas and nascent research from Oxford’s laboratories into environmental sustainability solutions for the global chemicals industry. The four chosen projects exemplify innovation and promise to accelerate sustainable technology development.
Boost to doctoral training will support leading research in areas of national importance
12 March 2024
Chemistry Energy Funding MPLS Materials science Physics Statistics Teaching
The UK’s biggest-ever investment in engineering and physical sciences doctoral skills, totalling more than £1 billion nationwide, has been announced today by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. It includes funding for over 300 fully-funded DPhil studentships at Oxford in strategic research areas.
Innovative technique reveals that leaping atoms remember where they have been
15 February 2024
Researchers have used a new technique to measure the movement of charged particles (ions) on the fastest ever timescale, revealing new insights into fundamental transport processes. These include the first demonstration that the flow of atoms or ions possesses a ‘memory.’ The results have been published in the journal Nature.
University and SCG Chemicals launch £1m SCGC-FIRST fund to accelerate sustainable technology development in the chemicals industry
10 November 2023
Chemistry Computer science Engineering Innovation and Enterprise Materials science Maths
SCG Chemicals Public Company Limited (SCGC), part of the Siam Cement Group (SCG) and one of the largest integrated chemical companies in Asia, has agreed a major new award scheme to develop novel ideas and nascent research from Oxford’s laboratories into environmental sustainability solutions for the global chemicals industry.
From square to cube: Hardware processing for AI goes 3D, boosting processing power
20 October 2023
AI and data science Materials science
In a paper published today in Nature Photonics, researchers from the University of Oxford, along with collaborators from the Universities of Muenster, Heidelberg, and Exeter, report on their development of integrated photonic-electronic hardware capable of processing three-dimensional (3D) data, substantially boosting data processing parallelism for AI tasks.
From The Conversation: How sodium-ion batteries could make electric cars cheaper
11 October 2023
Energy Materials science The Conversation
Robert House, Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow in the Department of Materials, discusses how shifting from lithium to sodium-ion batteries could reduce dependence on critical minerals and yield cheaper battery packs.
Professor Harish Bhaskaran elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Engineering
20 September 2023
Professor Bhaskaran (Department of Materials) was elected because of his exceptional contribution to the field of applied nanomaterials and advanced nanoscale engineering.
Major boost for Oxford University's battery research
19 September 2023
Energy Funding Materials science
Two MPLS projects have received a major funding boost from the Faraday Institution, the UK’s flagship institute for electrochemical energy storage research. The funding is part of a £19 million investment to support key battery research projects that have the potential to deliver significant beneficial impact for the UK.
From The Conversation: Solar panel technology is set to be turbo-charged – but first, a few big roadblocks have to be cleared
10 September 2023
Energy Materials science The Conversation
Dr Matthew Wright (Department of Materials) and Bruno Vicari Stefani (CSIRO) discuss “tandem solar cells”, the new generation in solar technology, and the need for design that does not involve reliance on scarce materials such as indium.
Six Oxford scientists win Royal Society of Chemistry Prizes
13 June 2023
Award Chemistry Materials science Research
Six researchers from the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Materials have been honoured in this year's Royal Society of Chemistry Research and Innovation Prizes.
Artificial neurons mimic complex brain abilities for next-generation AI computing
9 May 2023
AI and data science Materials science Research
Researchers have created atomically thin artificial neurons capable of processing both light and electric signals for computing.
Oxford’s Professor Saiful Islam one of three to receive Honorary Fellow accolade from the British Science Association
9 December 2022
Saiful Islam, Professor of Materials Modelling in the Department of Materials, has been made an Honorary Fellow of the British Science Association (BSA) for his work on new materials for lithium and sodium batteries, solid oxide fuel cells and perovskite solar cells in the field of energy.
Oxford University joins €2.9 million Quantum Technologies Flagship project
3 November 2022
Engineering Funding Materials science
The grant to Professor Natalia Ares from the Department of Engineering Science will fund the ASPECTS consortium, which brings together leading experimental and theoretical physicists across Europe with the common goal of uncovering the limitations of natural timekeeping devices to assess whether precision measurements can be more energy efficient.
MPLS researchers amongst four from Oxford to be awarded £100,000 Philip Leverhulme prizes
21 October 2022
Award Climate Engineering Materials science Research Sustainability & the environment
Four researchers from across the University of Oxford, including two from the Department of Materials and the Department of Engineering Science, have been awarded Philip Leverhulme prizes – the largest number awarded to researchers of any single UK university.
Oxford to host Electric Vehicle Summit on growth, investment and decarbonisation
20 October 2022
Chemistry Energy Engineering Innovation and Enterprise MPLS Materials science Physics
The 2022 Oxford Electric Vehicle Summit will focus on growth and investment, as it returns to Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. The event is in partnership with Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University and aims to deliver on decarbonised transport in the UK, and beyond.
Oxford to collaborate with Digital University Kerala on nanotechnology, AI, sustainability, digital health, and innovation
13 October 2022
AI and data science Innovation and Enterprise Materials science Physical sciences underpinning health Research Sustainability & the environment
The University of Oxford has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a new collaboration with the Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology in India (known as Digital University Kerala or DUK).
OSCAR research team wins regional finals of 'Maker in China' SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Contest
6 October 2022
Award Energy Innovation and Enterprise Materials science Research Sustainability & the environment
A team of researchers from the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research (OSCAR) in China, the University of Oxford’s only engineering and physical sciences research institute outside of the UK, has won first place in the regional finals of the ‘Maker in China’ Jiangsu SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Contest 2022.
Students take up Black Academic Futures Scholarships thanks to support from 'activist investor’
28 September 2022
Funding Materials science Sustainability & the environment Women in science
A DPhil candidate in the Department of Materials is amongst three 2022-entry Scholars to embark on postgraduate studies with support from the Black Academic Futures programme, with a fourth Scholar due to join in 2023/24.
Oxford to host net zero technology summit
1 September 2022
Climate Engineering Innovation and Enterprise Materials science Physics
A summit today at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government will explore and map how innovation can help the world to net zero, faster.
Six MPLS researchers honoured with Royal Society medals
24 August 2022
Award Chemistry Engineering MPLS Materials science Maths Physics
Each year, the Royal Society recognises exceptional research achievements through a series of prestigious medals and prizes named after great scientists of the past. This year eight Oxford University researchers, six of them from MPLS Division, have been honoured for their outstanding contributions to science and medicine.