New £8.1 Million Centre at Queen's University Belfast to Tackle Storage Needs

A Queen’s University Belfast led collaboration with the University of Glasgow and industry has received £8.1 million for a new centre to tackle some of the challenges created by the increasing quantities of data generated by society today.

Professor Robert Bowman, minister Dr. Stephen Farry
and vice-chancellor Professor Patrick Johnston

The new Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) at Queen’s, in collaboration with the University of Glasgow, and under the auspices of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), will help address a skills shortage in the photonics industry, and help develop new products and systems to address the expanding storage needs of today’s fast moving digital world.

The science of photonics, which is based around the use of light, is the foundation for many innovations in use today, from vision correction and endoscopy to telecommunications and robotics. It formed the basis for the telecommunications revolution of the late 20th century and created the infrastructure needed for the internet.

The new CDT, known as the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Photonic Integration for Advanced Storage, will address the shortage of skilled professionals in this field by educating fifty future scientists and engineers, over the next eight years.

The funding for the Queen’s CDT, which has been provided by the University and a range of partners including the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland, will enable the doctoral students to collaborate with 12 industry partners in a bid to generate new ideas for research and commercial opportunities that cannot yet be foreseen.

Speaking about the new centre, its director, Professor Robert Bowman, Queen’s School of Mathematics and Physics, said: “The type of innovation required to deliver the much needed advances in this area necessitates multi-site and multi-disciplinary collaboration and committed industry partners. As a result of the CDT initiative from the EPSRC and the funding from DEL and our industry and academic partners, we are now in a position to give doctoral students a unique environment to drive research and make a significant impact in this area.”

Queen’s vice-chancellor, Professor Patrick Johnston, added: “Queen’s work in the area of photonics and advanced storage is globally renowned, and it is a tremendously important sector for Northern Ireland and the UK. I wish to thank Professor Bowman for his leadership on this project, and the EPSRC, the Department for Employment and Learning and our industry partners for having the vision to support this Centre and help secure the sector’s future through ensuring a flow of highly skilled graduates and future industry and academic leaders.“

Expressing his support for the new Queen’s-led Centre, the Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry, said: “I have been pleased to help facilitate this Centre fo,octoral Training, led by Queen’s and involving significant industry partners, including Seagate Technology. It is a strategically important development for Northern Ireland. The Centre will support 50 future scientists and engineers, who will benefit greatly from being part of an exciting and supportive learning experience while developing key skills that are crucial not only for themselves but also for the wider economy.”

To date the EPSRC’s CDT scheme has seen a total investment of £962 million in 115 centres acros the UK.

EPSRC’s chief executive, Professor Philip Nelson, said: “I am pleased to welcome this new centre. The area they will be working in is very important, addressing how we manage the ever-increasing quantities of data our society generates.“

Seagate Technology LLC is one of the industry partners involved. In 2010 they established ANSIN at Queen’s, a new advanced materials R&D hub.

Mark Re, CTO, Seagate, said: “The coming decade sees a huge challenge and opportunities in providing society with the storage solutions it requires. Seagate Technology through our support and involvement believe that this CDT at Queen’s is a fa,stic ,hanism to develop the skilled staff required for this challenge and undertake research that could contribute towards new technology and where new synergies and ideas will emerge through collaboration with other CDT partners.“

Students from the new centre will also spend time working alongside leading researchers at the University of Glasgow, including those in the University’s James Watt Nanofabrication Centre, which is recognised as a state-of-the-art facility.

Professor Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice-chancellor, University of Glasgow, said: “The University of Glasgow is very excited to be involved in this innovative Centre for Doctoral Training. It will build on our world-leading position in nanofabrication and integrated optics research and reflects the University’s major investment in this area. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast in this cutting edge initiative.“

Industry partners in the new Centre for Doctoral Training in Photonic Integration for Advanced storage at Queen’s University Belfast are: