Second Year of Success for KTA Showcasing Dinner and Conference
The University of Bath’s Knowledge Transfer Account (KTA), a £3.4 million award for 2009-2012 to maximise the impact of EPSRC funded research, has successfully held its second annual showcasing dinner and conference.
The 2011 event highlighted the EPSRC KTA funded projects which aim to deliver benefits from our research to external organisations. The projects ranged from working with schools to use novel technologies for learning, to developing new products for businesses.
Collaborative partners who attended the showcasing dinner and conference were from organisations including Aero Engine Controls, Ford, Sciencescope, Aragreen, NPower, Western Power Distribution, and the Building Research Establishment Ltd (BRE).
The Conference Dinner, held at the Roman Baths and Pump Rooms on 15 September, provided an opportunity to build on existing relationships and foster new ones.
At the dinner Professor Jane Millar, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, highlighted the importance Bath places on our research having an impact and our enthusiasm for working with external partners to make a difference.
Professor Millar presented two Best Pathways to Impact awards during the dinner, highlighting projects for accelerating and embedding our research for impact.
One award went to a joint project with Aragreen (UK) Ltd, led by Professor Rod Scott in Biology and Biochemistry with Professor Matt Davidson in Chemistry and Dr Tom Arnot in Chemical Engineering, which aims to clean wastewater whilst also producing valuable bi-products.
A Best Pathways to Impact award also went to a project with NPower, led by Professor Raj Aggarwal in Electronic & Electrical Engineering, which demonstrated the potential Direct Current network to run computers in a cost effective and energy efficient manner.
Dr Jon Hunt, KTA Project Director stated: “The event celebrates our successful collaborations, which we anticipate will lead to more in-depth relationships”.
The after dinner speech was given by Dr Scott Draw, Head of Research and Innovation at UK Sport, having previously worked with Dr James Bilzon in the Department of Health.
Following on from the showcasing dinner was the KTA Showcase Conference, held at the University on the morning of 16 September. A number of presentations were given by KTA award holders with their industry collaborators, on why they work together, the benefits and potential impact. This was followed by poster displays and networking at a buffet lunch.