The EPSRC Future Composites Manufacturing Hub (The Hub) has announced two new Innovation Fellowships following the call for proposals issued in March 2019.
Eight proposals were received from 5 academic institutions across the UK. The call was open to all early stage researchers wishing to take the first step towards an independent research career and to become an international leader in their field. Applicants were required to write a research proposal outlining how they would facilitate a fundamental step-change in composites manufacturing within the UK.
Each Fellowship awarded is for two years, which creates two new research projects within the Hub and sees the introduction of the University of Warwick as a new Spoke member.
The successful Innovation Fellows are:
- Dr Colin Robert, University of Edinburgh, ‘Powder-Epoxy Carbon Fibre Towpreg for High Speed, Low-Cost Automated Fibre Placement’,
- Dr Connie Qian, University of Warwick, ‘Numerical Simulation of High-rate Compression Moulding of Combined Thermoset Prepreg and SMC?’
Proposals were reviewed by a panel of industrial and scientific experts, who followed the EPSRC standard peer review panel guidelines on confidentiality and conflicts of interest.
Reviewers included:
- Professor Remko Akkerman, University of Twente
- Dr Edward Archer, Ulster University
- Dr Rob Backhouse, Rolls-Royce
- Dr Enrique Garcia, National Composites Centre
- Brett Hemingway, BAE Systems
- Dr Warren Hepples, Luxfer
- Dr James Kratz, University of Bristol
- Dr Alex Skordos, Cranfield University
- Dr Tom Turner, University of Nottingham
More information about all new projects will be available on the Hub’s website as they progress.