The University of Bristol’s Faculty of Engineering Research Showcase is being held on Monday 13 April and it will be showing off the latest innovative research in areas such as renewable energy technologies, future city networks (including Bristol’s own which is capable of delivering blistering high-definition streaming speeds) and novel in-car parameter estimators to offer car drivers better control over their vehicles.
“This a great opportunity for engineering’s leading academics to present in person their latest research to the University’s industry partners”
The Faculty of Engineering Research Showcase is held every two years and enables the faculty to strengthen and develop existing partnerships with industry and to start new collaborations.
The research showcase will be a series of sector-based presentations and exhibition areas with demonstrations of current research by engineering academic staff. There will also be an exhibition of prize-winning student projects.
Dr John McWilliams, Industrial Liaison Manager in the Faculty of Engineering, who is organising the event, said: “This a great opportunity for engineering’s leading academics to present in person their latest research to the University’s industry partners. For the first time research is being presented by industry sector rather than research groups – both in presentations and in the exhibition and demonstration areas.”
Who will be there?
Highlights from the research showcase include:
Dimitra Simeonidou, Professor of High Performance Networks, will be revealing 4K ultra-high-definition streaming through the Bristol network, which will be three times the speed of connectivity compared to the current industry maximum broadband. The visual and innovative exhibit will be related to the Bristol Is Open project – a joint partnership with Bristol City Council to create three new fast networks in the centre of Bristol to capture information about many aspects of city life, including energy, air quality and traffic flows.
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Sustainable energy technologies are essential to addressing the increasing pressures of limited fossil fuel reserves, energy security concerns and the need for reduced carbon dioxide emissions. The Faculty will show how it is addressing these challenges through the development of renewable energy technologies such as wind, tidal and solar power devices, and energy management systems for optimising energy transfer processes and electrical transmission.
These activities are complemented by the development of miniature self-powered sensing and monitoring systems, which are integrated with a range of technologies in the built environment, transport, manufacturing and health care sectors. For example, researchers at Bristol are involved in a range of projects to help develop novel tidal energy technologies with leading industrial partners such as Tidal Generation Ltd and DNV GL (see main picture).
The Faculty has a wide range of research that relates to the automotive sector, from communications, vision research, aeroacoustics and composite materials. There will be various displays including a demonstration of a novel in-car parameter estimation method, showing a car that can make sophisticated calculations about its own mass and gradient of surface and that could enable better handling and control.
What happens when?
The University of Bristol’s Faculty of Engineering Research Showcase will take place on Monday 13 April from 2 to 5.30pm in the Faculty of Engineering, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol. The outline of the afternoon is as follows:
1.30pm – Registration and coffee
2.00pm-3.30pm – Talks from leading academics in key research areas (by industry sector – two parallel sessions)
Session A
Chair: Prof. Paul Wilcox, Queen’s School Research Director
- Aerospace – Prof. Ian Bond
- Automotive – Dr Guido Herrmann
- Electrical and Renewable Energy – Dr Paul Harper and Prof. Phil Mellor
- Nuclear Energy – Prof. David Smith
- Civil and Structural Engineering – Dr John MacDonald
Session B
Chair: Prof. Dave Cliff, Merchant Venturers School Research Director
- Microelectronics – Simon McIntosh-Smith
- Computing – Prof. Mike Fraser
- Future Cities/HPN – Prof. Dimitra Simeonidou
- Health – Prof. Ian Craddock
2.30pm-5.30pm – Research showcase: a series of sector-based exhibition areas with demonstrations of current research by our academic staff. There will also be an exhibition of prize-winning student projects.
5.30pm – Short welcome by Prof. Guy Orpen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, followed by drinks and canapés networking reception
7.30pm – Close of event
To register for the University of Bristol’s Faculty of Engineering Research Showcase, please email engf-events@bristol.ac.uk stating which parts of the event you would like to attend, your company and job title.
Image credit: University of Bristol
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By the way, if you are a new Bristol engineer in a startup looking to get some more exposure for your innovative business idea or wanting to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs, don’t miss Venturefest Bristol & Bath – a showcase of innovation, entrepreneurship and investment opportunities.
