It’s been a busy quarter for N8 – here are a few of the exciting events and ideas that we’ve been taking forward.
Industrial Biotech is set to transform sectors such as chemicals, waste, energy, plastics and pharmaceuticals, and the UK market is predicted to be £12bn by 2025. The N8 Industry Innovation Forum in October focussed on identifying new innovations in this area, bringing together 60 scientists and biotech business leaders, together with the Technology Strategy Board and BBSRC.
Our N8 High Performance Computing (N8 HPC) facility, launched earlier this year, is being used on a range of innovative research projects, including tracking how the world’s biggest dinosaur walked and another, looking at diamonds.
The fourth workshop in our Arts and Humanities research project took place in November, called Imaginative North. Our latest collaboration was also launched - the new N8 Policing Research Partnership had an inaugural meeting with the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) last month to understand the common needs for new research and knowledge.
Finally, we are delighted to announce Prof Nick Wright, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Newcastle University as the new Chair of the N8 Executive Management Group. He is taking over from Prof Trevor McMillan who is moving from his current role as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at Lancaster University to be Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost at Keele University. I would like to express huge thanks on behalf of everyone involved in N8 for Trevor’s leadership and commitment over the last 4 years – our loss is certainly Keele’s gain!
As ever, please get in touch with your comments and ideas. Best wishes for a very Happy Christmas and New Year – see you in 2014!
Best regards,
Sarah Jackson
Director, N8
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