The UK Doctoral Training Centre in Energy Demand Reduction and the Built Environment

英国减少能源需求和建筑环境博士培训中心

• 批准号: EP/H009612/1
• 负责人: Robert Lowe
• 金额: $ 740.87万
• 依托单位: University College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Training Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2009 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FH009612%2F1
• 关键词: UK; Doctoral; Training; Centre; Energy

Reducing carbon emissions and securing energy supplies are crucial international goals to which energy demand reduction must make a major contribution. On a national level, demand reduction, deployment of new and renewable energy technologies, and decarbonisation of the energy supply are essential if the UK is to meet its legally binding carbon reduction targets. As a result, this area is an important theme within the EPSRC's strategic plan, but one that suffers from historical underinvestment and a serious shortage of appropriately skilled researchers. Major energy demand reductions are required within the working lifetime of Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) graduates, i.e. by 2050. Students will thus have to be capable of identifying and undertaking research that will have an impact within their 35 year post-doctoral career. The challenges will be exacerbated as our population ages, as climate change advances and as fuel prices rise: successful demand reduction requires both detailed technical knowledge and multi-disciplinary skills. The DTC will therefore span the interfaces between traditional disciplines to develop a training programme that teaches the context and process-bound problems of technology deployment, along with the communication and leadership skills needed to initiate real change within the tight time scale required. It will be jointly operated by University College London (UCL) and Loughborough University (LU); two world-class centres of energy research. Through the cross-faculty Energy Institute at UCL and Sustainability Research School at LU, over 80 academics have been identified who are able and willing to supervise DTC students. These experts span the full range of necessary disciplines from science and engineering to ergonomics and design, psychology and sociology through to economics and politics. The reputation of the universities will enable them to attract the very best students to this research area.The DTC will begin with a 1 year joint MRes programme followed by a 3 year PhD programme including a placement abroad and the opportunity for each DTC student to employ an undergraduate intern to assist them. Students will be trained in communication methods and alternative forms of public engagement. They will thus understand the energy challenges faced by the UK, appreciate the international energy landscape, develop people-management and communication skills, and so acquire the competence to make a tangible impact. An annual colloquium will be the focal point of the DTC year acting as a show-case and major mechanism for connection to the wider stakeholder community.The DTC will be led by internationally eminent academics (Prof Robert Lowe, Director, and Prof Kevin J Lomas, Deputy Director), together they have over 50 years of experience in this sector. They will be supported by a management structure headed by an Advisory Board chaired by Pascal Terrien, Director of the European Centre and Laboratories for Energy Efficiency Research and responsible for the Demand Reduction programme of the UK Energy Technology Institute. This will help secure the international, industrial and UK research linkages of the DTC.Students will receive a stipend that is competitive with other DTCs in the energy arena and, for work in certain areas, further enhancement from industrial sponsors. They will have a personal annual research allowance, an excellent research environment and access to resources. Both Universities are committed to energy research at the highest level, and each has invested over 3.2M in academic appointments, infrastructure development and other support, specifically to the energy demand reduction area. Each university will match the EPSRC funded studentships one-for-one, with funding from other sources. This DTC will therefore train at least 100 students over its 8 year life.

减少碳排放和确保能源供应是至关重要的国际目标，减少能源需求必须为之作出重大贡献。在国家层面上，如果英国要实现其具有法律约束力的碳减排目标，减少需求，部署新能源和可再生能源技术以及能源供应的脱碳至关重要。因此，这一领域是EPSRC战略计划中的一个重要主题，但这一领域历来投资不足，严重缺乏适当技能的研究人员。在博士培训中心（DTC）毕业生的工作寿命内，即到2050年，需要大幅减少能源需求。因此，学生必须能够识别和开展研究，这将在他们35年的博士后生涯中产生影响。随着我们人口的老龄化、气候变化的加剧和燃料价格的上涨，这些挑战将更加严峻：成功地减少需求既需要详细的技术知识，也需要多学科技能。因此，DTC将跨越传统学科之间的接口，以开发一个培训计划，教授技术部署的背景和流程问题，沿着在所需的紧迫时间范围内启动真实的变革所需的沟通和领导技能。它将由伦敦大学学院（UCL）和拉夫堡大学（LU）联合运营，这是两个世界级的能源研究中心。通过UCL的跨学院能源研究所和LU的可持续发展研究学院，已经确定了80多名能够并愿意监督DTC学生的学者。这些专家涵盖了从科学和工程到人体工程学和设计、心理学和社会学到经济学和政治学的所有必要学科。大学的声誉将使他们能够吸引最优秀的学生到这个研究领域。DTC将开始与1年的联合MRes课程，然后是3年的博士课程，包括在国外的安置，并为每个DTC学生雇用本科实习生，以帮助他们的机会。学生将接受沟通方法和公共参与的替代形式的培训。因此，他们将了解英国面临的能源挑战，欣赏国际能源格局，发展人员管理和沟通技能，从而获得产生切实影响的能力。每年的研讨会将是DTC年的重点，作为一个展示案例和与更广泛的利益相关者社区建立联系的主要机制。DTC将由国际知名学者（主任Robert Lowe教授和副主任Kevin J Lomas教授）领导，他们在这一领域拥有超过50年的经验。它们将得到一个由咨询委员会领导的管理结构的支持，咨询委员会由欧洲能源效率研究中心和实验室主任Pascal Terrien担任主席，并负责联合王国能源技术研究所的减少需求方案。这将有助于确保DTC的国际，工业和英国研究联系。学生将获得在能源竞技场与其他DTC竞争的津贴，并在某些领域工作，进一步提高工业赞助商。他们将获得个人年度研究津贴，良好的研究环境和资源。这两所大学都致力于最高水平的能源研究，并且每个大学都在学术任命，基础设施发展和其他支持方面投入了超过320万美元，特别是在能源需求减少领域。每所大学将与EPSRC资助的学生奖学金一对一匹配，并从其他来源获得资金。因此，该DTC将在其8年的生命中培训至少100名学生。