Small Items of Research Equipment at Imperial College London

该提案寻求对小型研究设备的关键项目进行投资，以支持来自工程和物理科学领域的早期职业研究人员。它专门针对关键的研究优势，特别关注支持与能源，未来制造，数字经济和医疗保健技术主题相关的战略优先领域的设备，以及EPSRC产品组合中突出的“增长”和“维护”领域。在这些优先领域中，我们确定了小型设备的三个首要要求-测量（表征和成像），建模（数学和计算建模）和制造（设备和组件的制造和生产）。例如，我们需要成像和分析设备来测量和分析计算硬件，（通常是小规模或购买中央计算设施的核心）进行建模，最后我们需要设备来制造前体、中间体和设备。将从小规模设备投资中受益的关键领域包括：表征-成像-电气表征-机械测试/生物力学性能/生物摩擦学-流体力学-冲击物理的时间分辨光谱学制造和加工-纳米级薄膜沉积-化学合成-塑料电子-化学生物学-合成生物学。工程和物理科学领域的建模和计算。为新设备和设施的ECR提供培训是本提案的重要组成部分，这将由经验丰富的技术人员和研究人员承担。除了确保设施得到适当使用外，培训的可用性将扩大使用设备的ECR的池。我们为这一提案所做的准备包括对早期职业研究人员的调查，这提供了对小型设备需求的详细描述。如果申请成功，下一步将是对申请进行简单审查，然后在规定的时间轴内分配和使用资金。该奖项所带来的升级设备将通过我们的大学设施目录广泛提供给ECR和其他研究人员。

This proposal seeks investment in key items of small research equipment to support early career researchers from across the engineering and physical sciences domains. It is targeted specifically at key research strengths, focussing in particular on equipment supporting strategic priority areas of relevance to the Energy, Manufacturing the Future, Digital Economy and Healthcare Technology themes, and areas highlighted as 'grow' and 'maintain' in the EPSRC portfolio.Across these priority areas we have identified three overarching requirements for small scale equipment - Measuring (characterisation and imaging), Modelling (mathematical and computational modelling) and Making (the fabrication and manufacture of devices and components). For example, we need imaging and analytical equipment to measure and to characterise, computational hardware (often small scale or purchase of cores on our central computing facilities) to perform modelling, and finally we need equipment to fabricate precursors, intermediates and devices.Key areas that will benefit from the investments in small scale equipment include: Characterisation - Imaging - Electrical characterisation- Mechanical testing/ Biomechanical properties / Bio-Tribology- Fluid Mechanics- Time-resolved spectroscopy for shock physicsManufacture and fabrication- Nanoscale film deposition- Chemical Synthesis- Plastic Electronics- Chemical Biology- Synthetic Biology.Modelling and computation across engineering and physical science domains.The provision of training for ECRs on new equipment and facilities is an important element of this proposal, and this will be undertaken by experienced technical staff and research officers. In addition to ensuring that facilities are used appropriately, the availability of training will widen the pool of ECRs using the equipment.Our preparation for this proposal has included a survey of early career researchers, which provided a detailed picture of the requirements for small equipment. If successful in this application, the next step will be a light-touch review of requests, followed by allocation and spend of funds within the specified timeline. The upgraded equipment made possible by this award will be made widely available to ECRs and other researchers through our College Facilities Directory.