EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Formulation Engineering

该提案寻求资金更新伯明翰化学工程配方工程博士培训中心。该中心于2001年首次由EPSRC提供资金，并于2008年续签。2011年，在该中心成立10周年之际，该中心获得了钻石周年女王纪念奖之一，以表彰其在配方工程方面的新技术和领先地位，以支持英国制造业。该计划是一个工程学博士中心；学生被嵌入到他们的赞助公司，并开展以行业为重点的研究。配方工程是研究在微观尺度上构造的产品的制造，其性能取决于这种构造。在这一点上，它不同于传统的化学工程。例子包括食品、家庭和个人护理产品、催化剂、陶瓷和农用化学品。在所有这些材料中，配方和微观结构控制着对其功能至关重要的物理和化学性质。结构决定了分子的传递或感知方式--例如，在食品中，传递的是味道分子到口腔和鼻子，对胃肠道有营养价值，而在家庭和个人护理中，传递的是皮肤或要清洗的衣服，而在催化中，它是将分子传递到活性部位和从活性部位传递。因此，不同的工业部门得到了相同的工程科学的支持。我们已经与一系列公司建立了合作伙伴关系，这些公司中的每一家都是各自领域的世界级公司，如宝洁、卡夫/亿滋、联合利华、强生马泰、Imerys、百事可乐和劳斯莱斯，每一家都写了支持信，确认了该计划的价值，并将继续支持EngD。研究工程师在其赞助公司内工作，并返回大学参加培训课程，发展配方工程的概念以及教授个人和管理技能；每年举行为期三天的会议，来自不同公司的工作人员在会上互动并听取关于所有项目的陈述。中心的成果已在影响力较大的期刊和会议上发表，与每家赞助公司签订了知识产权协议，以确保商业保密和发表工作的关键方面。目前正在进行的项目有50个，中心的毕业生中，所有人都有工作，超过85%的人在制定公司找到了工作。EPSRC需要资金支持8个项目，为期5年，以及负责联系大学、赞助商和研究人员的副主任的工资，这对确保项目有效运行和群体之间的良好互动至关重要。每年有两个项目将由该大学资助(该大学还将在整个方案期间资助一名讲师，总额为100万英镑)，并通过其他来源，如目前正在资助3个项目的1851年展览基金。EPSRC的资金将利用至少300万GB的直接行业捐款和800万GB的实物支持，如支持信中所述。EPSRC的资金为4,155,480 GB，将使总成本超过1,700万GB的方案得以运作，EPSRC对整个方案的贡献为24%。

The proposal seeks funds to renew and refresh the Centre for Doctoral Training in Formulation Engineering based in Chemical Engineering at Birmingham. The Centre was first funded by EPSRC in 2001, and was renewed in 2008. In 2011, on its 10th anniversary, the Centre received one of the Diamond Jubilee Queen's Anniversary Prizes, for 'new technologies and leadership in formulation engineering in support of UK manufacturing'. The scheme is an Engineeering Doctoral Centre; students are embedded in their sponsoring company and carry out industry-focused research.Formulation Engineering is the study of the manufacture of products that are structured at the micro-scale, and whose properties depend on this structure. In this it differs from conventional chemical engineering. Examples include foods, home and personal care products, catalysts, ceramics and agrichemicals. In all of these material formulation and microstructure control the physical and chemical properties that are essential to its function. The structure determines how molecules are delivered or perceived - for example, in foods delivery is of flavour molecules to the mouth and nose, and of nutritional benefit to the GI tract, whilst in home and personal care delivery is to skin or to clothes to be cleaned, and in catalysis it is delivery of molecules to and from the active site. Different industry sectors are thus underpinned by the same engineering science. We have built partnerships with a series of companies each of whom is world-class in its own field, such as P&G, Kraft/Mondelez, Unilever, Johnson Matthey, Imerys, Pepsico and Rolls Royce, each of which has written letters of support that confirm the value of the programme and that they will continue to support the EngD. Research Engineers work within their sponsoring companies and return to the University for training courses that develop the concepts of formulation engineering as well as teaching personal and management skills; a three day conference is held every year at which staff from the different companies interact and hear presentations on all of the projects. Outputs from the Centre have been published in high-impact journals and conferences, IP agreements are in place with each sponsoring company to ensure both commercial confidentiality and that key aspects of the work are published. Currently there are 50 ongoing projects, and of the Centre's graduates, all are employed and more than 85% have found employment in formulation companies.EPSRC funds are requested to support 8 projects/year for 5 years, together with the salary of the Deputy Director who works to link the University, the sponsors and the researchers and is critical to ensure that the projects run efficiently and the cohorts interact well. Two projects/year will be funded by the University (which will also support a lecturer, total >£1 million over the life of the programme) and through other sources such as the 1851 Exhibition fund, which is currently funding 3 projects. EPSRC funding will leverage at least £3 million of direct industry contributions and £8 million of in-kind support, as noted in the supporting letters. EPSRC funding of £4,155,480 will enable a programme with total costs of more than £17 million to operate, an EPSRC contribution of 24% to the whole programme.