Doctoral Training Centre in Functional Nanomaterials

如果要在基础纳米科学和现实生活应用之间建立强有力的联系，并结合经济和社会效益，培训新一代功能纳米材料领域的科学家具有重大的国家紧迫性。我们将建立一个前沿博士培训中心(DTC)，该中心将在应对EPSRC通过从工程到应用的纳米科学主题的背景下提出的挑战方面发挥变革性的作用。具体地说，布里斯托尔功能纳米材料(BFN)DTC将开创一个综合和可持续的博士课程，由50名研究生组成，他们将作为一个统一的队列被安置在一个专门建造的新设施内：布里斯托尔纳米科学和量子信息中心(NSQI)，代表布里斯托尔大学1100万的基础设施承诺，将于2008年秋季开放。在大学持续投资的支持下，已建立的跨学科学术网络将使BFN成为一个充满活力的世界级培训环境。BFN招收的高素质和积极进取的研究生最初将通过一个为期一年的纳米材料科学和工程原理和实践的教学和实践课程接受教育，重点是跨学科的方法、应用和相关的社会问题。他们将参与新颖和开创性的探索性培训任务、一个扩展项目和一个博士项目，该项目将自下而上制造纳米材料的基础研究与作为新产品和功能部件的这些材料的制造和应用联系起来。新的培训方案将灌输最高水平的科学和技术能力，同时保持跨学科的视野和承诺，并将重点放在促进纳米材料在现实生活中的应用上。具体地说，我们将开发一个创新的在线培训资源，即纳米材料科学动态实验室手册(NS-DLM)，这是该领域博士培训的新基准，以及个人发展护照，以确保真正的跨学科，并鼓励自我指导决策和同行学习的文化。

The training of a new generation of scientists in the area of Functional Nanomaterials is of great national urgency if robust interconnections are to be forged between fundamental nanoscience and real life applications, and coupled to economic and societal benefits. We will establish a frontier doctoral training centre (DTC) that will be transformative in addressing challenges presented within the context of the EPSRC theme on Nanoscience through Engineering to Application. Specifically, the Bristol Functional Nanomaterials (BFN) DTC will pioneer an integrated and sustainable doctoral programme consisting of 50 postgraduates who will be housed as a unified cohort in dedicated and bespoke space within a new purpose-built facility: the Bristol Centre for Nanoscience and Quantum Information (NSQI), representing an 11M infrastructure commitment by the University of Bristol, and opening in Autumn 2008. The established interdisciplinary network of academics, supported by ongoing University investment, will make BFN a vibrant world-class training environment.The high-calibre and motivated postgraduates recruited to BFN will be educated initially through a 1-year taught and practical programme in the principles and practice of nanomaterials science and engineering, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches, applications, and associated societal issues. They will participate in novel and ground-breaking Exploratory Training Assignments, an Extended Project, and a PhD project that connect basic research in the bottom-up fabrication of nanomaterials to the manufacture and application of these materials as novel products and functional components. Novel training protocols will instil the highest level of scientific and technical competence, whilst maintaining a breadth of vision and commitment to interdisciplinarity, and a focus towards the promotion of nanomaterials into real-life uses. Specifically we will develop an innovatory online training resource, the Nanomaterials Science Dynamic Laboratory Manual (NS-DLM), a new benchmark for doctoral training in this field, and the Personal Development Passport, to ensure true interdisciplinarity and encourage a culture of self-guided decision-making and peer-learning.