EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Formulation Engineering

该提案寻求资金来更新和更新基于伯明翰化学工程的配方工程博士培训中心。该中心于2001年首次获得EPSRC资助，并于2008年获得续期。2011年，在成立十周年之际，该中心因“支持英国制造业的配方工程新技术和领导力”而获得了钻禧女王周年奖之一。该方案是一个工程博士中心；学生们被嵌入到他们的赞助公司，并进行以行业为重点的研究。配方工程是研究在微观尺度上构造产品的制造，其性能取决于这种结构。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。结构决定了分子是如何传递或感知的——例如，在食物中传递的是味道分子到口腔和鼻子，以及对胃肠道的营养益处，而在家庭和个人护理中传递的是皮肤或要清洁的衣服，在催化中，它是分子在活性部位之间的传递。因此，不同的工业部门是由相同的工程科学支撑的。我们与一系列公司建立了合作伙伴关系，每家公司在各自的领域都是世界级的，比如宝洁、卡夫/亿滋、联合利华、庄信万丰、易美思、百事可乐和劳斯莱斯，每家公司都写了支持信，确认了该项目的价值，并将继续支持英国工程博士。研究工程师在他们的赞助公司工作，并返回大学参加培训课程，发展配方工程的概念，并教授个人和管理技能；每年举行一次为期三天的会议，来自不同公司的员工在会上互动并听取所有项目的介绍。该中心的成果已发表在高影响力的期刊和会议上，并与每个赞助公司签订了知识产权协议，以确保商业机密和出版工作的关键方面。目前有50个正在进行的项目，该中心的毕业生全部就业，85%以上的人在配方公司找到了工作。EPSRC的资金要求每年支持8个项目，为期5年，包括副主任的薪水，副主任负责联系大学、赞助者和研究人员，对确保项目有效运行和团队良好互动至关重要。每年将有两个项目由大学资助（该大学还将资助一名讲师，在该计划的整个生命周期内总计100万英镑），以及其他来源，如1851展览基金，该基金目前资助3个项目。如支持信中所述，EPSRC的资金将利用至少300万英镑的直接行业捐款和800万英镑的实物支持。EPSRC的资金为4,155,480英镑，将使总成本超过1,700万英镑的项目得以运营，EPSRC占整个项目的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.