Underpinning Multi-User Equipment

我们的愿景是与来自学术界和工业界的地区、国家和国际合作伙伴合作，以世界一流的实验设施为基础，开展卓越的研究。在这项提案中，我们的具体目标是更新和更新我们实验室设备的多用户元素，以支持我们的世界级EPS研究组合，确保下一代研究人员接受尖端技术的培训，并继续为工业和研究合作伙伴创造国际领先的设施。拉夫堡大学一直致力于维护实验设施，以支持世界一流的研究活动，这使拉夫堡大学在REF2014年的研究强度排名中名列英国前10名。在本次提交中，我们寻求关键的多用户设备，这将巩固并逐步改变我们的关键工程和物理科学（EPS）研究能力。这些设备还将支持我们耗资6500万英镑的西公园基础设施重建项目，这是该大学有史以来最大的此类项目，其中我们在EPS空间的四所学院将受益于搬迁，翻新和新建，以提供行业领先的最先进的研究和教学设施。我们进行了严格的两阶段选拔程序，由PVC(R)领导，由院长，副院长和负责EPSRC资金的研究发展经理提供支持。使用的标准包括所支持的研究组合的质量、重要性和广度，以及与机构和EPSRC优先事项的战略契合度，符合呼吁的指导。因此，我们通过此次电话申请了四项设备，相干扫描干涉仪（CSI）系统，氙气体等离子体聚焦离子束仪器和分析附件（P-FIB），多功能无低温测量系统（CFMS）和400 MHz液体/固体核磁共振（NMR）光谱仪。我们已经要求供应商支付（几乎）全部的费用，但我们将承担所有的安装和相关的翻新费用，这些翻新/新建项目目前正在我们校园的西园进行。这些基础多用户设备中的每一项都将取代使用良好但现已达到有效寿命的现有设备。所要求的项目还将提供增强的功能，为学生和工作人员提供进行国际优秀研究所需的基础设施。我们估计超过一半的EPSRC投资组合（即4000万英镑）将从提议的投资中受益，我们将在纳米表面工程，原子水平的微观结构分析，量子系统工程和分子表征方面产生重大影响。这项投资标志着拉夫堡大学致力于科学和工程学院的研究设施的意向声明。成功的项目将看到这些新设备被安置在航空、汽车、化学和材料科学学院（拉夫堡材料表征中心）、沃尔夫森机械、电气和制造工程学院以及科学学院（化学和物理）的新的定制实验室中。这包括我们700名EPS博士生的项目，以及我们通过参与六个博士培训中心进行的合作。

Our vision is to undertake excellent research underpinned by world-class experimental facilities delivered in collaboration with regional, national and international partners from academia and industry. In this proposal, our specific aim is to refresh and update multi-user elements of our laboratory equipment to support our portfolio of world-class EPS research, to ensure training of the next generation of researchers in cutting-edge techniques and to continue to create internationally-leading facilities accessible by industrial and research partners.Loughborough University has a substantial and sustained commitment to maintaining experimental facilities in support of the world-class research activities that saw us ranked in the top 10 in England for research intensity in REF2014. In this submission, we seek critical multi-user equipment which will both underpin and make a step-change to our key engineering and physical sciences (EPS) research capabilities. The equipment will also support our £65M West Park infrastructure re-development project, the largest such project ever undertaken by the University, in which our four Schools in the EPS space will benefit from relocation, refurbishment and new build to deliver sector leading state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities.We conducted a rigorous two-stage selection procedure led by the PVC(R) and supported by Deans, Associate Deans and the Research Development Manager responsible for EPSRC funding. Criteria used included the quality, importance and breadth of the research portfolio underpinned, and the strategic fit to institutional and EPSRC priorities, in line with guidance in the call. As a consequence, we are requesting four items of equipment through this call, a Coherence Scanning Interferometer (CSI) system, a Xenon Gas Plasma Focused Ion Beam Instrument and Analytical Accessories (P-FIB), a Multi-functional Cryogen-Free Measurement System (CFMS) and a 400 MHz Liquid/Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer. We have requested the (near) full cost of the items from the suppliers but we will bear all of the installation and associated refurbishment costs within the major refurbishment / new build project that is now underway on the West Park of our campus.Each of these items of underpinning multi-user equipment will replace existing equipment which has been well used but has now reached the end of its efficient life. The requested items will also offer enhanced functionality, providing students and staff with the necessary infrastructure to undertake internationally excellent research. We estimate over half our EPSRC portfolio (ie >£40m) will benefit from the investment proposed from which we will deliver significant impacts in nano-surface engineering, microstructural analysis at the atomic level, quantum systems engineering and molecular characterisation. This investment marks a statement of intent for Loughborough's commitment to research facilities across our Science and Engineering Schools. The successful project will see this new equipment housed in new, bespoke laboratories within the School of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Science (Loughborough Materials Characterisation Centre), and Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering and School of Science (Chemistry and Physics). This includes the projects of our 700 EPS PhD students and our collaborations through our participation in six Centres of Doctoral Training.