The University of Exeter’s MetaHub is being supported by a £10.5 million investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) announced by Science Minister Lord Vallance on a visit on 23 May.
An additional £9.1 million comes from the University of Exeter, other higher education institutions, and private investment, showing the value of cutting-edge research as a driver of investment in all corners of the country.
Bringing new materials to life
The MetaHub is focused on nanoscale ‘metamaterials’, new types of base materials designed at the molecular level, so that they have new and useful properties not found in natural resources.
This is a growing sector, starting as curiosity-driven research that is now having major impact, where the UK has the potential to be a leader.
The work at the hub will create technologies that underpin sustainable futures and could give rise to materials that underpin new products, ranging from batteries and sensors, through to foodstuffs and agriculture.
Such advances would also support the development of compact imaging devices that may be of use in medical and defence settings.
Investing now in the UK’s metamaterials expertise paves the way for the products of the future to be invented in Britain, with new jobs, businesses and even entire industries to potentially flow from them.
Driving economic growth
Speaking at the University of Exeter, Science Minister Lord Vallance said:
The work happening here in Exeter is a prime example of how cutting-edge research can attract private investment and drive economic growth, in every corner of the UK, which will be critical to our economic mission at the core of the Plan for Change.
Our backing for the MetaHub is an investment, for both today and for tomorrow. We are securing the UK’s leadership in the high-potential field of metamaterials, a new class of materials specially engineered to have new and useful properties. This work is paving the way for future products and innovations that will deliver jobs and growth, in the years ahead.
Harnessing curiosity-led research
Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair at EPSRC said:
We’ve nurtured metamaterials research for many years and it’s fantastic to see it grow from a few individual research groups in the 1990s to a rapidly expanding and thriving research community today.
By harnessing the control of light, energy and information, the MetaHub has the potential to benefit both civil and defence sectors. From more efficient, effective and secure computing and communication to advanced sensing and energy generation, this research will take curiosity-led research to tangible outcomes.
Backed by businesses
Researchers at Exeter are working on novel materials that could be used to make the next generation of computer components, diagnostic tools for healthcare, radio transmitters and even soft drinks.
Their work is being backed by businesses, including:
- QinetiQ
- Leonardo
- PepsiCo