The University of Bristol is today celebrating nine Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) which will equip and nurture engineering and science students, thanks to a nationally-leading £57 million funding boost from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The centres, also backed by dozens of industry partners, will develop vital research, industry expertise and innovation in diverse fields including cyber security, global health resilience, sustainable energy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum technology, and the production of new foods, medicines, and products.
More than 500 students are expected to embark on fully-funded four-year PhD programmes, with the first groups of successful candidates due to start in September. Most students go on to deploy and share the skills acquired in businesses including their own startups, public service, or further research endeavours.
The UKRI-funded CDT in practice-focused AI, the second in this field at the University, will support students to design and manage the entire lifecycle of AI applications in science and research. Realising the potential of Isambard-AI, the UK’s fastest supercomputer set to arrive soon in Bristol, AI-driven solutions will be generated in a safe, transparent way.
Other CDTs at the University will concentrate on environmental and health issues. For instance, the Engineering Biology CDT, also funded by the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) will develop innovations in vaccine design, microbial communities to recover energy from wastewater, and engineering models for wound healing in living tissues.
The Aerosol Science CDT, which started in 2019, produced vital research during the COVID-19 pandemic on the airborne spread of the virus. Its pioneering work will continue to address significant global challenges, including climate change, air quality, drug delivery, and sustainable new materials, informing public health policy and innovation.