Welcome note I am delighted to introduce this first Annual Report of Brunel’s newly formed Research Institutes, in the year in which we celebrate the University’s 50th Anniversary. The Research Institutes provide opportunities for all staff, from whatever discipline, to participate in challenge-led, multidisciplinary research programmes. The way in which the three Research Institutes operate, drawing staff from across the whole university, is unique in UK higher education, and testament to Brunel’s ambition to build its profile as a world‑leading, research‑intensive institution. It is clear to me that the Research Institutes have produced a sea change in our research activity. Over the past year we have seen a large number of new and interesting multidisciplinary programmes emerge. This has driven an increase in the number of grants won, their value, and the number of staff winning grants. However, perhaps more importantly, many of us have noticed a new academic energy on the campus, driven by the new opportunities for staff to work together across and between disciplines. For many, this has been an exciting and enriching experience. I think our first Annual Report captures this new intellectual dynamism, illustrating what we have achieved already, and the opportunities that lie ahead. I commend it to you. Professor Geoff Rodgers Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research
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