Your News Winter 2017

Winter 2017

News from University of Wolverhampton Science Park and Tenant Companies

Ascentas Scan Centre moves to Science Park

Part of a network of global FabLabs SCITECH INNOVATION HUB

Fuel management partners

LIQUID MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Identifying future food industry trends RTS RESOURCE LIMITED

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Hello and welcome to the Winter edition of Your News

s we say goodbye to 2017 its worth reflecting on what a fantastic year it has been the for the Science Park and some of the transformations that have taken place.

Several improvement projects were committed to, informed by the findings from the Tenant Journey Mapping exercise held in 2016 and feedback from the Information Exchange sessions held with Science Park tenants in February 2017.

The common kitchen areas in the Creative Industries Centre were one of the first projects to get underway, as they were from the original building design and were in need of an upgrade. For this, we enlisted University of Wolverhampton Interior Design Student, Sandra Sharma, who joined the Science Park through the University’s WXP Programme, you can read more about this initiative and Sandra’s thoughts on page 18.

New external signage has been installed around the Science Park, not only to enhance the visual appeal of the buildings, but to also provide visitors to the area with an appreciation of the scale of the site after 22 years of development.

Late Summer saw the hand-over of the latest addition to the Science Park facilities; the much anticipated Science Centre. A number of open days and tours have taken place and I hope to announce our first tenants early in the New Year.

It felt like the contractors on the new build had only just left the site, when we initialised the second phase of the promised improvement plans. Work commenced on a major overhaul of the Technology Centre Reception. The initial completion date for this is end of February 2018; alternative access plans have been put in place whilst work is in progress and I would like to thank you all for your understanding of the inconveniences this will cause as we continue to improve tenant and visitor experiences at the Science Park.

I would like to welcome new tenants that have joined our Science Park community and congratulate the successful tenants who have grown their businesses over the last year.

New Year is traditionally a time for a fresh start, to learn from the past, set new goals and progress towards the fulfilment of the dreams and ambitions you have set yourself, so on behalf of all the staff at the Science Park, I hope your New Year is filled with success, health and prosperity and look forward to making 2018 another successful year together!

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Nigel Babb - Commercial Director UoWSP

Welcome to new tenants that have joined the UoWSP community.

Great to have you on-board Pioneer Process Ltd Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills Rivington International Ltd National Energy Advice Line Quest Event Management Ltd Gorgeous London Ltd Benchmark Building & Refurbishment Ltd Saturn Entertainment Ltd Covenant Direct Limited The School of Coding The Financial Mind Kidscancode Print 6 Signature Drummer AtmosVR August Financials Your Psychology Limited BCID TMC Applications Limited Moola Marketing Ltd

Congratulations to the thriving tenants that have expanded at UoWSP Nice work!

Exlibris UK Ltd Ascentas Group Ltd Phenix Digital Ltd Skills Training Ltd Transitiv Technologies Ltd Crosby Management Training Ltd NHS CCG Tang Solutions Ltd Gecko Programmes Ltd Tec20 Ltd Stone’s Throw Media RSTA Void Games Ltd China Industries Ltd

Shaping the future together

It’s been a big year for the Science Park

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his summer saw the handover of the latest in University of Wolverhampton Science Park’s growing array of facilities – the much anticipated and newly named Science Centre.

With work completed on the new building, it is now ready to accept tenant companies from the science and technology related sectors, and there has been no shortage of interest so far. The Science Centre’s unique offering of leading edge laboratory and workshop facilities, as well as modern office space available in a range of configurable sizes, means that there is likely to be healthy interest for some time to come.

In September, the new development was showcased with an open day, giving around forty prospective tenants an exclusive first viewing of the building. Members of staff were on hand to provide tours of the centre and answer questions about the range of available spaces. In addition, demonstrations were held in the FabLab with its state-of-the art design and prototyping equipment, including 3D printing and virtual modelling.Visitors could also get advice on product development, intellectual property, technical screening and funding support.

This addition to the Science Park, as well as providing facilities that are unique to the region, is being seen as a significant part of the ‘smart specialisation agenda’ put forward by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The goal is to boost output in priority sectors, such as aerospace,automotive, building technologies and life sciences.

The Science Centre, made possible thanks to a £4.8 million grant from the LEP’s Growth Deal for the Black Country, as well as £5.3 million of investment from the University of Wolverhampton, has made sure that innovative businesses from these key sectors will have a facility to base themselves from in the region, Dr Kally Kaur, Managing Director of Watstech, currently based at the University of Wolverhampton Science Park said: “Due to business expansion we are looking to relocate our offices and the new building would allow us to create a bespoke workspace with access to unrivalled facilities in the area.”

More from Watstech on page 12

To find out more about how the Science Centre could be the perfect place for your science or technology business, visit: www.sciencetechcentre.co.uk or email joinus@sciencetechcentre.co.uk

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Facilities Spotlight - SCITECH INNOVATION HUB

In this and future editions, we would like to highlight how we can help in supporting your business ventures by turning the spotlight on the vast resources and facilities here on-site.

We recognise the importance of partnerships and working collaboratively with others.

In this edition we highlight the support and services provided by SCITECH INNOVATION HUB

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pecialist resources and capabilities, within the SciTech Innovation Hub helps to provides the expertise required to support your business through the process of new product development, from idea generation to commercialisation.

The Innovation Hub team comprises technical specialist staff from the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University, led by Prof Andrew Pollard and located within Wolverhampton Business Solutions Centre, so that they are directly accessible to Science Park companies.

The SciTech Innovation Hub offer includes: • • • • •

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CAD modelling and engineering analysis Development of design concepts Market research Review of intellectual property Access to technical graduate placements

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Do you have an innovative idea that you aspire to take to market? Are you experiencing technical or development barriers you need to overcome?

An exciting development is the ‘FabLab’, located within the new Science Centre at University of Wolverhampton Science Park.The laboratory is part of a network of global FabLabs, and is be equipped with a range of prototyping and digital manufacturing technologies to inspire entrepreneurial activity.

Access to these services is available via ERDF part-funded programmes, often at no cost to the Science Park tenant, via initiatives such as the Innovative Product Support Service (iPSS).

To find out more about the SciTech Innovation Hub and the support on offer, please contact Sandra on: 01902 323911, or alternatively, email: iPSS@wlv.ac.uk

Data Storage

Ascentas Scan Centre moves to Science Park

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leading UK provider of document scanning and cloud based records management, workflow automation and hosted server environments moves into the prestigious University of Wolverhampton Science Park.

With 30 years of Document Scanning and Digital Conversion expertise, Ascentas have been at the forefront of converting business records to digital formats for small organisations to large multi-national companies for many years. Ascentas prides itself in providing bespoke scanning and state-of-the-art records management solutions to companies wishing to save space and time by outsourcing the conversion and storage of their business documentation. With the move to cloud based environments, Ascentas pioneered secure cloud based Records Management, Business Automation Workflow and Hosted Server environments by partnering with Microsoft Azure and Kodak Alaris to be the first and only UK totally cloud based Document Scanning and Records Management service provider.

Steven Keating, UK Sales Manager for Kodak Alaris said, “Ascentas have invested in the latest Kodak Alaris technology to take their scanning bureau to the next level. Using the new i5650s production scanners they are able to improve productivity, while delivering on the demands of customer requirements with image quality and data capture of client information. Ascentas are also the first Bureau to use Kodak Capture Pro network software in Microsoft’s Azure Cloud environment for improved security of important information and storage straight to the cloud. It’s been a pleasure working with Anthony and his team. Using the latest technology in both scanning and software we are happy to help support the growth and development of

Tenant News

“We are excited to be locating our Scan Centre to the Wolverhampton Science Park” The Ascentas Group in line with the challenges and demands faced by today’s scanning Bureaus.

Anthony Rose (Jnr), CEO of the Ascentas Group said, “We are very excited to be able to partner with such global leaders in software and technology, especially Microsoft and Kodak Alaris and we are even more excited to be locating our Scan Centre to the Wolverhampton Science Park. With its superb communication links, security and central location, the Wolverhampton Science Park is a fantastic location for us to locate our headquarters and premier Scan Centre.”

For more information on the services and solutions Ascentas can offer your organisation and how they can help you move towards the Paper Light office, contact a member of their team today to arrange for an Ascentas professional to discuss the solutions best suited to you and your organisation.

To learn more about the Ascentas, Document Scanning, Records Management or to book a meeting with an Ascentas professional, contact Andrew Guthrie at 0800 075 2625 or email, hello@ ascentas.co.uk or visit the website at www.ascentas.co.uk.

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Tenant News

Kier BAM JV invest in online fuel management system

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ier BAM Joint Venture, appointed contractors to EDF Energy at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, have chosen Liquid Management Solutions Ltd (LMS) as their fuel management partner.

Following extensive discussions and in-depth business meetings to understand the key needs of the operation, Liquid Management Solutions designed a bespoke integrated fuel management system to accurately capture both inbound and outbound fuel activities.

Prime focus was applied to design a tailored bulk fuel storage facility with unsurpassed key environmental features on and above the Environment Agency regulations. Particular attention was provided in ensuring a safe system of fuelling was achieved on both the bulk fuel storage facility and the mobile fuel bowsers to be used across the site.

Fuel Management

"Our core focus has been to encompass the highest standards in environmental, safety and fuel efficiency best practice" LMS will supply and install their proven RFID automatic vehicle recognition equipment to every asset requiring fuel to manage the substantial earthworks programme.

The prime movers will have their engine hours automatically captured at the point of every fuelling to provide strong KPI information on fuel efficiency for the modern fleet.

Kevin Taylor, Managing Director Liquid Management Solutions Ltd based at the University of Wolverhampton Science Park comments ‘I’m extremely pleased for all of the staff from both of our businesses that have put significant effort to design and deliver what we believe will be a showcase integrated fuel management system. Our core focus has been to encompass the highest standards in environmental, safety and fuel efficiency best practice’

A key selection of specific features and considerations were applied to each large mobile fuel bowser to thoroughly improve the operators working domain.

Kier BAM JV will be provided ‘real-time’ visibility via Cactus Online, a web based fuel management system that will precisely capture all tanker deliveries and every litre being dispensed across each individual asset.

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www.liquidms.co.uk/

Innovation

Jedi Training Remote the Top Toy for Christmas

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stablished in 2006, Wow! Stuff is a British toy inventor company that aims to innovate in gadgets and tech toys for Tier 1 licensed brands such as Star Wars and Harry Potter.

Established by entrepreneur and CEO Richard North and co-founders Kenny McAndrew and Dr. Graeme Taylor, the company sells its products through major retailers, including Argos, Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Amazon.

Star Wars™ fans are being encouraged by Argos to snap up one of this year’s top toys before the launch of the Star Wars: The Last Jedi film in December, to avoid disappointment. The Jedi Training Remote, a miniature droid that resembles a Jedi training device featured in the films, has been hailed as the Star Wars toy of the season by buyers at Argos.

The retailer is anticipating further sales when Star Wars: The Last Jedi is released in the UK on December 14th and in the run-up to Christmas, as parents and fans of the franchise flock to get their hands on the latest Star Wars gadget.

Tenant News

Wow! Stuff encourages fans to use the ‘power of the Force’

that aspiring Jedi use for training. It’s one of those tech items that comes along every couple of years that takes everyone by surprise and it’s been a big hit ahead of the movie launch this season.”

The Jedi Training Remote, made by the award-winning British inventors at Wow! Stuff, encourages fans to use the, ‘power of the Force’ to control the propeller-powered droid and train for combat, just like a Jedi Knight.

Since its launch last month, Jedi Training Remote sales have been off to a flying start. The droid has even been listed by The Independent as a ‘top Star Wars: The Last Jedi product’.

Based on the original device seen in Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Jedi Training Remote is for both younglings and established Jedi. The device darts up and down, while firing simulated ‘sting beams’ at its opponent, making it a great combat training aid.

Lindsay Rogers, Buyer for Gifts at Argos, said: “We’ve seen how popular the Jedi Training Remote is – a flying gadget WINTER 2018

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Digital and Media Tenant News

“The feedback from everyone across the organisation has been really positive.”

A heart warming tail

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tone’s Throw Media, University of Wolverhampton Science Park tenants, recently teamed up with the charity Dogs Trust for a video production regarding a scheme the organisation runs across the country.

Dogs Trust receive a number of dogs that react better in a home environment than they do in kennels, which is why it has launched a “dog fostering” scheme where foster carers can take dogs into their homes until they can be re-homed permanently elsewhere.

Stone’s Throw Media travelled to the organisation’s re-homing centre in Evesham, Worcestershire, to create a video designed to highlight the scheme and its benefits.

Speaking about the project, Michaella Maryon, Regional Press Officer at the Dogs Trust, said: “Stone’s Throw were briefed to produce a short video to help bring to life the impact fostering dogs has on the dogs’ lives whilst they wait to be adopted, and the benefits fostering has on the volunteer carers.

The video exceeded our expectations and it really added value to the national PR campaign to recruit more foster carers, which resulted in the story being picked up widely in regional press and the video being viewed almost 4,000 times.

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“The feedback from everyone across the organisation has been really positive.”

Matt Weston, co-founder of Stone’s Throw Media, said: “Once we heard about the scheme and its benefits we couldn’t wait to team up with Dogs Trust for this video, and we’d like to thank them for giving us the opportunity to do so.

Everybody here is really proud of the video we created for this project and we’re delighted to hear from Michaella that it’s had such a positive impact.”

For more information on the scheme and the video, visit: http://bit.ly/2Cbzonk

www.stmedia.co.uk

Sector Specific - Accountancy

Some things I don't take risk with

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o you ever feel like you summit Mount Everest daily? Business owners wear numerous hats. One minute you’re the CEO, the next minute standing in for the receptionist, or finish the evening as an end-of-theday accountant.

On 1st February 2014, James Ketchell (@CaptainKetch) became the first and only person to have rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, successfully summited Mount Everest and cycled 18,000 miles around the world.

Seven years prior to this, he was recovering from a serious motorcycle accident that left him with broken legs, a severely broken and dislocated ankle, and a dire prognosis about his ability to walk in the future.

Tenant News

“I have worked with mca group for many, many years and trust them to handle all of my tax and compliance issues.”

I have worked with mca group for many, many years and trust them to handle all of my tax and compliance issues.

But even more than that, I bring them in at the start of each project to get advice on the most effective methods of fundraising for my business.”

James’s book The Ultimate Triathlete is available to purchase now, and stay tuned to hear more about his next adventure: flying around the world in a gyrocopter! mca group are located in the Technology Centre – zip Adrian Holles an email to arrange an introduction and coffee aholles@mcabusiness.co.uk

“It took a lot of grit and determination to even get started with physical activity; I had to dig deep to find it inside me.

Surrounded by a team of professionals I could count on, left me free to focus on setting incremental and achievable goals, and continuously re-evaluate my progress. Much like running my business now. www.mcabusiness.co.uk

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Food Industry

30 years of identifying future food industry trends

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or over 30 years Foodtrending has been forecasting trends for the global food industry, working closely with food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and out-of-home operators to identify future growth opportunities that are relevant and profitable.

“Wherever you look around the world, food and drink markets are either static or in decline. It’s only when you start to analyse the market by trend then you start to see the growth opportunities,” says Foodtrending Marketing and Business Development director Jamie Rice. “When it comes to trends, ultimately it’s the consumer that decides what is successful. However, while we forecast 3, 5 and sometimes 10 years in advance, it is the often the slow incremental increases that take the consumer with the trend and creates winning products.”

Based at University of Wolverhampton Science Park, Foodtrending is dedicated to the food industry. The company started by providing bespoke market intelligence.

Today the team is focused on delivering forward-looking trend analysis. “30 years ago we started measuring food and drink markets around the world in a way that provided a level of detail and consistency no one else can match.

Today this is still the core of our business,” says Rice.

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Tenant News

“When it comes to trends, ultimately it’s the consumer that decides what is successful” At the heart of Foodtrending’s service is a unique global trends database, tracking consumer, retail, out-of-home and ingredient markets around the world.

“But in today’s world data for data sake doesn’t go far enough. For all this talk of big data - you need a service that will help you apply it,” says Rice. “That’s where we come in.

We have a team of expert analysts making sense of all this information and using it to help our clients achieve future growth opportunities.”

With a range of tailored services to create successful products, from inspiring new flavour concepts to detailed market analysis, Foodtrending can help take your food industry business to the next level. For more information speak to Jamie Rice on +44 (0)1902 422282.

www.rts-resource.com

Training Academy

Skills Training UK expands at Science Park

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kills Training UK, which opened an Academy for Business, Industry and Technology at University of Wolverhampton Science Park in 2016, has taken more space at the Science Park for its management team The team are now working with hundreds of employers across the West Midlands and nationally delivering Apprenticeship training to upskill and develop employees.

Stewart Towe CBE DL, Chairman and Managing Director of The Hadley Group and Chair of Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, officially opened the Academy in September 2016 alongside MP for Wolverhampton North East, Emma Reynolds and Martin Dunford OBE, Chief Executive, Skills Training UK. Since then, the Academy has flourished as a specialist digital and IT skills training hub for employees on Digital Marketing and IT Apprenticeships with local employers and for young people who are developing their experience and preparing for work through Traineeships.

“There’s a huge benefit in taking an Apprentice because you can mould them to the shape of your business”

Tenant News

Alex Bishop, 20, who enrolled on Skills Training UK’s Level 3 Digital Marketing and Social Media Apprenticeship, with Plumbing World’s Bridget Smith

websites, as well as creating and publishing social media posts. Alex, who enrolled on a Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship with Skills Training UK, opted for the chance to learn practical skills rather than take up an unconditional offer at University. He attends the Academy for up to two days per month.

As well as Digital Marketing, Skills Training UK’s training at the Academy also supports Apprentices who are IT Specialists, Network Engineers and Cyber Technologists.

For further information please call 0800 612 6224, email apprenticeships@skillstraining uk.com or see www.skillstraininguk.com

Plumbing World, whose national distribution centre is in the West Midlands, are one of the employers who contacted Skills Training UK earlier this year to help them with employing an Apprentice in Digital Marketing and Social Media.

Alex Bishop, 20, is now an important part of the Plumbing World team, responsible for managing product content across three WINTER 2017 11

Research and Development Tenant News

Expanding company looking to new Science Centre

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atStech Ltd, tenants currently based in the Technology Centre at University of Wolverhampton Science Park, is a team of qualified and technical experts having over 30 years combined experience in water and wastewater research & development.

The team provide services to independently evaluate water and wastewater treatment processes and technologies and also provide customised services, designed and developed in-house, to assist with process selection.

WatStech has been awarded several contracts, working with Water Utilities and water industry consultants for drinking water and waste water treatment plants. Being located at the heart of Wolverhampton, is ideally situated to support this work across the Midlands.

Having a proven track record of meeting client’s needs and expectations and a reputation for completing projects on time and on budget, managing director of the expanding company, Dr Kally Kaur, commented on the recently opened Science Centre at UoWSP “We have been based at the Science Park for over 12 years and due to business expansion we are looking to relocate into the new building. This would allow us to create a bespoke workspace with access to unrivalled facilities in the area.”

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A proven track record of meeting client’s needs and expectations and a reputation for completing projects on time and on budget

Olga Katsi an employee of WatStech was awarded Graduate Placement Award 2016.

WatStech has previously taken advantage of University of Wolverhampton scheme, which offers UoWSP tenants access to talented students and graduates for placement ultimately employing a number of Environmental Technology graduates. One recent graduate of the University of Wolverhampton Olga Katsi and employee of WatStech, was awarded Graduate Placement Award 2016.

To find out more about the projects WatStech is working on, take a look at the website www.watstech.com

www.watstech.com

Research Tenant News

International Space Station collaboration

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leanGrow UK Ltd. has been making and developing solid state sensor systems in the University of Wolverhampton Science Park since 2015

The Creative Industries Centre tenant recently won first prize in the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry Emerging technologies competition held in Manchester.

The CleanGrow probe simultaneously measure multiple nutrients in water, currently, if someone wants to measure the ionic nutrient content of soil, compost or liquid fertiliser they have to send a sample to a lab. CleanGrow UK Ltd have developed a probe which contains six solid state ion electrodes, each capable of measuring a different ion, including magnesium, nitrate and phosphate.

CleanGrow sensors recently won first prize in the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry Emerging Technologies competition

CleanGrow is also pursuing a large grant to continue this work in collaboration with ESA and Enterprise Ireland.

Collaboration with Professor Craig Banks (Manchester Metropolitan University), recently the most cited scientist in the world, is also on the agenda. This is to develop a screen print based multi-ion sensor that will revolutionise sensing by removing calibration steps and making a low cost solution available to all. CleanGrow is currently awaiting the decision of Innovate UK for funding support for this project.

Dr Roy O’Mahony, CTO, will be presenting news of sensor technology and further capabilities at the Satellite Applications Catapult and Sensor City workshop in Liverpool.

As part of a collaboration with European partners in a H2020 project called www.timescale.eu, Cleangrow is busy finalising its autonomous, self sampling, fully automatic multi-ion analyzer.

A plant growth centrifuge, designed for the International Space Station, will benefit from one of Cleangrow’s units as the company travels to Modema in Italy to install one of its units in the final breadboard.

info@cleangrow.com

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Tenant to Tenant Offers

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ake advantage of the wealth of resources available from your fellow tenants with discounted offers and support

Document Scanning Service from Ascentas Storing documents is an ever growing problem for businesses, on site storage is limited, off site storage space can be extremely expensive and inefficient whilst retrieving and re-storing documents can take days and incur extra expense.

UoWSP tenants, Ascentas document scanning service can provide an efficient and simple solution. Find out more about this service visit the website at www.ascentas.co.uk.

The Platinum Group Membership offer from the Black Country Chamber Black Country Chamber are offering UoWSP tenants membership of The Platinum Group at a discounted rate.

The Platinum Group is a network of committed leaders from strategically important businesses within the manufacturing, automotive, logistics, freight and transport sector in the Black Country and offers the following benefits: Sharing Best Practice• • Executive Invitations• • Peer to Peer Working and Information Sharing,•

Media opportunities are also available through Press and Profile initiatives.

To find out more visit the Black Country Chamber website www.blackcountrychamber.co.uk/membership-clusters/theplatinum-group

Photographic offer to tenants from Codsall Photographic Codsall Photographic, based in the Creative Industries Centre, are offering all UoWSP tenants 20% off their already competitive studio rates.

Their studio on the ground floor of the Creative Industries Centre is fully equipped for corporate portraits and product photography.

So if you need to update your website or catalogues - or are just looking for some updated personnel photos visit www. codsallphotographic.com to view the gallery from Codsall Photographic or give Chris a call on 01902 844883 for a no obligation quote. www.codsallphotographic.com

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UoWSP tenant company Swindell and Pearson, have informed us that in a bid to support UK innovation, the UK Intellectual Property Office has agreed to part-fund intellectual property audits.

A business can pay £400 to receive a comprehensive audit of its IP assets to the value of £3,000. If you’re interested in finding out more about the audit and how it can potentially benefit your business, you can find out more by visiting. www.patents.co.uk

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Its Policy activity ensures the interests of The Platinum Group members are represented locally and nationally regarding the issues which matter.

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Part Funded IP Audits Available from Swindell and Pearson

Made in the Midlands Membership Discount

UoWSP Tenants can enjoy a

10%

DISOUNT when taking a Made in the Midlands membership Quote UoWSP when joining

Do you have a service to offer your fellow tenants?

Let us know, contact: e.a.taylor@wlv.ac.uk

Science Park Community News

Thanks for joining us

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pparently even a very small exposure to nature can produce dramatic benefits, especially when coupled with a little gentle exercise.

Green spaces aren’t just pleasant to look at, it appears that they can significantly enhance employee well-being and reduce stress.

Don’t forget, studies have shown that exposure to more light can boost Vitamin D levels that are known to lift your mood.

What better excuse then to arrange some UoWSP tenant get togethers in the open air (as if we needed an excuse). We took advantage of the summer weather by holding our events in the grounds of the Technology Centre The Summer Buffet held on the 20th June was a great success and it was good to see so many tenants join us. When the Eventbrite registrations started to drop in the in-box, it was obvious that we would need two marquees to cater for the 120 attendees, the food was plentiful, the sun shone and everyone took advantage of beneficial effects of being outside in the open air on a lovely day.

This was followed in August by another outdoor event – the Annual Tenants’ BBQ. Again, this was really well attended, we had over 150 tenants join us for this event and not only were the two marquees used we needed three barbeques to serve the food from. Tenants were treated to a surprise visit from Mr Whippy, who provided us with ice cream cones and lollies throughout the event.

To help work off the calories, the golf and football games were set up – the Target Shot football contest was won by Amie from Eighty3Creative and Dave from WOW Stuff won the golf game Closest to the Flag. It was a good event with excellent feedback from tenants; very pleased we gave the ‘open air’ theory a try!

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Tenant News

Look out for the next UoWSP tenants’ get together advertised in the weekly e-newsletter

Fast forward to the tenants’ festive ‘jingle and mingle’ get together 13 December and the snow and ice lay thick on the ground.

Fortunately, we were warmed by the mulled wine and festive atmosphere, we were spoilt for choice from the buffet table: Catering Services provided a fantastic spread of hot and cold seasonal food.

A light-hearted ‘Pacman’ style game from SPARK tenants - School of Coding, was demonstrated using fresh fruit, which made us smile and it was then available for tenants to test their skills. It wasn’t as easy to beat as it first appeared, a leaderboard was set up and the clear winner was Laura Evans who won a breakfast voucher for the Science Park catering outlets.

Talking of winners, the tenants’ raffle was drawn at the end of the event - 1st prize - a luxury hamper, went to Emma from BCRS, 2nd prize a John Lewis voucher to Renu from B2B Quote and 3rd prize breakfast to Jane Sheilds from Black Country Chamber of Commerce.

Funds from the raffle will be donated to the charity determined by the most nominations from tenants when registering their attendance to this event via Eventbrite; Compton Hospice received most nominations for 2017, the money collected reached £105.00, UoWSP will be adding to this sum, in lieu of sending Christmas cards.

Catering Services

Seasonal and locally sourced produce on the menu

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niversity of Wolverhampton Catering Service is proud to be providing a quality service to its clients that has earned it a fantastic reputation.

A diverse range of food and drink options has been created so that each client is given the best possible choice. Also encouraged is the use of seasonal produce and the catering services takes pride in its commitment to procuring locallysourced produce and ingredients wherever possible, thus supporting local and regional businesses across the Midlands.

Both of the cafe outlets at UoWSP offer a choice of breakfasts served until 11:30. With breakfast cited as the most important meal of the day, why not treat yourself to one of the delicious choices from the breakfast menu and you’re set up for the morning.

Viaduct View outlet based in the Creative Industries Centre offers a range of lunch items.There’s soup and a roll on the menu for lunch, as well as sandwiches, hot or cold pasties and snacks, with a choice of Hand-crafted beverages from the Starbucks TM range.

Lockside Cafe in the Technology Centre also has the offer of a different hot dish available each lunchtime, including a vegetarian option - take a look at the menu board for the dish of the day being served in your cafe.

Pick up a loyalty card and once complete redeem to receive your FREE hot drink.

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University of Wolverhampton

Are you planning a meeting or seminar?

Why not add some refreshments to your event?

Are you planning a meeting or seminar? Why not add some refreshments to your event? From Fairtrade tea and coffee, a working lunch, fork buffet to a 3-course seated meal, our catering department can deliver to your meeting room, your office or provide an assisted service in the dining area.

Tenants at UoWSP have a choice of four buffet menus, which vary in price and selections - take a look at the hospitality menu from our catering services, which can be found by visiting the link below on UoWSP website www.wolverhamptonsp.co.uk/additional-services/ catering/ If you’re looking for something special to serve at your event, contact Catering Manager, Pam Fletcher P.Fletcher@wlv.ac.uk, Pam will be happy to provide you with the perfect menu.

CAFE OPENING HOURS: Technology Centre: Monday to Thursday 08:30 -15:30, Friday 08:30 - 15:00 Creative Industries Centre Monday to Thursday 08:30 - 15:00, Friday 08:30 - 14:30

Business Support

Find the right growth options for your business?

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University of Wolverhampton

Support to drive your business forward and committed to finding the right growth options

hether you’re a budding entrepreneur starting a business or a well-established organisation, the experienced team at the Business Solutions Centre can offer a range of business support and services to help your business realise its full potential.

Equipping yourself and your workforce with knowledge, skills and training is essential for long term success in business. Encouraging innovation from within your organisation and empowering your teams to keep pushing the boundaries will help you to stay ahead of the competition.

Primary areas of support include finance and funding, business start-up & growth, knowledge, skills & training and manufacturing, innovation & technology; all delivered through strategically located Business Solutions Centres (BSCs) in association with the University of Wolverhampton.

Business Solutions Centres offer a range of options for expanding the expertise of you and your workforce – whether you’re a manager needing leadership training to help take your company to the next level or a business that’s looking to offer apprenticeships for recent graduates – Business Solutions Centres will be able to help fill your skills gap

While it’s not the sole factor for success, the financial health of your business is crucial – whether you’re an SME or a wellestablished organisation. Financial stability is a fundamental building block for sustainable business growth; allowing you to invest in new equipment, facilities, stock or expand your workforce when opportunities arise.

At the BSCs, it’s recognised that there are lots of finance and funding options available to your business and that this can be a source of complexity. The team, working in collaboration with local Growth Hubs, can provide you with a single point of contact for a range of local schemes, grants, loans and equity arrangements to suit companies of all sizes.

Whatever your reasons for starting a business, it’s understandably both an exciting and nervous time. From registering your new company, writing a business plan and getting underway with sales & marketing to understanding tax, finance and funding available to your new business, the team are on hand to help you achieve your growth ambitions through a range of business support initiatives.

The Midlands region has long been recognised as a national and international hub for manufacturing, innovation and technology and the Business Solutions Centres are passionate about nurturing the sector to conserve the region’s heritage. Looking to the future, it recognises that encouraging local businesses to innovate and invest in new technology today is central to securing local jobs for tomorrow.

From advice on Computer Aided Design, Building Information Modelling and export via the West Midlands Manufacturing Club through to drones and business support workshops on tackling cybercrime, the Business Solutions Centres act as a gateway to access a full spectrum of local support; whether you’re a manufacturing firm or simply looking to innovate and adopt the latest technology Why not find out how our specialist support can help your business? Visit www.businesssolutionscentres.co.uk WINTER 2017

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Students views

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arly in the year the University of Wolverhampton Science Park management team held an Information Exchange session with tenants to discuss the proposed future improvements across the Science Park.

Several projects were committed to, informed by the findings from the Tenant Journey Mapping exercise held in 2016 .

One of the first projects to get working on was the refurbishment of the common kitchen areas in the Creative Industries Centre.

The kitchens were functional, but as they were from the original building design, they now lacked visual appeal and were showing their age.

What a better opportunity then to utilise the skills of one of the University of Wolverhampton interior design students - the talented, Sandra Sharma, Sandra joined on a placement through the University’s WXP Programme.

University News

Did you feel like a valued member of the team?

Absolutely! From day one I felt welcomed and part of a team.

Do you feel like you gained useful career skills from your time at the Science Park and in what areas?

Definitely, I have improved on my technical skills regarding software, I had to improvise at times to achieve targeted outcomes, and learn quickly.

What advice would you give a student/graduate looking for such an opportunity?

If you see an opportunity – take it, you never know when the next one may arise, and how much you could potentially learn from it.

What advice would you give a student/graduate currently undertaking such a placement?

Keep your ears open, take advice and learn as much as possible.

This is the opportunity to practically apply the skills gained from University and learn directly from the professional world.

In your view, how important are these opportunities to students?

This placement has played a big role in understanding If I am on the right career path as well defining the area I want to specialize in for the future.

Sandra Sharma - Interior Design student University of Wolverhampton This started as a summer role but has been extended, as work on the second project the Technology Centre Reception gathers pace.

We caught up with Sandra to find out more about the initiative from a student’s perspective Tell us a little about your experience at UoWSP, what were the main tasks you were assigned with?

This has given me a great opportunity to experience real life working environment and has given me a chance to network.

I was assigned to experiment, generate ideas and visualise them to be able to find a creative solution.

What’s been the most beneficial thing you have learned from the experience?

The opportunity to see the whole process from beginning of a project to the finished product. During this process I learned what you need to consider when designing a new space and how it gets executed step by step, as well what are the potential difficulties that may arise and how they can be dealt with.

Have you faced any difficulties during your engagement with the business world at the Science Park?

I don’t think there were many difficulties apart from challenging myself at times in finding new ways of executing ideas using different techniques. Saying that I don’t think it’s a difficulty. It’s beneficial to step out of your comfort zone.

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Sandra’s impression of the proposed new reception area in the Technology Centre

The WXP Programme is

‘The most cost-effective and risk-free way to attract first class talent to your organisation’ Students and Graduates are looking for meaningful opportunities and the chance to prove themselves in a dynamic workplace - ideally in an environment where in time they can make a real difference and be fairly rewarded for hard work and showing initiative.

We can match a student or graduate to either your specific project requirements or longer term recruitment needs.

If you would like to recruit a student/graduate for your company please contact The Student and Graduate Employment Team on theworkplace@wlv.ac.uk or call 01902 321691. We can discuss the costs and the funding we currently have available to support employers offering these placements.

The Racing Team

Students contenders in professional Motorsport

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or the second year running, the University of Wolverhampton Racing (UWR) have taken the title fight down to the very last race of the season.

The student-run racing team competitively took part in all 18 rounds across 7 UK venues that made up the 2017 F3 Cup calendar. The team set the bar high with a dominating opening weekend at Donington Park with a hat-trick of pole positions and wins; an impressive repeat of their success from UWR driver Shane Kelly’s favourite circuit in 2016.

Students were put to the test in their second round at Snetterton 200. Changeable conditions saw a last minute wheel change in the first race which forced driver Shane Kelly to fight his way 12 places through the grid to clinch fastest lap and 4th overall.

Prepared for any eventuality, the team clinched a further two second places, which extended their championship lead.

The reality of the sport was brought to the forefront at Silverstone National when Shane was caught in an unfortunate collision which left the F3 sandwiched between two other competitors. Luckily there were no injuries and the team quickly set to repair the damages in time for race 2 the following day.

Determined to make the most out of his time on track, the UWR driver fought and took home the Sunoco Fastest Driver of the Weekend award.

Silverstone GP – Home of British Grand Prix, hosted corporate sponsorship event to 70 guests. Shane, the team and guests celebrated with a podium finish (2nd) and Sunoco Fastest Driver of the Weekend award.

University of Wolverhampton

The team and guests celebrated coming 2nd in the championship for the second year in a row. This is something the race team are extremely proud of.

Brands Hatch GP finishing 4th and 6th. Snetterton 300 – finishing 3rd, 2nd and 12th /13 (due to suspected puncture and last minute pit-stop during race) Oulton Park was the last race of the 2017 season. UWR were 16 points behind championship leader Jacopo Sebastiani and still very much in contention to win the championship. Qualifying in 5th place for race 1, the team had a fight on their hands to be in with a chance of the title.

Light rain started to fall during the start of race 1, which left drivers questioning their dry race setup. Team Fox Racing’s Robbie Watts spun on the exit of Cascades which forced Kelly and Wiltshire to slow down and take a wider racing line.

The UWR F3 car’s right wheel touched the damp grass by Island Bend and forced an early retirement to the race. A quick turnaround was needed by the students to re-prepare the now muddy F3 car for its final race of the season.

With the championship title now out of UWRs hands, the team wanted to make sure they still gave it their all in the final race.

UWRs Shane Kelly had a good start away from the line and the students could be seen on the pit wall cheering their driver to their final 3rd place podium of season.

The team and guests celebrated coming 2nd in the championship for the second year in a row. This is something the race team are extremely proud of.To be a real contender as an educational team in professional Motorsport is amazing. It’s a testament to the hard work put in by each student on the team.

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Engineering Students

Wolf 3

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ormula Student (FS) is Europe’s most established educational engineering competition. Backed by industry and high-profile engineers such as Patron, Ross Brawn, OBE.

The competition, situated at the home of the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit, aims to develop enterprising and innovative young engineers and encourage more young people to take up a career in engineering.

The format of the event provides an ideal opportunity for the students to test, demonstrate and improve their capabilities to deliver a complex and integrated product in the demanding environment of a motorsport competition.

This was the third year of competing in the global university competition for University of Wolverhampton Racing Team.

The engineering students at the University of Wolverhampton designed and built Wolf 3 in just 8 months at the Telford Innovation Campus, and newly appointed team leader, James Small was determined to beat last years’ ranking of 27th overall and 12th UK university.

Before any teams are allowed to run their car in the dynamic events, they first have to pass 6 areas of scrutineering: safety, chassis, technical, noise, tilt and brake. UWR were FIRST out of 128 teams to pass all 6 areas, deeming their car fit and ready to compete. Understandably, the team were quick to celebrate building a reliable, safe car that stuck to IMechE guidelines. UWR were then in the spotlight and had visits to their garage from JLR and ExxonMobil.

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University of Wolverhampton

The engineering students at the University of Wolverhampton designed and built Wolf 3 in just 8 months at the Telford Innovation Campus, UWR were shortlisted from 128 to 6 teams for the JLR Art of Performance Award. An award that looked into how they designed the car, the 3D printed parts used and how the car was performing. They were also shortlisted from 128 to 4 teams for the ExxonMobil Innovation Award – very similar to the award ran

by JLR; judges were focusing on the exhaust system designed by final year Motorsport Engineering student, Aidan Silsby.

Following the competition, Aidan was contacted by ExxonMobil to say that he had won a spot on the tour of the Red Bull F1 Factory.

Overall UWR took home 490 points, which meant they sat 13th overall and were the 9th placed UK University At the end of the competition, UWR presented with a 2008 BMW Sauber F1 Bargeboard by Willem Toet.This was in recognition from the IMechE Formula Student judges of the teams work and step-up in design, performance, and attitude towards the competition. This huge honour left UWR feeling immensely proud of the time and effort they had put into Wolf 3.

On the weekend the University became a sponsor of Race Tech Magazine’s event: World Motorsport Symposium. Hosted at the prestigious Institution of Mechanical Engineers at One Birdcage Walk in the heart of London, the University of Wolverhampton will be 1 of 4 universities with a presence.

Safe to say, the team were proud of their third year competing in the IMechE Formula Student competition; It’s definitely set the bar high for July 2018!

Research and Development

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eading innovation and opportunity is central to the University of Wolverhampton’s mission, and the expertise and experience of its academics can make a substantial difference to the competitiveness of SMEs that engage with it.

Research underpins everything the University does, informing teaching, business and society. It’s not just confined to academia; it’s vital for industry success, with research projects involving collaboration with businesses, professional bodies and organisations.

The University is fully committed to supporting economic growth through innovation and enterprise. In this issue of YOUR NEWS we look at some of the areas of its research work which uncover findings that translate into real solutions and influence ways of working.

“It is likely that technology will play an important role in the future of the Black Country”

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lobal Megatrends and the Black Country – is a new report that highlights key influences for the future of the region.

‘Global Megatrends and the Black Country’ reviews and summarises latest data, trends and forecasts. The result is a guide to the social, technological, economic, environmental and political megatrends that are most likely to most influence the Black Country over the next 20-40 years.

New technology, expanding export markets and international influences are all set to impact on the region and the report’s author, Dr Stuart Connor, says “It may not be possible to know the future, but it is possible to anticipate and prepare for some of the risks and opportunities the future may hold.”

The report covers issues such as the growing influence of China and India, the threats posed by climate change, the continued growth of public debt and the impact of new technologies on society.

Dr Connor, a Reader in Social Welfare, said: “It is likely that technology will play an important role in the future of the Black Country. Robotics, artificial intelligence and bio-technologies will not only have an impact on the number and types of jobs available

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in the 21st Century, but also the nature and role of government and the organisation of health, education and social care.”

The report raises questions as to how the Black Country could prepare for and benefit from what is described as a new machine age and the beginnings of a fourth industrial revolution.

“The Black Country was shaped by and helped shape the industrial revolution. A fourth industrial revolution could be just as vital for the Black Country. To anticipate the future, policy makers, businesses and the wider public should have open access to the latest data, trends and forecasts.”

The report, as part of the Dial 481 project at the University of Wolverhampton, is not an attempt to predict the future but to develop awareness of these global megatrends. It is intended to be the first in a series of briefings and opportunities to inform ongoing conversations across the Black Country and beyond as to how the future could and should be shaped.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Geoff Layer said: “A key role of universities is to use its knowledge base to help to create the tools to maximise planning. Megatrends are a key aspect of such a framework and this report provides an insightful approach.”

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University of Wolverhampton

Research into the healing power of sugar

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pioneering University of Wolverhampton researcher who is investigating the use of sugar in wound treatment has been honoured by the African college where his career began.

Dr Moses Murandu received an honorary award from the Maluti Adventist College Mapoteng in Lesotho in recognition of his achievements in sugar research.

Now working as part of the team in the Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, Moses has been carrying out research into the healing power of sugar on patients for over five years.

In 2009, he was awarded the prestigious Fondation Le Lous Scientific Research Innovation Award and £25,000 to continue his pioneering work.

Moses grew up in Zimbabwe and his father used granulated sugar to heal wounds and reduce pain when he was a child. But when he moved to the UK, he realised that sugar was not used for this purpose here.

The Senior Lecturer’s research looks into the effectiveness of sugar when used on hospital patients with wounds such as bed sores, leg ulcers and even amputations. He was recently honoured at the Maluti Adventist College Mapoteng where he trained as a registered general nurse from 1988-1991.

Dr Murandu said: “I feel very emotional and humbled to be recognised far away from home in Lesotho. To see that the world is supporting my work makes me feel good and satisfied.

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Medical Research

“I am grateful to

my workplace, the University of Wolverhampton, for their continued support in this work.”

I am also grateful to my workplace, the University of Wolverhampton, for their continued support in this work.

Hopefully soon I will be able to develop wound care products from sugar that can be distributed worldwide.

“The Maluti Adventist College Mapoteng in Lesotho felt the outcome of the research has the potential to help many people globally. The Dean, Dr Amelia Ranotsi, and faculty members felt proud to be associated with my work indirectly and were proud that I am working at a prestigious institution in the UK. The honour was to acknowledge my scholarly achievements as well the impact of this scholarly activity to the wider world.”

The award was presented to Moses by Professor D Spencer, The College Chancellor.

This is the latest accolade for Dr Murandu, who previously won third prize in the Best Research from a Developing Country Award category at the Journal of Wound Care Awards 2015, and was honoured by the Zimbabwe Medical School in December 2015 after presenting a paper there.

University of Wolverhampton

Global recognition for mathematicians

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athematicians at the University of Wolverhampton have been ranked number one in the world for their research.

They were officially placed 1st in the world for the average quality of their research in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as Shanghai Ranking, published this week.

The research was done by the Statistical Cybermetrics Research Group and is categorised as Library & Information Science in the Shanghai Rankings.

The Shanghai Ranking also includes a combined ranking that includes three sizerelated measures, placing Wolverhampton 19th Professor of Information Science overall in the world, and highest in the UK, for this.

Mike Thelwall Professor of Information Science Mike Thelwall, an internationally-renowned researcher in cybermetrics, runs the

Research Statistical Cybermetrics Research Group, Research Institute of Information and Language Processing (RIILP).

He said: “We are very proud to be ranked as number one in the world, which reflects the hard work and innovative research of our small but dedicated team.

“We use our mathematical skills to solve varied and interesting problems within information science. One day we are running a maths-driven lightshow on top of the Empire State Building and the next we are advising the United Nations on the online impact on their publications. The common factor is the mathematics of information.”

The ARWU is the world’s oldest university ranking system and is regarded as one of the three most influential and widely observed university measures.

“We are very proud to be ranked as number one in the world, which reflects the hard work and innovative research of our small but dedicated team”

Professor Thelwall‘s research involves identifying and analysing web phenomena using quantitative-led research methods.

He has developed a wide range of tools for gathering and analysing web data, including hyperlink analysis, sentiment analysis and content analysis for Twitter,YouTube, MySpace, blogs and the web in general.

Find out more information here: http://bit.ly/2jTS1oR

Pioneering research into brain tumours

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rofessor John Darling, Director of Healthcare and Medical Research, in conjunction with the University of Wolverhampton Brussels Office, recently held a policy event at European Parliament in Brussels.

The subject of brain tumours was discussed, bringing into the spotlight the University’s pioneering work on glioblastoma multiforme – a fast-growing tumour which kills 16,000 people in the UK every year, which has no cure.

‘Brain Tumour: Research and Societal Need’, hosted by MEP Neena Gill (West Midlands), brought together delegates from across the European Union, MEPs Linda McAvan (Yorkshire and the Humber), Aldo Patriciello (Italy) and Jose Inácio Faria (Portugal), as well as leading figures in neuro-oncology, medicine, patient groups, academia and politics.

“At the event we discussed that better collaboration from all parties on brain tumours is needed as only by sharing knowledge, data and tissue samples together can research move forward,” said Professor Darling.

“Science is moving forward but we need to go back “only by sharing to basic research and knowledge, data developing new approaches to treatment of brain and tissue samples tumours, as well as investing together can in drugs repositioning.

More dedicated funding is research move needed to accelerate the research. Treatment and research must consider the quality of life of the patients while introducing new solutions.

Find out more about areas of research at: wlv.ac.uk/research WINTER 2017 23

Research University

Tackling Plastic Pollution

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esearchers from the University of Wolverhampton recently held a public lecture to discuss their efforts to reduce plastic waste through the creation of biodegradable plastics.

Biopolymer Research Group at the University of Wolverhampton is making significant contributions towards the global issue of plastic waste Dr Iza Radecka and Professor Marek Kowalczuk outlined how their work could be used for areas as diverse as the production of cosmetics and farming.

The Biopolymer Research Group at the University of Wolverhampton is making significant contributions towards the global issue of plastic waste, meeting growing demand for a biodegradable plastic.

Bioplastics have experienced fast growth in the past decade thanks to the public concerns over the environment. Global capacity of bioplastics is expected to reach 7.8 million tonnes in 2019.

Dr Radecka said: “Mountains of plastic waste, including carrier bags, packaging and medical plastic wastes are buried in landfill sites around the world each year.

Unfortunately plastics produced by the petrochemical industry are not biodegradable and therefore accumulate in the environment at a rate of more than 25 million tonnes per year.

Over the past decades a large amount of biopolymers originating from various types of microorganisms have been reported. Ongoing research has increased rapidly the number of possible applications, ranging from food additives, polymeric controlled-release systems of pesticides and biomedical agents to biodegradable packaging, toys, carpets and electronic components.

Bacterial biopolymers can contribute to the solution of the problem of disposal of manufactured plastics. There are still challenges in developing biodegradable, high performance bacterial plastics. Attempts are therefore being made to find new ways in which to increase the rate and efficiency of microbial synthesis of bioplastics.�

In the last round of assessment for research excellence in the UK, the University of Wolverhampton was ranked at its highest ever level. Each member of staff and subject area that were evaluated by The Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) were recognised as having world-leading elements. Particular areas of strength included the work by renowned Professor of Information Science Mike Thelwall and his team. Other areas that were awarded with high praise include Health, History and Modern Languages Research.

Find out more about the areas of research within the University of Wolverhampton at www.wlv.ac.uk/research WINTER 2017

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