Researchers head for Edinburgh to build business

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN

March 2, 2008

Researchers head for Edinburgh to build business

Wider business links, new partnerships and increased dialogue with policymakers are the aims of University of Aberdeen researchers who are this week setting out their stall in Edinburgh.

The academics are taking part in a major event being held on Wednesday at Our Dynamic Earth which will showcase the pioneering research into health, energy, environment and low carbon technology that is currently underway at the institution.

Innovate with Aberdeen - The Frontiers of Excellence is the first event of its scale and kind that the University has staged outside Aberdeen, with around 30 University staff attending the event.

Organisers – who have their eye on Glasgow for a similar event next year - hope it will yield more collaboration, more consultancy work and more knowledge transfer opportunities for the institution which will be unveiling brand new and innovative research projects as well as giving updates on ongoing studies.

Professor Dominic Houlihan, Vice Principal for Research and Commercialisation at the University of Aberdeen, said: “We are very excited about Innovate with Aberdeen which is a tremendous chance for industry to find out more about some of the wide and varied research excellence that they can be tapping into to help grow their business.

“We are showcasing leading research into health, energy, the environment and low carbon technologies which will also be of interest to policymakers who could also be capitalising on our strengths.

“We already have wide and established links with all sectors of industry but further collaboration is something we always welcome and of course the University of Aberdeen benefits greatly from this too.”

Dr Rachael Wakefield, Technology Transfer Officer of Research and Innovation at the institution, added: “The University of Aberdeen has a distinguished history of innovations and breakthroughs, and Innovate with Aberdeen is a great opportunity for the University to tell a new audience that we are still pioneering, still innovating and are punching well above our weight.

“It is also our chance to showcase to other cities in Scotland that they can look outside their area and to Aberdeen for partnerships, collaboration, knowledge exchange and consultancy. Our message is that the University of Aberdeen is a superb business partner with wide-ranging expertise.”

There will be talks, exhibits and poster presentations at the event which is expected to be of interest to politicians, researchers and influencers, business leaders and advisers, biomedical and technology development companies and the investment community.

Talks and exhibits will include presentations on a sustainable technology that is using sunlight to treat dirty water and create electricity simultaneously; new material that could revolutionise the way buildings are insulated and ventilated; a new methodology for analysing well site data and a new tool that could help children with Developmental Coordination Disorder; research which is helping form the policy arena in Scotland including studies into sex education in schools; how new technology could improve public transport; research into the impacts of the smoking ban; and the long term future of North Sea oil and gas.

For more information about Innovate with Aberdeen see: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/innovate/

For more information about conference venues in Edinburgh click here.