SRPe Annual Conference 2023
Left to Right: Prof Bill Ion - Advanced Manufacturing Theme Lead; Prof Trish Connolly - Engineering for Health & Care Theme Lead; Claire Ordoyno - SRPe Executive Director; Prof Sean Smith - Infrastructure & Environment Theme Lead
On Tuesday 31st October 2023, SRPe hosted its annual conference in Glasgow, welcoming over 110 delegates from across the ‘triple helix’ of academia, industry and the public sector to a celebration of the world-class, collaborative engineering research taking place across Scotland.
Claire Ordoyno: SRPe Executive Director
Professor Sir Jim McDonald; Chair of SRPe, Principal and Vice-Chancellor University of Strathclyde, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering
SRPe Executive Director Claire Ordoyno began the day with a welcome speech before SRPe Chair Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde and President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, gave his opening address - recounting the journey SRPe have been on over the years and commending the positive impacts made on the Scottish Engineering Research community.
Our inspiring line-up of keynote speeches got underway with a Ministerial address from Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism & Trade, who highlighted the vital role engineering activity plays in Scotland’s economy. The Minister was followed by Prof Pete Bonfield OBE, Co-Chair of the influential ESPRC Tomorrows Engineering Challenges Today (TERC) report.
Richard Lochhead MSP - Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism & Trade
Professor Pete Bonfield OBE FREng - Vice-Chancellor, University of Westminster
The conference also featured a ‘funding showcase’ with Dr Janette Wark, EPSRC Head of Regional Engagement in Scotland, and Joe Galloway, Research Support Officer – Overseas Funding, University of Glasgow, offering delegates valuable insights into institutional funding priorities and expert practical advice on how to approach funding opportunities.
Dr Janette Wark - EPSRC Head of Regional Engagement for Scotland
Joe Galloway - Research Support Officer - Overseas Funding, University of Glasgow
The conference heard from the SRPe Theme leads on the wealth of collaborative research taking across our 4 Strategic Themes – Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Infrastructure and Environment and Engineering for Health & care.
Underlining the cross-cutting nature of our themes we held two joint theme sessions– each featuring a guest speaker who joined the theme chairs for a panel discussion and Q&A session.
In the combined Advanced Manufacturing / Infrastructure and Environment session Dr Hina Khan, Executive Director, Space Scotland, showed the breadth of activity in Scotland’s rapidly growing space industry.
The Robotics and Autonomous Systems / Engineering for Healthcare session heard from Stewart Miller, CEO of The National Robotarium in Edinburgh, on the cutting edge, collaborative research taking place there.
Professor Bill Ion, SRPe Advanced Manufacturing Theme Chair
Professor Trish Connolly, SRPe Engineering for Health & Care Theme Chair
Professor Sean Smith, SRPe Infrastructure & Environment Theme Chair
Professor Qammer H. Abbasi, SRPe Robotics & Autonomous Systems Thematic Leadership Group member
Stewart Miller (left), CEO The National Robotarium, with Professor Qammer H. Abbasi for the Robotics & Autonomous Systems/Engineering for Health & Care panel discussion and Q&A session
Dr Hina Khan (centre), Executive Director, Space Scotland, with Professor Robert Hairstans (left) and Professor Bill Ion (right) for the Advanced Manufacturing/Infrastructure & Environment panel discussion and Q&A session
In addition to our speakers, we were delighted to host a poster display featuring the finalists from our Industry Doctorate Poster Competition. The finalists, selected from our two Industry doctorate programmes; the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland Industry Doctorate Programme (NMIS-IDP) and the SRPe Industry Doctorate Programme (SRPe – IDP), had the opportunity to showcase their research and discuss industry research challenges and opportunities with delegates.
Left to Right: Industry Doctorate Programme Poster Competition Winners; Konstantinos Gavriilidis - 3rd Prize, Nathan Wu - 1st Prize, Claire Ordoyno - SRPe Executive Director, Himanthi Nimrekha Kahavita Kahavitage Dona - 2nd Prize
It was a fantastic day enjoyed by delegates from across academia, industry and government / public sector agencies and we are already looking forward to seeing everyone at next year’s Annual Conference #srpe24.
