‘Intelligent and resilient’ ocean engineering, new kinds of batteries and more precise X-ray scans are among the ‘disruptive innovations’ being developed by the Royal Academy of Engineering’s latest ‘Chairs in Emerging Technologies’.

The Academy (www.raeng.org.uk) has made awards totalling over £22 million in research funding through this programme, providing long-term support to eight world-leading engineers in the UK to advance emerging technologies.

The Academy says innovations being developed by the Chairs in Emerging Technologies have the potential to considerably benefit society and the UK economy, and enable the “UK to remain at the global forefront of engineering innovation.

"The areas of research funded reflect the UK’s wider technological priorities, with many of the projects directly aligned to the Government’s Industrial Strategy and designed to tackle some of the biggest industrial and societal challenges of our time”.

The 10-year support provided to the ‘Chairs’ will enable them to progress their pioneering ideas from basic science through to full deployment and commercialisation.

Jim McDonald (pictured), president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “Engineering is critical to the research and innovation process, enabling the generation of tangible economic benefits for the nation.

"Emerging technologies offer enormous opportunities for the UK, both economically and socially.

"Investment in these areas will help us to stay competitive in the global market-place and to establish a foothold in developing future markets.

"The quality and vision of those receiving the awards are testament to the outstanding research talent in the UK.

"It is essential that we support both the innovations and the pioneering individuals who will transform their ideas into fully commercialised technologies, with important and widespread applications.”

The eight Chairs in Emerging Technologies are supported through the Government’s Investment in Research Talent initiative.

They include: Professor Richard Dinsdale, University of South Wales (Bio-electrochemical process engineering for carbon reduction and resource recovery); Professor Susan Gourvenec, University of Southampton (Intelligent and resilient ocean engineering); Professor Ian Saxley Metcalfe, Newcastle University (Engineering chemical reactor technologies for a low-carbon energy future); and Professor Alessandro Olivo, University College London (Micro-radian X-ray scattering).

Eight more Chairs in Emerging Technologies will be appointed in 2020/2021, and applications are now welcome.

The deadline is 4pm on 11 February 2020; the award value is £2,780,000 over 10 years.