The National Technical Platform for Materials Innovation’s Short Visit and Secondment Scheme offers Research Technical Professionals (RTPs) working in materials science the opportunity to take part in short visits or secondments with UK and international Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), or to undertake short Knowledge Exchange visits with other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
The scheme provides RTPs the opportunity to learn more about equipment operation, improvements and efficiencies they could introduce in their technical areas, as well as opening avenues for future collaboration. Here’s a brief account of three RTPs who participated in the scheme this year.
Tom Baldwin, a Scientist from NPL, gives an account of his visit to PCS Instruments Ltd, a UK-based tribology instrument manufacturer that provides solutions for industry and academia. He said:
“Visiting PCS Instruments was a valuable opportunity to reconnect with a key player in the tribology community, explore their latest innovations, and identify areas of overlap with our work at NPL. This was also a good opportunity to learn about the hidden intricacies of getting scientific equipment to market. The visit resulted in both parties realising that there is more cross-over with our work than we initially thought. It also opened the door to future collaboration and reinforced the importance of maintaining strong links between research and industry.”
Dr Shaoliang Guan, XPS Scientist at the University of Cambridge, visited SPECS Surface Nano Analysis GmbH, a leading manufacturer of XPS equipment, at their Berlin site to get a firmer understanding of how one of their systems operate:
“In my role at Cambridge, I’m responsible for running and maintaining one of the NAP-XPS systems from SPECS – a system new to me. The purpose of my visit was to gain experience of the system software and components (including building the ability to trouble-shoot any issues with the system in my lab), as well as building a stronger relationship with SPECS in terms of exchanging ideas for future technique development. The visit has helped me build confidence in operating and maintaining the instrument independently. I’m also now capable of solving some common issues that may occur in the future.”
Jung-In Lee, Royce Battery Manufacturing Facility Manager at the University of Cambridge, visited TA Instruments, part of the Waters Group. She had samples of Molybdenum Disulfide (2H-MoS₂) to analyse their thermal properties using their equipment. She said:
“My visit to Waters in Manchester was a valuable opportunity to explore advanced thermal analysis techniques for battery materials. Guided by their Principal Application Scientist, Dr. Philip Davies, I prepared and analysed samples using DSC and TGA, while also learning the associated software and data interpretation. The lab tour, showcasing a wide range of analytical instruments, and discussions with staff offered further insight into industrial practice. This experience has strengthened my current research on 2H-MoS₂ and polymer binders, broadened my perspective for future collaborative projects, and helped me improve both facility management and visitor engagement in my own work.”
Read more about NTPMI’s Short Visit and Secondment Scheme here.
