£500,000 boost for University of Brighton researchers

The university’s share, £508,694, will fund at least 10 studentships working in research fields including science, healthcare and engineering. The funds will come from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) which has changed how funding is allocated through its Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs).

Professor David Taylor, Director of the university’s Brighton Doctoral College, said: “This funding will make a difference at many levels and through different platforms: improving individual healthcare, advancing technologies to make lives safer and simpler, deliberately changing perceptions and values in society, improving economic performance, facilitating exposure to different cultures and design, and influencing and rewriting policy.

“The University of Brighton has a long, distinguished history of applied research which sustains and nourishes our mission to help form professional and vocational careers. Our research targets individual, societal, regional and global concerns, and leads to positive change and benefits. We aim to transform people’s lives and improve their environments with research that matters.”

The DTP funds will support students for the academic years beginning October 2016 and 2017. The changes have been made to give institutions greater certainty and increased time to plan their DTP programmes.

Professor David Taylor

Professor David Arnold

Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “We are committed to securing the UK’s position as a world leader in science and innovation, and supporting the vital work of scientists in Brighton is key to this. This £508,694 of funding for the University of Brighton will enable it to take on more doctoral students to support their most promising research, leading to new discoveries and commercial partnerships. It will also give more students the chance to study at PhD level, boosting high level skills in Brighton and the South East and supporting jobs and growth.”

The minister said the funding was a part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to UK science, with a record £6.9 billion invested in science labs and equipment up to 2021, and protection of the science budget at £4.7 billion per year in real terms for the rest of the parliament.

EPSRC’s Chief Executive, Professor Philip Nelson, said: “This year we are allocating £167 million to universities via DTPs. These will cover a two-year period and give institutions greater certainty and increased time to plan their DTP programmes, and support excellent doctoral students.”

Planning for the new funding was led by Professor David Arnold, Director of Brighton Doctoral College research, who retired on Monday (29 February).

Professor Taylor said: “This was mainly David’s work and he deserves full credit for the plans. David will be sadly missed and we wish him well in his retirement.”