Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Mechanisms of Engagement

Mechanisms


Ad-hoc Advice and Support

As a member of the CIU we are able to help with brief questions and signposting - one of our team will generally be able to answer you directly point you in the right direction for technical questions relating to technical issues that you may have with ultrasonics. Sometimes this involves linking you to another CIU member if commercial services is required, as has happened in several instances.


Summer Student Projects

During the summer vacation, together with industrial partners we select some of the strongest undergraduate students to undertake projects of 8-10 weeks duration, working under a contract to cover foreground and background IP. This typically costs the sponsoring company ~£200 per week, all of which would go to the student for living expenses.

Previous summer projects have in some cases resulted in the develpoment of new products or the generation of scientific results that has been used in technical and sales documentation of CIU members.

* Interested CIU members need to contact us by January / February to let us know of their requirements for the following summer. Numbers are limited and it operates on a first-come-first-served basis.


Postgraduate Research Projects


Some companies sponsor PhD or EngD postgraduate research students to work on an area that supports the activities of the company, often developing new products or getting a better understanding of current products or materials. Again, all work is covered by a case-by-case negotiated contract, covering foreground and background IP. There is some expectation that the student will be able to publish some of their research in journals and conferences, but of course without impacting any commercial aspects or IP.

Costs for this option of enagagement can have a significant range, dependent on a number of factors including IP rights, but can start from as little as ~£37k total for a 3.5 year industry-university sponsored PhD, or even potentially lower where a company has access to EPSRC iCASE funding.


Short Term Postdoctoral Research Contracts


We have access to postdoctoral research assistants who are able to work on short term research projects for periods of between 2 weeks to 4 months, typically. The cost for this support is calcualted by the University based on state guidelines for University funded research and the cost is in the region of a few thousand pounds per month. The exact figure depends on the nature of the project, the range of resources that are involved and the IP arrangement. The exact conditions for this are best discussed with the CIU in the first instance.


Longer Term Research Projects


We have a track record of working with industry collaborators to secure large scale research projects, funded by various sources including the UK science funding agencies, the EU R&D funding schemes, Innovate UK and others. When we work with partners in this way, we will typically take a significant amount of the workload in writing the proposal and even in managing the project if successful. Recent examples include the SACUT EU project, worth approximatelty £1.2M and a £1.2M EPSRC 5 year project for high frequency flexural transducers for use in gas or liquid.