Tag: NIBB

Value of AD Research Recognised with AD Ambassador Award

Leaders across the anaerobic digestion industry met earlier this month for the fourth annual UK AD & Biogas Industry Awards held at the Birmingham NEC.

Angela Bywater, Network co-Manager of the BBSRC-funded Anaerobic Digestion was amongst those recognised for their contribution to the industry, receiving an ADBA Industry Ambassador Award for her work in championing the AD industry’s interests  and, in particular, the value of research and development.

ADBA Chief Executive Charlotte Morton said “There has been a lot of exceptional hard work by dedicated professionals over the past five years, all aimed at scaling our industry. Today the AD industry boasts 400 biogas plants, which together deliver an electrical equivalent capacity of almost 480 megawatts – equivalent to the capacity of one of the nuclear power plants, Wyfla, which is being decommissioned this year.“ She added that, with these awards, “We’re honoured to recognise the greatest contributors to those sector triumphs that have developed AD as an established, proven technology.”

The Anaerobic Digestion Network is one of 13 BBSRC funded Networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy and is led by Professor Charles Banks of the University of Southampton and Professor Orkun Soyer from the University of Warwick. The AD Network provides research funding accessible to business and academia, as well as running low cost/free networking and information dissemination events for anyone interested in innovation and research in the field of Anaerobic Digestion.  Membership is free to all. More information can be found at www.anaerobicdigestionnet.com/.

LB Net Early Stage Career Workshop – 8-10 July 2015, Redworth Hall, Darlington

If you are in the last year of your PhD or you are a postdoctoral researcher within 3 years of completing your PhD do not miss this opportunity to engage with experts from industry and academia in the lignocellulosic biorefinery area and take part in a creativity workshop aimed at inspiring  researchers to recognise the potential for innovation and research in the area of industrial biotechnology and  lignocellulosic biomass.

Take part in this 3-day workshop, where a series of inspirational talks are planned. Participants are expected to form teams and develop innovative and competitive ideas for funding. Mentors from industry and academia will be there to support delegates. This is a great opportunity to mix with like minded researchers and be guided in how to develop creative research into competitive proposals and entrepreneurial ventures. The workshop is led by Dr Edward Green, founder of Green Biologics and Chain Biotechnology and the aim is to encourage creative and innovative thinking.

Register by completing the LB Net application form and returning it to veronica.ongaro@york.ac.uk

CBM Net Event: Engineering the membrane for improved cell factories

The use of whole-cell biocatalysts for the large scale production of biomolecules, fine chemicals and biofuels is a key theme within industrial biotechnology and bioenergy. However, cells that have been engineered for these purposes are often subject to membrane stress, leading to a loss of integrity at the cell membrane.

This event brings together stakeholders with an interest in understanding and re-engineering cell membranes to enhance the productivity of cell-based factories used in industrial biotechnology and bioenergy. More details can be found at: http://cbmnetnibb.group.shef.ac.uk/event/engineering-the-membrane-for-improved-cell-factories/

AD Network Awards its 3rd Business Interaction Voucher

Our third Business Interaction Voucher has been awarded. These vouchers support collaborations between industrial and academic partners within the Network. Our first two BIVs are well on track to produce some good information for the industrial partners and we have two more in the pipeline. Interested in finding out how we can help fund an academic to help you with a business problem? Take a look at our Information on BIVs.

View from the Lab – Send in your photos!

The BBSRC have a new project called ‘View from the Lab’. They are looking for very short submissions which capture the day in the life of a scientist. If you would like to get involved, all you have to do is take a picture and tell them a little bit about yourself (just a paragraph or two). This is a great opportunity to put your communication skills into action, and gives you the chance to practice explaining what you do to a lay audience.

Here is what you do:

  1. Take a picture. It could be the view from your window or from your desk/bench, and it doesn’t have to be an actual lab if you’re a scientist who does field work or sits in front of a computer. The only guideline is for the photo to be of your view, not you. If you can capture something cool and exciting in your view (such as a piece of equipment used in your research) then even better.
  2.  Tell us about yourself and the picture. Send us your name, email address, country, job title and…

What do you do? Explain in one paragraph, and for a lay audience, what your job entails. Make sure you explain any terms that non-scientists might not understand.

What can I see in the picture you sent? Describe your view in one paragraph

When I’m not doing science, I… Tell us a bit more about yourself in one paragraph

Send your entries to Anisha Chandar – Anisha.Chandar@bbsrc.ac.uk