Physics Minds: Impact and knowledge exchange

We engage with industrial companies for projects through two major channels:

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

The University offers Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) – a support programme designed to maximise innovation and business opportunities for businesses. This brings together businesses, entrepreneurs, academics and funding bodies to develop new products, processes and services.

Some successful past KTPs at Surrey include collaborations with:

• Plastipack - led by Dr Steven Clowes
• TrueINVIVO - led by Shakardokht Jafari
• AMD - led by Dr Izabela Jurewicz
• National Physical Laboratory (NPL) - led by Professor Stephen Sweeney.

Impact Acceleration Account

Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) – EPSRC strategic awards to accelerate the exploitation of current or recently-completed EPSRC, STFC, ESRC, and MRC funded research through increased engagement with key stakeholders and project partners.

Some successful past IAA projects at Surrey include collaborations with:

• NPL on water versus cement (PDF) led by Professor McDonald
• Fitzpatrick Referrals on helping animals get well soon (PDF) led by Dr Izabela Jurewicz
• Etaphase Inc. on hyperuniform disordered materials (PDF) led by Dr Marian Florescu
• Plastipack Ltd on warm and algae-free (PDF) led by Dr Steven Clowes
• CIP Technologies on efficient lasers (PDF) led by Professor Stephen Sweeney.

Using our extensive knowledge, skills and expertise, we provide specialist advice and innovative solutions aimed at improving processes, products and services in the real world. 

Whether you’re a start-up business, established multinational, public sector company or not-for-profit organisation, our consultancy services are an excellent way for innovative businesses to develop relationships with talented researchers.

We facilitate placements for students on Surrey’s physics courses at undergraduate, MSc and PhD level, while the University is also part of the South East Physics Network (SEPNet) which promotes training and employment opportunities in physics. We are involved in various types of student projects, including CASE awards and summer placements.

We also offer companies the opportunity to propose projects for final year undergraduate and PhD students. All projects should be a mutually beneficial experience for both the student and the host organisation.

Find out how you can work with our students and if you have ideas for student projects which you would like to discuss, please get in touch at physicsminds@surrey.ac.uk.

Our department has built strong partnerships with non-academic entities including the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH) and Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE).

These have resulted in a number of co-funded partnerships; Dr Caroline Shenton-Taylor (AWE) or jointly held partnerships; Professor Patrick Reagan and Professor Giuseppe Schettino (NPL), and Professor Rebecca Nutbrown (RSCH) as well as additional financial support for research activities.

In recent years, our academic colleagues have been instrumental establishing industry partnerships providing a direct link between scientific knowledge and commercial solutions that benefit the society as a whole.

Currently we have, Professor Stephen Sweeney Sweeney as CTO of ZiNIR Ltd, Professor David Bradley as a director on the board of Truenvivo, Dr Chris Steer as a managing director at Geoptic and Dr Marian Florescu as a co-founder of Etaphase Inc.

A number of our academics are involved with large facilities elsewhere, such as Professor Ben Murdin, who is Director of the EPSRC National Research Facility FELIX in the Netherlands, and Professor Zsolt Podolyak who is Director of the NUSTAR facility in Germany.