UoY - Nuclear Physics STFC KE and commercialisation fellow
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The nuclear physics group have a strong portfolio of impact activities, principally in developing novel detectors and methodologies for application to the areas of border security, nuclear decommissioning and medical imaging. The purpose of this grant is to fund a knowledge exchange and commercialisation fellow who can accelerate the impact coming from the group. Among other duties, they will help with longer term planning, build more links with relevant industry, support the filing of IP, and develop the case for a spin-out company. They will support the development of two specific projects related to quantum-entangle positron emission tomography and flexible silicon detectors for nuclear decommissioning.
People |
ORCID iD |
| David Jenkins (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | RADCASE (functional scintillators) - Phase 2 |
| Organisation | Lablogic Systems |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | RADCASE is a joint project between the Nuclear Physics Group at the University of York (NPG) and LabLogic Systems Ltd. (LabLogic). An STFC Follow-on-Fund was awarded to support a 12 month collaboration between NPG and LabLogic to develop a prototype device demonstrating the concept of a functional scintillator. The project began on 1st September 2021 and ran to 31st August 2022. NPG and LabLogic agreed to continue to work towards a RADCASE prototype (we are presently in Phase 2 of the collaboration) to form the basis of commercialising this technology via a fruitful industry-academia partnership. The NPG has contributed project management, IP, and commercial support to this project via the STFC KEC Fellow (Adam Featherstone). The NPG has also contributed electronics schematics redesign and PCB design work, and in the future will be contributing product prototype design work, prototype fabrication, and detector characterisation and testing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Electronics schematics (to be modified for the present project). It is expected that the partner will contribute to GUI software development for the prototype device and marketing and commercialisation support. |
| Impact | As of March 2023, the first prototype device is likely a few months away, so no tangible outcome right now. Through this collaboration, the group received a commission to carry out radiation simulation work for a company associated with the partner. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Title | CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTOR |
| Description | This patent relates to a flexible alpha radiation detector, on which Prof David Jenkins is a named inventor. The patent was granted prior to the STFC KEC Fellowship starting. |
| IP Reference | EP3559706 |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | 2019 |
| Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
| Impact | Through the STFC KEC Fellow, significant progress has been made in identifying an interested licensee/purchaser of this IP. This has not yet been agreed or formalised, but is a promising step towards commercial exploitation of the technology. |
| Description | Delivering training for Nuclear physics ECRs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The STFC KEC Fellow prepared and delivered a training session on research impact, knowledge exchange, and commercialisation to a large group of early career researchers at an IOP event. Pre- and post-training quiz demonstrated successful, positive impact of the training. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Hosting a visiting company: Cerberus Nuclear |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The nuclear physics group at the University of York hosted a company visit to share areas of active research from the group and the company. Presentations were given by the STFC KEC Fellow and by the company with a view to exploring commercial partnership potential. Student placement potential was also explored in nuclear physics but also in mathematics, facilitated by the STFC KEC Fellow. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Invited presentation to company: Tuv Sud |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | After meeting with the company at a conference, the STFC KEC Fellow was invited to present an overview of the expertise and technologies of the nuclear physics group at the University of (with a view to exploring commercial partnership potential). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Knowledge exchange group visit to company: Tracerco |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Visiting postgraduate students (and some academics) from South Africa and Botswana were taken by the nuclear physics group at the University of York to a leading radiation detector solutions company. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Local article publication on nuclear physics commercialisation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The STFC KEC Fellow was invited to write an article for the University of York Knowledge Exchange newsletter, aimed at increasing awareness of research impact and its importance. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Participation in Phase-10 UK-Japan nuclear research workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | There are recurrent UK-Japan collaboration calls to apply nuclear physics research in the nuclear decommissioning sector. The STFC KEC Fellow represented the University of York and strengthened links with Lancaster University. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visit to company: Createc |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with a company to share areas of active research from the nuclear physics group at the University of York and the company. A presentation was given by the STFC KEC Fellow at an initial online meeting, and a presentation was given by the company at a later meeting in person - all with a view to exploring commercial partnership potential. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Visit to company: SINTEF |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with a company to share areas of active research from the nuclear physics group at the University of York and the company. Presentations were given by the STFC KEC Fellow and by the company with a view to exploring commercial partnership potential. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Visit to company: Tracerco |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with a company to share areas of active research from the nuclear physics group at the University of York and the company. Presentations were given by the STFC KEC Fellow and by the company with a view to exploring commercial partnership potential. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |