Knowledge Exchange Fellow

The Department of Physics has a very large and diverse portfolio of STFC-funded research, as part of a wider programme of research activity supported by many funding agencies. Some of this research has already found application elsewhere, in both other academic disciplines (e.g. engineering and chemistry) and commercial development (e.g. metrology and radiofrequency devices), but much has potential yet to be fully explored. The University has an active technology transfer office, Oxford University Innovation (OUI), which can assist in patent applications, licensing, spin-out companies and consulting once a customer or market is identified and the technology has reached proof of concept. However, the majority of new applications for our research, and for collaborative research projects with industry, require a close, direct knowledge of our portfolio, an understanding of the challenges to commercialisation from physics, as well as dedicated time and effort to explore potential opportunities. An IPS Fellow based in the department has played a unique role in increasing our knowledge exchange in both scope and extent, transforming our ability to transfer technology to and from other domains. The Department of Physics is part of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) Division of the University, and thus this role has synergies with complementary activities in MPLS, including training activities for staff and students in enterprise and entrepreneurship and support for managing large industry-funded research programmes. The University also has a Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team within its Research Services office, which supports University-wide activity, such as administering research council Impact Acceleration Accounts, liaising with stakeholders such as the Local Economic Partnership and coordinating communication of impact case studies. The Fellow is key to ensuring STFC-funded research as well as staff and students funded by STFC are recognised and supported to achieve impact by these wider support teams.

Like most Physics Departments, Oxford faces challenges in the pursuit of realising impact from its research, some of which are more prevalent in the STFC community. It is here, where the Oxford IPS Fellow is having the most significant influence. STFC-funded research projects often begin and end at lower Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) compared to those funded by other research councils and are not, generally, aimed at specific applications beyond academia. This makes understanding the Pathways to Impact of a research project a particular challenge for the academic and consequently reduces the probability of non-academic impact arising from the work. The two Oxford Fellows in post to date have been able to address this disadvantage before projects are started, as well during and after a project has ended, by using their professional experience of knowledge exchange and their dedicated resource.

This application requests the two year extension to the Oxford IPS Fellowship.