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The funding from the UK government will enable a consortium of universities to develop research and skills in electromagnetics.
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), an executive agency of the UK Ministry of Defence, has announced £7m in funding for the Electromagnetic Environment (EME) hub.
The EME hub is a centre of excellence where academics work with industry partners to drive innovation in electromagnetic research and development. It is a consortium of academic institutions led by Loughborough University, with regional representation from Queen Mary University of London, the University of Leeds, the University of Glasgow and Queen’s University Belfast (QUB).
According to the Dstl, “the five academic partners each bring a history of sustained specialist research, as well as working with national and international academics, government agencies and industry”.
Research into electromagnetics is considered important for defence capabilities.
As QUB’s Dr Muhammad Ali Babar Abbasi explains, “electromagnetics, as one of four fundamental forces of nature, is a crucial element in various engineering fields with applications in defence and the military”.
As well as innovative research, the EME hub will provide specialist skills and training to students “to address a shortage of talent in this area”.
The hub will initially include a management team, five postdoctoral researchers, and 17 PhD students (with at least nine being directly funded).
“This diversity, not only in academic strength, but in geographic coverage of the UK, ensures that the hub will provide a national network that exploits the best of UK capability and research diversity,” stated the Dstl.
QUB’s Centre for Wireless Innovation has world-leading millimetre-wave research facilities that will enable researchers to play an integral role in the EME hub projects by developing cutting-edge radio frequency devices, communication systems and other technologies.
“This project will create a sustainable ecosystem for electromagnetic research,” said Dr Okan Yurduseven from QUB.
Yurduseven went on to say that the EME hub “will have a positive impact on the future of electromagnetic science and technology but it will also have immediate applications for the military and defence sectors”.
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