Bath Chancellor learns more about sustainable technologies research in visit to CSCT

Image: University of Bath.

The Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies (CSCT) hosted a visit by the University’s Chancellor, HRH The Earl of Wessex, to learn more about the Centre’s achievements and vision for the future.

As a cross-disciplinary research centre spanning the Faculties of Science, Engineering and Humanities & Social Science, CSCT research includes developing clean energy technologies, replacing crude oil products in plastics and pharmaceuticals with sustainable alternatives and minimising the environmental impact of industrial chemical processes.

During the visit, The Chancellor heard about the vision of the CSCT in making a significant contribution to breaking the global economy’s unsustainable reliance on fossil carbon. He found out more about research from many of the different areas of the Centre’s work, by meeting CSCT researchers who presented a range of projects – from making sustainable biodegradable tree guards, through membrane separation technologies and people-led digitalisation, to tracking Covid19 in the sewage system.

Besides learning about the history of the Centre and its research accomplishments, and its unique international joint PhD programme with Monash University, the Chancellor was also informed about the latest successes of the innovation strand of the CSCT – the West of England Sustainable Technologies Scale-Up Programme (WoESTSP) and the newly launched Innovation Centre for Applied Sustainable Technologies (iCAST), which facilitates collaboration between businesses and academics to bring new sustainable technologies to market.

He was also briefed on the industrial decarbonisation and sustainable energy systems initiatives at Bath, including the UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) and the SuperGen Bioenergy Hub.

Three of the Centre’s past and current Whorrod Fellows described their recent research and, finally, the Chancellor got the opportunity to hear from PhD students about their research and public engagement activities.

Professor Matthew Davidson, Co-Director of the CSCT and Director of iCAST, said: “We’re delighted to have had this opportunity to showcase our ongoing projects to the Chancellor, from the flagship research projects to our collaborative projects with industry.

“This is particularly timely as we transition the CSCT into an institute in the coming year.”