天美传媒

WMG at the 天美传媒, Innovate UK (IUK) and advanced recycler of plastics are to continue their collaboration on sustainability with a new IUK funded, two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).

WMG will develop operational sustainability models for Mura鈥檚 Hydro-PRT advanced plastic recycling technology to identify opportunities for further improvements to the already sector-leading environmental performance of the process. Mura has already identified an annual carbon emissions saving of 40,000 tonnes at the first Hydro-PRT site in Wilton, Teesside, due to commence operations in 2024.

Mura Technology is an advanced recycler of waste plastics, producing fossil-equivalent oils from post-use, mixed, multi-layered flexible and rigid plastics for the petrochemicals industry to create virgin-grade plastics, such as for use in food packaging. Mura's patented, innovative next generation processing technology, Hydro-PRT, produces high quality chemicals and oils with sector-leading sustainability attributes, creating a low carbon and circular model for a range of stakeholders working with polymers.

The company's first commercial scale plant, at Wilton, Teesside, will become the world's largest advanced recycling plant when it commences operations later this year, with two further plants being built under licence with partners in South Korea and Japan, expected to come online by the end of 2024. Driven by increasing regulation on plastic waste, Mura has a global growth ambition for more than 1.5 million tonnes of recycling capacity in operation or development by 2032.

WMG will create a modelling platform that will operationalise sustainability at all future Mura project sites, including Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), to demonstrate transparently how Hydro-PRT meets environmental requirements. The platform will be used to educate and inform stakeholders including global regulators, policy makers and the plastics value chain on the low carbon potential of
Hydro-PRT.

The KTP is the continuation of the IUK Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging research partnership, where Reader of Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing at WMG, 天美传媒, Dr Stuart Coles successfully developed and published Life Cycle Analysis models, independent of Mura, for the Hydro-PRT process and the UK waste plastic recycling ecosystem. Dr Coles will also be the academic lead on this project.

Simon Broome Innovation Manager at WMG, 天美传媒, who co-wrote the application for the project, said: 鈥淚 was blown away by the potential of this project to transform the process for recycling contaminated waste plastic. The team are highly committed and have already demonstrated impressive growth on their journey to make real sustainability gains in this important material sector.鈥�

Mura鈥檚 Head of Sustainability and R&D, Dr Geoff Brighty, said: 鈥淐ontinuing the collaboration with WMG is critically important to bring this new science into our core business operation. Hydro-PRT has sector leading sustainability credentials, but every prospective site will be unique, influenced by the local energy grid, plant configurations as well as its material supply chain. The KTP project models will inform options appraisals and decision making, ensuring sustainability is at the heart of our global growth programme.鈥�

For more information on developing a Knowledge Transfer Partnership application with WMG, contact wmgsme@warwick.ac.uk

For more information on WMG鈥檚 research in Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing visit: Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Group (warwick.ac.uk)

Expert comment, from Dr Ben Silverstone, Workforce Transformation, Skills and Policy Lead at WMG, 天美传媒, on the establishment of Skills England

鈥淲MG welcomes the formal announcement on the establishment of Skills England. A combined approach from the Government, education providers and employers is, without a doubt, the best way of ensuring that the skills system is fit for purpose. The decision to appoint a non-governmental chair should also be applauded and will ensure the needs of industry and the workforce are placed before policy pressures.鈥�

鈥淭o make the most of this opportunity we encourage the Government to consider the following key issues:

• Everyone, regardless of age; background or employment status, must have the best opportunities in terms of education - this is critical to the future prosperity of our society
• There must be an equal, if not greater, focus on upskilling and reskilling those already in employment
• We must learn from the Apprenticeship Trailblazer model, and focus on the skill enablers of our economy rather than the narrow interests of a traditional sectoral led approach
• Finally, we strongly urge Government to ensure the balance between a nationally conceived strategy, a regional contextualisation and high-quality local delivery is not lost.鈥�

WMG at the 天美传媒 celebrated the achievements of its latest cohort of graduates during the 2024 Summer Graduation Ceremonies. The ceremony marked a significant milestone for many talented individuals who have excelled in their academic pursuits.

A total of 490 students received their degrees across various levels including 惭补蝉迟别谤鈥檚; Postgraduate Research, and Undergraduate programmes.

Among the 惭补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 graduates, there were 380 students: 129 studied full-time, 25 part-time, and 226 completed their degrees overseas.

From the Postgraduate Research programme 23 students graduated: 20 PhD recipients and three EngD students.

For Undergraduate students there was a total of 87 students. This included 44 who earned a BSc in Cyber Security, 11 with a BSc in Digital Healthcare Science, and from the Degree Apprenticeship pathway – a further 32 with a BSc in Digital and Technology Solutions.

The ceremony held on Friday 26 July 2024, featured an inspiring speech by WMG alumnus Dr Graham Hoare OBE (MSc Engineering Business Management, 1993). His address had a lasting impact on the graduates motivating them as they step into their future careers.

Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, expressed his pride in the graduates, saying: 鈥淵our dedication and remarkable achievements have enriched our community and set a high standard of excellence. I am incredibly proud of what you have accomplished, and excited to see the heights you will reach in the future. Congratulations to all of you.鈥�

Professor Clark added, 鈥淕raduation is not the end but the beginning of a lifelong connection with WMG and the 天美传媒. As part of a global network of over 285,000 alumni, including more than 29,000 WMG graduates, you have endless opportunities to stay connected, build new relationships, and continue growing both personally and professionally.鈥�

Professor Steve Maggs, Director of 天美传媒 and Industry Engagement, also praised the graduates, stating: 鈥淎s you embark on your new journeys, we celebrate not just your academic success but also the perseverance and commitment that got you here. This year鈥檚 class, showcases the diversity and strength of our WMG community.鈥�

Check out the WMG alumni web pages for more details: /alumniLink opens in a new window 

To find out more about studying at WMG visit: Study | WMG | 天美传媒Link opens in a new window 

The 天美传媒 is celebrating 75 years of plant science research at its internationally recognised Crop Centre – the UK鈥檚 leading research facility for vegetable growers.

WMG at the 天美传媒's commitment to widening participation and fostering inclusivity took centre stage during a week-long work experience programme, aimed at inspiring local students to pursue a career in engineering.

The initiative was organised by WMG鈥檚 Outreach team and the鈥疷niversity's Widening Participation Team鈥痶o support under-represented students that might lack confidence or support when they consider a future in engineering. The High Value Manufacturing Catapult鈥檚 Inspiring Young Engineers project, which delivers engaging opportunities to students who might not otherwise have experienced the subject, also supported the week.

Throughout the programme, participants were mentored by WMG staff who provided valuable insights into various engineering pathways, research and careers.

Tours of the engineering facilities showed what research at a university is like - from battery development in the Energy Innovation Centre and automotive technology in the National Automotive Innovation Centre, to studying for an engineering degree at the School of Engineering.

The WMG Outreach Team also worked alongside colleagues from the University鈥檚 Creative Arts department who organised an arts-focused work experience programme to run at the same time.

The programme concluded in a celebration showcase where the students, from both the arts and engineering teams, presented their work to parents, carers, teachers and University staff, including the Vice Chancellor Professor Stuart Croft.

Reflecting on the programme, WMG鈥檚 Widening Participation Co-ordinator, Dr Phil Jemmett, said: 鈥淲e ran this event last year with the support of the University鈥檚 Widening Participation team and immediately thought that we could scale this up, and share the model with a wider group.

鈥淲e are delighted to have had the Creative Arts stream on board because it shows how different skillsets and expertise is needed to create solutions that will actually benefit people. I鈥檓 proud to have been able to give young students an experience of how collaboration really happens.

鈥淭hroughout the week we鈥檝e had ups and downs, challenges and successes – but that is what engineering is really like! Nothing works the first time, so the students have had to learn problem solving and resilience. I couldn鈥檛 have been happier to see all six projects from the engineering stream up and running at the final showcase – what鈥檚 more each one of them had elements and decisions devised by the students themselves.

鈥淭hey have all grown in their abilities and confidence, and I hope that they take that confidence back with them to their studies, and future careers.鈥�

This year鈥檚 programme follows the mission statement of the 2023 event, but with the addition of creative arts: 鈥淭he 天美传媒's initiative reflects its dedication to providing equal opportunities in engineering and creative arts education. By empowering less privileged local students and challenging misconceptions about the subjects, they are nurturing a diverse talent pool that will shape the future of engineering and creative arts.鈥�

The event was supported by a host of staff and student ambassadors including Phil Jemmett; Margaret Low; Caroline Cannon; Marie Diebolt; Alex Band; Bruce Guild; Megan Clement; Robin George; Harry Gillions; Liv Griffiths; Martin Hill; Myles Ing; Karen Kudar; Samuel Leo; Zarin Miah; Ihsan Muhaddisoglu; Umair Paracha; Bradley Peirce; Adam Rich; Shawon Shanto; Elizbieta Titis; Jingyi Zhao; Caroline Cannon; Gauri Verma; Oksana Trushkevych; Bill Crofts; Richard Carney; Vidya Narayanan; Bradley Pierce; Laura Copland; Jay Carter; Paul Philipson; and the WMG Facilities team.

Find out more about WMG's Outreach programme鈥痟ere: Outreach and Widening Participation (warwick.ac.uk)

A major competition organised and run by the Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN) with support from WMG at the 天美传媒, designed to get more young people involved in manufacturing, has recognised the talented engineers of the future.

The attracted nearly 100 pupils from 15 schools in what is one of the largest independent STEM events ever held in the UK. It was hosted at the 天美传媒鈥檚 Innovation District.

Southam College, Barclay Academy and Lawrence Sherriff High School took the main prizes, winning the Efficiency, Innovation and Manufacturing Awards respectively. The Awards focused on the way they tackled a challenge to use a box of simple materials, to build a device, that could securely lift a metal block with nothing more than a pulley system.

The students split up into teams of four to design, test and build their solution, working closely with apprentices from the eight MAN companies and engineers from WMG鈥檚 SME Group.

Dr Mark Swift, Director of SME Engagement at WMG, 天美传媒 said:

鈥淒esign & Make connects young people with dynamic manufacturers whilst they are still at school and making future career decisions – this is critical for addressing the UK's engineering skills gap and fostering a culture of innovation.

鈥淓arly exposure and practical experience help to inspire the next generation of engineers, equipping them with the necessary skills to ultimately develop new technology and grow our world leading manufacturing sector."

Austin Owens, Managing Director at Grove Design and Co-Chair of the Manufacturing Assembly Network commented: 鈥淲hat a fantastic way to celebrate the fifth year of the Design & Make Challenge, with the biggest turnout of students we鈥檝e ever had – that really shows the appetite to learn more about a possible career in industry,鈥�

鈥淭he competition is all about inspiring young people to get hands-on with design and engineering skills, working together to come up with a solution that then competes with other schools in terms of efficiency, innovation and design for manufacture.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檇 love to make the competition even bigger and are urging other manufacturers, funders and schools to come forward and get involved. Together we can start to bridge the skills gap industry continues to battle against.鈥�

Southam College, Barclay Academy and Lawrence Sherriff High School each received a 3D Printer as part of their prize package, which was sponsored by 3DPrint UK. These will be taken back to each of the schools and used to develop additive manufacturing and design skills.

There was a fourth prize given out to recognise the different careers in engineering, with Thomas Telford UTC beating off competition to win the 鈥楥ommunications鈥� Award.

This saw the Shropshire school praised for the way it told the best story of the day through the use of social media, with a single post racking up more than 347 likes and over 2000 views in just a few hours.

For more information on WMG鈥檚 SME Group visit SME Support - WMG - 天美传媒

More details on MAN can be found at or follow MAN Group on LinkedIn.

鈥楶ersonalised鈥� hip replacement surgery might be just what the doctor ordered for people with hip arthritis – according to new research. Using advanced technology from other industries such as automotive and manufacturing, researchers are driving medical advancement.

The result is tailored hip replacements, as each person moves their hips in slightly different ways. At the moment, replacements are based on a 鈥榥ormal鈥� hip rather than being specifically designed for the patient.

In the study by WMG at The 天美传媒, in collaboration with University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust and Corin Group, researchers revealed this pioneering approach to hip replacements could improve patient outcomes and surgery success rates.

More than 100,000 people in the UK undergo hip replacements each year, – commonly due to arthritis, a disease of the joints which causes significant pain.

The new study analysed longstanding problems in hip replacement surgery: on the specific range of motion needed in a replacement and how the value of the personalised surgery could be calculated before any operation.

In the study, Lead Researcher Dr Arnab Palit, Assistant Professor at WMG at The 天美传媒, and his team combined real-life and computer models to compare simulated and real hip motions.

This demonstrated that certain hip motions can be easily and accurately calculated using state-of-the-art computer simulations based on CT scans of the patient鈥檚 hip joint, closely mirroring real hip motions.

This advancement could enable surgeons to plan hip surgeries based on patient-specific target hip motions, rather than relying on population norms or arbitrary 'normal' values. This personalised approach is particularly valuable for patients who do not fall within these average values, ensuring that pre-surgical planning is truly individualised and likely to be more effective.

Using these tailor-made hip replacements could improve the success of operations, making them 鈥榬ight at the first time鈥�. Surgeons may be able to put the artificial hip in just the right spot based on the pre-operatively calculated personified target hip motion.

This could reduce the chances of any clinical problems later on, minimising the risk of revision surgery. This will also help to improve the recovery time of patients, while also reducing additional costs and labour to the NHS.

Dr Palit said: 鈥淭his research shows a big step forward in hip replacement planning. By using computer simulations based on a patient's hip shape from CT scans, we can predict certain hip movements accurately. During surgery, these predicted movements can guide them to place implants in the best positions for each patient.

鈥淪o, instead of using average measurements, we're customising the surgery to fit each person perfectly, leading better surgery. Further research will be necessary to fully explore its potential to utilise it for NHS patients.鈥�

Professor Richard King, Clinical Orthopaedic Surgeon at UHCW and the clinical lead of the project, commented: 鈥淭he hip replacement has been called 鈥榯he operation of the century鈥�.

鈥淎s surgeons, we are constantly looking to make it better and more reliable. This work we have done with WMG could help us to do exactly this, by showing us how to tailor the operation precisely for each individual patient.鈥�

Dr Christopher Plaskos, Vice President, Global Clinical Innovation at Corin Group added: 鈥淐orin is proud to support this research aimed at predicting the true range of clinical motion of a hip joint from pre-operative CT and hip motion simulation. It鈥檚 research like this that will shape the future of hip planning, leading to truly personalised hip replacement.鈥�

Find out more about WMG鈥檚 scanning capabilities here: Metrology and 3D Imaging (warwick.ac.uk)

Dean of WMG, Professor Robin Clark; International Partnerships Manager, Nicole Craddock-Zhang; and International Academic Director – China, Dr Dawei Lu, travelled to China recently for a series of high-profile meetings with key representatives from higher education, industry and government.

The trip was a crucial part of WMG鈥檚 strategy to help future collaboration and drive innovation in the country.

Professor Clark and his team met with representatives from (Shanghai Operation) and , where they discussed further collaboration on both education programmes and research initiatives. They then headed to the to explore student entrepreneurship programmes.

Meetings also took place with GAO Yingzhong, Director General, at the , where industry opportunities in the province were explored.

While in Zhejiang, constructive meetings were also held with , China鈥檚 largest privately owned automotive company. Here Professor Clark and representatives from Geely Holdings discussed opportunities to support the company鈥檚 Automotive Engineering Institute.

Finally, there was the opportunity to re-connect with WMG alumni and hear more about their careers and business ventures post-graduation.

Commenting on the trip, Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, said: 鈥淚t was great to return to Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou after the pandemic. We strengthened WMG鈥檚 relationship with higher education partners, industries as well as government agencies that support our strategies.

鈥淚 was particularly pleased to be able to meet the alumni communities too, their enthusiasm was infectious. They were glad to see us, and they have proven to be great ambassadors in the industries they now work in, continuing to make an impact as part of the WMG vision.鈥�