New Doctoral Training Centres Success
14 March 2024
The Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, will spearhead new government-funded Centres for Doctoral Training.
![Image of EEE student working in a lab](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/electronic-electrical-engineering/sites/electronic_electrical_engineering/files/styles/large_image/public/210922_j-tye_ucl_77_eee-4097.jpg?itok=q3hxh7zW)
Newly announced Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) centres in the UK will tackle key challenges in various areas, including net zero, AI, defence and security, healthcare, and quantum technologies.
UCL will lead seven of these Centers for Doctoral Training (CDTs), focusing on topics such as quantum computing, cybersecurity, digital healthcare, and antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, UCL will partner with two other CDTs.
These centres, part of the 65 announced by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), represent a substantial joint investment from government, academia, and industry, totalling £1.09 billion.
Professor Alwyn Seeds of UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering will lead the Centre for Doctoral Training in Photonic and Electronic Systems.
“"The major and strongly growing UK manufacturing activity in this area, with £15.0 Billion in manufacturing sales in 2019, significantly greater than the sales of the UK pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, gives rise to a great need for trained researchers. This need will grow further in response to recent UK Government initiatives to expand UK capabilities in communications and semiconductors. Our joint Centre with Cambridge will make a significant contribution to meeting this need."
EEE will also partner in the EPSRC CDT in Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing lead by Professor Huiyun Liu.
The UCL-led CDTs cover a wide range of topics and are expected to play a crucial role in developing the next generation of leaders in engineering and physical sciences.
Head of Department, Prof Sarah Spurgeon said that the news was very welcome.
We are thrilled to have been enormously successful in securing a strong position in EPSRC Doctoral Training in a number of important areas of the Department. We look forward to supporting the success of the EEE-led Centre for Doctoral Training in Photonic and Electronic Systems as well as the Centres for Doctoral Training in Quantum Computation and Quantum Communications and in Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing, where we are partners.”