University of Nottingham Faculty of Engineering

Have you ever considered how sustainable chocolate production is?  Our researchers have! Collaborating with the The National Research and Innovation Agency of The Republic of Indonesia of The Republic of Indonesia they have explored ways to reduce waste and make the chocolate industry more sustainable.  Cacao fruit consists of the cacao pod and cacao beans. Only the beans are used as raw material in the chocolate industry meaning the cacao pod goes to waste. Ten tonnes of wet cacao pod husk are discarded to produce every tonne of dried cacao bean. In Indonesia, which represents 13% of the world’s cocoa production, over 500,000 tonnes of waste are being discarded on the fields leading to crop disease and air pollution problems. The study found that cacao pod husk has potential as a raw material for producing phenolic-based antioxidants and other valuable biochemicals and materials with potential applications in food, bioenergy, and pollution treatment – increasing its economic value while reducing environmental waste. Read the full study published in Chemical Engineering Science:  https://lnkd.in/egHK66ij This study was led by Dr Shinta Rosalia Dewi alongside Dr Eleanor Binner, Dr Lee Stevens, Dr Yujie Mao, PhD, AMIChemE, Dr Becca Ferrari and Professor Derek Irvine from the University of Nottingham.  

Congratulations to Medical Photonics – our latest spin out company. Medical Photonics will utilise know-how in optical fibre sensing to support commercialisation of a range of smart technologies to improve healthcare. The spin out will look at using fibre optic sensors which utilise strands of glass or plastic - thinner than a hair – to measure a range of useful medical signals. For example, monitoring the oxygen content of blood non-invasively. The small size and versatility of the sensors means they can be easily integrated into a range of existing medical devices, transforming basic medical devices into smart monitoring technologies. The provision of clinical data coupled with algorithms utilising AI has the potential to benefit many of today’s healthcare challenges related to chronic diseases and an ageing population. Medical Photonics has been founded by Prof Stephen Morgan, Professor Barrie Hayes-Gill, Professor Serhiy Korposh, Dr Ricardo Correia and Dr Brett Gadsby from our Faculty of Engineering, alongside external chairperson David Whelan and clinician Doctor Andrew Norris. Steve Morgan, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Medical Photonics CEO, said: “The launch of Medical Photonics is a great opportunity for us to ensure that our expertise in optical fibre sensing for healthcare moves from the laboratory through to patient benefit. Our approach provides clinicians with a rich dataset that cannot be obtained with other technologies.”  #Spinout #HealthcareTechnology #Impact 

We’re delighted to announce our new hydrogen propulsion lab! Having received planning permission, the lab will be located on our Jubilee campus and operational by mid-2026.  The lab will enable research and safe high-power testing of propulsion systems for transport industries. It will feature cryogenic test capabilities, environmental chambers suitable for altitude testing, and enable testing of gaseous hydrogen, ammonia and other green fuels.  Connected to the megawatt-class testing facilities and world-leading researchers of the adjacent Power Electronics and Machines Centre, this lab will enable the university to deepen its partnership with high-growth industries including aerospace, automotive, marine and power generation.  The lab was funded by round seven of Research England’s flagship UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF) and industry partners.  This is the place that translates zero carbon research into real world solutions.  Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/ektZ7_en Discover our zero carbon cluster: https://lnkd.in/esBx7AYi  #HydrogenPropulsion #ZeroCarbon #GreenTransport  

We’re wrapping up National Apprenticeship Week by highlighting Francisco da Silva. Francisco joined Wincer Kievenaar as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant in August 2022. He’s currently doing a Level 7 Architecture Apprenticeship at the University of Nottingham.   Passionate about heritage architecture, Francisco blends modern design with historic spaces. His research explores thermal performance in listed buildings and reintroducing ornamentation to meet contemporary standards. He also retrofitted a dilapidated barn into a vocational school in London, receiving high recognition for his technical report.   This year, he worked on a master plan for introducing digital industry and biodiversity to central Nottingham. His focus areas include:   🌡️ Thermal performance vs Historical character 🏛️ Sustainable Ornamentation 🔨 Retrofit Design 🌍 Urban Masterplanning 🏗️ Tectonics and Building Construction   Francisco says apprenticeships are a great way to connect academic knowledge with hands on experience, and his advice for anyone thinking about one is to build a strong foundation in your field to make the most of the mentorship and learning opportunities. #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #naw2025

National Apprenticeship Week Spotlight!  Today as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2025, we’re celebrating the incredible achievements of Rachel Levy, one of our Architect Degree Apprentices, who won the coveted RIBA Silver Medal Nomination Award and was shortlisted for the AJ New Talent Award last year! Rachel’s success is a fantastic example of how our Architect Degree Apprenticeship supports apprentices to develop high-quality work that makes a significant contribution to their practice.  Find out more about Rachel’s journey : https://lnkd.in/ecHp3kai #NAW2025 #Architect #Architecture

Great minds don't think alike, so we offer two routes to completing your master's in Architecture.     Join us for our Architect Information Evening in Nottingham or London to find out more about our Architect Degree Apprenticeship and full-time MArch Part2.   #Architect #Architecture #Degree #Apprenticeships #WeAreUoN   https://lnkd.in/eNHAcTTA

Happy National Apprenticeship Week 2025 to all our partner employers, apprentices and staff! At the university, we’re incredibly proud to champion diverse routes into engineering and architecture.  We’re home to the country’s largest Electro-mechanical Engineer Degree Apprenticeship*, developing apprentices into skilled engineers.  Our Architect Degree Apprenticeship is no less, it’s been a top three pick for the last three years* and supports practices across the country to retain and attract talented architects. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the achievements of our apprentices, our partner employers and our staff along with the wider community this week!  Find out more about some of our degree apprenticeship highlights this year: https://lnkd.in/euyFQvhA #NAW2025 #Architect #Architecture *Individualised Learner Records (ILR) start data published by the ESFA 2021-24

University of Nottingham researchers from the NTEC - Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre have partnered with Professor Abir Al-Tabbaa from University of Cambridge to develop innovative methods for characterising bio-based alternatives to fossil fuel-derived bitumen. With road construction heavily reliant on non-renewable materials, this research is a crucial step towards a greener, more sustainable future.    The team evaluated materials, including bio-additives and bitumen, to assess the performance characteristics of the materials. The findings indicate that the employed bio-additives enhance low-temperature performance of bitumen by lowering critical temperatures and reducing cracking susceptibility. They also improve fatigue performance by reducing stresses, prolonging fatigue life, and decreasing strain dependency.   The study demonstrates that solubility science can effectively guide the development and selection of bio-additives for modifying bitumen by filling a gap in existing knowledge and offering useful ideas for creating sustainable and high-quality bio-based bitumen. This is the place making sustainable obtainable.   Find out more about the Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre: https://lnkd.in/e-tsjqWm   Discover more of our innovative research in sustainable transport: https://lnkd.in/eujV5VkV   #RoadConstruction #CivilEngineering