Case studies

… Researchers at Teesside University have developed smart tools that automatically adapt to changing energy demand and production. This work has led to more accurate predictions of energy need and a significant reduction in energy wastage. And, in collaboration with industry, Teesside University research has enabled wind energy to be integrated into the National Grid – resulting in over 4.2 million homes in the UK being powered by offshore wind. …

Reliable surveying techniques are essential to aid the protection of endangered species and chart the spread of invasive species. Using environmental DNA (eDNA), researchers at the University of Derby are transforming the way different species can be detected, monitored and quantified, opening up avenues for the conservation of rare species and for the effective management of non-native species which are invading and colonising various freshwater…

The University’s Particle Instruments Research Group have worked with a number of businesses to translate their research into commercial devices to monitor air quality. The team’s ground-breaking design for a low-cost Optical Particle Counter, was taken up by Essex-based company Alphasense. Since 2015, over 18,000 units have been integrated into air quality monitoring systems in 70 countries. This delivered significant economic impact: at least £…

What do Danish law makers, British beekeepers and international environmental campaigners have in common? They have all benefited from the Pesticide Properties Database (PPDB), one of the most comprehensive pesticide resources in the world, developed at the University of Hertfordshire. First launched in 2007, the database was developed by the Agriculture and Environment Research Unit led by Professor Kathleen Lewis. Two decades of continuous rese…

Dr. Sally Akehurst is Head of the School of Human Sciences at the University of Derby Tell us a bit about your career in science and how you came to focus on your specialism. I am a sport and exercise scientist who specialises in sport and exercise psychology, a core element of sport and exercise science. My research centres on performance under pressure; the mechanisms by which performance breaks down, and contributory psychological and physiolo…

Dr. Emma Hayhurst is Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biology at the School of Applied Sciences, University of South Wales. Tell us a bit about your career in science and how you came to focus on your specialism. More by luck than judgement! Before uni I had no real idea of what I wanted to do – my main aim was to work as a white-water raft guide. I started a Zoology degree because I loved animals but quickly realised there was too much emphasis on d…