AWE and The University of Manchester launch Actinides Centre of Excellence
AWE has strengthened its strategic partnership with The University of Manchester, through the launch of the Actinides Centre of Excellence (ACE) – a new centre being created at the university to grow world-leading capability in actinides science and related nuclear research.
Overview of Actinides Centre of Excellence
The Actinides Centre of Excellence will focus on experimental studies of actinide materials, specifically uranium and plutonium. The aim of the collaboration between AWE and The University of Manchester (UoM) is to provide a science-based environment for the development of innovative methodologies and technologies to enhance fundamental understanding of the properties and behaviours of these materials.
Why this matters for AWE’s mission
Investment in the ACE will provide the focus to shape, support and expand actinides research activity, bringing together expertise at UoM and AWE to accelerate delivery and impact which are vital to our technical programme. The ACE, like other strategic Centres of Excellence in which AWE is invested, help sustain the advanced science base and specialist skills pipeline that underpin long-term national capability.
AWE Executive Director Science, Dominic Jones, said: “I am delighted to see the launch of the new Actinides Centre of Excellence at The University of Manchester. This represents a key business milestone and significant investment by AWE in building and sustaining a critical capability, through collaborative working, that supports our mission now and into the future.“
“Having completed my PhD in Nuclear Chemistry at Manchester, at the precursor to the Dalton Nuclear Institute, I have seen first-hand how its world-leading expertise and strong partnerships across academia, industry, regulators and government continue to drive major advances and innovations in nuclear research in the UK.”
AWE Chief Research Officer, Professor Andrew Randewich CBE, said: “Actinides science sits at the heart of our nuclear capability, underpinning our research and understanding of how materials behave, in often extreme conditions, which are key for advancing our technical knowledge and expertise.“
“The Actinides Centre of Excellence will play an important role in developing the skills and capability needed to deliver real benefit for AWE and the wider nuclear community.”
Value of the AWE–Manchester partnership
The University of Manchester is a leader in the field of nuclear science, housing multiple facilities for the study of these materials, including the prestigious Dalton Nuclear Institute and the Henry Royce Institute, the UK’s national institute for advanced materials. The university is also involved in many of the newly funded Doctoral Focal Awards focused on nuclear, including leading on its now extended SATURN-2 programme.
Professor Zara Hodgson, Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute, said: “ACE represents a transformative step for UK actinide science. By uniting world‑class facilities, specialist expertise and a collaborative research approach, we are creating a national platform that will deliver fundamental research important for national security while training the experts that our wider nuclear sector urgently also needs.”
Future opportunities for growth and research
Through ACE and the wider strategic alliance, AWE and Manchester will be well placed to build on our mutually beneficial collaborative programmes. These include supporting the future talent pipeline through upskilling scientists in key technical skills and promoting nuclear as a career of choice, preparing the next generation of experts in actinides research as part of an enduring capability in UK defence and energy.
