Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/P020232/1
EPMA for Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Dr S Kearns, University of Bristol, Earth Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Bristol, Earth Sciences
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Earth
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Earth
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Analytical Science
- Mantle & Core Processes
- Volcanic Processes
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Earth Resources
- Abstract:
- Electronprobe microanalysis (EPMA) has been a cornerstone micro-characterisation technique for the analysis of earth science materials for the past five decades. This training course is based on a series of successful SEM/EPMA-related courses run at Bristol over the past decade; the most recent being a 6-day EPMA 2014 ATSC course and a 6.5 day 2016 ATSC course. Collectively the two attracted 80 applications of which 49 were accepted; 45 PhD students (35 NERC, 4 other RCUK, 4 University studentships, 1 Commonwealth, 1 EU), and 4 Post-docs (3 NERC, 1 Overseas). Here, we propose the same collaboration between Universities of Bristol, Leeds, Cambridge, Oxford and, a new addition for 2017, Manchester Earth Science departments to offer a nationwide training opportunity for students and early career researchers. The proposed course consists of two parts. Part one is an initial 3.5 day short course - a combination of 9 lectures and 10 on-instrument practical demonstrations covering all aspects of EPMA from fundamental physical principles to advanced techniques and secondly, part 2, a three day session of one-to-one hands-on training offered at Bristol, Leeds, Cambridge, Oxford and Manchester. The short course would take place in September 2016 with part two, 3 days of hands-on training, over the subsequent five months. At present there are no known similar EPMA courses for 20+ students available in the UK and both Bristol courses were fully subscribed with minimal marketing suggesting a large demand across the earth and environmental sciences. We would expect that a fully funded course of this nature would again be significantly oversubscribed. Selection of participants would be on the basis of a short proposal with priority going to those who demonstrate how EPMA is critical to a successful research outcome. Primary impacts are the thorough training in EPMA techniques for 25 students which will both yield valuable analytical results to fulfil their research projects and enhance their personal development to include a valuable skill-set which is transferable to many areas of materials characterisation. Inevitably it will improve the status of training in Bristol, Leeds, Cambridge, Oxford and Manchester(e.g. for doctoral training networks) and may improve access arrangements between other institutions wishing to use EPMA techniques. For 2017 we are proposing to extend the teaching program with two new breakout sessions having trialled one successfully in 2016. In these sessions, students will discuss their own materials directly with the analytical experts and explore the specific issues that they may encounter in their analysis. We are again including representatives from industry (Johnson Matthey and AWE, Aldermaston) to explain both the importance of the subject area in a broader industrial scope (e.g. extraction industry, manufacture of high performance materials and the Nuclear Industry) and the potential for employability in these sectors of highly trained graduates with the necessary skillsets. To-date the courses have proved very popular with students and supervisors 'I have had 3 PhD students attend the Bristol-based EPMA ATSC to date; it has been a fruitful experience for all of them. The dual theory/lab-based structure whereby the students learn the principles of electron microscopy, followed by the opportunity to look at their own samples for a few days, is fantastic. The course is an excellent example of the sort of subject specific training that our DTP students can attend, and is notable in that it will be useful to students studying in a wide range of subject areas. I sincerely hope that the course continues to run for the foreseeable future.'
- NERC Reference:
- NE/P020232/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Advanced Training
This training grant award has a total value of £114,966
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Other Costs |
|---|
| £114,966 |
If you need further help, please read the user guide.