According to a recent article from Mirage News, the Minister responsible for UK digital and technology policy, MP Paul Scully, visited the University of Leeds as part of the Leeds Digital Festival schedule. The purpose of his visit was to explore how the city region is developing innovative digital technology.
During his visit, Minister Scully toured the Bragg Center for Materials Research at the University of Leeds. The center’s objective is to discover, create, and design new materials. It brings together scientists and engineers from various disciplines to work on analytical science, bionanotechnology, electronic and photonic materials, functional surfaces, multiscale materials, and soft matter.
The Bragg Center collaborates with industry partners to develop knowledge and solutions for innovative products and applications. It also prioritizes training and developing future research leaders and innovators. As a founding partner of the Henry Royce Institute, the UK center for advanced materials research and innovation, the University has a strong focus on advancing material science.
During his visit to the Bragg Center, Minister Scully met with Professor Nora de Leeuw, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, and Professor Giles Davies, Deputy Executive Dean of the Faculty. They discussed the vision of the center as well as its research contributions on a global scale.
The Minister also had an opportunity to meet with researchers from the Royce Deposition Laboratory at the University. Their discussion centered around designing materials for future electronic devices with an emphasis on energy efficiency in support of achieving net-zero goals.
As well to his visit to the Bragg Center, Minister Scully explored Nexus -the University’s innovation community- where he met with Professor Nick Plant (Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation), Nexus Director Gareth Scargill,and member companies. This gave him insights into Leeds’ strengths in digital technology.
Some notable companies that were part of this visit included Robotics Acuity -a spin-out company from Leeds’ Real Robotics laboratory- which has developed small robots capable of scaling metal structures that are difficult for humans or drones to access. Another company, yondar, is focused on developing an AI-based grading tool for teachers to streamline quantitative grading and allow them more time for qualitative assessments and course development. Yondar also collaborates closely with the Yorkshire Space Centre.
The Minister also met with Diverse and Equal, a member of the Nexus community that aims to improve innovation in digital technology by increasing representation of talented Black and underrepresented individuals in the industry.
Another highlight of the visit was the meeting with COVVI, a Leeds-based company specializing in prosthetic design. COVVI has been working on designing a multi-articulated bionic hand that is highly functional and accessible. The COVVI Hand has garnered attention from various media outlets, including appearances on BBC News and ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
Minister Scully expressed his admiration for Leeds’ innovative spirit during his visit to Nexus. He commended the city as a hub of innovation and praised its commitment to creating meaningful solutions for society through technology.
The article concludes by emphasizing that Leeds Digital Festival continues to grow each year, providing an excellent platform for showcasing digital innovation happening not only in Leeds but also throughout the region.
In summary, Minister Paul Scully’s visit to the University of Leeds highlighted the city’s advancements in digital technology and innovative research at the Bragg Center for Materials Research. The discussions held during his visit demonstrated Leeds’ commitment to sustainable solutions, collaboration with industry partners, and efforts towards diversity and inclusion in the digital sector.
