In our education and research programmes in nanoscience and nanotechnology, we are committed to using our work to imagine and influence sustainable futures for people and the planet. This emphasis on our collective NanoFutures can particularly be seen through our two new programmes, the NanoFutures Leadership Awards and the NanoFutures Scholars Undergraduate Research Programme

Both of these programmes will contribute to addressing the challenges humanity faces in the decades ahead, including: creating new materials for sustainable energy generation, transmission, and storage; devising new forms of information processing that are energy efficient, secure, and have a minimal environmental footprint across their life cycle; diagnosing and treating a wider range of diseases in more accessible ways; and exploring new avenues in efficient recycling, sustainable food, nutrition and water use and re-use.

NanoFutures Leadership Awards

The NanoFutures Leadership Awards stimulate and support graduating PhD students keen on translating nanoscience research to higher Technology Readiness Levels, as well as projects relating to responsible innovation in its broadest sense. This includes but is not limited to nano-related projects in the areas of materials sustainability, early stage circular economy models, wider holistic societal perceptions and implications of new materials, technologies, or devices, and projects aiming at multidisciplinary pathways to understand and influence NanoFutures. Read more about the NannoFutures Leadership Awards and its predecessor the NanoDTC Translational Prize here.

NanoFutures Scholars Undergraduate Research Programme

The NanoFutures Scholars Undergraduate Research Programme (NanoFutures Scholars) emphasises the role of inclusivity and diversity in addressing the most important technological challenges we face. In particular, it allows talented students from diverse communities, who may not yet have considered a career in research because of their particular circumstances, to secure high-quality research experience during an 8-week summer research internship at the NanoDTC. Our firm belief is that through wider participation and the inclusion of diverse perspectives and communities more representative of society at large, we increase our chances of achieving the scientific and technological breakthroughs needed to address the most important challenges facing humanity

The NanoFutures Scholars Programme is currently not running until further notice.