Brighton Uni's Advanced Engineering Building opened

The new facility was officially opened at an event celebrating the role of women in engineering

Posted by Julian Owen | May 01, 2018 | Bricks & mortar

• #advanced-engineering-building
• #university-of-brighton
• #women-in-engineering
• #womens-engineering-society
• #benita-mehra
• #coast-to-capital-local-enterprise-partnership
• #higher-education-funding-council-for-england-hefce
• #ricardo-uk
• #professor-debra-humphris
• #wolfson-foundation

The University of Brighton’s Advanced Engineering Building was officially opened by Benita Mehra, President of the Women's Engineering Society. She also delivered a lecture entitled 'Women in Engineering from the early twentieth century until the present day’, and said: “Investment in such a fantastic building only aides the development of individuals and the UK as being an innovator for the future”. 

The new building is a state-of-the-art facility which supports both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research. It also houses the Advanced Engineering Centre, conducting research into complex engine combustion processes, laser-based measurement techniques, fundamental modelling and computational simulation. 

More recently the Centre has also focused on the development of a novel hybrid heat pipe system that it's claimed could revolutionise the way heat transfer is managed in everything from satellites to electric cars. It is scheduled to be tested on board the International Space Station. 

The building was developed with financial support from Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership and the Higher Education Funding Council, and in partnership with Shoreham-based Ricardo UK, the Shoreham-based global engineering, strategic and environmental consultancy and specialist manufacturer. The Wolfson Foundation have also supported the building with a £500k grant for state-of-the-art equipment. 

University of Brighton Vice-Chancellor, Professor Debra Humphris, said: “The Advanced Engineering Building is opening in our 25th year as a university. It is a great addition to our facilities and an inspiring environment for the next generation of engineering students and researchers. The University is extremely grateful to all of those bodies whose generous support has made all of this possible.” 

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be funding Brighton, and were particularly impressed by the fruitful partnership between the university and industry. Urban pollution and the wider effect of high carbon emissions remain some of the greatest societal challenges. Success in creating the next generation of more efficient, low carbon internal combustion engines will benefit us all.”