2022 in perspective

2022 was a very positive and successful year for the TFIN+. We achieved >600 members including
representatives from academia (67%) and industry (33%), 303 followers on Twitter (>33,000 impressions) and 540 on LinkedIn (>23,000 impressions). We delivered workshops, conferences and networking within the community on topics such as energy efficiency, the circular economy or equality, diversity & inclusion attracting over 2000 registrants. We interacted pro-actively not only with the Transfire Hub, IDRIC, UKCCSRC and the Circular Economy hubs but also with the Engineering Development Trust and the Future Leaders Group, co-hosting to engage with the wider community.

The TFIN+ through four calls for small projects, disbursed ~£1M of grants to 25 small projects of up to 6-months duration at 16 different universities, 15 to PDRAs or fellow equivalent and 7 to early career lecturers. These projects attracted in-kind support valued to £300k from ~30 companies, RTOs or trade bodies. A number were new to the TFI Challenge, including Amcrete, Aquapack, Benders, British Standards Institute, Calumite Ltd, Confederation of British Metalforming, Costa Coffee, Deakin Biohybrid, Econotherm, Foseco International Ltd, Johnson Matthey, Kelvin Thermotech Ltd, Luxfer MEL Technologies, Mantec Technical Ceramics, Morgan Advanced Materials,
Palm Paper, PCL Ceramics, Robinson Brothers, StanRocc, Swerim AB, and Total Reclaim Demolitions.

The innovations achieved in funded projects have also been notable. Hussam Jouhara’s group, funded in the first round of calls in TFIN+, undertook trials of novel heat-pipe heat exchange technology in an Al smelting factory and Peter Green’s use of Artificial Intelligence in his project led to trials at NSG Pilkington’s test facility, successfully demonstrating how an Industry 4.0 approach can make glass melting more energy efficient. Through 2022 TFIN+ developed further its reputation for being outward facing and inclusive, particularly amongst younger researchers, a stance and perspective that continues. We look forward to what 2023 brings for the Network and FI community.

– Professor Ian Reaney, TFI Network+ Director