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Four research projects at Heriot-Watt University are receiving a share of almost £730,000 in funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), which supports research to tackle society’s most pressing challenges.
The awards are part of the Society’s Research Awards Programme, which aims to support Scotland's research sector by nurturing promising talent, stimulating research in Scotland and promoting international collaboration.
The RSE said the 60 projects it was supporting in this funding round ranged from uncovering Scotland's earliest textiles to quantum technologies. Collaborations also extended internationally, with academics based in India, New Zealand and Japan.
The four Heriot-Watt academics receiving funding for their projects are:
Dr Michela Ottobre, Associate Professor in Heriot-Watt’s School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, who receives an RSE Personal Research Fellowship award for her project, Multiscale methods and multiscale interacting particle systems. This project is focused on designing mathematical models that help us describe reality and make predictions.
“Our ability to face challenges like climate change, water resilience and financial crises does depend, among other factors, on the reliability of the mathematical models we design,” Dr Ottobre explained.
“I am truly grateful to the RSE for giving me the opportunity to devote my time entirely to setting up what I hope will be long-term, ambitious research.”
Professor Dave Townsend of Heriot-Watt’s School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, who receives an RSE Small Grant for his project, Photoelectron vortex dichroism: A new tool for enhanced chiral sensitivity. Professor Townsend’s research interests span the interface between physics and chemistry and use “ultrafast” laser techniques to analyse molecular processes.
Dr Michael Crichton, Associate Professor in Heriot-Watt’s School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, who is collaborating with Dr Ankush Aggarwal, University of Glasgow. They receive an RSE Research Collaboration Grant for their project, Bringing inclusivity into biomechanics-based technologies. This project is about making sure technology developments in the field of biomechanics – how our tissues, organs and bodies move – can benefit the whole population.
“We need to move away from ‘one-size-fits-all’ medical devices and ensure new technology includes everyone,” Dr Crichton said. “This award is very exciting as it allows us to build momentum in an area that has not been at the forefront of technology development – but needs to be.”
Professor Bhaskar Sen Gupta, of Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, who is collaborating with Professor Bhaskar Das from Vellore Institute of Technology in India. They are receiving funding through the Scotland-Asia Partnerships Higher Education Research (SAPHIRE) Fund, which is supported by Scottish Government. The project is Solar-powered and chemical-free treatment of groundwater for potable water provision in an arsenic-affected area in West Bengal. Professor Sen Guta is an environmentalist whose research specialises in the treatment of contaminated water and soil.
RSE Vice President of Research, Professor Anne Anderson OBE FRSE, said: “The Research Awards Programme of the RSE plays a vital role in supporting Scotland's thriving research community. These awardees will help to advance our knowledge, address global challenges, and contribute positively to Scottish society. On behalf of the RSE, I offer my congratulations to these leading researchers and their international colleagues and look forward to following the outcomes of their work."
The RSE's Research Awards Programme runs twice a year in spring and autumn.