*** VIII *** *** THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** CAREERS IN ENGINEERING NANOTECHNOLOGY The Daily Telegraph Its a small miracle... Engineers are behind some of the mightiest superstructures created by man, yet they are also at the forefront of exploration into the small but ever-growing world of nanotechnology. By Natasha Mann Nanotechnology and micro- engineering is becoming a booming sector for highly skilled job seekers. One prediction suggests that global revenue from nanotechnology (technology on an atomic scale) is set to rise from $2.3 billion in 2007 to $81.4 billion in 2015. Stuart Eves, senior account manager for military systems at Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), works at the far end of the tiny spectrum, which deals with things on a micro scale using millimetres, microns and nanometres (one thousand- millionth of a metre). He designs satellites not just huge pieces of space metal, but miniature models that orbit the earth in clusters. Our satellites have helped out in natural disasters from floods and earthquakes to forest fires, says Eves, who studied engineering before specialising in astrophysics and doing a PhD in constellation design. Typically, SSTL builds units the size of a washing machine or basketball, but an offshoot of its academic team, based at the University of Surrey, is working on making satellites the size of a tin can. there are two ways to scale things down to that degree. The first is by using technology that works from the bottom up, creating nano and micro structures by assembling chemical units, atoms and molecules. Another method is to use micro machining to fabricate materials in smaller dimensions, starting from large sizes and cutting the material down in size. Stuart Smith, 28, is a specialist in micro- and nanotechnology at defence technology and security company QinetiQ. We are working on developing super speedy transistor technology, which could be used to make computers work faster, says Smith, who has a PhD in electronic engineering from Bristol University. QinetiQ is at the leading edge of this technology. Its great to use the skills you gained at university and see them going into a prototype that might one day be used in a future generation of microprocessors. Smaller can mean faster, but it can also mean more economical. Smaller satellites are much cheaper than big ones, says Eves. Weve managed to launch several satellites using one rocket, which helps to cut down on the number of expensive rocket launches. But while the UK is excellent in terms of research and nano- science, there are relatively few companies manufacturing end-use products as a result of breakthroughs. The big worry is that the UK will miss the boat because we are not investing enough in nanotechnology and training people, says Scale of the century: research at SSTLs laboratories takes engineering to a new level, above and left Scaled down Because they are so small, you can have a string of five satellites flying pole to pole in space and at least one of them will cover a given point on the earths surface in 24 hours. With a big satellite, that might only happen every five days. That means, in the case of a natural disaster, for example, they can send back vital information for disaster relief quickly, says Eves. SSTL uses micro-engineering to make these miniature satellites possible. Professor Peter Dobson of Oxford Universitys Department of Engineering Science explains that Professor Dobson, who is also strategic adviser for nanotechnology to the Research Councils UK. More Treasury money needs to be made available via the Technology Strategy Board to take advantage of the inventiveness of British scientists. We dont have a large enough number of companies in Britain investing. Instead, investors in America, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China are taking the lead. His view is echoed by Dr Raymond Oliver, a fellow at the Royal Academy of Engineering. Nanotechnology in the UK has not taken off as expected, he says. There needs to be a human- centred approach driving this The big worry is that the UK will miss the boat because it is not investing enough in training people research, asking what is the purpose of this science, and how we can exploit it. Four training centres in the UK currently offer doctoral courses in micro- and nanotechnology: Bristol, Cambridge and Manchester universities, with an industrial training centre at the University of Surrey. Each centre expects to train 60 students over the next five years. Typically, those working in nanotechnology have a chemistry, physics or materials science background, while those involved in fabricating objects on a smaller scale have an electronic engineering, physics or materials science background. For those who do go on to apply their knowledge, the rewards can be great. Everyone at SSTL is enthusiastic about what we do, says Eves. That is reflected in the fact that, this year, we made it into The Sunday Times list of the 100 best companies to work for. Flying into the future One project that is currently absorbing a team at Birmingham University is the development of a tiny propane engine that could be used to power numerous objects. Dr Kyle Jiang, 52, is a senior lecturer at the Centre for Biomedical and Micro/Nanotechnology at the University of Birminghams School of Mechanical Engineering. He helps undergraduates design mini- and micro- aircraft, and was delighted when his department recently won funding to further develop a project to build a micro- turbine engine. This technology could The technology has moved on so much, says Jiang, who studied mechanical engineering at Xidian University in China and went on to complete a PhD in mechanical electronics at Kings College London. For students studying micro- and nanotechnology, there are so many more career options because the new technology provides engineers with a fresh way of thinking and new opportunities for innovation. You get to use your intelligence and imagination to develop things on a tiny scale that will really help people and societies. be used to power a micro-aircraft, the size of a housefly, that has multiple applications, including military reconnaissance. The engine could also be used in almost 70 per cent of battery powered appliances, such as mobile phones and notebooks.
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009 *** *** Setting the wheels in motion SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY ENGINEERING CAREERS IN Thursday, November 26, 2009 jobs.telegraph.co.uk/ca The Daily Telegraph I In association with Engineers are vital to thriving economies but, in the UK, demand ou
*** II *** *** THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** CAREERS IN ENGINEERING TACKLING PUBLIC PROBLEMS The Daily Telegraph State-of-the-art solutions for a healthier society The modern world has a habit of churning out a host of issues for us to contend with. Fortunately, as Adam Ramsay
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*** IV *** *** THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** THE NATIONAL ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION RECRUITMENT EXHIBITION The Daily Telegraph The National Engineering & Construction Recruitment Exhibition Hall 1 NEC, Birmingham 1, OPENING TIMES: Friday, November 27, 2009: 11:00 17:00 Satur
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009 *** *** V The Daily Telegraph THE NATIONAL ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION RECRUITMENT EXHIBITION GETTY CASE STUDY WORKING FOR TFL KAMLAH KEW Principal traffic control engineer Transport for London (TfL) has a well-planned graduate training progra
*** VI *** *** THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** THE NATIONAL ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION RECRUITMENT EXHIBITION The Daily Telegraph REUTERS Fighting back against pirates Piracy is on the rise and the worlds warships cant patrol all the oceans. Nick Stoppard, BAE Systems director o
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009 *** *** VII Project Manager (Group PM Development) Eimco Water Technologies, part of the GLV group of companies, is a growing organisation with ambitious plans for the future. Working in the water supply and treatment industry, its future grow
*** VIII *** *** THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** CAREERS IN ENGINEERING NANOTECHNOLOGY The Daily Telegraph Its a small miracle... Engineers are behind some of the mightiest superstructures created by man, yet they are also at the forefront of exploration into the small but ever
