Working with Industry

Welding together two magnets for the first interconnection of the LHC - Copyright CERNWhat is Knowledge Transfer, and why bother?

Physicists need to work with industry and industry needs physics.  Knowledge Transfer is all about helping the worlds of physics research and industry to talk a common language and share skills, knowledge and technology.  A substantial proportion of the UK economy is based on physics, so getting this flow of knowledge right is important.  People working in Knowledge Transfer perform an essential function in bringing people together and supporting deal-making.

We need to work with industry in three ways to fulfil our primary objectives of excellence in science and benefit to the wider economy:

Programme Technology Development (PTD)

The aim of Programme Technology Development is to develop the technology capabilities needed to underpin technology leadership in future physics research projects.  It applies to the pre-construction phase of projects and seeks to pave the way for more:

  • UK intellectual leadership in key work packages in international projects;
  • UK industrial return on construction phase contracts

Industrial Contracts

After all that technology development, we need companies to build a large proportion of the experimental facilities.  Whilst some elements may be built in Universities, much of today’s Particle Physics equipment needs industrial scale manufacture, together with sizeable civil, electrical and mechanical engineering. 

When governments decide to fund our part in international scientific collaborations, they keep one eye on the scientific case and another on the level of construction phase contracts that will be awarded.  The principle of juste retour, or ‘just return’ on contributions, is often enshrined in international agreements.  Nevertheless, this procurement is regulated by the technical capabilities of the companies concerned and relevant legislation, so a ‘just return’ is not guaranteed.

Knowledge Transfer (KT)

The aim of Knowledge Transfer activities – such as those supported by PIPSS and Universities – is to help transfer the technologies and knowledge developed in pursuit of particle physics objectives into other applications.

Knowledge Transfer may take place through collaborative developments, spin-out formation, skills transfer, consultancy and intellectual property licensing.  Destination applications include industry, healthcare, life sciences, other science (e.g. fusion research), defence and security.