Cardiff University has secured £3.6 million in EU funds to create a new research facility that will help Welsh industry develop cleaner, greener and lower-cost products.
The Electron Microscope Facility (EMF) will be constructed on the university’s Innovation Campus on Maindy Road and will support cutting-edge research in catalysis – the process of speeding up chemical reactions to develop cheaper, cleaner and safer ways to manufacture products.
The facility will include a suite of next-generation, ultra-sensitive microscopes to allow researchers to study materials and processes on the atomic scale.
It has also been supported by an investment of £750,000 from the Wolfson Foundation and £4.3 million from Cardiff University.
Counsel General and Brexit Minister, Jeremy Miles said:
This investment will support major research collaborations between Cardiff University and industry which will lead to the development of new, innovative and sustainable manufacturing techniques.
Research carried out at this facility will also help the UK to transition to a more sustainable low carbon economy – and boost Cardiff University, and Wales as a whole, as a centre for scientific study.
Wales continues to benefit enormously from EU funding and this is another example of that investment strengthening our economy.
Professor Rudolf Allemann, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of College of Physical Sciences and Engineering, said:
No facility comparable to the EMF exists in Wales. This has a crucial role to play in supporting business in South East Wales, nurturing ground-breaking discoveries and enhancing Cardiff’s reputation for world-leading research and innovation.
In the last decade, EU-funded projects in Wales have created more than 48,000 jobs and 13,000 new businesses, while helping 86,000 people back into work.
