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The National Schools' Observatory (NSO) is a web-based resource based at LJMU that gives UK and Irish schools free access to their own observations from the world's largest fully-robotic telescope — the Liverpool Telescope. Giving its participants unique and privileged access not only to the instrument itself, but also to the astronomical research carried out by the telescope, the NSO is a powerful blend of cutting-edge research, professional instrumentation and education that inspires, motivates and supports the learning of pupils of all ages and their teachers. Since its launch in 2004 the NSO has reached more than 4,000 registered UK and Irish teachers and their classes, with 60,000 sets of observations requested by schools. The NSO has been recognised by the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee as "so important to inspiring the next generation of scientists" [Source 1].
Spaceport is a Visitor Centre in an historic ferry terminal on the banks of the Mersey which showcases astronomy and space exploration. As a project it combines the research experience and knowledge of LJMU with the tourism credentials of Merseytravel. Merseytravel oversees the Merseyside public transport system, to promote and develop the transport network to meet the region's economic, social and environmental needs. As an attraction, Spaceport regularly exceeds visitor number predictions (currently at 70,000 per year) and brings in excess of £2M p.a. into a regeneration area. The continuing participation of LJMU has ensured that the centre remains up to date with new exhibits that link directly to LJMU's astronomical research and special events featuring LJMU astronomers and others, which are designed to extend its audience (e.g., for amateur astronomers or schools from inner-city areas).
The international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope, due for completion in the next decade, will be the world's largest astronomical instrument. It will be built by international industry at a cost of over €2B. The larger part will be sited in Africa (9 countries) with a complementary part in Australia. The impact to mid-2013 is on: i) international science policy and priorities (€26M); ii) multi-faceted human capacity building in Africa (401 bursaries); iii) business and employment involved in the construction of two large-scale SKA "precursor" instruments in South Africa and Australia (over €150M with 800 jobs in South Africa); iv) the local north-west economy (over €5M) where a new limited company to coordinate the SKA's design and construction has been established at Jodrell Bank.
Measurements made by unique radiosondes, conceived at and built by the university to count and size atmospheric aerosols, were used to validate UK Met Office models that forecast the amount and trajectory of the volcanic ash from the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption. These first in situ measurements justified the authorities' cautious approach in grounding flights, thereby not jeopardising air passenger safety, despite huge pressure from commercial interests. The Met Office subsequently purchased further radiosondes for future deployment, and the underpinning particle detection technology is now licensed to a UK company for worldwide exploitation in areas of environmental monitoring, air quality and industrial safety.
Research and Development activity at Cardiff University's Astronomy Instrumentation Group (AIG) has been commercialised and made available to the international market. Sales have been made to fields including bio-molecular spectroscopy for health science, plasma fusion diagnostics for sustainable energy, and remote atmospheric sensing. This has resulted in economic impact through:
The university's Bayfordbury Observatory is a working observatory that engages with the public via six Open Evenings and approximately 50 group visits a year, offering access to a wide range of facilities. Many of the 4,000 visitors annually report that they develop a first or renewed `enthusiasm for astronomy', or become `inspired to learn more' about what they have seen or heard from our researchers; some young people enthuse about `now wanting to be a scientist'. Science teachers taking an RCUK `cutting-edge' CPD astrophysics course also say that they have gained an `increased understanding of the subject', and `increased confidence in its delivery to pupils'.
Radiation sources and amplifiers, in the spectral region from microwave to terahertz, are extensively used in UK industry and public sectors such as security, defence, health and the environment. Companies, including e2v Technologies plc. (e2v) and TMD Technologies Ltd. (TMD), have developed and sold new radiation products based on post-1996 research undertaken at the University of Strathclyde. Their devices accessed new frequency ranges with considerable increases in power and bandwidth. The designs were transferred to industry, where devices have been constructed, jobs created, policy changed and considerable investments made. These sources have had extensive beneficial impact through applications in defence, surveillance, materials processing, health sciences and environmental monitoring.
We have formulated and executed an extensive public engagement and outreach programme based on our leading technical and scientific involvement in the Herschel Space Observatory, a €1 billion astronomical satellite which was launched in 2009 and operated until April 2013. Herschel observed the Universe at far-infrared and submillimetre wavelengths with three scientific instruments, one of which (SPIRE) was built by an international team led by the Cardiff Astronomy Instrumentation Group, and Cardiff astronomers have been at the forefront in scientific use of Herschel and SPIRE. The beneficiaries of our PR and outreach programme include schoolchildren teachers, the media and the general public. The programme has achieved high exposure and impact locally, nationally and internationally. It provides inspirational personal contact and up-to- date material and information which has stimulated widespread and continuing interest in Herschel and also helped to raise the profile of STEM subjects, ultimately benefiting the economy.
A facility for precision diamond machining of optical components arose from research at Durham University to produce instruments for large telescopes, including NASA's James Webb Space telescope. This now provides a specialist service to industry, with contracts worth over £2.0M from >20 companies over the past 5 years. The users span applications including ophthalmics, automotive optics, microstructures for backlit displays and IR optics. An emerging application is the use of high precision machine metal moulds to reproduce ophthalmic lenses for spectacles. Examples include PixelOptics (USA) who make high-end electronically corrective eyewear, which has won several ophthalmic industry R&D awards, and Eyejusters (UK), which employs complex surface slide lens technology to provide low cost spectacles aimed at improving the lives of people in the developing world.
Research on Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) structures has led to major advances in the design and manufacture of the world's most advanced payload instrumentation for use in Earth observation satellites. This technology has provided the core element of the radiometer instrumentation needed for more accurate global weather forecasts and better understanding of climate change. The advances described have made it possible to combine all of the different functions of the MetOP-SG radiometer into one instrument, thereby halving the footprint of the satellite payload resulting in a [text removed for publication] cost saving.