The First Welsh Crucible
Thirty successful applicants were selected in March 2011 for the first Welsh Crucible. The formal part of the programme took place over three two-day intensive workshops (called ‘labs’) in different parts of Wales during the summer of 2011.
A Review of Welsh Crucible 2011 (Bilingual)
Participants’ Summary of their Experience of Welsh Crucible 2011
Emerging Collaborations
Since completing the programme participants on Welsh Crucible 2011 have worked together informally to develop ideas for potential interdisciplinary research collaborations. Some of the ideas now being taken forward include
- Developing the Sustainable Laboratory
A project investigating the supply of resources to a laboratory, as well as their use and waste generation. The project team aims to identify areas of good and bad practice, and develop strategies to improve laboratory sustainability.
- Simulating the impacts of climate change on the coastal zone: putting the end-user in the driving seat
The long term aim of this collaboration is to develop a mechanism which will allow non-experts to run, fully-interactively, climate-related oceanographic simulations. The project team is currently working on a pilot project to develop a tool which will allow users to explore fully a number of Irish Sea climate change scenarios, incorporating a range of sea-level rise and meteorological conditions.
- Development of a new sustainable elastomeric energy harvester for marine environments
The collaborators are developing a realistic feasibility study for a new elastomeric energy harvester, which will be designed, analysed, optimised and tested for a marine environment.
- My GENE Code: Public Engagement in Molecular Biology
A project designed to engage widespread interest in everything “gene-related” through the development of a resource that combines science, entertainment and public outreach.
- Digital Weight Watchers
The researchers on this project are working with the local development trust in Gurnos, Merthyr Tydfil, to bring together the fields of social science, community education and computer science to explore how a useful model of weight management and control might be developed. The project is using mobile phones together with social aspects of community support to help and encourage people to monitor their weight and exercise, with the aim of encouraging a healthier lifestyle.
- Towards the next generation devices for real‐time monitoring and drug delivery in the gastro‐intestinal system
An interdisciplinary collaboration which aims to design a technical framework for the development of smart pill sensors that can analyse the physiological function of the digestive system.
- Exploring the Concept of “Floating” Market: The link between diet, health and health inequalities’
This research aims to investigate the viability of an innovative business logistics concept –‘Floating Markets’ – to address food accessibility and its link to heath inequalities that people living in areas categorised as disadvantaged often face. Its potential application could result in a significant increase of fresh produce availability to disadvantaged groups thus leading to a healthier diet and at the same time provide an effective vehicle for social interactions.
- The Role of the St David’s Day Group of Universities in the Future of Community and Regional Regeneration in Wales
The aim of this project is to establish how the St David’s day group of Universities can better contribute to the social and economic regeneration, future development of Wales, and help guide policy in this area. Three regional seminars will bring together stakeholders from academia, education, policy, industry and community from throughout Wales to explore how the university sector can more effectively contribute to wider policy initiatives, including Communities First and Convergence.