PECM Issue 16 2015 | Page 119

The NDA’s joint Research Chair with the Royal Academy of Engineering: Neil Hyatt holds the NDA/RAEng Research Chair in Nuclear Waste Management and is a professor of Nuclear Materials Chemistry at the University of Sheffield. His research includes work on the immobilisation of nuclear wastes in glass or ceramic materials, together with other projects across the nuclear sector. He is also director of the Immobilisation Science Laboratory and co-director of the Nuclear FiRST programme. The Nuclear FiRST programme was established to provide a national training centre for doctoral scientists and engineers in nuclear fission science and technology (Nuclear FiRST). The programme is a £7 million scheme funded by EPSRC and it seeks to remedy skills gaps in UK academia and industry. point of view. We are looking for the research to deliver postgraduates and postdoctoral researchers into the industry where they can develop and become the next generation of industry leaders. Over the next 15 years, for example, at least 30% of the UK’s nuclear workforce will reach retirement age.” The funding arrangement with Professor Hyatt provides him with freedom to pursue appropriate research, while additional specific PhD projects have been funded separately. Agreed ’soft’ metrics have been developed to measure performance and impact on the wider business. Dr Morris said, “We are looking for Professor Hyatt to develop capabilities and engage in activities such as securing additional funding for the group, training students, developing new technologies and publishing high quality research. We are comfortable that the research being undert