Liverpool Physics awarded £1.3M for new STFC data science training centre
The University of Liverpool, in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, are to host a new £1.3 million Centre for Doctoral Training providing comprehensive postgraduate training in data intensive science.
The new Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) for Innovation in Data Intensive Science (LIV.INNO) is funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and supported by a consortium of world-class partners including the Hartree Centre, CERN and Fermilab.
LIV.INNO will be an inclusive hub for training diverse cohorts of excellent students in data intensive science. It will provide targeted training to meet a growing skills gap in the area of data science which has seen a dramatic increase in many fields of science and engineering, due to the advancement of sensors, mobile devices, biotechnology, digital communication, and internet applications.
The analysis and manipulation of Big Data has long been a specialty of researchers in Liverpool’s Physics Department. More generally, the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) have an outstanding track record in the design, construction and operation of scientific instruments and the science they enable. This had led to strong links with many research laboratories and industry partners. The existing centre LIV.DAT has already played a very prominent role in data science research and was already one of the largest centres of its kind in the UK – LIV.INNO will build on this success and allow to further grow this activity across different research clusters.
The Director of both CDTs, Professor Carsten P Welsch, who is Head of the University of Liverpool's Department of Physics, said: “Our new centre will offer dozens of PhD students comprehensive training in data intensive science through cutting edge interdisciplinary research projects and a targeted academic training programme. This will be complemented by secondments to national and international research partners and strong industry contributions. This framework will be an ideal basis for driving science and innovation, as well as boosting the employability of our students.”
Deputy Director Dr Andreea Font from LJMU added: “LJMU and the University of Liverpool have been collaborating very successfully for many years. We are delivering the only joint physics degree programme in the UK, and our previous centre, LIV.DAT, has delivered excellent research results with highly employable students. LIV.INNO will now take our training to the next level and focus on driving innovation through data science research.”
The new centre is well-connected into digital research at both universities and links the Departments of Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Liverpool with experts from the Astrophysics Research Institute (ARI) at LJMU.
Professor Grahame Blair, STFC Executive Director of Programmes, said: “Big data is the linchpin of big science. This funding will bring on the next generation of data science experts, to ensure the UK research and innovation sector continues to thrive. When processing and analysing huge quantities of data, a vital step on the road to scientific discoveries, scientists gain invaluable skills which could also help with industrial and societal challenges.”
Over its lifetime, LIV.INNO will offer a wide-ranging training programme consisting of workshops, international schools and conferences, as well as events for the general public.
Further information about LIV.INNO and the PhD positions available this year can be found at this webpage: http://www.livinno.org .