Powering the energy transition: novel materials, smarter fuels, and heat re-use

How do we deliver a low-carbon future while meeting the world’s growing energy demands? On Wednesday 29 April, a webinar brought together professors and researchers from the Institute to explore practical, scalable solutions for the energy transition. Chaired by Professor Stuart Clarke, the session highlighted how fundamental research is enabling cleaner fuels, more efficient machines,

Modelling the deep ocean at high resolution: vortices, tracer transport and mixing

Numerical modelling is a key tool for understanding deep ocean dynamics, where observations remain sparse, particularly at submesoscales (1–30 km). Jonathan Gula, from the Laboratoire d’Océanographie Physique et Spatiale, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, uses high-resolution basin-scale and regional simulations to investigate how interactions between currents, topography, and mixing shape abyssal circulation and tracer transport. During

Atlantic Ocean water mass classification from machine learning

Water masses are large bodies of water with distinct properties. Identifying them helps us understand how the ocean moves, mixes, and transports heat, carbon, oxygen, and other properties. This usually requires detailed chemical measurements, which are typically only available in few sparse locations along ship tracks. In a new study co-authored by Dr Ali Mashayek,

Capillary trapping of carbon dioxide in an anticline

To ensure that the carbon dioxide captured during industrial processes is safely stored underground, it is essential to have a detailed understanding of the different mechanisms by which CO2 is trapped in geological aquifers. PhD student Ross Shepherd has been studying the long-term, post-injection fate of carbon dioxide in deep aquifers.   During today’s seminar,

Mechanisms of electrolyte dipping for thin nitrile gloves

Thin elastomeric gloves are protective equipment and essential in many occupations. Their value in the health and care sector was demonstrated during the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Most thin gloves are made from aqueous polymer dispersions, often called a latex, using a dipping process. A hand-shaped mould is dipped into a saturated calcium nitrate solution, followed

Improving wind and tidal turbines performance

Wind energy supplied approximately 30% of UK electricity in 2025, underscoring its central role in the energy transition. Tidal power, though still at the demonstration stage, has the potential to meet up to 11% of annual UK electricity demand. However, key fluid dynamic challenges continue to limit the performance, scalability, and environmental acceptability of turbine