A wizard with computers and cash
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Professor Alan Purvis is a computer wizard. He is also a financial wizard, an academic in the vanguard of those making money out of university research labs, who gives the lie to those who say academics are out of touch.
A Durham University electronics specialist, Prof Purvis is an executive director of the North East Microelectronics Centre, a joint venture with Newcastle University offering university expertise in high technology to commercial customers. The centre was founded last month as a vehicle to offer researchers' skills to microelectronics manufacturers. It built on the success of another Durham venture, the Regional Centre for Electronics Technologies, set up to help firms develop advanced microelectronics for a plethora of applications.
Set up with pounds 1.1m from the European Social Fund to improve prospects for inward investment by tapping into academic expertise, it shows the kind of thing going on in British higher education to link know-how with commerce. "No matter how much money businesses have got for research, they cannot research everything and pursue every avenue," says Prof Purvis. "To get money from companies for research is just as worthwhile as to get it from research councils.
"We built on our work with companies like GEC and British Aerospace to set up an academic consultancy unit targeting firms.
"The Government's venture capital idea is exciting for us, because we have some ideas for the next two years which could be developed.
"Of course if you get the opportunity to develop products and ideas our research students get the chance to work on the cutting edge."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments