Cambridge University and Nokia are to establish a joint
research centre at the university.
Nokia will collaborate with several university departments and
the site will be located at the West Cambridge site of the
university. Initially, Nokia will work with the university’s
Nanoscience Centre and electrical division of the engineering
department.
Professor Ian Leslie, pro vice-chancellor for research at the
university, said, “One of the greatest advantages to the university
is the opportunity to work closely with a recognised worldwide
leader in technology products and applications on ‘real world’
challenges and initiatives.”
Nokia will initially base around ten people at Cambridge. The
agreement is intended to be long term and the number of Nokia
researchers at the university is set to rise over time.
Dr Bob Iannucci, Nokia senior vice president and head of the
Nokia Research Centre (NRC) arm of the company, said, “Such open
collaboration is central to NRC’s strategy, because it enables us
to bring together some of the leading researchers in our fields of
interest and to benefit from each other’s different backgrounds and
perspectives.”
Cambridge is a leader in nanotechnology research, with successes
across the university in nanoelectronics, novel materials and
coatings, biologically inspired nanostructures and advanced
characterisation tools.
“Cambridge and Nokia share a common belief in the ability of
nanotechnology to deliver products and applications of tangible
value to people,” said professor Mark Welland, director of the IRC
(Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration) in Nanotechnology at
Cambridge.
“The fact that we also share a common commitment to the
responsible introduction of nanotechnology into the public arena
adds a further unique dimension to this collaboration,” said
Welland.
Dr Tapani Ryhanen heads Nokia’s global research in the
nanotechnology area, and will lead Nokia’s collaboration with
Cambridge.
He said, “Nanotechnology long ago left science fiction movies
for the laboratory and, more recently, we saw the first commercial
applications. The techniques we are developing really bring us a
toolkit for working with the processes of nature at a very basic
level – the level of molecules – in a safe and controlled way.”
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