Expertise and Operational Capacity
The University of Manchester (UNIMAN) has an exceptional record of generating and sharing new ideas and innovations. Many of the advances of the 20th century, such as the work by Rutherford leading to the splitting of the atom and the developments of the world's first modern computer in 1948, began at the University. Today, we are one of the world's top centres for biomedical research, leading the search for new treatments for life-threatening diseases. We are also at the forefront of new discoveries in science and engineering. The University is also applying its expertise and knowledge to solving some of the major social, economic and environmental problems confronting mankind around the globe. The University's total expenditure on research in 2003/2004 was EUR 400 million. The quality, breadth and volume of research activity is unparalleled in the UK as indicated in the results of the independent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).
The School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences brings together 40 academic staff. The EUR 5 million Williamson Research Centre, funded by JIF following a decade of world-class research, acts as a focus for world-class interdisciplinary research in molecular environmental science. Early stage researchers in the school have access to a comprehensive range of short-courses on subject-specific and transferable skills.
The proposal co-ordinator, Dr David Polya, has over 20 years experience in research and in training of early stage researchers on both MSc and PhD programmes, particular in the areas of analytical and environmental (bio)geochemistry, including in Cambodia. He has published over 40 papers in international journals. He is Head of the Manchester Analytical Geochemistry Unit, which houses facilities for the analysis of solid and aqueous geological and biological media for both total concentrations and contaminant speciation, and has much experience of managing scientific projects both in the academic and commercial sectors. He is Co-ordinator of the 15-partner FP6 Marie Curie Research Training Network, AquaTRAIN dealing with geogenic chemicals in groundwaters and soils. Professor David Vaughan is Director of the Williamson Research Centre. Professors Jon Lloyd and Chris Ballentine are leading academics with a successful track record in understanding contaminant transport and/or remediation in groundwaters. Dr Merren Jones has expertise in sediment transport in river environments, Dr Roy Wogelius in surface chemistry/kinetics Drs Michelle Warren and Steve Boult have expertise in novel electronic-based teaching methods and instrumental environmental monitoring respectively. Dr Duncan Irving is the School Computing Support Officer with experience in networking and video-conferencing. Mr. Daniel A. Spagni is manager of the HYTRAIN European Research Training Network and has experience of preparation and management of a number of other variably complex EU projects such as PROUD.
The Environmental Geochemistry facilities at Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble 1 (UJF) are cutting edge and have contributed to considerable advances in our understanding of the speciation and mobility of metals in sediment, soil, groundwater and biological media. The facility enables the coupling of field and lab wet-chemical and solid-state analytical work (ICP-OES, IC-HG-AAS, UV-vis spectrophotometry, Atomic Fluorescence, Capillary Electrophoresis, HPLC-AF, XRF and advanced XRD) with preferential access to the Institute Laue Langevin (ILL) neutron diffraction facility and to the European Synchrotron Research Facility (ESRF), both being located in Grenoble.
The group, including Dr Lorenzo Spandini and Dr Gabriela Roman-Ross, led by Professor Laurent Charlet has extensive field experience (both in surface waters and groundwaters), good sampling equipment (corers, peepers, DGT/DET, multiple sensors) reactor systems (batch reactors, flow-through reactors, chemostats, titrators) and parallel computation facilities. The group is supported by dedicated engineers and technicians with considerable research experience in analysis and experimental design, providing a unique and stimulating world-class training environment. The group has extensive experience of training and collaboration with ASEAN countries.
The Royal University of Phnom Penh , project leader Ms Dany VA, and the National University of Laos , project leader (& NUOL Vice-President) Mr Lammai PHIPHAKKHAVONG, are the premier academic research and teaching institutions in their respective countries and have both been involved as partners in FP6 ASIALINK projects (e.g. E2M, CITYBLUES) which may provide useful synergies Both institutions have teaching and research active environmental staff, many of whom have MSc level qualifications. The project leaders both have extensive project management experience.
