Companies from Northern Ireland are being particularly encouraged to apply for the 2016 US-Ireland Research Innovation Awards. The Royal Irish Academy and the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, who jointly run the competition, are now seeking expressions of interest from companies across the island of Ireland who can demonstrate exemplary research innovation characterised [...]
When Gerry McNally says that the statistics around the polymers industry in Northern Ireland are impressive, he’s guilty of some understatement. And that’s not typical of the man. When it comes to enthusiasm for a chosen sector, McNally (Director of the NI Polymers Association) is a man with a passion for the business he’s [...]
MATRIX Chair Bryan Keating has been talking to Wendy Austin about apprenticeships in Northern Ireland and how his new role as Chair of the Strategic Advisory Forum on Apprenticeships is helping to shape the workforce to meet current and future economic requirements. A few years ago apprenticeships were in the [...]
The Precision Medicine Catapult, the UK's innovation centre for precision medicine, announced today that Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Oxford will be the initial locations for its regional centres of excellence network. Each centre will act as a hub for regional precision medicine activities within the UK-wide network, co-ordinated [...]
Gavin Campbell is quick to brush away any interviewer concerns about the complexity of his subject matter. “It's true. People can be very wary of R&D and subjects like advanced manufacturing materials,” he says. “But, at the end of the day, it's about making products that are attractive and products [...]
The 2015 Knowledge Economy Index was launched today in Belfast. The launch, which was held at Brewbot on the Ormeau Road, brought together representatives from business, government and academia to hear from NISP Connect director Stephen Orr, Acting First Minister Arlene Foster and local entrepreneurs. This year's index has revealed [...]
It’s been quite a while since Matrix, the Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel, stepped up to the mark with a report on what is a key sector of the local economy. Back in 2008, it took a closer look at advanced engineering and advanced materials in separate reports. One member of the panel back then was Dr. Rob Hardeman, Technologist at Seagate’s [...]
Tom Gray, Group CTO of digital solutions company Kainos and Matrix panellist, has been appointed as Chairman of the Northern Ireland network of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). One of the main aims of the IET over the next year will be to inspire and nurture the next [...]
About 35% of current jobs in the UK are at high risk of computerisation over the following 20 years, according to a study by researchers at Oxford University and Deloitte. Deloitte analysed ONS labour force data for the period between 2001 and 2015 and their researchers found the proportion of routine [...]
The Northern Ireland Science Park is expanding in a £6.5m investment part-funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. This could mean that Belfast Titanic Quarter development will be able to accommodate another 500 technology jobs. Around 2,600 people currently work at the science parks in Belfast and Londonderry. The latest development [...]
Hawk Protection, a Tyrone based military uniform manufacturer, in Co Tyrone has landed part of a $49m (£32m) contract with the US Army to provide bullet-proof vests. The company is part of the Cooneen textile group and they will deliver the contract jointly with Bethel Industries and KDH Defence Industries. The deal [...]
The Northern Ireland Polymers Association (NIPA) is one of 5 organisations chosen to test new ways to develop skills for innovation in manufacturing. NIPA, in conjunction with CITB Northern Ireland, is collaborating to develop innovation skills between the polymers and construction industries in Northern Ireland. Both industries have complementary skillsets [...]