The QUESTOR Centre

1
The QUESTOR Centre

• An international partnership between industry,
  government agencies and academia for industry
  driven multi-discipline environmental research
  with a clear emphasis on technology transfer and
  exploitation

2
General Information

• Founded in 1989
• The only Centre outside the US to be part of the
  National Science Foundations (NSF) Programme
  for Industry/University Co-operative Research
  Centres (I/UCRCs)
• The I/UCRC concept is a highly successful model
  developed by the NSF where more than 50 such
  Centres have been operating in the US for 20
  years

3
Annual Membership
4
Key Objectives

• To enhance the quality and relevance of research
  projects
• To establish a critical mass skills base across
  disciplines aligned to the research needs of
  member companies and organisations
• To ensure timely delivery of technology through
  enhanced procedures for technology and knowledge
  transfer
• To increase SME Membership
• To develop an international network where
  companies can benefit from both research and
  business opportunities

5
Current Potential International Academic
Partners

• Queens University Belfast
• Dublin City University (RoI) 2005
• Stevens Institute of Technology (US) 2006
• Dalhousie University (Canada) Nov 2007
• University of Duisburg Essen Nov 2007
• The Institute for Water Research (Germany) Nov
  2007
• Cranfield University (UK) May 2008
• AFBI (NI) Under Discussion

6
Research Priority Areas
Sensors for Environmental Monitoring
Water Wastewater Treatment
Energy from Biomass
Water
Energy
Surface Water Groundwater Contaminated Land
Resource Management
7
Member Driven Research
Member Research Priority Booklet Updated
January
One to One Meetings
May
Call for Pre-proposals
June
Project Champions Agreed
June
September
Pre-Proposals Short-listed
Call for Proposals
September

Presentations to IAB
November
Members Vote
November
Projects Prioritised
November
8
QUESTOR Foresight Exercise
9
EU Framework VIIMarie Curie Initial Training
Network
Advanced Technologies for Water Resource
Management (ATWARM)
Water Quality/Sensor Technologies
Sustainable Wastewater Treatment
Enhanced Wastewater Treatment
14 PhDs plus 2 Post Docs Academic Partners QUB,
DCU, UDE, IWW, CRA Industrial Partners NI Water,
TE Laboratories Ltd QUESTOR Membership Potential
Funding 3.2M
10
Competence Centre for Renewable Energy

• New INI Funding Programme for Industry Driven
  Research
• I/UCRC approach favoured
• QUESTOR will apply for a Competence Centre for
  Renewable Energy
• Energy from biomass
• AD
• Catalytic gasification
• Biogas conversion to storable/ 2nd generation
  transport fuels
• Advanced small scale power generation
• Integration of emerging generation technologies
• Tidal/wave
• 5 - 10M funding over 5 years

11
Technology Transfer Exploitation

• Applied Technology Unit (ATU)
• Unique group of 12 scientists and engineers with
  access to QUESTOR facilities
• Monitoring, technical consultancy, new product
  and process development
• Work in partnership with members to
  demonstrate/commercialise technology
• QUESTOR Technologies Ltd
• Established to develop products/processes derived
  from technologies developed within the QUESTOR
  Centre

12
Improved Technology Transfer process

• For QUB, led by ATU with major input from Project
  Champion and academics
• Develop draft roadmap at around six month stage
  of project
• Revision at 18-24 month stage or as appropriate,
  and at end of project

13
The QUESTOR Model
14
Annual Membership
15
QUESTOR Members

• Central Chemical Supplies Ltd
• Chemvite Ltd
• Cleanfield Technology Ltd
• Coca Cola Bottlers (Ireland)Ltd
• DoE Environment Heritage Service
• EdaPhon S-oil Tec Ltd
• Glenfarm Holdings Ltd
• Kedco Energy NI Ltd
• McAllister Brothers Ltd
• MacNabb Brothers Waste Management Ltd
• Marenco
• Natural Energies Ireland Ltd
• NI Water Ltd
• Northern Innovation Ltd
• Norlect Engineering Ltd
• Precision Processes Services Ltd
• RSK Ireland Ltd
• Simpro Ireland Ltd
• Williams Industrial services Ltd

• Great Britain
• BP
• Shell Global Solutions
• Modern Water Ltd
• United States
• Exxon Mobil Research Engineering
• Republic of Ireland
• Enva Ireland Ltd
• Astellas Ireland Ltd
• FLI Environmental Ltd
• T.E. Laboratories Ltd
• Northern Ireland
• Applied Silicate Technologies Ltd
• Alpha Environmental Group
• AWP (Ireland) Ltd
• B9 Energy Ltd
• Belfast City Council
• Bombardier Aerospace
• CDE Ireland Ltd

16
Contact Details
The QUESTOR Centre David Keir BuildingStranmillis
RoadBelfast, BT9 5AG Tel [phone]
5577 Fax [phone] w.mcgarel_at_qub.ac.uk

http//questor.qub.ac.uk/