College hosts Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

Vince Cable was presented with two projects from University spin-out company Arkiris. He was shown RFID antennas, which will enable tags to be detected in previously challenging applications, and VTRAM licensing which is a very thin absorber material that is thinner, more robust, and lower-cost than other solutions already on the market.

The Business Secretary was then given a tour of the Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM). CALM enables business, entrepreneurs and researchers to harness the potential of ‘3D printing’. This is a new production technique that can create complex or bespoke parts by building them up one layer at a time in specialist machines. Dr Sara Flint, Commercial Manager, showed The Business Secretary a violin which has been manufactured at CALM. It is one of only three worldwide to have been made using 3D printing technology. CALM brings a unique set of facilities to the South West, opening up a wealth of opportunities for businesses in the region and across the UK.

During the visit to the University, Dr Cable provided the keynote speech at the Citizens Advice Bureau conference taking place on campus. He was also given a glimpse of the Forum, the stunning new £50 million centrepiece for the Streatham Campus. In the Forum, he was given a demonstration of the facility’s state-of-the-art surface computing tables which aid the new technology-rich learning spaces.

The Business Secretary also toured the University’s Aquatic Resources Centre where Professor Rick Titball and Dr Gregory Paull showed him the new aquarium facilities and explained how new research using green-glowing zebrafish is helping us understand the damage pollution causes to both wildlife and human health.

The visit took place on 12 September 2012.