“The open-access model we are employing here in DCU for the Nano Research Facility is the way of the future when it comes to partnerships between academic research and industry” – Prof. Greg Hughes, Vice President of Research in Dublin City University.
The NRF is a 3000 square metre advanced core facility designed to the highest standards of environment control, vibration control, lab services and security. It was established to provide a platform for centrally managed infrastructure that is available through an open access policy both within and external to DCU.
The NRF houses a large range of high end research equipment that will allow it to create core capabilities across areas such as: Nanosynthesis; Nanometrology; Micro and Nano fabrication; NanoBioPhotonics; Analytical Characterisation.
The open-access operating model currently supports many research projects including large SFI funded Research Centres such as I-FORM and the Fraunhofer Project Centre, but it has also provided instrument access, expertise, education, solutions and services to over fifty companies ranging from multinationals to local start-ups.
20 academic institutes, both national and international have used this infrastructure over the past couple of years and companies such as Intel, Abbott, Mallinckrodt, Alltech, Analog Devices and many others have also benefited.
It was funded by both the HEA PRTLI program and the SFI Infrastructure funding program.
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