20 May 2025
Oxford Engineering researchers lead IMAD2025 event with ZERO Institute ECR network
The Industry Meets Academia Day fosters connections between academic researchers and industry professionals working towards net-zero and decarbonisation goals.
Dr Qiance (Quincy) Zhang, from Professor Dong Liu’s group in Solid Mechanics and Materials Engineering, co-hosted this year’s Industry Meets Academia Day (IMAD2025) in partnership with the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Network from the University of Oxford’s ZERO Institute (Zero-Carbon Research Oxford).
Held on 12 May 2025, the event brought together leading voices from academia and industry to explore collaborative approaches to innovation in the pursuit of net-zero and decarbonisation.
IMAD2025 aimed to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application by offering researchers a clearer understanding of industry priorities, while giving industry professionals insight into innovative, research-led solutions to real-world challenges. The event marked an important step towards advancing impactful, interdisciplinary collaborations that support industries transitioning to more sustainable practices.
The programme featured a keynote address, a series of academic and industry presentations, an interactive poster session, and a panel discussion. Distinguished speakers represented a broad range of sectors and expertise, including the United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL), Energenics, Oxford Instruments, and academic researchers across the University of Oxford. Several researchers from the Department of Engineering Science presented their work throughout the day.
- Professor Felix Hofmann, Dr Qiance Zhang, and Dr Xiaosheng Chen presented their ongoing work in nuclear energy, solar power, and tidal energy research
- DPhil students Alvaro Pechero and Andreas Iakovidis showcased their research on the applications of fission and fusion energy
- Anastasiia Rudkovska, postgraduate researcher in Energy Systems, delivered an overview of the ZERO Institute’s mission and research strategy, emphasising the importance of translating academic knowledge into real-world impact. Their talks highlighted both the challenges and opportunities at the interface of scientific research and industrial innovation.
Together, their contributions underscored the Department’s commitment to research that addresses critical global energy challenges and supports the UK’s pathway to net-zero by 2050.
Reflecting on the event, Dr Zhang says,“Bringing together industry and academia is essential to tackling complex global challenges and meeting the UK’s commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. IMAD2025 demonstrated how collaborative, cross-sector dialogue can generate new ideas and accelerate progress towards our shared goals.”
The event was well-attended and received highly positive feedback from participants. It forms part of a broader outreach initiative to promote interdisciplinary research, build long-term industry partnerships, and empower early-career researchers working in sustainable science and engineering.
It also offered researchers the valuable opportunity to present their research and engage directly with industry stakeholders, reinforcing the Department’s commitment to supporting the next generation of scientific leaders.
