The QUESTOR CentreThe QUESTOR Centre

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

and exploitation and exploitation

General InformationGeneral Information Founded in 1989Founded in 1989

The only Centre outside the US to be part of the National The only Centre outside the US to be part of the National

Science Foundation’s (NSF) Programme for Science Foundation’s (NSF) Programme for

Industry/University Co-operative Research Centres (I/UCRCs)Industry/University Co-operative Research Centres (I/UCRCs)

The I/UCRC concept is a highly successful model developed The I/UCRC concept is a highly successful model developed

by the NSF where more than 50 such Centres have been by the NSF where more than 50 such Centres have been

operating in the US for 20 yearsoperating in the US for 20 years

Annual MembershipAnnual Membership

Key ObjectivesKey Objectives To enhance the quality and relevance of research To enhance the quality and relevance of research

projectsprojects To establish a critical mass skills base across To establish a critical mass skills base across

disciplines aligned to the research needs of disciplines aligned to the research needs of member companies and organisationsmember companies and organisations

To ensure timely delivery of technology through To ensure timely delivery of technology through enhanced procedures for technology and enhanced procedures for technology and knowledge transferknowledge transfer

To increase SME MembershipTo increase SME Membership To develop an international network where To develop an international network where

companies can benefit from both research and companies can benefit from both research and business opportunities business opportunities

Current & Potential Current & Potential International Academic International Academic

PartnersPartners Queen’s University BelfastQueen’s University Belfast Dublin City University (RoI) Dublin City University (RoI) – 2005– 2005 Stevens Institute of Technology (US) Stevens Institute of Technology (US) –2006–2006 Dalhousie University (Canada)Dalhousie University (Canada) – Nov 2007 – Nov 2007 University of Duisburg Essen University of Duisburg Essen – Nov 2007– Nov 2007 The Institute for Water Research (Germany) The Institute for Water Research (Germany) – Nov 2007– Nov 2007 Cranfield University (UK) Cranfield University (UK) – May 2008– May 2008 AFBI (NI)– AFBI (NI)– Under DiscussionUnder Discussion

Research Priority AreasResearch Priority Areas

WaterWater EnergyEnergy

Sensors for Sensors for Environmental Environmental

MonitoringMonitoring Energy from Energy from BiomassBiomass

Water & Water & Wastewater Wastewater TreatmentTreatment

Surface WaterSurface WaterGroundwaterGroundwaterContaminated Contaminated

LandLand Resource Resource ManagementManagement

Member Driven ResearchMember Driven ResearchMember Research Priority Booklet UpdatedMember Research Priority Booklet Updated

One –to –One MeetingsOne –to –One Meetings

Call for Pre-proposalsCall for Pre-proposals

Pre-Proposals Short-listedPre-Proposals Short-listed

Call for ProposalsCall for Proposals

Project Champions AgreedProject Champions Agreed

Presentations to IABPresentations to IAB

Members VoteMembers Vote

Projects PrioritisedProjects Prioritised

JanuaryJanuary

MaMayyJuneJune

JuneJune

SeptemberSeptember

SeptemberSeptember

NovemberNovember

NovemberNovember

NovemberNovember

QUESTOR Foresight Exercise

Novel Na nom a te ria ls

for R emedia tion

S usta ina ble Wa stewa ter T rea tm e nt

E m bedde d S ensor

Networks

R enewa ble R sourc e s from

the Ma rine E nvironm ent

R emediation/T reatment S ens ors E nerg y

QUE S T O R F ores ight E xercis e

QUE S TOR Academic P artners (QUB , DC U, S IT, DAL , UDE , IWW)

QUE S TOR Members hip (indus tria l Advis ory B oard) (IAB )

C ollaborative R es earch P rojects

IAB F unded R es earch P rojects

Res

earc

h D

rive

rs

EU Framework VIIEU Framework VIIMarie Curie Initial Training NetworkMarie Curie Initial Training Network

Advanced Technologies for Water Resource ManagementAdvanced Technologies for Water Resource Management(ATWARM)(ATWARM)

Water Water Quality/Sensor Quality/Sensor TechnologiesTechnologies

Enhanced Enhanced Wastewater Wastewater TreatmentTreatment

Sustainable Sustainable Wastewater Wastewater TreatmentTreatment

14 PhDs plus 2 Post Docs14 PhDs plus 2 Post DocsAcademic Partners: QUB, DCU, UDE, IWW, CRAAcademic Partners: QUB, DCU, UDE, IWW, CRAIndustrial Partners: NI Water, TE Laboratories Ltd + QUESTOR MembershipIndustrial Partners: NI Water, TE Laboratories Ltd + QUESTOR MembershipPotentialFunding: €3.2M PotentialFunding: €3.2M

Competence Centre for Competence Centre for Renewable Energy Renewable Energy

New INI Funding Programme for Industry Driven New INI Funding Programme for Industry Driven ResearchResearch

I/UCRC approach favouredI/UCRC approach favoured QUESTOR will apply for a Competence Centre for QUESTOR will apply for a Competence Centre for

Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy• Energy from biomassEnergy from biomass

ADAD Catalytic gasificationCatalytic gasification Biogas conversion to storable/ 2Biogas conversion to storable/ 2ndnd generation transport fuels generation transport fuels Advanced small scale power generationAdvanced small scale power generation Integration of emerging generation technologiesIntegration of emerging generation technologies

• Tidal/waveTidal/wave £5 - £10M funding over 5 years£5 - £10M funding over 5 years

Technology Transfer Technology Transfer & Exploitation& Exploitation

• Applied Technology Unit (ATU)Applied Technology Unit (ATU)

Unique group of 12 scientists and engineers with access to QUESTOR facilities

Monitoring, technical consultancy, new product and process developmentMonitoring, technical consultancy, new product and process development

Work in partnership with members to demonstrate/commercialise technology

• QUESTOR Technologies LtdQUESTOR Technologies Ltd

Established to develop products/processes derived from technologies Established to develop products/processes derived from technologies

developed within the QUESTOR Centredeveloped within the QUESTOR Centre

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

The QUESTOR ModelThe QUESTOR Model

Assist membersand academics in steering researchtoward useable products and technologies

MonitoringConsultancy

Product and ProcessDevelopment

ProductDevelopment

ProductSupport

QUESTOR Research Programme

Range of Environmental ProductsBased on Novel Technologies

QUESTORTechnologies

Ltd

Annual MembershipAnnual Membership

QUESTOR Members QUESTOR Members Great BritainGreat Britain

• BPBP• Shell Global SolutionsShell Global Solutions• Modern Water Ltd*Modern Water Ltd*

United StatesUnited States

• Exxon Mobil Research & EngineeringExxon Mobil Research & Engineering Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland

• Enva Ireland Ltd*Enva Ireland Ltd*• Astellas Ireland LtdAstellas Ireland Ltd• FLI Environmental Ltd*FLI Environmental Ltd*• T.E. Laboratories Ltd*T.E. Laboratories Ltd*

Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland

• Applied Silicate Technologies Ltd*Applied Silicate Technologies Ltd*• Alpha Environmental Group*Alpha Environmental Group*• AWP (Ireland) Ltd*AWP (Ireland) Ltd*• B9 Energy Ltd*B9 Energy Ltd*• Belfast City CouncilBelfast City Council• Bombardier AerospaceBombardier Aerospace• CDE Ireland Ltd*CDE Ireland Ltd*

• Central Chemical Supplies Ltd*Central Chemical Supplies Ltd*

• Chemvite Ltd*Chemvite Ltd*

• Cleanfield Technology Ltd*Cleanfield Technology Ltd*

• Coca Cola Bottlers (Ireland)LtdCoca Cola Bottlers (Ireland)Ltd

• DoE Environment & Heritage ServiceDoE Environment & Heritage Service

• EdaPhon S-oil Tec Ltd*EdaPhon S-oil Tec Ltd*

• Glenfarm Holdings Ltd*Glenfarm Holdings Ltd*

• Kedco Energy NI Ltd*Kedco Energy NI Ltd*

• McAllister Brothers Ltd*McAllister Brothers Ltd*• MacNabb Brothers Waste Management Ltd*MacNabb Brothers Waste Management Ltd*

• Marenco*Marenco*• Natural Energies Ireland Ltd*Natural Energies Ireland Ltd*

• NI Water LtdNI Water Ltd

• Northern Innovation Ltd*Northern Innovation Ltd*

• Norlect Engineering Ltd*Norlect Engineering Ltd*

• Precision Processes Services LtdPrecision Processes Services Ltd**• RSK Ireland Ltd*RSK Ireland Ltd*

• Simpro Ireland Ltd*Simpro Ireland Ltd*

• Williams Industrial services Ltd*Williams Industrial services Ltd*

• Wilson’s Country Ltd*Wilson’s Country Ltd*

Contact DetailsContact Details

http://questor.qub.ac.uk/

The QUESTOR CentreDavid Keir Building

Stranmillis RoadBelfast, BT9 5AG

Tel: +44(0)28 9097 5577Fax: +44(0)28 9066 1462

w.mcgarel@qub.ac.uk