Heriot-Watt Crucible, the highly successful leadership and development programme for research leaders of the future, has been run for the sixth time. Joining researchers from Heriot-Watt on the programme this time were participants from University of Edinburgh, British Geological Survey, Moredun Research Institute and Selex ES.

Panel of experts
On the final day, the participants were invited to pitch interdisciplinary project ideas to a panel of experts. The panel was chaired by science broadcaster and host Quentin Cooper and included Prof Steve Chapman, Professor Alan Miller and research leaders from across the university: Professors Gabriel Lord, Mike Christie and Teresa Fernandes. The winning project was a collaboration between staff of Heriot-Watt University, Selex ES and University of Edinburgh. They suggested innovative ways to make electronic devices both lighter and more energy efficient by pooling the collective knowledge of chemists, physicists, engineers and manufacturing specialists.

Heriot-Watt Crucible
Heriot-Watt Crucible enhances potential research collaborations between Heriot-Watt University and partner institutions and we hope the participants will be encouraged to develop their ideas for research collaborations still further and go on to submit proposals for research funding in reality.

Dr Ruth Neiland, Head of the Centre for Academic Leadership & Development was delighted with the success of this latest Heriot-Watt Crucible group and said, "The interdisciplinary, inter-institutional composition of the group we have achieved with Heriot-Watt Crucible VI has once again proven to be a powerful stimulus to encouraging new research ideas and collaborations to form. We'll look forward to seeing those initial ideas progress to fully fledged research proposals in the weeks and months to come"

Two-day labs
Participants in the Heriot‐Watt Crucible are specifically selected to undertake a programme of two‐day 'Labs' to be held at the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Scottish Parliament, Our Dynamic Earth and the Moredun Research Institute. Each Lab comprises a wealth of guest speakers, seminars, skills sessions, tours and informal discussions. The overall aim is to help emerging researchers develop skills, knowledge and connections to put their research into a wider context and enhance their innovative capacity and impact.

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