Dr Nalin Patel became the Manager of the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability in August 2011. The Programme will focus on applying physics to meet the growing demand on our natural resources. It will support research programmes that explore basic science which can generate the new technologies and new industries that will be needed to meet the demands of a growing population on our already strained natural resources.

The programme’s director is Professor Sir Richard Friend, the Cavendish Professor of Physics and a world-renowned leading expert on the physics, materials science and engineering of semiconductor devices.

The programme will provide PhD studentships, research fellowships, and support for new academic staff as well as investment in research infrastructure of the highest level, pump-priming for novel research projects, support for collaborations within the University and outside, and sponsorship for outreach activities. There will be a strong emphasis upon fundamental research that will have importance for the sustainability agenda in the long-term.