MIDAS HOSTS A SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL PROGRESS MEETING

MIDAS Hosts a Successful Annual Progress Meeting

On the 16th and 17th of September 2024, the MIDAS programme held its annual progress meeting at the Royce Hub Building. The event brought together over 70 attendees from partner institutions such as Oxford, Imperial College, PSI, and the University of Birmingham, as well as representatives from organisations including UKAEA (UK Atomic Energy Authority), NNL (National Nuclear Laboratory), EDF, Westinghouse, Rolls Royce, and Jacobs. The purpose of the meeting was to share knowledge on programme updates, discuss recent discoveries, and provide networking opportunities.

Cheerful attendees at the MIDAS annual progress meeting

Day One Highlights

Day one began with a late morning start at 11:00 am, covering overviews of the KC1 and KC3 themes. Researchers presented their work on topics such as the effect of copper on irradiation-induced growth mechanisms in W13 alloys (KC1) and advanced characterisation techniques to investigate the effects of irradiation on corrosion kinetics and oxide microstructures (KC3). These presentations were followed by discussions, with audience members posing questions and offering feedback, giving researchers valuable insights to refine their projects.

Jonna Partezana of Westinghouse provided an industrial perspective on how MIDAS aligns with Westinghouse's interests. Her talk centred on what the company hopes to see from the programme and how future collaborations could benefit both industry and academia.

Another key highlight was an interactive session led by Becky Bainbridge, CEO of RECLAIM, a charity focused on promoting equality for young working-class people. Titled “Why Class Matters? EDIA in the Workplace,” the session sparked meaningful conversations around creating and maintaining spaces for individuals from working-class backgrounds to thrive in both industrial and academic sectors. One attendee noted,

“I learned a lot from this session and now understand the importance of widening participation to broaden knowledge and perspectives.”

The day ended at 5:30 pm, followed by a conference dinner at Manchester Museum, where attendees enjoyed a more relaxed setting to continue conversations and build relationships over food and drinks.

Day Two Highlights

The second day of the meeting began earlier, at 9:00 am, focusing on the KC2 and KC4 themes. Researchers delivered presentations on topics such as the effects of irradiation damage on the deformation of zirconium alloys (KC2) and in-situ mechanical testing during proton irradiation (KC4). These sessions also featured dynamic discussions, similar to the previous day, with valuable input from both peers and industry representatives.

Helen Swan and Paul Styman from NNL delivered an engaging industrial talk, outlining their ongoing work and its connections to the research being conducted within the MIDAS programme. They also shared what NNL hopes to see from future collaborations, ensuring continued alignment between academic research and industrial needs.

A unique feature of day two was the poster flash talk session, where researchers gave concise, focused presentations on their work, summarizing key findings through posters. The flash talks helped improve communication skills and foster engagement and collaboration among attendees. Early-career researchers particularly benefited, as the format encouraged broader participation. As a way of recognizing excellence, the poster flash talks were assessed by an independent panel, and prizes were awarded to the top three presenters. Congratulations to Ioannis Alakiozidis, Xingzhong Liang, and Callum Andrew for their outstanding contributions!

Researchers and other attendees at the poster session

The recent MIDAS Progress Meeting brought together researchers and partners to discuss ongoing projects, share breakthroughs, and plan the way forward. Throughout the day, attendees reflected on the collaborative spirit driving the program's success while also identifying key areas for future growth.

Ioannis Alakiozidis, a researcher, remarked,

“This year’s MIDAS progress meeting highlighted the strong alignment between our research group’s pioneering work and industry needs, underscoring the real-world impact of advancing our understanding of zirconium’s behaviour in reactor environments. It was especially rewarding to see all the work on the “BOR-60” set of materials finally coming together, a result of combined academic and industrial efforts.”

The meeting closed with renewed energy and commitment to pushing the boundaries of research and innovation within MIDAS.