University of Glasgow Advanced Research Centre, ARC Development, UoG research facility
University of Glasgow ARC: Advanced Research Centre News
8 June 2022
University of Glasgow’s ARC officially opened
photo courtesy of UoG
University of Glasgow Advanced Research Centre Opening
A flagship research facility at the University of Glasgow was opened today (Wednesday 8 June) by Nobel prize winning Chemist, Professor Sir David MacMillan.
The £118 million Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) will be the creative and collaborative heart of cross-disciplinary research at the University of Glasgow.
photo courtesy of UoG
Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow welcomed guests to an event in the atrium of the new building. Nobel Laureate, Professor Sir David MacMillan, addressed attendees before unveiling a plaque to mark the official opening of the building.
The University’s UNESCO Poet in Residence, Tawona Sithole, performed a specially commissioned piece of poetry, entitled ‘arc’, to celebrate the occasion.
photo courtesy of UoG
The Mazumdar-Shaw ARC will provide a unique environment for delivering world changing research; it is designed to promote collaboration and pioneer new ways of working.
It will also act as a catalyst for strengthening relationships between the University of Glasgow and its stakeholders including funders, industry, civic bodies, and the public.
Official opening of the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) at the University of Glasgow
l-r:
Prof Sir Dave MacMillan , Dame Katherine Grainger, Chancellor, ,University of Glasgow, Alasdair Shaw,
Prof Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Glasgow:
photograph © Martin Shields
The building is named after University of Glasgow graduate John Shaw and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who donated $7.5 million to the University of Glasgow for the building’s construction and to fund a Professorial Chair.
Official opening of the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) at the University of Glasgow
left to right:
Prof Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Glasgow, Alasdair Shaw, Dame Katherine Grainger, Chancellor, University of Glasgow, Prof Sir Dave MacMillan:
photograph © Martin Shields
Speaking at the event, Prof Sir MacMillan said: “I am honoured to open the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre at the University of Glasgow. This truly is a unique and inspiring building, which recognises and reflects the University of Glasgow’s world changing research ambitions.”
Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said: “The Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre creates an environment that enables bold and creative research with world-changing potential.
Official opening of the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) at the University of Glasgow
l-r:
Prof Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Glasgow with Prof Sir Dave MacMillan unveiling the plaque:
photograph © Martin Shields
“This would not have been possible without the hard work of all our colleagues who have helped bring the ARC to reality and all the people and organisations who believe in the University of Glasgow’s vision. I would like to thank you all for your support”
Kiran and John Shaw said: “It is our fervent hope that the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre will provide a unique environment that supports the kind of inter-disciplinary, collaborative research that leads to breakthrough and world changing innovations, which will enhance the quality of life and through the betterment of human society.”
Official opening of the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) at the University of Glasgow
l-r:
Dame Katharine Grainger, Chancellor of the University of Glasgow and Tawona Sithole, UESCO Poet in Residence, University of Glasgow
photograph © Martin Shields
Background:
Initial areas for research focus in the Mazumdar-Shaw ARC are:
• Quantum Technologies
• Digital Chemistry
• Global Sustainable Development
• Creative Economies and Cultural Transformations
• Technologies Touching Life
• Social Robotics
• ARC-XR
Official opening of the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) at the University of Glasgow
Pictured – Tawona Sithole, UESCO Poet in Residence, University of Glasgow performs his new poem for the building called ‘arc’:
photograph © Martin Shields
Professor Sir David MacMillan
David MacMillan was born in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, and is a graduate of the University of Glasgow, achieving a BSc in Chemistry, in 1989.
David then undertook doctoral studies at the University of California in 1990, before undertaking a postdoctoral position with Professor Dave Evans at Harvard University in 1996.
In 2006, he moved to the east coast of the United States to take up the position of James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University.
David was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in the UK in 2012 and to the National Academy of Sciences in the United States in May 2018. He shared the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Benjamin List “for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis”.
In 2022 he was awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s Jubilee Honours for his services to Chemistry.
David is married to Dr Jean Kim, has three daughters, and beyond his family and chemistry, his biggest passion is Scottish football.
Kiran and John Shaw
Dr John Shaw’s career with the Paisley-based textile firm Coats included management and financial positions across the world and led to him meeting his future wife Kiran in Bangalore. When they married in 1998, her firm Biocon was already a pioneering biotech venture. When Dr Shaw took early retirement from Coats, they worked together to transform the company into a biotech giant.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw started Biocon in in 1978 in her garage. Today it is a billion-dollar company with around 15,000 employees. Kiran is named among TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world and is recognised as a thought leader who has made her country proud by building a globally recognised biopharmaceutical enterprise.
Previously on Glasgow Architecture:
24 January 2022
First researchers move into the ARC
First academics move into new £116 million University of Glasgow research facility
University of Glasgow Advanced Research Centre
The University of Glasgow has today (24 January) welcomed the first researchers into its pioneering flagship research facility, the ARC (Advanced Research Centre).
The £116 million, 16,000 metre-square building will house a collaborative community of academics from across a range of disciplines and will be fully operational from Spring this year.
Exterior of the ARC:
photo : Keith Hunter
The ARC is designed to bring together researchers in an environment that encourages collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas. By bringing people together in new ways, the building will encourage the exploration of cross-disciplinary concepts, as well as fostering innovation with external and industry partners.
Over the next few months over 500 researchers, technicians and professional staff will move into the ARC. The first group moving in will work on developing world changing technologies in the field of Digital Chemistry, and is led by Professor Lee Cronin, Regius Chair of Chemistry.
The ARC provides a purpose-built space for the development of Digital Chemistry at the University, housing cutting-edge equipment and allowing the 60 strong group to be co-located together for the first time.
Photo (l-r): Dr Abishek Sharma (Research Fellow in Chemical Computing); Prof Lee Cronin (Regius Chair of Chemistry); Cat MacGregor (Postgraduate Researcher):
photo courtesy of University of Glasgow
Professor Lee Cronin said: “This is a huge milestone for us as a research group. It is fantastic that we will be in one space for the first time, but the opportunity of the ARC is more than that. We will be sharing space with colleagues from different research areas, meeting people with new ideas and interests. This will lead to new conversations that would never have happened before, and what comes from those conversations is the exciting bit.”
Professor Andrew Tobin, Director of the ARC, said: “Through the ARC we are attempting something disruptive and hugely exciting – an evolution in how we operate as a research-intensive University.
“Once the building is fully operational we will have a diverse range of disciplines sharing one space, the potential cannot be over-estimated. Beyond that we have also created new spaces to support colleagues across the campus to realise their research, innovation and engagement ambitions, spaces which can support creativity, conferences, networking and collaboration.”
Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said: “Seeing the building rapidly move towards being fully operational is incredibly exciting. The ARC is central to our research strategy and our continued commitment to creating world-changing research which contributes to global challenges. I look forward to seeing the building fully open for more colleagues and the public later this year.”
Research being housed in the ARC includes:
· Creative economies and cultural transformation
· Digital chemistry
· Global sustainable development
· Quantum and nanotechnology
· Technology touching life
· ARC XR
· Social AI CDT
You can learn more about the ARC on the ARC webpages https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/campusdevelopment/arc/#
The ground floor of the ARC will be open to the general public to showcase the excitement and relevance of the University’s research. It will offer a mix of multi-purpose spaces for events and conferences, as well as team building and networking activity and public engagement.
Comments on this University of Glasgow ARC: Advanced Research Centre article are welcome.
More information on the Mazumdar-Shaw ARC: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/arc/
More on Kiran and John Shaw and the ARC naming: https://www.gla.ac.uk/news/headline_844772_en.html
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image courtesy of architects practice
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Comments on this University of Glasgow ARC: Advanced Research Centre article are welcome