EVENTS

The transition to clean aviation and sustainable aerospace is essential to achieving the UK’s net-zero ambitions while supporting regional economic growth and long-term competitiveness.

South West England and South Wales are home to a major aerospace and advanced manufacturing cluster, with strong capabilities in advanced manufacturing, materials, propulsion systems, and emerging hydrogen technologies. These strengths position the regions to play a leading role in the development and deployment of low-carbon aviation solutions.

As part of SETsquared CR&D support activities, in partnership with IAAPS, this in-person workshop will bring together regional stakeholders to identify collaboration opportunities, address capability gaps, and define practical next steps through professionally facilitated sessions. We are also looking to build collaborative partnerships for upcoming funding streams.

The workshop will begin with four short presentations – two from industry outlining current challenges and two from academia showcasing relevant expertise and facilities to address those challenges. Facilitated group sessions will then focus on ideation, brainstorming, and early-stage project planning to develop draft project concepts for potential CR&D funding applications.  To finish off the day, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the IAAPS facility.

Key themes include:

The workshop will explore key themes shaping the future of hydrogen in clean aviation and aerospace, including:

• Supply-chain readiness and advanced manufacturing capabilities
• Research translation and emerging hydrogen innovations in sustainable aviation and aerospace
• Ideation support and proposal development
• Regional strengths, capability gaps, and pathways to Net Zero in the aviation and aerospace sectors
• Collaboration opportunities across industry, academia, and the public sector
• Lunch, refreshments, and informal networking throughout the day

Meet the Facilitator

Chris takes his experience as a researcher into Higher Education Institutions around the world, delivering innovative training courses that are practical, purposeful and playful. He supports researchers from all fields to improve their projects, foster their creativity, and make their research meaningful. He relishes the innovation and leadership on offer in research and seeks to inspire those he works with to flourish as they shape the world, both inside and outside academia.

Chris’s training and development business is based in Exeter, specialising in leadership and helping people navigate the boundaries of multidisciplinary and cross-sector research. As a former scientist using light to diagnose early-stage cancer, Chris worked for a small charity and collaborated across various university departments and the NHS, before moving into training and development in 2007.

Chris’s current role has seen him working with universities all across the UK and in 12 different countries globally. Still a scientist at heart, he describes himself as a people-focused physicist who loves analysis and building collaborative communities based on compassion, care and creativity.

Agenda

10:00 – 10:30 Arrival and Welcome Refreshments

10:30 – 10:40 GW-SHIFT Introduction and Workshop Overview

10:40 – 10:55 Talk 1: Academic Perspective – Research and innovation priorities in clean aviation

10:55 – 11:10 Talk 2: Academic Perspective – Emerging technologies and regional capabilities

11:10 – 11:25 Talk 3: Industry Perspective – Industry challenges and opportunities in low-carbon aviation

11:25 – 11:40 Talk 4: Industry Perspective – Supply-chain readiness and innovation needs

11:40 – 12:45 Facilitated Session 1: Ideation and Opportunity Identification
Group discussion and collaborative idea generation

12:45 – 13:30 Lunch and Networking

13:30 – 14:20 Facilitated Session 2: Proposal Development and Planning
Group working session

14:20 – 14:50 Group Presentations and Discussion

14:50 – 15:00 Next Steps and AOB

15:00 Tour of the IAAPS Facility (Optional)

Who should attend?

This event is designed for:

• Aviation and Aerospace manufacturers and supply chain SMEs

• Clean propulsion, hydrogen, and advanced manufacturing companies

• Universities and research organisations in aviation, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing companies

• Local and regional authorities, skills bodies, and Net Zero stakeholders

Whether you are looking to forge cross-sector partnerships, present your research capabilities, or better understand the role of hydrogen in the transition to clean aviation and aerospace, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to connect with industry, academia, and public sector stakeholders from across the South West and South Wales region.