Begbroke Science Park is a

science park A science park (also called a "university research park", "technology park”, "technopark", “technopole", or a "science and technology park" (STP)) is defined as being a property-based development that accommodates and fosters the growt ...

located five miles north of

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, England. It is owned by

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

and managed as part of the university's Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division It lies within the parish of

Begbroke Begbroke ( ) is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about west of Kidlington and northwest of Oxford. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 783. Archaeology Fragments of early pottery have been found in the parish, as we ...

, although it is only accessible from the village of Yarnton on the A44.

History

The site has been the home of research facilities since 1960, when the Weed Research Organisation was established there. It was later used as the Technology Centre of the

Cookson Group Vesuvius plc is a British engineered ceramics company headquartered in London whose products are used by steelmakers and foundries as well as in the glass and solar energy industries. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a ...

. The site was bought by Oxford University in 1998, arranged by Professor Brian Cantor and supported by the then Registrar, David Hughes, and Vice-Chancellor,

Colin Lucas Sir Colin Renshaw Lucas, (born 25 August 1940) is a British historian and university administrator. From 1997 to 2004, he was the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. In May 2006, he was appointed Chair of the Board of the British Library for ...

. Brian Cantor became the first academic director from 1998 to 2002. Professor Peter Dobson was appointed as the academic director in 2002. Since then the Science Park has doubled in size, hosts more than 30 companies and has more than 20 research groups from 6 different University Departments. A new access road opened in 2012. The university owns of land surrounding the research park, mainly devoted to agriculture, of which the Science Park is developed on a 10-acre site at the centre.

Research groups

There are over 20 research groups on the site variously from the Departments of Materials, Engineering Science, and Earth Sciences, with Physics, the OeRC and Business Services and Projects all represented in Oxford Supercomputer machine room. Highlighted areas include: * Begbroke Nano- Dr Alison Crossley * Processing of Advanced Materials Laboratory- Patrick Grant * The Environmental Biotechnology team- Professor Ian Thompson * Impact Engineering Laboratory - Professor Nik Petrinic * Solar Energy Materials Initiative Research on Solar Cells * Oxford Materials Electron Microscopy and Micro analysis Group * Oxford University Supercomputer

Commercial activities

Begbroke Science Park has over 30 different high tech spin out and start-up companies. In 2017, a new science enterprise centre, known as the Begbroke Innovation Accelerator, was opened in the park as an extension of the Centre for Innovation and Enterprise.Press release
Oxford University science enterprise centre opens for business
Oxford University, March 17, 2017. Accessed September 9, 2018.

Knowledge transfer

Two Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) units are located on the site: * Environmental Knowledge Transfer Network (ESKTN), which works across four subject areas:

Water management Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. 97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; sl ...

, distributed renewable energy,

waste management Waste management or waste disposal includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste, together with monitorin ...

and resource efficiency and

sustainable land management Sustainable land management (SLM) refers to practices and technologies that aim to integrate the management of land, water, and other environmental resources to meet human needs while ensuring long-term sustainability, ecosystem services, biodive ...

and

food production The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from small, traditional, ...

. * Materials Knowledge Transfer Network, which provides access to the latest technological knowledge and international discoveries on materials: metals, composites,

plastics Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptabi ...

ceramics A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...

, minerals, technical textiles and smart materials. The team at Begbroke specialise in transport applications.

References

External links

Begbroke Science Park website
{{Authority control 1960 establishments in England Economy of Oxfordshire Parks and open spaces in Oxfordshire Science and technology in Oxfordshire Science parks in the United Kingdom University of Oxford sites