Graphene Week comes to Manchester

The University of Manchester today opens its doors to hundreds of graphene academics and commercial organisations for Graphene Week 2015.

More than 650 leading graphene researchers will take part in Graphene Week, held at University Place, to focus on latest research, science, technology and emerging applications of graphene.

At the same time, the newly-opened National Graphene Institute will host the Graphene Industry Workshops 2015, a chance for hundreds of businesses to find out how they can benefit from working with the one-atom-thick material.

In addition, there will be a number of events held during the week, including:

•    A BBC World Service Forum – taking place on Wednesday 24 June in University Place.
•    A graphene musical composition by composer Sara Lowes, with creative organisation Brighter Sounds – producing a piece of music inspired by graphene that promotes both women in science and women in musical composition. The 35-minute piece, called the ‘Graphene Suite’, will be premiered at The University of Manchester on Thursday 25 June, with additional performances to audiences at Old Trafford and MOSI.  
•    A three-day Experimental Weekender all about graphene at MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry) from Friday 26 - Sunday 28 June. On the Friday evening, this temporary exhibition will host The Friday Night Experiment – with a highlight being performances from Circus House Manchester, a professional troupe of acrobatic performers whose core strength and flexibility embodies the physical properties of graphene.
•    A temporary display at University Place of two graphene-related books from the John Rylands library collection: the first known reference to a pencil, dating from the 16th Century, and one of the first references to Borrowdale graphite.  

Graphene Week is organised by the Graphene Flagship – a 1bn euro research initiative tasked with bringing together academic and industrial researchers to take graphene from the realm of academic laboratories into European society in the space of 10 years, thus generating economic growth, new jobs and new opportunities.

Dr Cinzia Casiraghi, from The University of Manchester, is the Scientific Chair of the conference and is officially opening the event this morning:

She said: “We are delighted to welcome the global research community to one of the top graphene research institutes in the world.

“With an exceptional scientific programme, world-class invited speakers from both academia and industry, two parallel sessions for contributed oral presentations, daily poster sessions, awards, networking events, all in Manchester, I do believe that this conference will help advance graphene science and will promote cultivation of relationships, collaboration and friendships in the community.”

James Baker, Graphene Business Director, added: “Graphene Week 2015 is one of the most important events in the graphene calendar. The University is not only a leading centre for research but also for commercialisation of graphene.

“We felt this was a superb opportunity to invite SMEs and other businesses to the National Graphene Institute to find out what opportunities there might be for them to collaborate with our world-class researchers.”

For more information about Graphene Week, including the official programme, see http://graphene-flagship.eu/grapheneweek/editions/2015/Pages/Graphene-Week-2015.aspx

For more information about the Graphene Industry Workshops, see http://www.businessgrowthhub.com/events/growth-service/graphene-industry-workshops-2015
 

Notes for editors

The Graphene Week academic conference is being organised by the Graphene Flagship: http://graphene-flagship.eu/ 

James Baker and Dr Cinzia Casiraghi are available for interview on request.

Follow Graphene Week on Twitter: @GrapheneWeek #GrapheneWeek 

To find out more about graphene go to www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk 

For media enquiries please contact:

Daniel Cochlin
Graphene Communications and Marketing Manager
The University of Manchester
0161 275 8382
07917 506158
www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk
www.manchester.ac.uk
Twitter: @UoMGraphene