SRCs are one of a number of mechanisms for industrial engagement in academic research.

SRCs (Strategic research Clusters): Campus-Industry Partnerships

The SRC programme has been designed to facilitate the clustering of outstanding researchers to carry out joint research activities in areas of strategic importance to Ireland, while also giving the time and resources to attract and cultivate strong industry partnerships that can inform and enhance their research programmes.

DCU has recently been awarded two Science Foundation Ireland Strategic Research Clusters representing a €9.2m investment in industry focussed collaborative research. The program brings together expert researchers from DCU with industry partners in order to increase the knowledge base in specific areas of industrial importance to Ireland.

The 'Precision' Research Cluster led by Prof. Miles Turner (pictured) and conducted in partnership with UCD focuses on the use of plasma technology for advanced manufacturing. The program draws in partner companies from the semiconductor, biomedical and materials processing sectors and a mixture of multinationals and start-up companies: Intel, Straatum, Lexas Research, Impedans, Holfeld Plastics, Proxy Biomedical and EnBio.

The ‘Irish Separation Science Cluster’ led by Prof. Brett Paull (pictured) and conducted in partnership with UCC focuses on the development of powerful new separation technologies for the characterisation of complex biological systems in order to enhance capabilities in the bio-diagnostic, bio-nanotechnology and bio-processing industries. The program brings together a total of 18 industrial partners ranging from large End-Users of the technology such as Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer Ireland to instrument manufacturers such as Agilent Technologies, Dionex Corporation and Waters Technology Ireland Ltd.

The cluster model enables the industrial partners to obtain access rights to the results of the research to enable them to translate the outcomes commercially in their fields of interest.