Innovation UK > News > Innovation UK Vol5-2 > Sussex leads on interdisciplinary research

In May 2009 trend forecasters The Future Laboratory predicted that Brighton & Hove will be one of the UK?s five new ?supercities?. These are cities that have advanced knowledge-based economies instead of businesses based on the consumption of natural resources to create products.

The report predicted a revolution in British industry, with the UK set to be a world leader in genetically modified foods, video games and robotics. The University of Sussex is playing a key role in helping the city realise its ?Supercity? potential by applying its research expertise to businesses both regionally and globally.

Sussex has grouped its research into six key themes that capitalise upon its long history of interdisciplinary working. These research themes stimulate academics to engage with each other to share knowledge, innovate and capture the imagination of the business community. Sussex?s collaboration with both the private and public sectors has been enhanced by the opportunities that the new research themes offer.

The success of Sussex?s research themes relies on excellence within the faculty and, increasingly, partnerships with major national and international partners. Initiatives such as those with The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, American Express, Rolls-Royce and the UK Ministry of Defence are prime examples of how Sussex works best to create solutions for its external partners.

Research Themes

Researchers at Sussex are at the forefront of critical thinking on a host of issues that inform concerns about citizenship and democratisation. Sussex?s experts on migration, security and information technology influence both domestic and international government policy on conflict, human rights, security and other crucial issues.

The environment and health theme encourages collaboration between researchers across many schools and departments at Sussex. Sussex research covers many key issues in the environment and health fields, including: infectious disease research which spans epidemiology of epidemics; molecular biology research into infectious organisms; clinical treatment of infectious disease; the policy research into vaccination programmes and their perception in different cultures.

Sussex?s research into digital technologies crosses the divide between sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities. Researchers develop technologies, explore their social and cultural applications, consider the aesthetic and human potentials they enable, and seek to understand the challenges they pose in the areas of cultural and media policy, knowledge and education, social justice and citizenship.

The globalisation of heritage and culture demands a new appreciation of cosmopolitan identities, one in which sub-cultures and national heritage projects are important economic players. New technologies for preserving and recording heritage raise pressing issues for understanding the nature of what is preserved and how it is recorded. Sussex is well placed to provide policy-relevant, pro-poor, research and advice on global transformations. The University has several large, externally tfunded, research centres that provide information to international organisations.

Sussex researchers also have strong relationships with the Institute of Development Studies based on the Sussex campus, policy makers, and a network of academic collaborators across the world.

The mind and brain theme incorporates leading work in neuroscience, psychology and artificial intelligence: subjects that help define human nature and will underpin advances in health and information technology. Sussex?s rejection of academic and institutional boundaries in sciences and humanities bears fruit in pioneering work in consciousness and in creativity.

For more information, please contact:
Business and Enterprise
University of Sussex,
Falmer, Brighton
Tel: +44 (0) 1273 877800
E-mail:
Web: www.sussex.ac.uk/research/researchthemes.php