BE PART OF RESEARCH
THAT CHANGES THE WORLD
EXPLORING. UNCOVERING. SOLVING. OUR DIVERSE
RESEARCH SHARES ONE COMMON THREAD – THE DESIRE
TO MAKE A VALUABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
That’s why 78 per cent of our research was rated world-leading or internationally
excellent in the last research assessment exercise (REF 2014).
At Portsmouth, you’ll be taught or supervised by people at the forefront of their
disciplines. They’ll inspire you to innovate and solve problems that matter.
a new solution to single-use
plastic pollution
An international team including Professor John
McGeehan and PhD student Harry Austin engineered a
natural enzyme that has the rare ability to break down
PET plastic, the material used in single-use plastic drinks
bottles, textiles and carpets. They’re improving it for use
in industry – opening the door to a sustainable recycling
solution for the world’s plastics problem.
‘Whenever anybody
wants to talk about
how awe inspiring the
Universe is, they tend to
show beautiful pictures
of space to make their
point. I wanted to make
something that could
help to inspire and teach
people in the same way,
regardless of whether they
can see or not.’
taboo-tackling tech that helps
beat breast cancer
India has the world’s fastest growing incidence-rate of
breast cancer, with a mortality rate of around 50 per
cent. Judith Fletcher-Brown is using marketing expertise
and creative tech to shape an interactive resource
for community nurses. With tablet computers, they’ll
conquer cultural taboos and make self-examination
normal.
truths shared aloud, to heal the
scars of war
Some of the worst damage in war is done not to the
body, but to the mind. To play a part in healing these
wounds, Dr Erika Hughes has turned to the medium
of live performance. She brings soldiers from the
frontline to the footlights. By sharing their true stories
with civilian audiences, these veterans foster better
understanding.
better ways to ask questions and
protect the innocent
When terrorists strike, decisions made by police are
only as good as the facts at their fingertips. So when
interviewing witnesses, victims and suspects alike, it’s
vital to ask the right questions in the right way. Professor
Becky Milne’s research and recommendations inform
interview policy and practice around the world.
tactile galaxies that let visually
impaired children ‘feel’ the Universe
Born with an eye condition, Dr Nicolas Bonne wanted
to be an astronomer since childhood. Years later he led
The Tactile Universe project, which brings astrophysics
to life for young people with vision impairments. 3D
printed galaxies use height to represent brightness –
revealing stars’ secrets to those who can’t see them
shine.
Find out more at
port.ac.uk/research
Dr Nicolas Bonne
Tactile Universe Project Lead
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revolutionary materials to drive
greener transport
To protect the planet, we must make transport more
sustainable. Professor Hom Dhakal’s team took waste
material from date palm fibre and developed a biobased
composite, for use in car bumpers and door linings. It’s
lighter than conventional composites, takes less energy
to produce, and is biodegradable – a big win for the
environment.
+44(0)23 9284 4444 | myport@port.ac.uk | port.ac.uk
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