Collaborate

Collaboration is at the heart of our work

Academic and industrial collaboration enables our fundamental research to translate into societal and commercial impact. It includes collaboration with schools to inspire a next generation of chemistry students and working together with other academic disciplines, institutions and industry to further our research and its impact. It takes the form of exchanging ideas, engaging in large-scale joint projects and initiatives, partnering with industry, and providing opportunities for staff and student mobility through visitor programmes and secondments.

We undertake world-leading research crossing traditional boundaries, which engages with other disciplines, both within Oxford and across a range of external sectors. Our commitment to realising economic and societal impact from fundamental research is evident from our many industrial and clinical collaborations and our commercialisation activities
Our Mission, Oxford Chemistry

Academic collaboration

We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with other academics, disciplines and institutions. Our extensive academic collaboration is evidenced by over two-thirds of our research publications having co-authors from outside the Department, a portfolio of funded research including collaborations with both UK and international academic institutions, and a vibrant and diverse visitor programme.  Our academic staff also collaborate on an individual basis with other institutions, the profession and industry through holding visiting academic posts with other universities, engaging with professional organisations such as the Royal Society of Chemistry, and acting as consultants and advisors to industry and public sector organisations.

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Collaboration with members of other academic institutions worldwide is a key part of Chemistry at Oxford and we host up to 100 visitors a year.  This may take the form of an early career researcher from another institution spending a year with one of our research groups on an externally funded visitor scheme or shorter visits by academics with whom our academic staff are collaborating on joint projects.  Potential visits are best discussed in the first instance with the individual identified as the host academic. For general information on the visitor process contact: Sue Henderson in the Head of Department’s Office.

Our academics regularly collaborate with academics and research teams in other institutions on joint research projects and initiatives.  Most of these collaborations arise from academic to academic interactions and are supported by our Research and Grant Facilitation teams. Visit our Research Theme and Academic Staff pages to find out more about the research of the Department and areas for potential collaboration. Collaborations within Oxford include Oxford Energy, addressing the challenges to find secure, affordable and sustainable energy, and Oxford Photonics, involved in quantum photonics and metrology to super-resolution optical imaging, biophotonics, ultrafast spectroscopy, sensing, and laser processing.

Visit our Academic Staff pages which are searchable by research theme to find out who works on specific areas of chemistry.  For media or press enquiries please contact Susan Davis or Thomas Player, Communications Managers.

Industrial collaboration

Oxford Chemistry aspires to bring about world-leading advances in fundamental chemistry that lead to transformative changes in our understanding and knowledge of the discipline. We strive to translate our research into applications to tackle global issues in healthcare, energy, security, the environment, food, and water supply. We seek to establish strong links with industry and work with our partners to identify the challenging problems facing industry, and collaborate to turn our fundamental research into real-world applications. Our industrial partners cover a diverse range of fields, from agrochemical, energy, petrochemicals and fuel additives, to pharmaceutical and healthcare technologies; from chemical, analytical, specialist materials and thin films, to the food, automobile, and instrumentation manufacturing sectors. We also have strong collaborations with the NHS and other public sector organisations.

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Oxford is one of the leading chemistry research departments in the world and our facilities for research and teaching are among the best in the UK. We are committed to training up the next generation of scientists and aim to engender in our postgraduates the skills and qualities to become outstanding researchers. Around 450 graduate students are currently working in Oxford towards a Masters or DPhil in Chemistry. There are a variety of opportunities to become involved with graduate training within the Department. Opportunities are available for full or part-funding of studentships, such as EPSRC Industrial CASE awards. More information about our core programmes can be found on the University's course pages.

Industrial collaborators are able to provide training by sponsoring or participating in lecture series and mini-symposiums. For more information or an informal discussion please contact Dr Rachel MacCoss, Senior Research Facilitator for Chemistry.

The Department provides a high-quality training and career development environment, as illustrated by the impact that our graduates demonstrate in science, industry, business and society. A survey of 160 of our DPhil graduates showed that ~30% went directly into research and development in industry. Industry partners are able to hold recruiment sessions for our students and postdoctoral researchers. Typically these involve a company presentation, followed by a reception for interested undergraduates,  postgraduates and postdocs.

Consultancy makes our knowledge and expertise available to industry, business and the wider community and can provide access to our state-of-the-art equipment. It enables businesses to address new challenges, further research advances, and gain new perspectives. It may also lead to long-term relationships and collaboration. Over 60 of our staff are registered as consultants with Oxford University Innovation (OUI) and have provided consultancy to over 80 companies. Examples of the consultancy services available are: specialist opinion; technical and professional advice; expert witness services; horizon scanning to aid strategic planning; master classes on the current state-of-the-art; patent process optimization; advisory boards. See our research themes to find an expert to work with. Contact Consulting Services at OUI to arrange a consultancy.

Industry partners may sponsor major lectures or lecture series, advertise in the Department’s annual magazine Periodic (read by around 10,000 alumni, staff, students, and visitors), or support undergraduate and postgraduate prizes for outstanding scholarship.

The Department hosts a number of Visiting Professorships for industrial scientists. If you are interested in a holding a professorship, please contact execasstchem@chem.ox.ac.uk to find out what options are available.

Spinouts

Oxford Chemistry has an outstanding track record in translating fundamental research to effect real-world change. Commercialisation through the formation of spinout companies is an important way our research can bring societal and economic benefit,
and the University of Oxford is the leading academic institution in the UK for generating spinout companies (Spotlight on Spinouts 2023).

From our ground-breaking work on the lithium-ion battery, to rapid DNA sequencing and a pioneering blood glucose sensor for diabetes, many of these spinout companies started in our Department. Indeed, two of the top five spinout investees in the UK in
2022 emerged from Oxford Chemistry: Osler Diagnostics and OMass Therapeutics. The University has also produced the highest number of tech unicorn founders across Europe, including
Chemistry spinout Oxford Nanopore, valued at £3.4 billion in 2021.

Oxford Chemistry collaboration news