51³Ô¹ÏÍø

51³Ô¹ÏÍø has renewed a collaboration with BP and leading global university partners to advance interdisciplinary research.

The , a research centre that brings together multiple universities and the energy company BP,  has announced its renewal and an extension of its well-established academic–industry collaboration framework agreement, broadening its scope to cover research topics including materials, chemistry, catalysis, biosciences, and subsurface, focused on enabling technologies that support BP’s ambition to deliver energy to the world, today and tomorrow.

ICAM has catalysed interdisciplinary research and strengthened connections across partners. Its renewal is a testament to the community that works together to make meaningful change. Professor Mary Ryan Vice Provost (Research and Enterprise) at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø

The ICAM is a partnership between BP,  the , , 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and the . Since its launch in 2012, the Centre has supported research ranging from PhD-led exploratory projects to large-scale research programmes involving multiple teams.

By bringing together academic and industry partners, the Centre has strengthened research capabilities, fostered interdisciplinary collaboration and provided students and early-career researchers with experience working alongside BP experts. Its model embeds BP mentors within project teams, ensuring research remains industrially relevant and accelerates translation from laboratory to application.

Professor Mary Ryan, Vice Provost (Research and Enterprise) at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø said: “51³Ô¹ÏÍø is proud to be a founding partner of ICAM, a collaboration that takes fundamental science discoveries and applies them with purpose to deliver real-world impact. Over the past decade, we have contributed to more than 40 projects and supported over 60 early career researchers, spanning eight departments.

"ICAM has catalysed interdisciplinary research within 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and strengthened connections across our partner institutions. Its renewal is a testament to the leadership and community that share ideas freely and work together to make meaningful change. Working in partnership is the only way to achieve significant impact, and we are excited to continue building on this spirit of collaboration to tackle the challenges ahead.”

ICAM's next chapter

Building on more than a decade of interdisciplinary research in materials science, the ICAM aims to continue to make a difference in today’s energy systems and help build tomorrow’s, while aligning with BP’s strategic interests and technology roadmaps.

The ICAM’s research supports BP’s ambition to be a net zero company, and to help get the world to net zero by 2050 or sooner, by improving understanding of materials, processes and energy systems that can lower emissions and enhance performance.

51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s partnership with BP as part of ICAM is consistent with the university’s position that it will only work with fossil fuel companies that demonstrate a commitment to a transition to renewable energy, as assessed by the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Zero Index, on programmes that help them revise their businesses and support that transition.

Recent examples include research on sustainable catalysts for COâ‚‚ conversion through the ICAM's , and .

In recent years, the ICAM has welcomed additional expertise from associate members including Cardiff University and Johnson Matthey, both central to the Prosperity Partnership, as well as University College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Leeds, University of Sheffield and University of Texas at Austin.

Dr Cathy Tway, Chief Chemist and VP University Partnerships at BP, said: “As we look to the next phase of ICAM, our focus will be on translational research that not only advances fundamental science but accelerates real-world impact. By fostering collaboration across universities and disciplines, we aim to unlock breakthroughs that make new technologies commercially viable faster, investing in today’s energy ecosystem while shaping the future."