News

“Demand-side innovation is the priority for decarbonising materials” is the Roadmap to Net Zero research from Prof Julian Allwood and FIBE3 Cohort 1 published in the June issue of Nature Reviews Material and accessible on https://www.nature.com/articles/s41578-026-00934-2 It sets out a challenging but clear message: getting to net zero has to work …

Lightning, thunderstorms and torrential rain could not dampen the spirits of the FIBE3 CDT Summer Industry Day at West Hub on the West Cambridge Campus. If anything, the storm only sparked the energy within! The day was a powerful showcase of the collaboration and engagement at the heart of the FIBE3 community of industry stakeholders, academics an…

Join the Time Travellers Party and explore the city of tomorrow! Build a mini train, car, and windmill to power your smart city. Discover clean energy, clever transport, and sustainable engineering while protecting our planet. Watch special Guest Stars David Lloyd Gym Dancefit Crew, 10–10:45am, grooving to hits time-travelling from the 80s to today…

Title: AI-Enabled Digital Twins for Sustainable Infrastructure: Smart Buildings, Heritage Conservation, and Hydropower SystemAbstract: AI-enabled digital twins are dynamic, data-driven virtual representations of physical assets that integrate sensors, IoT systems, real-time monitoring, and advanced analytics to simulate, predict, and optimize infra…

FIBE3 CDT Lunchtime Seminar will feature Musa Chunge  from Laing O'Rourke, who will present a talk titled: “Kit of Parts Approach for Bridges”. Date: Thursday, 5th Mar 2026Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (light refreshments served from 11:45 am)Location: Seminar Room, Roger Needham Building, 7 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0RBFormat: In-person & Online…

FIBE3 CDT hosted a recruitment event with a Valentine’s Day twist -  a chance for students to fall head over heels for their perfect PhD. Aimed at 4th‑year undergraduates and Master’s students in the Engineering Faculty, the session invited them to “speed‑date” with our current CDT students and academics to discover their research soulmate within o…

Talk Title: Carbon Data and Reporting for ConstructionTalk Abstract: M Group Highways is a Highways Maintenance and Construction organisation, managing over 50,000km of the UK road network. Given our significant consumption of raw materials such as asphalt and concrete, as well as fuel for heavy machinery, the imperative to decarbonise our operatio…

Title: Reimagining Icons: Space House as a Blueprint for Sustainable Adaptive ReuseAbstract:Tyler Goodwin joined the FIBE3 cohort for a session exploring the role of adaptive reuse in delivering sustainable, commercially viable buildings, using the Grade II-listed Space House in London as a central case study. The discussion examined why retaining …

Completing a PhD is about more than producing a thesis—it’s about developing a versatile skill set that prepares researchers for diverse career paths. The FIBE3 CDT training emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and leadership alongside technical expertise. By equipping PhD students with these transferable skills, we ensure th…

Title:Sustainable Circular Economy in ConstructionAbstract: In 2023, the global building sector accounted for 32% of energy demand and 34% of total energy-related CO2 emissions, reaching nearly 10GtCO2 (Hamilton, Kennard et al. 2024). In the UK context, the built environment already accounts for almost 30% of the UK’s total territorial GHG emission…

Alan Zhang, Swasthi Surendran (FIBE3 Cohort 1) and Kenneth Yap (FIBE2 Cohort 5) attended the Royce PhD Student Research Sandpit 2025 and ultimately walking away with the event prize.The Royce workshop was created to encourage multidisciplinary exploration for people of different backgrounds, particularly Material Science and Engineering, to come to…

The Autumn Industry Day at the Moller Institute was a seamless success from start to finish. The day started with a welcome and updates by FIBE3 CDT Head, Prof Abir Al-Tabbaa followed by an insightful update on the Unlocking Net Zero Roadmap by Prof Julian Allwood. Cohort 2, who began their MRes + PhD journey in October, kicked things off with dyna…

Welcome to the FIBE Group November Newsletter! This month’s edition is brimming with energy, inspiration, and innovation. From cutting-edge research breakthroughs and standout conference moments to well-earned achievements across the group, there’s plenty to explore. Dive in to discover what’s been happening with our students!FIBE Group Newsletter…

Calling all potential applicants! FIBE3 CDT is recruiting for 15 fully-funded studentships**  for entry in October 2026. And we warmly welcome potential applicants to come and find out all about the FIBE3 CDT programme and have your questions answered.Topic: FIBE3 CDT Online Recruitment event Date and Time: Nov 13, 2025 12:00 PM LondonJoin Zoom Me…

We’re thrilled to welcome Cohort 2 to the FIBE3 CDT programme! This dynamic group of 9 students, each bringing unique academic perspectives, kicked off their CDT journey with a lively and engaging Induction Week, designed to foster connection, build confidence, and lay the foundation for collaborative research.Cohort 2 outside the Civil Engineering…