Inside track...

Our occasional column keeps you a breast of developments in the jobs market, from tip-offs and career pointers to who's on the move in your field

BOLTON BOOSTS 'SMART' TEAM

Bolton University is looking to recruit in the area of "smart" materials and textiles building following the recent appointment of three professors.

The university's Centre for Materials Research and Innovation recently hired Jack Luo, previously a senior research associate in the engineering department at Cambridge University; Guosheng Shao, previously academic leader for materials modelling and characterisation at Brunel University; and Martin Grootveld, who leaves his post as reader in the department of applied science at London South Bank University.

Elias Siores, director of the centre, described the new additions to his team as "a dream come true", predicting they would help fuel further growth and more appointments.

He said: "The CMRI has had a lot of support from the university in recent years because it is a niche area we have developed in a unique way.

"It is a multidisciplinary centre that draws in expertise from chemists, physicists, mathematicians, materials scientists, and mechanical and materials engineers."

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YORK SEEKS NANO-STARS...

York University is expanding in the area of nanomaterials, taking on staff to develop its York JEOL Nanocentre.

As well as appointing two co-directors, the centre has created a chair and a lectureship in nanophysics and another lectureship in nanoelectronics.

Co-director Pratibha Gai said more posts were likely to follow. "We will definitely be expanding the team. The new appointments will bring in students and research people, so the expansion process has already begun."

Backed by £5.5 million investment from the university, the European Union, regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, and scientific instruments supplier JEOL, the centre boasts one of the world's most powerful electron microscopes.

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...AND A FEW LEGAL EAGLES

York is also promising growth in its law school, which opens to postgraduates in October and undergraduates next year.

Stuart Bell, head of the school, told Inside Track that he expected to take in about 25 staff over the next three years.

Initially, he is looking for two senior and two junior lecturers to start in June, and he may recruit up to three research fellows. A head of research will also be sought after the 2008 research assessment exercise.

Professor Bell wants the school to have a strong practical as well as theoretical outlook.

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BUILD A BRAINY BOX AT ULSTER

Ulster University's Intelligent Systems Research Centre is planning to double its workforce to 100 over the next seven years.

It is seeking two professors, one reader, six research associates and a business development manager for the centre, which was launched with a budget of £20 million.

Director Martin McGinnity said one of the most exciting aspects of work at the centre is that it involves biologists, neuroscientists and psychologists in research that aims to create more intelligent machines.

"Our work may sound theoretical, but there are many sectors of industry where our research is immediately applicable," he said.