All set up and ready to network! Ilaria and Rachel were pleased to see so many visitors at the Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Enterprise Solutions (CChES) industry event on Monday.

Representatives from a range of companies discovered more about the cutting-edge facilities at Southampton, and discussed their R&D issues with expert staff.

Always a pleasure to be part of our operational partners’ events, as we continue to support CChES’s expanding consultancy portfolio.

These dots represent the power of outreach.

We had a fantastic time at the University of Southampton’s Science and Engineering Day, welcoming families to try our escape room activity. And, when asked if it made them think about becoming a scientist or engineer when they grow up, a massive 84% of our young participants said YES!

The grown-ups enjoyed it too:

💬 “We have thoroughly enjoyed the whole day but the escape room was hands-down our favourite part.”

💬 “It was a brilliant experience. Speaking with the staff between stalls and learning about their area of work and expertise was fascinating and helpful for my child to widen their horizon. Thank you.”

It’s so rewarding to know we’re encouraging youngsters to consider STEM. A big thank you to the team who made it happen!

Fancy a free, fun activity for curious minds of all ages? Come and try our popular escape-room style challenge at the University’s Science and Engineering Day on Saturday 14 March.

Professor Nogood has stolen nC²‘s lab keys and locked them away. Can you help us crack the code to get them back?

It’s part of a brilliant free day out packed with 140+ activities, interactive shows, workshops and tours, so there’s plenty to keep you entertained, informed and inspired.

Find us at the Boldrewood Innovation Campus, Building 176, Level 1, Room 1107 – more details and free registration here. 

This International Women’s Day, join us in celebrating the brilliant women in the nC² team who lead, innovate, discover and problem-solve every day.

This year’s theme is ‘Give To Gain’ and we’re proud that our team exemplifies this in so many ways:

🌟 Sharing our experience through STEM careers advice and mentoring
🌟 Providing inspiration for aspiring female scientists and engineers through outreach activities
🌟 Giving our own staff the support and time to develop their skills and advance their careers

At nC² we buck the industry trend when it comes to gender balance, but we’re aware that we’re still the exception rather than the rule. The work continues.

We’ve smartened up our exterior with some fresh new signage. The University of Southampton is open for business and we’re proud to be one of its expert enterprise units, delivering innovation and solutions for industry.

But it’s what happens inside the building that really matters. Get in touch to find out how we can help you advance your projects, using rigorous science to provide actionable insights.

The ultimate unboxing session, and definitely our biggest sample yet! This huge crate contains the ‘bellows’ from a train gangway – the flexible section where carriages join – sent to us by our friends at Siemens Mobility.

They are taking a pro-active approach to ensuring their gangways remain fit for purpose in the coming years, and we look forward to providing the insights they are looking for.

Congratulations to our Senior Engineering Technician, Sam Hambrook, who has been accepted onto the Herschel Programme for Women in Technical Leadership. She recently attended the online launch which included an inspirational talk from chemist and cosmonaut Helen Sharman.

The programme is designed to elevate and advance opportunities for women, covering:

• Leadership
• Confidence and empowerment
• Influencing and negotiating
• Culture and context

Sam says: “The idea is to build resilience, confidence and a great network of technicians supporting each other and our universities. We will be posing questions and supporting each other in finding answers and pathways.

“I was a bit daunted going into the programme, but after the launch I’m ready to jump in with both feet. I look forward to us all getting together in June to celebrate our advances.”

If you’re going to the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics event in Farnborough next week, we’d love to see you. You’ll find us at the University of Southampton stand (G60) on 3 to 5 February.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to discuss your current issues or project requirements with one of our expert consultants. Discover how we can tap into the University’s unrivalled capabilities and put together a unique package to deliver the insights you need. Find out more and register. 

We’re delighted to introduce Dr Lijia Yi, Materials Scientist Consultant, who recently joined the nC² team. Lijia specialises in materials testing, characterisation and analysis, with particular expertise in advanced imaging techniques.

She says: “I genuinely enjoy the materials detective role, taking clients’ real-world problems into the lab and using different techniques to find out what’s wrong. That’s really satisfying.”

Visit Lijia’s profile page to find out more.

Wishing all our clients and partners a very merry Christmas and a happy new year – we look forward to collaborating, innovating and problem solving in 2026!

In our latest newsletter we highlight our partnership with the recently launched Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Enterprise Solutions (CChES), the industry-facing arm of the University of Southampton’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. This collaboration enhances our capacity to link companies with the University’s specialist knowledge, technical skills and advanced equipment.

It marks a fitting end to a milestone year for nC², as we celebrate a decade of delivering solutions for our clients.

Read the newsletter here.

Proof that scientists and engineers are highly creative people! The nC² team got together at the weekend for a linocut printmaking workshop – a really enjoyable team exercise that helped us unleash our artistic side.

With thanks to Jo Morley for guiding us through the process.

Time for a refresh! With a new team member and new capabilities to show you, we’ve brought our photographer in.

We’re looking forward to adding the results to the website and starting the new year with an updated look.

With thanks to Jon Banfield for making it painless even for our most camera-shy members of staff!

Congratulations to Senior Consultant Dr Benjamin Cunningham, who received a Top Viewed Article award for his paper on fatigue cracks in turbine blades, published in Fatigue & Fracture of Engineering Materials & Structures.

Ben is one of nC²’s mechanical testing and analysis specialists, and this paper reflects his expertise in identifying the mechanisms behind materials failure – an invaluable service for our industry clients. Well done Ben!

It was a delight to welcome so many colleagues to our special celebration marking nC^2′s 10th anniversary. Our guests included the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark E Smith, Professor Michael Butler, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, and Associate Deans for KEE Professor Nicci Campbell and Professor Ben Clark. We’re grateful for all the warm words of appreciation. 

We’re so proud to be part of the University of Southampton family, and to contribute to its impact and enterprise agenda as a bridge between industry and the University’s incredible capabilities.

Here you can read more about what we’ve achieved in our first decade. Here’s to the next 10 years!

It was great to meet rail experts at the UKRRIN Inspire railway infrastructure conference at the University of Southampton this week – we look forward to engaging further on innovations and solutions for rail-related projects.

nC²’s experienced consultants can unlock a wealth of specialist engineering and scientific expertise, testing and analysis for your rail project, from rolling stock to infrastructure. Get in touch and let’s discuss your requirements.

On this day in 1805 HMS Victory played a leading role in the Battle of Trafalgar. Today a major programme of conservation work is underway to keep her pristine for future generations of historians and visitors, and the nC² team is proud to be involved.

We’re helping the team at The National Museum of the Royal Navy select the best-performing paints, sealants and other materials to ensure they stand the test of time – you can read more in our case studies section.

This video shows an example of our mechanical testing of sealants for the ship’s timbers. We ran a suite of bespoke tests using hundreds of oak samples to simulate different combinations of forces and environmental conditions. In this case it’s a soaked sample subjected to a tensile test.