RAE Results
The University of Nottingham's Division of Food Sciences is an International Centre for both fundamental and industrial Food, Microbiological and Biochemical teaching and research.
The Division is housed at the University's Sutton Bonington campus in a purpose built building opened in 1997 and since extended in 2005 to double the research laboratory space. The Division also has separate facilities for Food Processing, Brewing and a Sensory Sciences Suite. A new building to house the Division's National Centre for Macromolecular Hydrodynamics (NCMH) was recently completed. A further exciting development is due in 2011 with the completion of a new Food and Bioenergy building located on the Sutton Bonington Campus.
The Division comprises five research groups in Brewing Science, Food Flavour Technology, Food Structure, Microbiology & Food Safety and the NCMH. There are currently 17 academic staff members, 15 postdoctoral research workers and 75 postgraduate research students. Approximately 90 students are currently studying for BSc degrees in Food Science, Food Microbiology, Microbiology and Food Science and Nutrition, and over a hundred students studying for MSc degrees in Applied Biomolecular Technology, Brewing Science and Food Production Management. The division teachers into many of the degrees offered within the School of Biosciences with members of other divisions contributing lectures in plant science, animal science, pharmacy, biochemistry, management science and immunology. The Division has a close relationship with the Food and Pharmaceutical industries with regard to its courses and research with industrial placements being offered as integral parts of undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses.
Staff and students contribute towards a focused but friendly atmosphere that is conducive towards high academic achievement and fulfillment: the Division contributed to the outstanding success of the School of Bioscience in the last United Kingdom Universities Research Assessment Exercise, which followed notable successes in 1992, 1996 and 2001 with the highest rated research scores of 5*A, 5*A and 5A respectively for Food Sciences. The Division is an active participant in the development of teaching contributing to the School of Bioscience's "Excellent" Teaching Quality Assessment score.