The MAPRONANO ACE will develop two Master’s programs which are Master of Science in Nanotechnology and Master of Science in Materials and Product Development. Each of these Masters programs is expected to train over 68 students over a period of 4 years which implies that over 68 Master’s graduates will be produced by the MAPRONANO ACE. The intensive training provided through the Masters in Materials and Product development is intended to urgently fill the gap required in promoting value addition of primary produce in the Great Lakes region. It is expected that the trained graduate students will have a direct impact on industry. Additionally, both Masters programs will have about 10 places reserved for industry professionals and policy makers who will also enhance direct impact on value addition in materials and products produced. The Masters in Nanotechnology is important for the purpose of building a critical mass within the Great Lakes region with knowledge, skills and understanding on nanotechnology. The over 60 trained graduate students will produce nano-related solutions to problems of energy, water and environments affecting the Great Lakes region.

From a research view-point, the Materials and Product Development theme focuses on value addition of raw materials for the explicit purpose of enabling industries in the Great Lakes region develop products that are of high quality and of internationally accepted standards. This research theme is expected to train 4 PhD students. One interesting example is the transportation of oil and gas along the pipeline from Uganda to Kenya. The quality of Uganda’s oil is known to be high; however, it also has abrasives. If not carefully catered for in the design of the pipeline, it is possible that these abrasives will cause the pipe to lose it structural integrity as a result of surface wear. The application of thin films at nano-scale which are wear resistant can increase the life of the pipeline. This is an example of how nanotechnology can be used to enhance product development and value addition for the nascent oil and gas sector in the region.

Nano-technology innovations will focus on state of the art research on energy, water and the environment. These are critical components in relation to combating climate change and yet they are also very important for both Human and National development. Nano-technology innovations in solar technology, water purification, environmental bio-remediation, thin film technology and applications in oil and gas production shall be sought. Another 4 PhD students shall be trained under this research theme. The third component of MAPRONANO ACE shall be Nano-medicine. The high incidence of certain diseases within the Great Lakes region like Ebola, Malaria, Cancer and HIV requires more effort be made locally to understanding the diagnostics and treatment options for these diseases. 4 PhD students shall be trained under this research theme. Nano-medicine is inherently linked to materials and product development because drug delivery systems and components, implants and tissue engineering need careful design considerations between the body, mechanical and electrical component in order to be effective and have potential applicability. In total the MAPRONANO ACE intends to train 12 PhDs in three different research themes over a period of 5 years. This will provide a potentially large number of highly trained researchers who will drive the research agenda in the Great Lakes region for the next 30 to 60 years. The MAPRONANO ACE will tap into its network of local, regional and international partners to ensure that the PhD students receive the best supervision. One major complaint from industry in the Great Lakes region is the low capacity to test the quality of their products against international standards. The MAPRONANO ACE will procure the latest state of the art equipment required for materials (nano) testing and characterization. Product development laboratories and rapid prototyping equipment will also be sought. Industry in the Great Lakes region is willing to pay for testing if it will provide their products with a quality assurance mark that will be acceptable in the international market.

This collaboration with industry will also provide additional income to the MAPRONANO ACE.

Project Objective

The MAPRONANO ACE will focus on enhancing materials and product development through value addition. The MAPRONANO ACE will utilise nanotechnology to solve problems in the areas of energy (e.g. in solar technology, wind, etc.), oil and gas production,  medicine (for cancer therapy, diagnostics, and tissue engineering), material and product development (e.g. raw material extraction, value addition, etc.), and environmental applications (e.g. bio-remediation, water filtration and purification etc.), Nanotechnology  presents possible solutions to mitigate these problems in the Great Lakes region.

For more details, please download the project plan below.

Attachments

Attachment Name Attachment Type

African Center of Excellence in Materials, Product Development and Nano-Technology, MAPRONANO, Uganda

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