The Chief Executive Designate of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Professor Sir Mark Walport has officially opened the University of Bath’s most recent academic building, 4 East South, and took a tour of the CAMERA studio on the way.

 As part of his visit to the University, Sir Mark received a tour of campus, led by President & Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell. Sir Mark was also accompanied on his tour by Professor Jonathan Knight, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research),and visited a number of the University’s research Institutes and Centres including The Centre for the Analysis of Motion, Entertainment Research and Applications (CAMERA), welcomed by Centre Director Dr Darren Cosker.

Sir Mark was treated to a demo of CAMERA’s collaborative dance installation ‘Dance in Virtual Reality’, performed by Bio Chemistry Masters student and dancer Anna Troya, which invites the viewer to discover the world of virtual reality and motion capture through dance, by interacting with a ghost-like figure.

Professor Sir Mark Walport in discussion with Dr Darren Cosker, Prof James Bilzon and Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, President & VC.

Professor Sir Mark Walport, Chief Executive designate of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), said: “It has been a privilege to talk to students and researchers and see the excellent research at the University of Bath… Research at the University on the three dimensional analysis of human motion has the potential to help the severely disabled, the elite athlete and the depiction of human motion by the creative industries. An important aspiration for UK Research and Innovation will be to catalyse these types of interdisciplinary working and innovation.”

President & Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Sir Mark to Bath and provide him with a taste of some of the world-leading research we conduct here at the University. “We were delighted that Sir Mark agreed to open our newest academic building. The University is committed to investing in the infrastructure required to ensure that our staff and students succeed.”

In February, the Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, Jo Johnson, announced that Professor Sir Mark Walport will be the Chief Executive Designate of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), leading on the establishment of UKRI and ensuring it plays a central role at the heart of the Industrial Strategy. UKRI will incorporate the seven Research Councils, Innovate UK and the research funding and knowledge exchange parts of HEFCE. UKRI will be formed in April 2018.