Research centre websites by CookandKaye
bringing researchers together
Research centre websites have a challenging role to perform, bringing research scientists together from different disciplines, often from different organisations, and commonly from different countries.
We work with our clients to develop and maintain a focus on the core objectives of the group, and can assist in preparing copy and background prospectuses for the research work being undertaken.
We can build in fully featured content management systems, add bespoke components as required, and offer an ongoing maintenance and support service.
The Polymer Centre
The Polymer Centre is a high profile research centre, drawing its staff from within the University of Sheffield. It provides research, technical and training facilities to industry, but also acts as a shop window for research degrees at the University.
We have been active in developemnt of this website since its inception, when we interviewed members for the original site content (material that also formed the basis for the Centre's first prospectus)! The current design (2008) was by Eleven, which we translated into HTML. We also installed a staff database and news section based on the popular WordPress package. We are active in ongoing maintenance and development of the Polymer Centre website.
The Centre for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBTE)
The CBTE draws on expertise in Engineering, Science and Medical faculties at the University of Sheffield to tackle problems in this complex area of applied science. We were active in researching content for the site, as well as in the final design.
The basic design remains unchanged from 2002, when it was first built. We have researched and developed a number of new sections since that time, however, including the research section (last updated in 2006).
POLYFILM
PolyFilm is a European Community-funded Framework 6 Research Training Network, which has the aim of studying the properties of confined polymer films.
This site was built using the existing PolyFilm site template, which has a separate menu which floats to the right of the main page. The page background is taken from an Electron micrograph of a confined polymer film surface, while the EC Framework 6 logo is enclosed in an image of the same film peeling (or 'dewetting') from a substrate.
The Polymer IRC
The Polymer IRC represents polymer researchers at three Universities in the UK. With strong connections to industry, the IRC also runs courses and the Polymer Showcase, one of the most important events in the UK for promoting dialogue between academia and industry in the polymer sector.
Designed back in 2004, the site is notable for having an early type of Content Management System, based on an open source Wiki. This permits administrators to edit copy on the site very easily. Our work for the IRC included logo development - a logo that is now recognised as a leading brand identity by the IRC competitors' market research!
Macro Group
The Macro Group UK is a joint special interest group of the joint interest group between the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Society of Chemical Industry. It brings industrialists and researchers with an interest in polymers together.
LigBank
LigBank - the European Lignd Bank is an initiative by the European Commission to bring researchers from across Europe together. The site allows information and new designer chemicals to be traded quickly across the sub-continent. This site makes extensive use of databases to search for chemicals with the desired characteristics, and subsequently order samples for further testing online.
OMEC
The Organic Materials in Electronics Consortium represents a number of Universities around the UK engaged in the development of the next generation of optical and electronic materials.
First designed in 2002, the site is still very effective, so in 2009 only some small layout changes were required. Behind the scenes, however, we rebuilt the site in WordPress, which will allow our client to easily update and manage the site in future.
The WordPress installation also feeds news items to two other sites our client is engaged with, helping to disseminate research news quickly and effectively.
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