Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize 2025
WTUN is pleased to announce the World Technology Universities Network Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize is open for applications for 2024/25.
The Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize 2024/25
There is one scholarship prize of £2000 available to PhD and MRes candidates from all member institutions.
The WTUN Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize of £2000 each, is intended to recognise cutting-edge, challenge-led research with direct benefits to people and society.
It is awarded to students conducting research that demonstrates alignment with the WTUN’s vision of providing education for the next generation of global citizens who will have to respond to the word’s 21st century challenges and to assist students to pursue their research or career.
The prize is open to students in any discipline at any of the WTUN’s member institutions, currently studying for their PhD or MRes at the deadline for application.
Selection of applicants will be at the discretion of the WTUN Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize assessment panel.
Details of how to apply for the WTUN Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize can be found below.
Eligibility
The prize is open to students in any discipline at any of the WTUN’s member institutions can demonstrate that they are undertaking a PhD or Research Thesis that aligns with at least one of the two statements in the WTUN vision:
Undertaking cutting-edge, challenge-led research with direct benefits to people and society
OR
Providing education for the next generation of global citizens who will have to respond to the world’s 21st century challenges
AND
The applicant’s research must also include an element of global collaboration.
All applications will be from existing WTUN member institutions and should be accompanied by a supporting letter from both your supervisor and WTUN Operational Board member.
Applications will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate the following:
- How your research meets the criterion statements above.
- An element of global collaboration.
- It’s impact in the real world and how it aligns with the WTUN vision
Additional points will be awarded if the application includes:
- A letter of recommendation from an industry expert from outside of your educational institution supporting the project, its scientific quality and real-world application.
There will be a two proposal limit per member institution and therefore all proposals must be approved by the sending institution’s Operational Board Member.
Your institution may have a separate, internal deadline. Please ensure you are aware of any additional requirements set by your institution.
The proposals will be reviewed by at least two members of the Operational Board against a scoring framework. The highest scoring application will receive the prize which will be awarded at WTUC.
Application Form
Additional requirements: Although the cash prize has no spend stipulations, the winner of the prize will be asked to-
- present (remotely or in person) at WTUC regarding their project
- acknowledge WTUN in their work and/or publications (available for use on our website and promotional material)
All applicants will be asked to confirm that they acknowledge and agree to the following-
Declaration and Terms and Conditions:
- Your application must be true and accurate.
- Successful award of the WTUN Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize does not grant the applicant the right to use “WTUN”, “World Technology Universities Network”, “Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize”, name or logo without permission, other than to acknowledge support or list possible conflicts of interest.
- World Technology Universities Network accepts no liability for any consequences, whether direct or indirect, that may arise from your research, the use of the prize, or from suspension or termination of the prize.
- If you violate any of these terms & conditions, act dishonestly, provide information which is misleading (whether deliberately or accidentally) or act in a way which may damage our brand, reputation or goodwill, WTUN may terminate the prize and require you to repay it.
- Applicants have no right to expect the award of a prize. The decision of WTUN in all respects is final.
About Professor Brian Cantor
The prize was launched in 2022/23 in honour of the founding Chair of WTUN and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Bradford, Professor Brian Cantor.
Professor Cantor is Professor of Materials at Oxford and Brunel Universities. He is also a Trustee of the Science Museums Group. He is acknowledged as a world expert on materials manufacturing and has published over 300 books and papers. He invented the field of High Entropy Alloys and discovered “Cantor alloys”. He was awarded a CBE for services to higher education in 2013.
He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Christ’s College, Cambridge University. In the recent past, he has been Vice-Chancellor of the Universities of Bradford and York, Head of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at Oxford, a research scientist at GE Labs in the USA, a major consultant for Alcan, NASA and Rolls-Royce, editor of Progress in Materials Science and a Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Looking for inspiration?
Learn more about our two previous recipients of the award:
2022/23 Recipient:
Theresa Heering, PhD Candidate Coventry University*
Research title: ‘The increased prevalence of childhood anterior cruciate ligament injuries – Identifying those at risk’.
Theresa’s application to the BC Scholarship Prize was highly regarded by the assessment panel who each noted that it “demonstrates global collaboration and aligns with the SDG goals and WTUN vision” and that the accompanying endorsement from industry and academics at both institutions is “indicative of the quality and potential impact”.
Read our interview with Theresa here.
*Former WTUN member.
2023/24 Recipient:
Nadiia Sadova, PhD Candidate, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
Nadiia’s research interests include immunoassays for inflammatory and stress biomarkers and intestinal function and oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster (Common fruit fly).
Among this year’s entries, Nadiia’s entry was highly regarded by the assessment panel who agreed that her application and work best demonstrated a commitment to cutting-edge, challenge led research which will have direct benefit to people and society. The panel also noted the accompanying endorsement from an industry expert.
Read our interview with Nadiia here.
If you have any questions please contact WTUN on wtun@bradford.ac.uk