C‑DICE: Celebrating five years of delivering net zero and transforming postdoctoral talent

The funded period for the Centre for Postdoctoral Development in Infrastructure, Cities and Energy (C-DICE) has now come to an end, and we want to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who has contributed to the success of the Centre over the past five years. This programme has been powered by the collaboration, creativity, and commitment of an extraordinary community of postdoctoral researchers drawn across the UK and beyond, university and industry partners, funders, and the many individuals who have offered their time, insight, and support along the way including those in the UK Collaboratorium for Research in Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC) and Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) partnerships, and the C-DICE advisory board. 

Together, we set out to build a unique national platform for developing postdoctoral talent in the critical fields of infrastructure, cities, and energy addressing the challenge of achieving net zero carbon. Thanks to your engagement and enthusiasm, we have created a wealth of knowledge, skilled people, new connections and delivered far more than we first imagined. 

We have supported well over two thousand researchers, equipping them with the skills, networks, and confidence to lead the innovations that will shape a more sustainable, resilient, and interconnected future, as well as enhancing their own careers and futures. We have fostered collaborations that span disciplines, institutions, nations, and sectors, creating a community that continues to push boundaries through their talent, knowledge and skills. Through our programmes, projects, and challenge-led sandpits and sprints, we have seen ideas transformed into published outcomes, partnerships, and impactful real world outcomes, as well as creating a legacy through our own research and outputs from online training in EDI and avoided carbon emissions, to the C-DICE roadmap, toolkits and journal papers. 

Our collective achievements demonstrate not only the strength of the UK’s research and innovation ecosystem, but also the power of investing in people at a pivotal stage of their careers. The impact of this work will continue to unfold in the coming years as our postdoctoral researchers take forward their expertise and leadership into academia, industry, and beyond. 

To every participant, supporter, mentor, and collaborator: thank you. Your contribution has shaped a legacy of which we can all be proud. We look forward to seeing the lasting impact of the talent, partnerships, and innovations that C-DICE has helped to cultivate. In the meantime, you can continue to access the C-DICE website and resources, we will be looking for opportunities to build and expand on this work – please do get in touch if you are interested in partnering in the future. 

Dr Kathryn North, Loughborough University Research Academy Director and Associate Pro Vice Chancellor, Climate Change and Net Zero, Loughborough University