Coatings World - September 2012

tional research center known as the BP International Centre for Advanced Materials, or BP-The BP-ICAM will be modeled on a “hub and spoke” structure, with the ‘hub’ located within The University of Manchester’s Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, which has core strengths in materials, engineering, characterization, collaborative working, and a track record of delivering breakthrough research and engineering applications that can be deployed in the real world. The “spokes” and other founder members, all world-class academic institutions, are the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The ten-year investment program will fund research into advanced materials and is expected to support 25 new academic posts, along with 100 post-graduate researchers and 80 post-doctoral fellows.

“This coalition Government is com-
mitted to putting innovation and research
at the very heart of its growth agenda,”
said the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer
George Osborne. “We are ensuring the
UK maintains it competitive edge in sci-
ence and we are creating an environment
where innovation can flourish. That’s why
top businesses such as BP are investing in
the UK and supporting our world-leading
universities in delivering cutting edge re-
search. And as an MP for the North West
of England I particularly welcome the fact
that BP’s International Centre for Ad-
vanced Materials will be based at Man-
chester University.”
“Advanced materials and coatings will
be vital in finding, producing and pro-
cessing energy safely and efficiently in the
years ahead, as energy producers work at
unprecedented depths, pressures and tem-
peratures, and as refineries, manufactur-
ing plants and pipeline operators seek ever
better ways to combat corrosion and de-
ploy new materials to improve their oper-
ations,” said Bob Dudley, BP group chief
executive. “Manchester has world-leading

capabilities and facilities in materials and
was chosen after a global search to act as
the ‘hub’ of the center, working with other
world-class university departments. We
look forward to deepening further the
very productive partnership that already
exists between our professionals in BP and
the academic team at Manchester.”
The BP-ICAM hub will be based in
dedicated premises which will use state-
of-the-art tools to support this major in-
ternational collaboration. The BP-ICAM
will carry out research into seven primary
areas of direct interest to industry: struc-
tural materials, smart coatings, functional
materials, catalysis, membranes, energy
storage and energy harvesting. Initial
focus will be on: structural materials, such
as new metal alloys and composites for
deepwater production, and high pres-
sure/high temperature reservoirs; smart
coatings, for increased protection from the
elements and improving a structure’s us-
able life, protecting pipelines and offshore
platforms from corrosion; and mem-
branes and other structures, for separa-
tion, filtration and purification of oil and
gas, water and chemicals in production,
refining and biofuels processes and petro-
chemicals.

Keller and Heckman LLP to host Chemical Control Law Seminar in
Washington, DC

Global law firm Keller and Heckman will be hosting a Chemical Control Law Seminar on October 1-2, 2012, in Washington, DC. This comprehensive two-day seminar is designed for regulatory and legal professionals involved with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and similar international chemical control laws.

Previous Keller and Heckman Chemical Control Law Seminars have garnered praise from participants; an environmental specialist reported that the course was "[a]wesome. Great basic course but also great intermediate and refresher course. I have been to many TSCA courses, but this was by far the very best."

This year's offering is poised to be similarly well-received. Highlights from the program include an introduction to and advanced analysis of TSCA requirements and trends; an examination of international chemical control laws in Australia, Canada, China, EU, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea, and Taiwan; an overview of globally harmonized systems; and a discussion of import and export laws.

Additionally, Keller and Heckman will be hosting a complimentary program, Special Topics in Chemical Control – an Interactive Dialogue, on October 3, 2012. This program has been specifically tailored for attorneys.

Keller and Heckman has a broad practice in the areas of regulatory law, litigation and business transactions, serving both domestic and international clients. With offices in Washington, D.C., Brussels, San Francisco, and Shanghai, the firm helps the world's most vital businesses achieve their objectives. A pioneer in the use of interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving, Keller and Heckman has had an in-house scientific staff since 1971 that works closely with the firm's attorneys on matters of technical complexity.