Newsletter of Beta Technology from June 2014.

1. www.betatechnology.co.uk
info@betatechnology.co.uk
Brazilian ‘Science without Borders’
students join Beta
Two students currently studying at Sheffield Hallam
University through a Brazilian Scholarship programme are
to complete their international work experience placement at
Beta. The Science without Borders initiative provides both
study and professional experience for Brazilian
undergraduate students and is fully sponsored by the
Brazilian government. Its aim is to send 101,000 Brazilian
students to study in science, technology, engineering,
mathematics and creative industries at top universities
around the world.
Janaina Kawasaki is a Materials Engineering undergraduate
from the Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar)
located in the State of São Paulo. She has been involved
with research projects in the field of polymers and materials
science and extracurricular activities including research, testing and analysis for São Carlos companies.
Commenting on her placement, Janaina said: “I am glad to have the opportunity of working in a company which is involved in
many different projects. It is rewarding and motivating to know that our efforts can impact Beta’s growth in the future.”
Lucas Leung is a Manufacturing Engineering undergraduate at Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), also located
in the State of São Paulo. In addition to technical research, he has been involved in extracurricular activities such as
entrepreneurship, volunteering and pro-environmental impact actions. In addition, he is the International Ambassador for Brazil
at Sheffield Hallam University.
“Beta’s UK, European and Brazilian networks will open my horizons towards a brighter professional future. I am really looking
forward to being part of Beta’s success, especially in its 30th anniversary year” said Lucas.
Winning proposals from 2013 LIFE+ call
announced
Beta is the UK National Contact Point on behalf of Defra
(Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) for
LIFE, the European Union (EU) funding programme targeting
only the environment. Our National Contact Point Service
includes a helpline, pre-screening of proposals for eligibility
and fit, and advice on administrative and contractual issues.
After a long wait, the winning proposals from the 2013 LIFE+
call have been announced. This has been the most
successful year for LIFE projects in the UK as, for the first
time, the full national budget allocation has been spent. We
hope that this trend will continue for the new LIFE regulation.
Since it started in 1992 LIFE has co-financed some 3954 projects, contributing approximately €3.1 billion to the protection of the
environment. In the 2013 LIFE+ call 11 UK projects are being funded with project costs of €49.7million. A summary of the UK
LIFE projects can be found here.
Catherine Holt, Beta’s UK National Contact Point for LIFE, gives some useful advice for producing winning proposals: “Planning
early and focus are my top tips. It takes at least six months to develop and write a LIFE proposal so you need to start planning
now for the 2015 call. In order to ensure success you need to identify the root causes of the environmental problem you are
addressing and focus the project’s activities on tackling those issues.”
Latest News: June 2014
Brazilian students Lucas Leung and Janaina Kawasaki

2. Bringing growth to the local economy
Beta has been delivering a business support programme to
SMEs in Doncaster since November 2007 and has recently
secured a further contract through Doncaster Council’s
Enterprise Programme ‘Business Doncaster’ to continue
providing support until the end of March 2015.
Over the course of the programme we have engaged 3147
businesses who do not typically take business advice but
repeatedly return to us for support. During this time they
have collectively created 1052 jobs and safeguarded 230
jobs.
Beta's focus is on businesses with growth potential who are
taking a series of step changes towards sustainable growth.
Our success comes not only from supporting their growth
but also from building their capacity to manage their own
future growth.
Intertrain, providing training and consultancy services to the rail sector, is just one of these businesses. Over the four years Beta
has been working with them various different kinds of support have been provided. Intertrain now has a new organisation
structure and a more robust HR policy, a vision and strategy supporting their growth, awareness of relevant funding
opportunities and better relationships with key intermediaries. The business has 8 locations across the country, has increased
their core staff from 6 to over 50 and is looking for premises in Doncaster to establish a new rail academy.
Beta has been based in Doncaster since 1999 and is proud to work with and be part of such a vibrant and committed business
community. Richard Wrigley, Beta Managing Director sums up Beta’s success: “Listening to, advising and connecting
businesses with the right support is a vital ingredient for the success of Beta Business Buddies. It is great to see businesses in
Doncaster flourishing through this part of the Business Doncaster initiative. Jobs in the rail sector are on the increase and
Doncaster has just been shortlisted to host the High Speed Rail College which if it is successful would create further quality jobs
and drive economic growth for our region.” Beta judge Yasmin Knight and Tam were both impressed by the overwhelming
commitment of the parents and volunteers to continue to sustain the group along with their tireless fundraising activities.
Without their efforts a great resource would be missed by these young people and their families and carers.
Beta’s Grand Départ raises over £500 for
local charity
Staff at Beta Technology in Doncaster entered into the
spirit of the Tour De France ahead of the start next month
by cycling 201km to raise funds for Bluebell Wood
Children’s Hospice. The Beta team including local
business man Mark Viney completed the distance of Stage
2, York to Sheffield, in 8 hours and 15 minutes. The team
managed to raise over £500 for Bluebell Wood Children’s
Hospice.
The North Anston based Children's Hospice provides
amazing care and support to children and young people
with a shortened life expectancy. They help children with a
vast range of complex medical needs offering respite care,
day care, community support, crisis intervention and end of
life treatment.
Anna Gott, Doncaster Fundraiser for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, comments, “The Beta team have done so well raising
over £500, this money could pay for a nurse to care for one of our children over a 24 hour period at the hospice or at home.
Thank you so much for your support.”
Beta would like to thank Nuffield Health Doncaster for the loan of the bike and Mark Viney of VH Maintenance for delivering and
returning the bike.
Pictured from left: Martyn Leat, Ben Micó, Janaina Kawasaki,
Lucas Leung, Karen Edwards and Naiomi Grant
Pictured from left: Business Buddies - Irshad Akbar, Karen
Edwards and Project Manager - Claire Webster

3. Beta attends final of Brazilian Young
Persons’ Lecture Competition.
The final of the Brazilian Young Persons’ Lecture
Competition was held on 24th of April in São Paulo. The
national competition is organised by the Institute of
Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) with support from
Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (CBMM).
Both organisations play an important role supporting the
development of engineers and scientists through events,
publications and research. Principal Consultant at Beta, Ben
Mico was invited to attend the event by CBMM.
The winner of the Brazilian competition was Daniel Francioli
from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro for his lecture
“Characterising Surface Fragmentation for Comminution
Modelling”. Daniel, who also studied at the University of
Queensland via the Science without Borders programme in
Australia, will represent Brazil in the World Final, taking place in California on 23rd October 2014.
The Young Person’s Lecture competition encourages young scientists and engineers to improve their presentation skills by
delivering a short lecture on a subject related to materials, minerals, mining, packaging, clay technology and wood science. All
national finalists will receive an expenses paid trip to the World Lecture Competition final in Riverside, California.
“Having attended the Brazilian national final in 2013, I was impressed to see the step up in overall quality of the presentations. I
think Daniel will have an excellent chance in the World Final and it was nice to see that he has been part of the Science without
Borders programme, an initiative Beta has just become involved with” said Ben.
For further information on the 2014 Young Person’s World Lecture Competition and finalist profiles, please click here.
Barclay Court, Doncaster Carr, Doncaster, DN4 5HZ, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1302 322 633
Fax: +44 (0)1302 388 800
Ben Micό pictured with Georgia Bemfica of CBMM (event
sponsor) and Efi Fragkou of IOM3 (event organiser)