2024 winner and finalists

Google DeepMind

GraphCast, developed by Google DeepMind, represents a revolution in weather forecasting, using machine-learning instead of traditional numerical weather prediction methodologies. The AI-powered tool uses cutting-edge machine learning algorithms and vast data sets to give highly accurate and timely weather predictions up to ten days in advance. The model currently takes just 45 seconds to generate a forecast that would take more traditional forecasting methods over an hour on a supercomputer; a developmental leap that has advanced weather forecasting significantly.

The AI weather model harnesses the power of graph neural networks to model complex weather patterns and offers unprecedented precision in forecasts and an enhanced ability to predict extreme weather conditions. By significantly improving the reliability of weather predictions, GraphCast could help mitigate the impacts of severe weather events, optimise resource allocation, and support critical decision-making across various industries.

The MacRobert Award finalist team from Google DeepMind includes:

• Ferran Alet, Research Scientist

• Peter Battaglia, Research Scientist

• Meire Fortunato, Staff Research Scientist

• Remi Lam, Staff Research Scientist

• Shakir Mohamed, Director of Research

• Alexander Pritzel, Senior Staff Research Scientist

• Jacklynn Stott, Research Program Manager

• Alvaro Sanchez-Gonzalez, Staff Research Engineer

• Matthew Willson, Staff Research Engineer

• Peter Wirnsberger, Staff Research Scientist

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The 2024 MacRobert Award finalists are:

• Sunamp who have pioneered the development of innovative heat batteries utilising phase change materials to revolutionise thermal energy storage. 
• University of Oxford, AstraZeneca and partners who led a consortium of manufacturers, suppliers and other partners in the development of an innovative manufacturing process that was rolled out globally to supply over 3 billion doses of the ChAdOx1 Covid vaccine, saving over 6 million lives.

Sunamp

Sunamp has pioneered the development of innovative heat batteries utilising phase change materials to revolutionise thermal energy storage. These advanced batteries store and release large amounts of thermal energy through the melting and solidifying of the specially developed phase change materials, providing a highly efficient and sustainable solution for heating and cooling applications. Current products provide heat storage for domestic hot water that are more space efficient and energy efficient than traditional hot water cylinders.

Sunamp's heat batteries offer superior energy density, rapid response times, and long-lasting performance compared to traditional storage methods. By integrating this cutting-edge technology into homes, businesses, and industrial processes, Sunamp is making significant strides forward in the quest for sustainable energy solutions by helping to reduce carbon emissions, enhance energy efficiency and alleviate fuel poverty.

The MacRobert Award finalist team from Sunamp includes:

• Andrew Bissell, Founder & CEO
• Giovanni Calabrese, Head of Engineering
• Kieran Doak, Lead Engineer R&D
• Dr Kate Fisher, Head of Materials
• Sandy Gataora, Chief Technical Officer

• Susan Lang-Bissell, Founder & COO
• Dr David Oliver, Head of Research and Development
• Professor Colin Pulham, External Advisor, University of Edinburgh
• Dr Maurizio Zaglio, Global Head of Partnerships

University of Oxford, AstraZeneca and partners

The University of Oxford and AstraZeneca led a consortium of manufacturers, suppliers and other partners in the development of an innovative manufacturing process that was rolled out globally to supply over 3 billion doses of the ChAdOx1 Covid vaccine, saving over 6 million lives.

The innovative approach combined cutting-edge cell culture technologies with streamlined workflows and robust quality control processes, enabling swift and efficient production of billions of vaccine doses at multiple sites in record time. This effort not only played a crucial role in managing the pandemic but also set new benchmarks in pharmaceutical manufacturing, process development and technology transfer, and made possible a more efficient and versatile route to disease control now and in the future. Using the pioneering new process, one of the collaborators, the Serum Institute of India, has since successfully scaled up manufacturing of an Ebola vaccine in response to an outbreak, delivering doses in just 81 days.

The MacRobert Award finalist team from University of Oxford, AstraZeneca and partners includes:

University of Oxford

• Professor Alexander Douglas, Principal Investigator
• Professor Carina Joe, Post-doctoral scientist
• Dr Adam Ritchie, Senior Vaccinologist

AstraZeneca

• Dr Thomas Linke, Principal Scientist
• Dr Jinlin Jiang, Director
• Richard Turner OBE, Executive Director

Oxford Biomedica

• Dr Lee Davies, Senior Director
• Dr James Miskin, Chief Quality and Technical Officer
• Mark Woodyer, Senior Director

Cobra (now Charles River Laboratories)

• Professor Daniel Smith, Chief Scientific Officer

Pall (now Cytiva)

• Byron James Rees, Director, Process Development

Halix B.V.

• Dennis Verbart, Senior Director, Science and Technology

Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre

• Jonathan Ian Humphreys, Head of Process and Analytical Development

Serum Institute of India Ltd

• Dr Umesh Shaligram, Executive Director