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The project will involve looking at how harmful nuclear waste, at the in Washington State, can be safely disposed of by turning it into glass.

Students , and will each focus on one particular area of research - working together to develop potential solutions which could be developed by the US State Department.

The three-year project is match-funded by the , with the students based in Sheffield Hallam's Materials and Engineering Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Institute (MERI) involved in occasional site visits to and other US partner organisations.

is one of the most heavily polluted sites in the world: with the plant, which was fully closed in 1987, being the home to nuclear testing since 1943. Now, the team from MERI, alongside colleagues at , ; and US National Laboratories at , and , will be working with the to help develop a system to turn the liquid waste still on the site into glass. The glass, in turn, can be then safely disposed of underground.

Paul Bingham, Professor of Ceramics and Glasses, will be supervising the students during the project. He said: "Working with the , as well as other international universities, highlights the level of influence and reputation enjoyed by Sheffield Hallam."

"The research undertaken by the students will potentially lead to revolutionary solutions to a real world problem which is having a detrimental impact on the environment. The experience to be gained from working on an international project with partners overseas is invaluable. As an institution, we engage globally through partnerships and academic opportunities, linking Sheffield to the world and the world to Sheffield."

Student , added: "We're looking forward to working together, along with colleagues from other universities and the , in tackling this situation and hopefully developing innovative solutions. The project has only just started, but we are already excited by how it is progressing."

Ï㽶ÊÓƵ is a national leader in creating innovative and real-world solutions for tackling today's health and well-being challenges. Its practitioners, scientists, engineers and designers regularly collaborate to create innovative solutions that will drive economic growth, health improvements and community well-being.

For press information: Tim Ward in the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ press office on 0114 225 5220 or email tim.ward@shu.ac.uk