Current limitations of pulsed power technology

In order to achieve the advances that are required in pulse power technology within the UK it is important that there are enough scientists and engineers, with the relevant knowledge, capable of meeting future demands. There is a serious shortfall in available funding for UK Universities to maintain pulsed power as a truly viable activity. As a result the number of skilled postgraduates is decreasing rapidly and many pulsed power practitioners are having problems in recruiting enough staff to meet their current pulse power obligations. This process can only be resolved by a co-ordinated investment in pulse power research. If action is not taken to co-ordinate and enhance the existing UK pulsed power technology base, then the response time from the research institutions to produce new systems to a given specification will become unacceptably long. This will result in a potential inability of the UK to respond to future pulsed power technology requirements