Research interests

In traditional software development, specification and testing do not play an important role. In particular, changes to software code do not normally get reflected in a specificaton. At the same time, specification-based testing methods are very important for maintaing software quality, for identification of missing or incorrectly-implemented behaviour. K.Bogdanov's research aims to develop a method and a tool to take an incomplete state-based specification, hints for developers as to how it relates to code and both (1) extract an up-to-date specification and (2) generate tests from it.
A number of existing specificaton-based testing methods rely on a program under test being built with testing in mind, and lose a lot in power if this is not true. In his work, observation of program behaviour under test is used to make up for the missing information about a system, making it more amenable to testing using these methods. 
More recent work focuses on passive inference of software models from logs, where it is not possible to attempt experiments on a system being reverse-engineered.

Research interests

• Electromagnetics and mathematical modelling
• Software development
• Mobile communications
• High temperature superconducting antennas
• Optical communications

Testing

Dr Neil Walkinshaw is interested in three areas of research.

• Software testing - particularly in the testing of systems with complex inputs and output structures. I am currently leading the CITCOM project, a three year project on testing computational models, which can have particularly complex input configurations and output formats.
• Techniques to manage uncertainty in software engineering. How can we, for example, reason about the (un)certainty involved in the safety assessments of safety-critical systems, or in the conclusions arising from an empirical study?
• Reverse engineering - given a complex system that may be decades old with millions of lines of code, how can we derive a useful description or model of its behaviour and structure?

PhD Supervision

Dr Walkinshaw is particularly interested in hearing from research students interested in the following areas:

• Software testing
• Techniques to manage uncertainty in software engineering
• Reverse engineering

Research interests

In the mid-1980s Prof. Burgess began a very fruitful and enduring collaboration with Roger Plank (recently retired as Head of the Architecture Department at Sheffield) in developing numerical techniques for modelling of the behaviour of steel and composite elements in fire. A finite element approach developed progressively from 1990 as the emphasis gradually shifted from members in isolation towards the performance of whole steel and composite framed building structures and sub-frames. The current Vulcan software is capable of non-linear modelling of 3-dimensional composite buildings as temperature distributions develop through the cross-sections of both beam-columns and slabs. The series of full-scale fire tests on the multi-storey building at Cardington were a vital ingredient in the development of the software, and in understanding the complex interactions which take place in fire. Vulcan is still being developed by the research group, but a designers’ version with an interactive graphical interface is now marketed through a University spin-out company Vulcan Solutions Ltd. This is now being used in performance-based design of fire protection strategies by leading UK consultants, and was the winner of two British Computer Society national awards in 2005. The main thrust of the research remains in numerical modelling, but some very successful experimental work has been done at Sheffield in developing a component approach to connection modelling for fire conditions. The most important current theme of the research group, after the tragic events of 11 September 2001, concerns the robustness of connections in fire and the avoidance of progressive collapse of buildings in fire. The research has been funded mainly by the EPSRC, but has also attracted funding both from industry and other government agencies. So far the research programme on fire has 28 PhD and 3 MPhil graduates and has generated more than 250 publications.

Research interests

Andrew's research interests are in the area of aerodynamics, multi-component and multi-phase flows. In all these categories, the work aims to construct the algorithms for determining approximate solutions of relevant flow problems. Then, numerical methods are analysed and computer codes implementing the algorithms are developed, first for the purpose of showing the efficacy of the discretization methods and ultimately, to solve problems of practical interest.

The developed numerical technique based on vortex method was used to compute hydrodynamic forces for the flow past a rotating body. Andrew's group created a novel approach for calculation of the flow problem in hydrocyclones and developed its own specialist finite element software package, which was used to calculate the three-dimensional incompressible flow in complex geometries. Most recently, a computational simulation of two-phase compressible flow has been proposed for safety analysis of chemical reactors. The approach taken in this research enables the resolution of multi-phase mixtures and interface problems between compressible fluids.

Thomas graduated in Environmental Geoscience (MSci) from The University of Bristol in 2014, before carrying out a research placement in volcanology at Colima de Intercambio en Investigación en Vulcanología, Mexico. He joined The University of Sheffield in 2015, where he completed a PhD on the development of low-cost remote sensing instruments for application in volcano monitoring. Subsequently, as a post-doctoral researcher at The University of Sheffield, he was responsible for the development and wider dissemination of SO2 measurement systems.

In 2021 he began a three-year Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship at Sheffield. The project aims to improve our understanding of SO2 emissions from volcanoes, namely their measurement, associated errors, and how these relate to volcanic activity.

Georg works mainly on logical and algebraic methods in computer science, formalised mathematics with interactive theorem provers and program verification and correctness. His interests range from foundational work on the axiomatisation and semantics of sequential and concurrent computing systems to applications in the design and implementation of program verification software.

Research interests

Professor Dwyer-Joyce's research covers a range of industrial wear and lubrication problems. The work involves the development of metrology tools, experimental techniques (wear, friction, bearings and lubrication rigs), and advanced analytical models. The projects are funded by a combination of EPSRC, EU and industry.

One research theme is the wear of engineering components. This involves testing on specimens and real components, as well as modelling and development of wear resistant systems. Projects have included wear of railway wheels, recession of engine valves, wear of rolling bearings, polymer bearing and gears, aircraft landing gear pins, and wear in automotive chain drives. Recently this work has been extended into aspects of bio-tribology, including design of a mandibular joint replacement, and human tooth wear.

Another activity is the development of sensors for studying interfaces in machine components. Instruments have been developed to determine the contact area and pressure distribution. This has been used to study contacts in CV joints, graphite nuclear reactor bricks, and seals. Some unique work has been performed to measure the contact stress in shrink fitted components like railway wheel axles.

Research interests

Roger's research interests are split into three areas: solving industrial wear problems; application and development of a novel ultrasonic technique for machine element contact analysis and design of engineering components and machines. The research themes are wide ranging, but the main focus is on:

Railway Engineering

• Wheel/rail contact tribology – including wear (wheel profile evolution), RCF, friction management (use of top of rail friction modifiers; grease lubrication and traction gels), isolation and links to effective train detection
• Rail infrastructure improvement – including laser cladding of rail to reduce wear/RCF; design and testing of insulated rail joints; overhead line wear testing
• Condition monitoring – including real-time measurement of the wheel/rail contact; force measurement and detection of loosening in bolted joints.

Human Interactions

• Fundamental characterization and modelling of skin friction including use of OCT to determine sub-surface skin strain
• Hand/object interactions – including kitchen equipment, sports equipment etc. and effects that wearing medical examination gloves has on dexterity, grip and tactile discrimination
• Human tissue interaction with medical devices including catheters
• Pedestrian slips and falls, particularly barefoot slips and characterisation of flooring performance
• Multi-scale modelling of skin to incorporate effects of moisture and temperature to optimise design of medical products that interface with skin.

Research interests

Matt's research interests involve applying mechanical engineering concepts to situations that involve physical interactions between humans and products, devices and surfaces. This can be considered as five main themes (more details on each available on web page):

• Behaviour of Human Skin and Tissue Under Loading
• Development of Synthetic Simulants for Human Interactions
• Hand-Object Interactions
• Shoe-Surface Interactions
• Design Methodologies for Products that Include Human Interactions

Research interests

Professor Horoshenkov’s main research interests are in novel sensors for water industry, novel acoustic materials and material characterisation methods. His other area of work relates to noise control, audio-visual interactions and design of nature-inspired noise control solutions.

Magnus’ research interests include the modelling of microstructure, material properties, and manufacturing processes to better understand materials behaviour and solve industrially challenging engineering problems.

His main activities focus on modelling precipitation kinetics within nickel-based superalloys, utilising CALPHAD to enable the modelling of solid-state phase transformations as a function of alloy composition. The models developed have been coupled within commercial software tools to solve both scientific and engineering problems, following the ICME paradigm.

My Research interests are:

• Metabolic Engineering
• Quantitative Proteomics (Metaproteomics and Glycosylation)
• Synthetic Microbial Communities
• Algae Biotechnology
• Biomanufacturing

It is widely recognised that the fundamental training of a biologist and an engineer is different. Mathematical theories and quantitative methods are at the forefront of engineering approaches, and therefore their application to complex systems, including biological, is a useful attribute.

However, biologists have the advantage of formulating better testable hypotheses, experimental designs and data interpretation from these complex biological systems. This is namely due to different techniques and strategies used by life scientists to qualitatively decipher complex systems.

The skills of an engineer and life scientist are therefore complementary. I work at this interface to reveal (hopefully useful) information about complex biological systems.

Research interests

• Uncertainty in sewer sediment transport
• Uncertainty in integrated water quality modelling and the use of rainfall radar data
• Urban rainfall and energy balance in the urban water cycle and heat recovery from urban drainage systems.

Research interests

John´s research spans three interdisciplinary themes:

1. Nerve tissue engineering. The design of nerve guidance channels for repairing traumatic peripheral nerve injury – combining biomaterials, 3D fabrication, neuronal, glial and stem cell research.
2. 3D In vitro models of nerve. The use of 3D scaffolds and neuronal / glial co-cultures for 3D in vitro models of nerve as an alternative to animal models for disease, disorder and testing research.
3. 3D In vitro models of skin - The use of 3D scaffolds and keratinocyte / fibroblast co-cultures for 3D in vitro models of skin as an alternative to animal models for inflammatory testing.

John also has an interest in single and 2-photon laser scanning microscopy for supporting a number of interdisciplinary research programmes, including tissue engineering. He was responsible for establishing the confocal and multiphoton imaging facility in the Kroto Research Institute funded by the BBSRC with support from Carl Zeiss.

Research Interests:

My research group focuses on biomedical robotics, specifically bionics and capsule robots to advance healthcare technology for long-term therapies and non-invasive surgical interventions.
We work on three main research themes: (1) soft-matter devices, in which we develop surgical and medical devices that are soft and functional such that they comply with the mechanics of soft tissue reducing inflammatory responses. Examples: soft sensors, soft pneumatic actuators, soft implants; (2) tissue-device interaction, in which we investigate advanced and efficient therapies based on in situ sensing. Examples: tissue patching, deployable miniature surgical devices, remotely controlled capsules; (3) resilient devices, in which we investigate methods and mechanisms to develop fault-tolerant devices that can continue their operation even in the event of a fault. Examples: mechanisms and control algorithms that avoid faults or detect and isolate the faults.
Relevant background to carry out this research: mechatronics, bioengineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, material engineering or chemical engineering.

Research interests

Dr Ozdemir’s main research interests are Earthquake Engineering, Structural Dynamics, and High-Strain Rate Behaviour of Materials.

Research interests

Dr Howell runs a large research group with nine current PhD students researching areas such as:

• Wind turbine performance and aerodynamics (effects of unsteady winds, gust response and turbine start-up performance)
• Tidal turbine performance and tidal farm layout
• Aircraft wing stall control using synthetic jets and other forms of control
• Dynamics of micro-bubble flows and fluidic oscillators

Research interests

Kamran's research is in the area of Additive Manufacturing (AM) (also known as 3D printing and Rapid Manufacturing), a layer by layer process which produces fully functionally parts directly from a CAD model.

Kamran has been involved in AM since 2005 and specialises in metals process and materials development. He has worked with a number of AM technologies such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) and Electron Beam Melting (EBM) processing a variety of aluminium, cobalt, nickel, steel and titanium alloys for aerospace, automotive and medical industries.

Research interests

Pierre's research focuses on fluid mechanics and he has used experimental, numerical and theoretical techniques. He has been interested in turbulent drag reduction by moving surfaces (spanwise wall oscillations and traveling waves), and in boundary-layer transition to turbulence induced by free-stream perturbations. 

• Turbulent drag reduction
• Bypass transition to turbulence
• Klebanoff modes in laminar boundary layers
• Effect of free-stream disturbances on laminar boundary layers
• Receptivity of Tollmien-Schlichting waves
• Perturbation methods in applied mathematics

Research interests

Our research has applications in orthopaedic and dental medicine, where clinicians are looking for improved methods to repair skeletal tissues; bone, tendon and cartilage.

Bone tissue engineering.
The aim of bone tissue engineering is to create bone matrix in the laboratory for clinical implantation and as an experimental tool. Our research in this area focuses on two main themes; the effects of mechanical stimulation on differentiation and matrix formation by bone cells and the interactions between precursor bone cells and their biomaterial substrate. Mechanical stimuli examined include dynamic compression, stretch and fluid flow induced shear stresses using a range of bioreactors (including a collaboration with Bose ElectroForce systems group).

Musculoskeletal cell mechanobiology.
We are interested in how skeletal cells respond to extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli by organizing the proteins and mineral they secrete in a way which enhances the strength of the matrix. This information can then be used to manipulate tissue engineered structures in order to induce structurally sound matrix formation. We specifically focus on mechanosensation mechanisms found on the cell membrane; the cell’s proteoglycan (sugar-based) coat and a small organelle that protrudes from the cell membrane – the primary cilia.

Orthopaedic biomaterials.
We investigate the interactions between musculoskeletal cells and orthopaedic and dental materials that are implanted into bone. Materials investigated include porous metals, polymer scaffolds and peptide coated surfaces (in collaboration with Orla Protein Technologies). This research encompasses study of the mechanical properties of biomaterial scaffolds, cell-material interactions, cell mechanics and cell signalling.

Wet granulation design and scale-up, DEM/CFD modelling of particulate processes, drug delivery methods, biological and water systems modelling.

I am also a founding member of the Pharmaceutical Engineering Interest Group.

My research interests lie primarily in developing general control theory and mathematical tools for robust analysis & design of feedback systems and complex dynamic networks. 

The main research themes are:

• Robust control
• Multiplier-based and Dissipativity-based Analysis
• Networked Control Systems 
• Large-scale Complex Dynamic Network
• Distributed Control/Optimisation
• Convex Optimisation and LMI

I am also interested in developing and applying distributed control algorithms for a number of complex engineering tasks such as formation control, distributed estimation, resource allocation, and transportation network, wireless sensor network, etc. 

• Numerical modelling of wall motion in cardiovascular applications
• Image-based computational vascular haemodynamics
• Minimally invasive image-based interventional planning and guidance
• Influence of haemodynamics on cardiovascular disease
• Influence of lifestyle on haemodynamics and cardiovascular disease
• Fluid structure interaction and flow-induced oscillations in elastic vessels

Research interests

My group is interested both in the development of new alloys and the development of new processes to enable engineering structures to be manufactured from them. Understanding the mechanisms driving the evolution of microstructure during processing is essential to developing new manufacturing processes that are fit for purpose. Our manufacturing research is conducted on the near-industrial scale and much of it is focused on detailed investigations of novel manufacturing routes based on the use of alloy powders and is conducted in close collaboration with industry. Fundamental research on emerging metallic materials concentrates on structural control and the development of new functional and structural properties.

Presently the main focus of his research lies in the following areas:

New and Emerging Metallic Materials: Bulk Metallic Glasses, High Entropy Alloys, Self Healing Metallic Composites and Super-Elastic Alloys: their structure; the thermodynamic and kinetic factors influencing their formation; thermal stability; Structural and Functional (e.g. magnetic) properties.

Net Shape Manufacture and behaviour of complex materials and components: Additive Layer Manufacture using Laser and Electron Beam processes; Metal Injection Moulding; Spark Plasma Sintering; Aerosol Jet Teechnologies for Direct Write; manufacture of microtrusses; development of bio-inspired structural components; development of Rapid manufacturing technologies for aerospace and biomedical structures.

Over the past decade Sam has spent his time investigating the role of soil in blast events. He works on the fundamental physics that govern the interaction between soil, air and explosive charges. Soil is a variable material; unlike steel, its behaviour is not easy to predict. Understanding the fundamentals enables Sam to make accurate predictions of what the effects of a blast in a particular environment would be. Understanding the impact of blast on soil, buildings, transport and communication networks can contribute to the design of infrastructure that is more resilient to terrorism. Sam’s work also helps to protect troops, vehicles and structures in warzones.

Research interests

His main research interests focus on:

• The role of soil in explosive events
• Mitigating the damaging effects of explosive detonations
• Numerical modelling of geotechnical problems
• Development of advanced constitutive models for soils
• Quantification of rate effects is soils (with Dr Barr)

Research interests

Dr Thornton's research experience covers contaminant hydrogeology, with particular interests in the application and performance assessment of natural attenuation for pollution management, laboratory and field studies of biodegradation of organic contaminants in groundwater, the transport and fate of pollutants in dual porosity aquifers, geochemical reactive transport modelling, groundwater impacts from landfills, attenuation of landfill leachate in clay liners, aquifers and the design of reactive barriers for landfills, and hydrogeological processes and solute transport across the groundwater-surface water interface.

Research interests

Elisabeth’s fundamental research interest lies in understanding the micro-mechanisms of geomaterials undergoing deformation, that lead to the behaviour that we observe at the macro-scale. This has led to her current research into the following topics:

• Creep of granular soils leading to observed ageing effects (as exhibited as increases in strength with time of freshly deposited sands, as displacement pile “set up” in granular soils, and as an increased resistance of older deposits to seismically-induced liquefaction)
• Mechanisms behind the extraordinary spreading of large (>10⁶ m³) and catastrophic rock avalanches
• Mechanics of the motion of debris flows with a view to better modelling of their runout behaviour
• Behaviour of granular flows within geotechnical centrifuge physical model experiments (influences of Coriolis and other induced effects)
• Internal erosion of susceptible soils (such as glacial tills), which may lead to internal instability in embankment dams, levees and canals
• Local deformation modes of model geosynthetic reinforced soil walls under seismic loading

Research interests

• Direct antenna modulation
• Reconfigurable antennas for cellular applications
• Metasurface and metamaterial design

Research interests

• Epitaxy of novel semiconductors materials and devices
• Molecular beam epitaxy
• Semiconductor nanostructures and their applications
• Nitride-based semiconductors and their applications

Research interests

Dr Kesserwani current research interests revolve around:

• Hybrid mesh-based/mesh-less numerical methods for solving conservations laws
• Integrated river flow modelling on mobile bed with sediment transport and vegetation
• Multi-layer coastal flow modelling with application to tsunamis
• Integrated hydrological and flood modelling at multiple scales
• High-performance computing and Multi-Agent-based systems

Research interests

Viscoelastic damping materials
• development, analysis and testing of polymers
• design and testing of syntactic foams and other multiphase systems

Surface damping treatments
• free and constrained layer systems using organic and ceramic materials
• methods of application

Friction-based systems
• design and analysis of particle dampers including the use of discrete element analysis
• granular polymeric materials as fillers
• metal mesh and other dry fibre systems

Active & Adaptive Structures
• active constrained layer damping
• adaptive particle dampers
• shape memory actuated systems

Design of damped components
• hollow turbomachinery blades
• numerical optimisation techniques including genetic algorithms and cellular automata
• composite structures

• Radar signature management
• Active radar absorbers
• Phase modulating microwave structures
• Antennas
• Phased array antennas and systems
• Adaptive optimisation techniques
• Acoustic arrays and imaging systems

My current research interests include hydrogen energy systems, fast fire spread phenomena in buildings and underground structures, tunnel fires, dynamics of fires and explosions, combustion and heat transfer in industrial furnaces, hazard analysis and risk assessment of process industry and flow visualization.

Research Interests:

• Hydrogen energy systems.
• Fast fire spread phenomena in buildings and underground structures and tunnel fires.
• Dynamics of fires and explosions.
• Combustion and heat transfer in industrial furnaces.
• Hazard analysis and risk assessment of process industry.

 Nicola's research portfolio can be divided into these main areas:

The generation and testing of biohybrid scaffolds for tissue engineering

Biohybrid scaffolds are synthetic scaffolds enhanced with biological components derived from the extracellular matrix (ECM). Nicola's research focuses upon using cells to generate this ECM, enhancing the process through environmental cues and evaluating the efficacy of the resulting scaffolds.

Characterisation and modulation of the cellular response to biomaterials at multi-length scales

This research investigates the heterogeneity of scaffolds and assessing the cellular response to this at a range of length scales. This work aims to allow a targeted development of biomaterials to modulate cellular behaviour through specific changes in the biomaterial properties.

Creation of scaffolds for replacement and repair of multiple tissue types

Scaffolds to replace or repair one cell or tissue type only do not fit many clinical needs. This research area centres around developing scaffolds structured to fulfil the needs of the different cell types that make up more complex structures, and the creation of localised environments to promote particular cellular responses, with a focus upon the musculoskeletal system.

Tissue engineered constructs as in vitro models

This aspect of the portfolio considers the development and use of tissue engineered constructs as models of disease pathogenesis and progression, and for drug pipeline testing. It has included the development of a models for the early events in cancer, and investigation of metastasis and invasion.

Research Interests:

• Space Weather Forecasting
• Radiation Belts Modelling
• Nonlinear System Identification
• Modelling of Spatiotemporal Systems
• Solar-Terrestrial Coupling
• Wave-Particle Interactions
• Spacecraft Instrumentation

Research interests

His research involves the microstructural evolution (utilising experimental techniques together with modelling techniques), and the subsequent development of mechanical properties, during the thermomechanical processing of both ferrous and nonferrous alloys. In his research, a wide range of mechanical tests are employed, including laboratory simulations of industrial metalworking processes (e.g., rolling, forging, extrusion etc.). Additionally, this research relies upon the quantitative characterisation of microstructure using a number of different techniques including light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. This work has led to empirical relationships between deformation processing parameters (e.g., temperature, strain, strain rate and interpass delay time) and the resultant microstructure for a given alloy composition. Although a number of alloy systems including aluminium alloys, metal matrix composites (MMCs), titanium aluminides and permanent magnetic materials have been studied, the focus is primarily on ferrous alloys such as stainless, microalloyed steels and associated model alloy steels. His work on the thermodynamic behaviour of NbC, and of its subsequent precipitation behaviour in microalloyed austenite has been recognised internationally, with the award of the Charles Hatchett Prize from the Institute of Materials (1995). He is particularly interested in developing a basic understanding between those softening (i.e., recovery, recrystallisation) and strengthening (i.e., solid solution, precipitation) mechanisms which occur either in austenite or in ferrite.

• Industrial Automation
• Advanced control of Power converters for renewable energy systems
• Renewable energy real-time control and monitoring
• Programming and developing PLCs
• Supervisory, control and data acquisition (SCADA)
• Digital manufacturing and virtual commissioning   
• Industry 4.0 and Cyber Physical Lab 

Research interests

My research areas can be divided into two broad directions: one on polymer physics, in particular the polymer crystallization process; the other on self-assembly, which covers systems such as supra-molecules, liquid crystals, more recently LC covered nanoparticles. On the polymer side, we are involved in an eight-institution international collaboration supported under NSF-EPSRC Pire scheme, for developing new materials from natural sources for applications in sustainable energy industry. On the self-assembly side, a research project on “Liquid quasicrystals and their approximants”, supported by Leverhulme trust, started in 2013. Another important aspect of our research on self–organized systems is to develop new nano-materials for tailored optical and electrical properties. For example, metamaterials by self-assembled gold nanoparticles have been fabricated, by covering them with liquid crystal forming molecules.

Research interests

Research interests are in the design and development of ferrous and non-ferrous alloys and composites for the energy, transport and aerospace industries and for biomedical applications via process-microstructure-property studies. Materials processing under equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions is also researched as part of the alloy development. The emphasis of the research is on establishing (i) the effects of processing on the microstructure and properties of structural engineering materials and (ii) how processing can be tailored to particular engineering requirements for desirable microstructures and properties. Currently, alloys of Fe, Mo, Nb and Zr are under investigation.

• Alloy Development: Intermetallics, Exotics, Nb Alloys, Mo Alloys
• Study of the roles of heterogeneities, in-homogeneities and non-uniformities in materials processing and phase transformations
• Study of Alloying Related Phenomena at the Electronic Level
• Non-Equilibrium Processing of Alloys

Shan-Shan’s research into structural fire engineering aims to explore and understand how fire affects structures. This understanding can inform the design process to improve safety, and make construction practices economical and more sustainable.

Her current research focuses are:

• Sustainable concrete in fire, e.g. the use of recycled waste products (such as tyre fibres) added to concrete as a way of controlling shrinkage cracking and explosive fire-induced spalling. This aims to make concrete infrastructure safer, more sustainable and more economical.
• Fire resistance of greener building systems - e.g. the behaviour of engineered timber in fire.
• Robustness and the prevention of disproportionate progressive collapse of high-rise building structures in fire – e.g. steel beam-to-columns connection and composite slabs.

Please feel free to get in touch if you want to discuss a project in the field of fire engineering but out of the scope of Shan-Shan's listed projects.

My current research relates to the acceleration of complex systems simulations using accelerator architectures such as GPUs. More generally my research interests relate to the software engineering challenges of how complex systems can be described using high level or domain specific tools and how automated mapping to parallel and distributed hardware architectures can be achieved. I am particularly interesting in applying agent based techniques to cellular biology, computational neuroscience, pedestrian and transport system as well as working with industry.

Within previous research positions I have worked on developing novel parallel languages and techniques which will allow neuroscientists to run and analyse simulations of up to a billion spiking neurons. In addition to computational neuroscience, I am particularly interested in the use of the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to accelerate computational simulations. I have previously created the FLAME GPU software framework which allows non GPU specialists to harness the GPUs performance for real time simulation and visualisation. Whilst my background is in high performance parallel computation and computer graphics, I have a general interest in GPU algorithms and in computer graphics techniques for simulation, animation, rendering, serious games, automatic building generation (including aspects of GIS) and a general interest in aerial robotics.

Research interests

My research is mainly on magnetic materials but encompasses other areas too. Example project areas are:

• Magnetisation processes in patterned magnetic nanowire circuits.  The extended geometry of these wires creates a simplified magnetic environment in which domain walls can be positioned. I am particularly interested in studying systems with interacting nanowire elements in order to create arrays with 'emergent properties' that might be harnessed for types of neuromorphic computing. Current projects include IBM and the chip designers ARM.
• Developing high performance bulk magnets. Dept colleagues and I are working with VW to develop permanent magnets for electric vehicles and, separately (and not with VW!), on 3D printed soft magnets, also for motors
• I am very interested in using polarised laser light to characterise magnetic and electro-ceramic mateirals. Anything involving a laser has got to be good
• Magnetic materials for trapping magnetically-labelled biological cells
• Functionalised porous mateirals (in collaboration with Dr Frederik Claeyssens)
• High performacne thermal insulation materials for buildings
• Reconfigurable materials ('What happens when LEGO meets the Star Trek replicator') 

Research interests

Abigail’s research focuses on fluid flow in the built environment, incorporating building simulation, particularly CFD, with experimental and field work.

Her PhD considered CFD modelling of bioaerosols released in hospital environments due to nursing activities and was completed at the University of Leeds. The research involved the combination of both airflow modelling with bio-aerosol experiments and field sampling. The role of human activity on indoor air continues to be an active research interest, and has developed to consider a variety of built environments, and is often developed through interdisciplinary collaboration. Her main interest is in the interactions of people with their building and the resulting impacts on air flow across the building envelope and between interior spaces. Such research is important for understanding indoor air quality and the transport of contaminants in indoor spaces, as well as the evaluating the true potential for natural ventilation in buildings.

Further research into urban microclimates complements the indoor air research by considering the role of urban design on pedestrian comfort and the implications for the fresh air entering buildings.

Research interests

• Power semiconductor devices and technologies
• High temperature Power Electronics
• Active Gate Drive technologies
• High Power Density Converters
• Power Integrated Circuits for Lighting, Automotive and Switched Mode Power Supplies
• High Voltage thin film transistors & integration aspects
• Modelling of power semiconductor devices & technologies
• New concepts for semiconductor devices & technologies
• Power Semiconductor devices & technologies for harsh environments
• Wide Band gap Power Semiconductor devices and technologies
• Nano technologies for Power Electronic Applications

Research interests

Physical Layer Research:

• Turbo Codes and Iterative Decoding
• Adaptive Coding & Modulation
• Multiple-Access (CDMA, MC-CDMA & OFDMA)
• MIMO Techniques
• Spreading Sequence Design
• Wireless Visible Light Communication

Wireless Network Research:

• MAC and Packet Scheduling Techniques
• Energy and Spectrum Efficient Wireless Networking
• Radio Access Network Planning & Optimisation
• Large Scale Dynamic System Level Simulation (WCDMA, HSPA, LTE, LTE-Advance)
• Video Quality of Service

Research interests

Jennifer's research interests are focused on investigating the development and use of uncertainty analysis within the simulation environment.  Applications of this are split into two areas, human to environment interaction and computer simulation of biomechanical systems. The research themes are wide ranging and include:

• Bayesian uncertainty analysis
• Optimisation under uncertainty
• Ageing and its influence on design
• Measuring consumer opening strengths
• Design for sustainability
• Inclusive design
• Consumer packaging
• Inclusive design methodologies

Research interests

Prof Stone has interests in all facets of power electronics and energy storage, including:

• Development of ‘smart’ battery packs for all-electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, based on both Li-based chemistries, Ni-MH and VRLA cells containing cell state-of-charge monitoring and conditioning electronics to extend the lifetime of the cells. Incorporation of observer techniques into state of function monitoring for cells to increase operation lifetime and consumer confidence in battery technology.
• Investigation into second life operation of EV batteries for Grid support and localised energy storage.
• High efficiency EV-contact less battery charging
• Modelling and control of novel fluorescent lamps to improve the efficiency of light generation. Incorporation of physical lamp models (based on electron energy level interactions) into both Simulink and spice based packages has led to novel lamp models based on the physical interactions within the plasma
• Design, modelling and digital control of high-order resonant converter topologies for high frequency switched mode power supplies for use in ‘white goods’, and concentrates on the analysis and design of high order resonant converter topologies, with the inclusion of piezzo electric transformers where possible.
• Investigation into high frequency, high power, resonant converters for induction heating applications. Continuing work is now looking at the use of high frequency matrix converters (operating above 150kHz) for direct ac-ac conversion for heating applications.
• Design and digital control of matrix converters for aerospace and sub-sea applications in specialist environments.
• Power Electronics Packaging for high temperature and harsh environments, including high temperature gate drive design and thermal management of converters

Research interests

• Laminar and turbulent premixed combustion – ignition, flame stability, high pressure combustion
• Laser ignition
• Engine combustion
• Laser diagnostics
• Regenerative heat transfer in Stirling engines

I am a Research Fellow in Aviation Fuels and Lubricant thermal stability and a Chartered Engineer. I studied Mechanical Engineering as an undergraduate in Sheffield and this is where I got introduced to the wonderful world of fluid mechanics and heat transfer. I carried out my final year project with the Aerodynamics group on Blended Wing Body aircraft which won the IMechE's best project prize in 2004.

I carried out PhD research at Sheffield for an EU FP7 project and Rolls Royce, which involved setting up a large scale test facility (one level prior to gas turbine testing) for investigating lubricant and system interactions, as well as developing modelling software for chemically reacting flows and lubricants. I continued this work as Research Associate with funding directly from Rolls Royce.

Research interests

His research interests primarily concern the development of `SMART´ systems for health monitoring and mitigation in composite materials. He also has an interest in the nanomechanical testing of polymeric and other viscoelastic materials.

Research interests

Radioactive waste management and disposal.
Our focus is on developing strategy, materials, processes and policy to support the safe, timely and efficient clean up of the UK radioactive waste legacy. A key aspect of our research is the design, manufacture and performance assessment of glass and ceramic materials for the immobilisation of plutonium residues, legacy intermediate level wastes, and high level wastes from reprocessing operations. We work closely with industrial organisations, including Sellafield Ltd., the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and National Nuclear Laboratory to address real world challenges of radioactive waste management. Our work has supported development of thermal treatment strategy by Sellafield Ltd. and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the acceptance of vitrified intermediate level wastes wastes in conceptual designs for the UK Geological Disposal Facility.

Advanced nuclear materials.
Research is focused on the development of new materials and processes for application in future nuclear fission and fusion fuel cycles. We are currently developing novel processing methods for advanced cermet fuels with application in naval reactor concepts, ceramic clad materials for accident tolerant nuclear fuels, and the application of molten salts technology to reprocessing of nuclear fuels. We are also working on new waste management strategies for future fuel cycles, to reduce the ultimate geological disposal footprint.

Structure-property relations in mixed metal oxides.
Research is focused on the study of structure-property relationships in perovskite related oxides showing a range of useful physical properties such as high temperature superconductivity, colossal magnetoresistance and anisotropic magnetic exchange. Recent work has investigated structure-property relationships in layered perovskite ferroelectrric oxides and oxide-fluorides.

Research interests

His research centres on the effect of solid state processes from upstream extraction technologies through to downstream finishing processes on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties in light alloys, and in particular Ti alloys. A major research interest is to provide a step change in the economics of titanium based alloys through the development of non-melt consolidation routes.

My research is in the development and analysis of sustainable processes and clean energy systems. My interests lie in whole systems analysis, clean energy technologies and thermochemical and electrochemical cycles for hydrogen production and carbon dioxide utilisation.

Recent Projects Include:

• the EPSRC funded 4CU project, investigating utilisation of carbon dioxide to form fuel
• the European Framework 7 HycycleS project, looking at key components for the Sulfur Iodine and Hybrid Sulphur cycles for hydrogen production
• the KNOO (Keeping the Nuclear Option Open) project, investigating nuclear hydrogen production.

• Sustainable Processes
• Clean Energy Systems
• Thermochemical and Electrochemical Cycles
• Hydrogen Production
• Carbon Dioxide Utilisation
• Membrane Separations
• Whole System Analysis

Research Interests

I am a Research Associate in biofilm management and monitoring within drinking water distribution systems at The University of Sheffield. My research interests include analysing and characterising biofilms, specialising in how nutrients, including assimilable organic carbon, impact the bulk water and biofilm microbiology.

Research interests

Dr Shucksmith's primary research focus is the physical processes that drive water quality transformations within urban drainage and surface water environments. This includes developing techniques for understanding and mitigating the likely pressures on water management caused by climate change, population growth and asset deterioration. His work ranges from experimental based research into solute mixing processes within open channels, vegetated flows and urban flood waters to more applied work in collaboration with industry on integrated water quality modelling and real time control systems. In collaboration with colleagues James also works in fields such as eco-hydraulics, urban flooding and sustainable urban drainage systems.

Research interests

Keith's research is concerned with applications of advanced signal processing and machine learning methods to structural dynamics. The primary application is in the aerospace industry, although there has also been interaction with ground transport and offshore industries.

One of the research themes concerns non-linear systems. The research conducted here is concerned with assessing the importance of non-linear modelling within a given context and formulating appropriate methods of analysis. The analysis of non-linear systems can range from the fairly pragmatic to the extremes of mathematical complexity. The emphasis within the research group here is on the pragmatic and every attempt is made to maintain contact with engineering necessity.

Another major activity within the research group concerns structural health monitoring for aerospace systems and structures. The research is concerned with developing automated systems for inspection and diagnosis, with a view to reducing the cost-of-ownership of these high integrity structures. The methods used are largely adapted from pattern recognition and machine learning; often the algorithms make use of biological concepts e.g. neural networks, genetic algorithms and ant-colony metaphors. The experimental approaches developed range from global inspection using vibration analysis to local monitoring using ultrasound.

Research interests

Professor Hatton has interests in biomaterials, medical devices and tissue engineering for clinical applications in human skeletal tissues. The five major themes for his research are (1) the development of bioactive glasses and ceramics for mineralised tissue repair, (2) glass-ionomer bone cements, (3) In vitro evaluation of biocompatibility, and (4) Cartilage and bone tissue engineering on biomaterial scaffolds. He is also active more broadly in the promotion of academic-industrial collaboration and technology transfer in the orthopaedic, craniofacial and dental material sectors. 

Research interests

My research is centred on the use of electrons and ions for the characterisation and modification of micro-and nanostructured materials. This includes the development and application of novel characterisation techniques, alongside the study of damage and charging phenomena for targeted materials properties modification and transport. Recent key projects include:

• Nano- morphology of polymer blends for organic photovoltaics (collaboration University of Southampton and UoS Department of Physics)
• Polymer modification by plasmas and targeted radiation damage (collaboration with UoS Mechanical Engineering (Advanced Additive Manufacturing Group))
• Secondary electron spectroscopy in the scanning electron microscope (collaboration with FEI company)
• Two- and three- dimensional quantitative dopant mapping (in collaboration with University of Cambridge, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, Harvard University, FEI company, and Carl Zeiss)
• Electrostatic manipulation of micro-and nano objects by electrostatic fields in a scanning electron microscope

Research interests

Dr Barthorpe's research covers a range of problems in the field of structural dynamics and beyond, with an underlying theme being the integration of numerical modelling and experimental data. Structural health monitoring is one of his major research themes. The broad aim of an SHM system is to be able to identify, at an early stage, occurrences of damage that may ultimately lead to the failure of the component or system being monitored.

Established approaches to this task typically fall into one of two categories: they are either based entirely on experimental data, or make use of a numerical model that is periodically updated as new data becomes available. Both of these approaches have distinct drawbacks: for the former, lack of appropriate experimental data is the major issue; for the latter, model-form uncertainty is among the challenges faced.

Part of Rob's work is in investigating ways to circumvent the lack of data problem through novel experimental and data-modelling techniques. A larger part is in developing new methods for integrating experimental and numerical methods, such that uncertainty in both the experimental measurements and the numerical model may be accounted for.

These methods are being developed for application to aerospace structures, wind turbines and civil infrastructure. However, the domain of applicability is much broader as the issues of handling uncertainty, solving inverse problems and overcoming test-model discrepancy are pervasive in many branches of science and engineering. Applications being investigated include the energy performance of buildings and the modelling of human bones.

• Identification of continuous- and discrete-time dynamic systems
• Nonlinear systems modelling
• Adaptive and optimal control in biological systems
• Neurorobotics
• Oculomotor plant dynamics
• Cerebellar function

Research Interests:

Broad research in the areas of signal processing, Bayesian methods, Monte Carlo methods, nonlinear estimation, target tracking, sensor data fusion, control, autonomous and complex systems (e.g. image and video processing, transportation systems, large scale systems) – both at theoretical and applied level.

Damien Lacroix is Professor of Mechanobiology in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He has a first degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Applied Science (INSA Lyon, France) and a PhD in Biomechanics from Trinity College Dublin.

After a post-doc in 2001 in Toulouse (France) for Smith and Nephew at the Purpan Hospital, he was awarded a Marie-Curie TMR EU fellowship in 2002 and a Ramon y Cajal senior fellowship in 2004 at the Technical University of Catalonia (Spain).

In 2008 he was appointed Group Leader of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology at the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (Spain). Damien joined the Department in 2012 when he took a Chair in Biomedical Engineering within the INSIGNEO research

Research interests 

Professor Lacroix's research covers bone mechanobiology (bone tissue engineering, bone distraction, fracture healing) and spine biomechanics (mechanobiology of disc degeneration, disc angiogenesis, disc implant analysis).

The focus of his research group is the study of the effect of mechanical stimuli on biological response. The group's objective is to make scientific advancements in simulations of in vitro and in vivo biomechanics and mechanobiology and in experimental in vitro mechanobiology.

The current focus of the group is mainly on the development of simulations in spine biomechanics, tissue engineering and cell mechanics. These numerical simulations based on the finite element method are complemented with in vitro tests using bioreactors and microfluid chambers.

Research interests

I am interested in the imaging of the paediatric musculoskeletal system including suspected child abuse, skeletal dysplasias including osteogenesis imperfecta and rheumatological conditions such as juvenile dermatomysosits and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. My research includes developing methods of determining which children have fragile bones prone to fracture and which do not. More specifically, I am concentrating on the optimisation of current techniques and development of novel methods of distinguishing brittle from normal bones, in understanding the mechanisms of accidental injury in infants and young children, in post-mortem imaging and in improving the detection and dating of the subtle fractures seen in abuse. More generally within the paediatric musculoskeletal system I am developing normative data for a signficant number of radiographic parameters measured in children for which robust normal standards do not exist, including vertebral fracture assessment, base of skull measurements and bone age. In collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Engineering, I am developing finite element models of children's bones to improve our understanding of accidental and inflicted injuries. My research has a focus on learning and teaching, amongst other projects I am developing software tools for teaching and training in suspected child abuse (ELECTRICA) and skeletal dysplasias (dREAMS).

Research interests

The Aerodynamics Research Group's interest is in the development and application of computational aerodynamic tools to a wide range of industrial problems in aerospace, automotive, and environmental industries. These advanced tools provide in-depth analyses and design optimisation for engineering products, such as aircraft wing drag reduction, racing car down force enhancement, and gas turbine and wind turbine blade efficiency improvement.

The aerodynamic analysis and design tools vary from very fast panel methods to popular commercial CFD packages, from the most advanced adjoint method for optimisation (adj-MERLIN) to the detached eddy simulation software (DGDES) for massively separated turbulent flows, developed within the group.

Current projects include: flow separation control, shock control for drag reduction, adjoint based shape optimisation for transonic wing performance, hybrid RANS/LES for synthetic jet, VG and plasma flow control, MAV low Reynolds number aerodynamics, and feature aligned adaptive mesh techniques. 

Research interests

• AI and machine learning for computer vision (action, object, shape and hand gesture recognition and visual salience estimation)
• AI and machine learning for multimedia security, privacy and forensics (fake media detection, watermarking and data hiding)
• AI and machine learning for neuromorphic vision sensing.
• Image, video, multidimensional and graph signal processing and analysis.
• Video and image coding, streaming and visual quality metrics.
• Applications in robotics, creative industries, security and surveillance, assisted living, healthcare, remote sensing, sports, digital manufacturing and international standards (JPEG and MPEG).

Research interests

Research Interests

• Epitaxy of ultra-pure materials
• Self assembled Quantum Dots and site controlled growth
• Optical Monitoring techniques during Epitaxy
• II-IV-Nitride Materials
• Molecular Beam Epitaxy of 2D Materials
• Epitaxy of dissimilar materials by Van der Waals epitaxy or Interfacial Misfit Dislocations

Research interests

• Control – power systems
• Power electronics
• Embedded systems
• Energy storage and management
• Intelligent systems
• Telematics
• Optimisation and Modelling
• Evolutionary computing

Research interests

Kristian´s research interests include design, manufacture and characterisation of optoelectronic components (eg. laser and superluminescent diodes) and photonic integrated circuits and their ability to provide solutions in emerging applications such as those in advanced manufacturing (eg. additive manufacturing and metrology) and healthcare (eg. tissue imaging).

Research interests

• Avalanche photodiode
• Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode
• Material characterization

Research interests

• Applications of machine learning to climate control of non-domestic buildings – energy saving and model predictive control
• Multi-objective genetic programming, especially for dynamical modelling of systems and control applications
• Applications of artificial intelligence to process control

Research interests

Trying to understand how materials, in particular semiconductor nano-structures, grow by investigating their defects, their crystallography and chemistry; measurement of diffusion and segregation in solids by:

• Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
• High-Resolution Electron Microscopy (HREM)
• Annular Dark-Field imaging (ADF) and Z-contrast in Scanning TEM (STEM)
• Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy (EELS), including Energy-Loss Near-Edge Structure (ELNES)
• Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDXS)
• atomic image simulation
• hyperspectral data processing

Research interests

Dr Fletcher's research interests are in solid mechanics, engineering design and in performance of materials. A large proportion of his work has application in the railway sector, and combines experimental and modelling approaches. Major themes include:

• Railway rail-wheel interface understanding & improvement (contact mechanics, adhesion, wear, fatigue crack growth, application of new materials, thermal damage. Input to traction control systems to maximise performance without infrastructure damage)
• Rail overhead line modelling and experimental investigation from a mechanical perspective (wear, fatigue crack growth, materials choices)
• Application of fracture mechanics and boundary element modelling to crack growth prevention/understanding
• Tribology (lubrication, wear)
• Modelling to optimise rail network traffic for reduced energy use, optimisation of energy storage, and greater network resilience (the algorithms and technology behind Driver Advisory Systems)
• Railway system security: modelling blast from energetic materials, and the response of surrounding environment, e.g. railway station and vehicles (fluid structure interactions)
• Rail system design for safety and security (environmental resilience, behaviour of materials under rapid and extreme loadings)

Amy’s research centres on understanding radiation induced defect formation, accumulation, and thermal recovery, and the development of new materials for the next generation of nuclear technologies (fission and fusion). She uses electron microscopy, including ion irradiation and thermal annealing in-situ in a TEM, X-ray diffraction, Raman, FT-IR and X-ray absorption spectroscopies to characterise the structure of materials and ion beam induced defect morphologies. Amy is currently working in the Immobilisation Science Laboratory (ISL) where she is developing Li-ceramics relevant to fusion, and investigating helium gas bubble formation and ion beam irradiation induced defect formation and recovery mechanisms in these materials.

Research interests

Her research centres on the understanding and development of magnetic films to be used in magnetic devices and sensors. The main research areas are:

Fe-based Magnetostrictive Films and Devices
Research is focussed on the fabrication and characterisation of Fe-based magnetostrictive film, including Fe-Co and Fe-Ga for MEMS device applications. Fabrication techniques include a state of the art co-sputter-evaporation deposition system, RF/DC sputter system and an evaporator. A wide range of characterisation techniques are used, which include XRD, AFM/MFM, MOKE magnetometry and resistance measurements, as well as a central facilties (ESRF, France, diamond, UK). The main aim of the work is to understand the relationship between the magnetostriction, microstructure and magnetisation. The work has also involved the development of magnetostrictive MEMS devices, which includes magnetostrictive energy harvesters and mass MEMS sensors.

Organic Spintronics
This research investigates the spin transport within organic semiconductors, including the development of room temperature organic spin-valves. The spin transport has been investigated using a range of techniques including magnetoresistance, XPS, MOKE magnetometry, AFM and muon spectroscopy. The main aims are to understand how the interfaces influence the spin transport in organic spin-valves and develop novel organic spin devices, such as the spin switch. Research has studied both lateral and vertical devices at room temperature.

Multiferroics
This research involves studying multilayer multiferroics to investigate how the optical, electrical and magnetic properties are linked within the hetrostructures. Work has studied how the interfaces influence the overall properties of the structures. Characterisation techniques include XRD, SEM, TEM, AFM/MFM, MOKE magnetometry and electrical measurements.

Research interests

Dr Slatter's main research interests are in tribology, particualrly when applied to manufacturing processes and automotive powertrain.

In manufacturing projects mostly involve investigating the design, performance and instrumentation of manufacturing machines, processes and tooling with organisations such as Sandvik Coromant, Primetals, Bremont, Rolls-Royce, BEP Surface Technologies, Hill Pumps, and the University’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. 

In the automotive sector; projects include investigating valvetrain wear with a number of automotive OEMs, investigating the influence of novel combustion processes on valvetrain design, and assessing the performance of bio-lubricants. Collaborators are companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, Caterpillar, JCB Power Systems, MWH, Hoganas, Nanovit, and McLaren. 

Outside of these applied areas, Tom works at a more fundamental level investigating topics including impact wear and the cryogenic treatment of metals.

• Self-bearing electrical machines
• Power dense electrical machines and actuators for aerospace and marine applications
• Valve actuation
• Electromagnetic modelling of novel devices

David is interested in developing novel multidisciplinary projects targeted toward biosensor, bioelectronic, biomedical, regenerative medicine and industrial applications (e.g. process monitoring).

Research Interests:

• Sensors and Biosensors
• Raman Spectroscopy as a Sensing Tool
• Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing
• Reactive Inkjet Printing (RIJ)
• Design and Development of Complex Printing Systems
• Biomaterials
• Tissue Engineering and 3D Scaffolds
• Drug Delivery
• Bioelectronics
• Active Colloids and Micromotors

Research Interests:

My research focuses on explainable and trustworthy machine learning (ML). Explainability is multifaceted in this context; I work on mathematical and computational methods in Computational Intelligence (CI) that enable enhanced understanding and transparent information use for neural networks, visual and numerical performance measures for many-objective optimisation algorithms, as well as linguistic interpretations of models, and safe control systems. Explainability and trustworthiness are key barriers in using machine learning in a range of critical applications, e.g. in engineering, and healthcare. A multitude of research questions still need to be addressed, for example how neural network - based systems learn and perform when information/data is imperfect, how can we exploit prior knowledge for enhanced learning, and how can we develop performance metrics that will allow us to understand the optimisation of systems at scale.

Towards formulating research questions in machine learning, I often use challenge-driven research e.g. in manufacturing, healthcare, as case studies. This way,  applications drive the research questions, towards maximising impact. I also use explainable machine learning for translational research and to create innovation to address global challenges (e.g. sustainability, energy). The advanced monitoring, optimisation and control of manufacturing processes is such an example, where ML-based methods can be used to reduce material waste, and minimise energy use.

I welcome PhD applications in topics that fall under Computational Intelligence, in particular when these are concerned with explainable machine learning. Examples of recent PhD projects include, physics-guided neural networks, physics-guided generative models, new performance metrics for decomposition-based many-objective optimisation, information theoretic explainability in neural networks, safe reinforcement learning, and linguistic interpretations of Convolutional Neural Networks.

Research Interests:

My research interests lie in a broad collection of areas that focus around operation of autonomous robotic systems. My key research goals are to enable seamless operation of robotic systems in complex operating environments, whether this be:

• Manufacturing systems especially autonomous collaborative robotics, looking at systems architectures that provide flexibility across different tasks
• Developing digital twins and models of collaborative robots that enables the design of systems that faciliates manufacturing   
• Operation of autonomous UAVs in normal traffic environments 
• Trust in autonomous robot systems operating in public and maufacturing environments.
• Robots operating in underground pipe networks, especially focusing on navigation

I have a collection of other research interests that I would be interested in developing further:

• Visual navigation, visual odometry in GPS-denied environments
• Optimisation of code related to autonomous robotic applications

Sustainable Oxide Processing Group 

My group and I are interested in developing new low-temperature synthesis routes to control particle size and shape in functional ceramic oxides. Current work includes Na- and Li-ion battery cathodes and anodes, thermoelectrics, dielectrics, oxide superconductors and materials for fusion energy generation. 

We also investigate novel low temperature sintering methods which allow us to create dense ceramics with controlled nanostructure, exploiting emergent structure-morphology relationships. 

Research Interests:

My research interests include information theory and communication theory with an emphasis on application to electricity grid problems. My research focuses on understanding the fundamental limits governing systems with incomplete or mismatched system information. Today, we are seeing a growing amount of stored electronic data, and larger more diverse networks whose agents interact with limited information. However, many of the fundamental questions are still open. Tools from assorted communities such as information theory, probability theory, and random matrix theory among others, are proving useful but we are still lacking in our understanding of these systems and how to provide constructive guidelines for optimal algorithm design.

Dr Ghadbeigi’s research activities are in the field of machining, mechanics of deformation in manufacturing operations, experimental mechanics, mechanics of materials and surface treatments applied to metallic alloys as well as damage, fatigue and fracture.

Dr Ghadbeigis research interest covers the application of experimental techniques to characterise local deformation and damage mechanisms in the material in order to develop predictive simulation tools using Finit Element techniques. this include the design of new experimental methodologies and testing rigs implementing state of the art measurement techniques such as Digital Image Correlation and Micro-DIC. some of the currently running projects include:

- Modelling of thin sheet blanking

- Understanding the effect of blanking parameters on functional performance of advanced electrical steels

- Characterisation of the effect of welding parameters on resistance spot welding of advanced automotive steels

- Investigation of the chip formation mechanics in carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP)

- Modelling of machining induced surface damage due to turning and milling processes

- Development of a NDT method to determine machining induced surface defects.

A range of modelling and simulation tools are developed in the Manufacturign and Structural Integrity (MSI) research group that contains more than 10 PhD and EngD students across different faculties to better understand the failure and deformation of the mateiral and optimise the manufacturing processes for a better functional performance. 

Research interests

1) Alloy design, the development of new alloy compositions for specific applications, especially those based on less common elements, and alloys developed using "High Entropy" concepts

2) The joining of materials by brazing, including the understanding of the brazing process in more detail, and the development of new filler metals

3) Mechanical properties of metallic materials, in particular those of porous materials (metal foams and lattices) and those of solid metals as assessed with indentation techniques

Fundamental Research

• Fuzzy Logic, Fuzzy Sets, and Fuzzy Systems: modelling and Control (Decision Support Systems)
• Artificial Intelligence
• Self-Organising Fuzzy Logic Control
• Neural-Fuzzy Systems
• Machine Learning & Big Data
• Model-Based Predictive Control: Algorithms and Applications
• Evolutionary Based Optimisation- Single and Multi-Objective

Application Areas

• Manufacturing: Materials, Surface Metrology, & Pharmaceuticals (in collaboration with Professor A.D. Salman from the Sheffield University Department of CBE)
• Human-Machine Interface (HMI) or Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), Operator Breakdown
• Transportation Systems
• Aerospace Systems
• Biomedicine: ICU, CICU, Neonates

Research interests

Structure-property relations in fluorite related metal oxides
Research is focussed on the synthesis and characterisation of oxide based fluorite and fluorite-related ceramic for applications in nuclear waste immobilisation. Characterisation techniques used include X-ray and electron diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. Properties of interest include chemical durability and tolerance to radiation damage.

Immobilisation of problematic radio-nuclides
Research is focussed on the design, processing and characterisation of tailored ceramic and glass wasteforms for the immobilisation of problematic long-lived radio-nuclides such as 129I, 14C, 99Tc, plutonium and uranium.

Application of novel processing techniques to ceramic and glass synthesis
Research is focussed on the application of techniques such as molten salt mediated synthesis and microwave dielectric heating to the processing of glasses and ceramics for a wide range of applications. Of particular interest is the effect of processing on material properties.

Key projects

• Structure-property relations in fluorite and fluorite-related ceramics
• Synthesis and characterisation of tetragonal tungsten bronze ceramic phases for waste immobilisation
• Application of novel processing techniques to waste immobilisation
• Immobilisation of ¹⁴C in glass wasteforms fabricated by microwave synthesis

Dr Shin is interested in software testing, mutation testing, and testing for ML-enabled autonomous systems (e.g., automated driving systems). Ensuring the reliability and safety of such software systems is the ultimate goal. To achieve this for complex, real-world systems, he has successfully leveraged search-based software testing (SBST), surrogate-assisted optimisation (SAO), and reinforcement learning (RL). He has published many research papers at top-tier venues such as ICSE, ICST, ISSTA, and MODELS and prestigious journals such as TSE, EMSE, and STVR. See https://dshin.info for more details.

PhD Supervision
Dr Shin is particularly looking forward to hearing from research students interested in testing and debugging autonomous systems using SBST, SAO, and RL.

Research interests

My specialisation is atomic scale computational simulation of molecules and material systems and their interfaces.

Particular areas of interest are: Understanding the influence materials and minerals and exert of biological molecules by altering molecular properties and similarly how molecules are able to influence material properties or control the crystallisation of a material; modelling defects and transport properties in functional ceramic materials e.g. perovskites

My research interests centres on geohazard studies, specifically the numerical simulation of complex multiphase problems, such as landslides and soil freezing. I have expertise in various geohazards, including shallow landslides, debris flows, and rockfall. Currently, my focus in our department is on improving the reliability of numerical models for geohazards. My research involves developing in-house codes, conducting back-analysis of past events, and creating digital twins for monitored sites. I use a unique methodology that combines continuum and discrete approaches. Geohazards pose an increasing threat globally, mainly due to climate change. My commitment lies in mitigating these adverse effects.

• Electrical Machines & Drives
• Condition Monitoring of electrical machines
• Fault detection & diagnostics
• Digital Signal Processing for industrial diagnostics
• Inspection, testing & repair of electrical machines
• Powertrains for electrified transportation

Machine Learning

As a Computational Scientist and Engineer with extensive cross disciplinary experience, Professor Eleni Vasilaki contributes to understanding brain learning principles. Together with her team she takes inspiration from these principles to design novel, machine learning techniques, and in particular reinforcement learning methods.  They develop data analytics frameworks for neuroscientists, and also work closely with engineers from other disciplines to design hardware that computes in a brain-like manner. 

PhD Supervision

Professor Vasilaki is particularly interested in hearing from research students interested in the following areas:

• Neural Networks (and Spirking Neural Networks in particular)
• Reservior Computing
• Reinforcement Learning
• Clustering
• Computational Neuroscience

Research interests

Main interests are centred on oral epithelial biology, the mechanisms of oral disease pathogenesis and development of new treatment strategies. I am particularly interested in how immune cells are recruited to and act at diseased oral sites and how they interact with other cells/microbes within the local microenvironment. My group has developed novel tissue engineered in vitro models of both healthy and diseased oral mucosa (and skin) to investigate disease processes. I have a long-standing track record of utilising these in vitro 3D engineered tissues as well as zebrafish larvae as direct replacements for animal models and have used these to study the role of oral microorganisms in mucosal and systemic disease. I’m also involved in projects aimed at fabricating oral patches and microneedles made from mucoadhesive polymers for oral mucosal drug delivery. Here we have produced electrospun patches to deliver small molecule drugs such as glucocorticoids, analgesics, antifungals and larger molecules such as antibodies and mRNA for vaccine delivery. I also work within a consortium of researchers developing electrical impedance as a form of non-invasive early diagnostics for the detection and management of oral premalignant disorders.

Current projects include:

• Novel forms of oral mucoadhesive drug and vaccine delivery and the role of xenobiotic metabolising enzymes in the oral mucosa.
• Development of tissue engineered oral mucosal and skin model - atopic dermatitis, oral lichen planus
• Host-pathogen interactions at the mucosal surface.
• Role of innate immune cells in head and neck cancer.
• Use of zebrafish to examine the role of oral microbes in systemic disease.

My research interests lie in the area of mathematical control theory. I study infinite-dimensional systems governed by partial differential equations (PDEs) and delay differential equations. My goal is to develop mathematical tools for designing controllers that guarantee the desired system behaviour in the presence of input/output delays, external disturbances, measurement noise, parameter uncertainties, and other phenomena occurring in practice.

Research Interests 

• Control and stability of partial differential equations (PDEs)
• PDE-based analysis of multi-agent systems (robot swarms)
• Analysis and control of traffic flows
• Time delays and networked control systems
• Adaptive control

Research Interests:

• Engineering synthetic genetic constructs for biopharmaceutical design and manufacturing.
• Controlling and analysing mammalian gene/protein expression.
• Engineering mammalian cell factories for biopharmaceutical production.
• Whole system engineering for biomanufacturing of therapeutic mRNA, DNA, AAV and protein products.
• Mammalian synthetic biology.

I welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students and PDRAs. If you are interested in projects in any of the above research areas, contact me for further information.

My research interests lie in developing new techniques or improve the existing ones for the behavioural analysis of concurrent systems. To this end, I use methods from algebra, logic, or/and category theory. In the past, I've worked on the following topics: coalgebras and their modal logic, model based testing of software product lines, semantics of hybrid systems, (pre)sheaves models for concurrency, and verification of asynchronous systems.

Research interests

My research focus is the physics and engineering and clinical applications of MR imaging of hyperpolarised gases (³He and ¹²⁹Xe) and protons in the lungs and pulmonary vasculature.

Physics and engineering projects include:

• rapid acquisition methods for imaging of inhaled hyperpolarised gases using compressed sensing, steady state free precession and parallel imaging.
• Techniques for simultaneous imaging of ¹H, ³He and ¹²⁹Xe in the lungs.
• RF coil hardware engineering for ³He and ¹²⁹Xe lung MRI.
• ³He and ¹²⁹Xe MRI at different magnetic field strengths.
• Spin exchange optical pumping physics for polarisation of ³He and ¹²⁹Xe.
• Measuring and modelling gas flow and diffusion in the lungs; physiological models of alveolar geometry and gas exchange.

My group uses bio-robotic methods to investigate how animals solve complex problems such as navigation before abstracting lessons learned to solve engineering goals. 

To reveal how animals function we utilise methods from computational neuroscience, behavioural ecology, graphics, information theory, computer vision, machine learning, and robotics disciplines. 

We then use more standard robotic and engineering methods to apply lessons to specific problem areas including robot controllers, novel sensing, and new methods of AI and machine learning inspired by natural intelligence.  We celebrate this truly multidisciplinary approach which we find both stimulating and challenging. 

Therefore we welcome exceptional candidates from across fields but those with strong backgrounds in mathematical, physical sciences and engineering disciplines (including computer science and computational neuroscience) are particularly well suited to research in my group.  

Research Interests

• One of the challenges in modern medicine is to develop gene and stem cell therapeutic strategies to treat deafness by targeting specific genes that play a crucial role in the generation of the disease. In all cases, it is important to understand how the auditory system develop and function in normal and under deafness conditions. Moreover, understanding how the ear processes sound is essential to further technical and software development of hearing aids, including cochlear implants.
• In my laboratory, we aim to identify the normal development of the mammalian auditory system and, most importantly, to determine the functional/physiological consequences of genes that when mutated cause deafness in humans.
• This is achieved by studying the physiological properties of the individual sensory hair cells of the mammalian cochlea using electrophysiological techniques and molecular biology.

Research Interests

My research focuses on improving the quality of life of people with long term conditions, particularly through exploration of the effectiveness of rehabilitative interventions and the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support the self-management of the rehabilitation process. My research work, funded predominantly through the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, and latterly the NIHR CLAHRC Y&H, has capitalised on new innovations in sensor and digital technologies and involves interdisciplinary work, integrating clinical rehabilitation researchers with engineering, design, mecatronics, informatics and digital media specialists.

Professor Derek Ingham is an applied mathematician who has worked on a wide variety of engineering and industrial mathematical problems in collaboration with numerous engineering scientists and with several industries and acted as an Expert Witness. He has published research papers with members of staff in all the engineering and environment departments, and several science and medical departments. At present he supervises 15 PhD students and has successfully supervised over 100 PhD students. Further he is on the editorial board of 12 international journals, has written 16 research books, over 900 research papers in referred journals and over 40 confidential industrial reports. He has received funding from over 70 different organizations.

In particular, he has research interests in energy:  wind energy, fuel cells; heat and fluid flows: flows in porous media, ill-proposed problems, cementing of oil castings, proppant transport in  fractures, Stirling Engines, heating of oils and in ship holds. Carbon capture and storage. Environment: ventilation, fume cupboards, sampling, aerosols, filtration, gravity currents, atomisers, blowing snow. Computational Fluid Dynamics: Finite volume methods, finite element methods, Lattice Boltzman methods, boundary element methods. Turbulence. Boundary layer theory.

Ian's research interests centre around the mixing and transport of contaminants and pollutants in coastal and estuarine areas, rivers, urban drainage and most recently, pipe distribution systems. His work aims to identify and quantify the transport and mixing processes within areas of civil engineering hydraulics.

This is achieved by conducting laboratory and field studies, then developing simplified modelling procedures for engineering applications.

Research projects have investigated the mixing processes in urban drainage and treatment systems, looking at specific components, such as manholes and combined sewer overflow structures, wetlands and ponds, river systems, quantifying dispersion effects due to topographic variations, estuarine studies and coastal mixing processes. These topics are particularly important for modelling water quality processes.

Natural Polymers of bacterial origin and their use in medical and environmentally friendly applications.

Her group is currently focussed on the production of novel Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a group of FDA-approved natural polymers and their characterisation. She has pioneered the production of PHAs from Gram positive bacteria which lack immunogenic properties and hence are excellent materials for medical applications. Her group is involved in the application of PHAs in the area of hard tissue engineering, soft tissue engineering, wound healing, drug delivery and medical device development. She has also initiated work with bacterial cellulose and γ-polyglutamic acid, as natural polymers for biomedical applications. PHAs are also environmentally friendly polymers that are biodegradable both in the soil and in the sea. She has recently initiated work related to this aspect of PHAs.

Theo’s research focuses on sustainable data-driven manufacturing of inorganic materials, most notably cement and its precursors. He brings an approach based on thermochemistry and chemical reaction engineering principles and uses these skills to target emissions and waste reductions by revolutionising how we design and produce materials. Topics covered include:

• Developing novel and sustainable cement/clinker formulations and production processes
• Material circularisation, waste valorisation, and industrial symbiosis
• Materials decarbonisation
• Carbon dioxide mineralisation and utilisation
• Process optimisation and modelling

My main research areas is in Process and Energy Systems Engineering for Energy and Environment. The sub areas are:

• Process Modelling, Simulation, Control and Optimisation
• Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)
• Grid-scale Energy Storage
• Bio-fuel Production
• Power Plants
• Refinery Planning and Scheduling
• Process Control (e.g. Condition Monitoring and System Identification)

Research Interests

My research interests include data mining and analytics, data science, and big data. My research concerns foundations for efficient information retrieval, data management and knowledge discovery from different types of data, in particular those with spatial dimension such as spatial data, spatio-textual data, and spatio-temporal data.

I worked on the problems of query processing on spatio-textual data, spatial co-location pattern mining, and in the area of indoor location-based services (LBS). I am also interested in applying machine learning models in databases to improve the quality and query efficiency of spatial data.

• Spatial database

• Data mining

• Indoor Location-based services

My research has been published in top journals and conferences such as IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering (TKDE),  International Conference on Very Large Data Bases (VLDB) and IEEE International Conference on Data Engineering (ICDE). You can find more about my research on my personal webpage.

Research supervision

I would welcome proposals related to any of the above areas. I am also interested in supervising PhD students in the following areas:

• Data mining and analytics for big data

• Machine learning for databases

• Spatial data science, data management and data querying

Professor of Organisational Studies

Damian's research focuses on issues of power, knowledge, identity and control in complex organisations and on the management of experts/professionals in these settings. He has developed these interests through research in a range of industries including financial services, creative industries, R&D and engineering. However, his primary research interest is on the transformation of health and care, with a particular focus on the organisational and policy dimensions of this transformation. He is committed to engaged research which is pragmatic but theory-driven, with a focus on supporting and informing real change in practice.

Damian is currently supervising several PhD students. He is interested in supervising doctoral research in the following areas:

• Organisation and policy change in health and care
• The devolution of health and care
• Workforce challenges in health and care
• Professional and managerial identity work in healthcare
• Critical analyses of project management and project organising
• Power and identity in the workplace

Research interests

Dr Smith's principal research area is inkjet printing: he is interested in areas where it is used, areas where it can be used and the associated theories behind droplet ejection and drplet drying.

Dr. Smith's research has included printed electronics, tissue engineering, carbon fibre composites and additive manufacturing, with inkjet printing being the common theme. In addition to the above areas he has recently become very interested in digital printing, which is a growing market that makes much use of inkjet printing.

Dr. Smith is a leading figure in the area of reactive inkjet printing, which involves the use of inkjet to deposit reactants to form a product. His other research interests extend to additive manufacture, aerosol deposition, rapid prototyping, metal-organic decomposition inks and droplet behaviour on the substrate

At Sheffield, I spearhead the Sustainable Design Laboratory (SDL). The laboratory uses the tools of design, systems engineering, multi-scale modelling, chemical process simulation and optimization to reimagine the chemical industry and power a sustainable future.

The SDL is interested in advancing methodologies, algorithms and tools for:

1. Integrated molecular and process synthesis (IMPS): The ability of the process to meet performance targets (energy use, minimize wastage) strongly depend on both molecular-level decisions (e.g., which catalyst, which solvent) as well as flowsheet-level decisions (e.g., how many distillation columns, what reactor temperature). In the SDL, we apply systems-level thinking to simultaneously design the best materials/molecules as well as the best flowsheets to enable manufacturing processes to meet performance goals (e.g., reduce energy usage or minimize OPEX). Our design techniques combine advances in modelling of materials and manufacturing processes as well as optimization algorithms.
2. Optimization Accelerated by domain Knowledge (OAK): Several large-scale optimization problems may be virtually intractable by off-the-shelf optimization solvers. We develop algorithms that are tailored to engineering applications that combine mathematical reasoning with domain knowledge to enable the solution of challenging optimization problems in energy and materials.

At the SDL, we are particularly excited by the following application areas of the IMPS and OAK methodologies:

1. Thermo-mechanical energy conversion devices such as heat pumps and organic Rankine cycles.
2. Separation systems that enable carbon capture utilization and storage, biomanufacturing and retrofitting of existing processes; and operation and expansion of the power grid to facilitate integration.

Please contact me if you would like to do a PhD in the Sustainable Design Laboratory.

Dr Po Yang is a Senior Lecturer in Large Scale Data Fusion in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from Wuhan University in China in 2004, before being awarded his MSc in Computer Science from the University of Bristol in 2006. In 2010 he graduated with a PhD in Electronic Engineering from the University of Staffordshire. From February 2015 to July 2019, he was a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at Liverpool John Moores University. He worked as a Post-doc Research Fellow in Computer Science at the University of Bedfordshire from January 2012 to January 2015. Previously, he has also held the positions of Research Associate in Computer Science at the University of Teeside from September 2008 to February 2010, a Research Assistant in image processing at the University of Salford from March 2010 to December 2011. Since 2006 he has generated over 90 international journal and conference papers in the fields of Pervasive Healthcare, Image Processing, Parallel Computing and RFID related internet of things (IoT) applications.

He serves as an Associate Editor in IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine and IEEE Access.

He has over 12 years full time research experience in computing areas (recent three years working on Pervasive Healthcare), which includes the key participation and local leadership of 6 EU funded projects CALLAS (RA in Affective Computing at Teeside University), IMPACT (RA in Image Processing at Salford University), GPSME, DRINVENTOR, MHA and CHIC (RF in Computer Science at Bedfordshire University) and 3 EPSRC/TSB funded projects.

Dr Po Yang's research interests include: Pervasive Computing, Healthcare Informatics, Data Analytics and Internet of Things (IoT)

Stevie’s research interests lie in the nexus of science and technology studies, social movement theory and heterodox economics, all through an intersectional lens. Her MA looked at women's adaptation of the architecture of Livejournal.com to maintain pre-existing online networks and question racial exclusion within the science fiction community. Her PhD, completed at the end of 2012, was a case study of knowledge production in the Feminist International Network of Resistance to Reproductive and Genetic Engineering (FINRRAGE), which led her to larger questions about the global bioeconomy, and the governance of emergent technologies.

As a postdoctoral researcher at Sheffield, she worked with Prof. Paul Martin investigating 'Publics and the Making of Responsible Innovation' as part of the Leverhulme Trust Research Programme 'Making Science Public' and was involved in research on diversity in the biomedical system along with colleagues from ScHARR, as part of a Wellcome Trust project led by Prof. James Wilsdon.

Stevie is currently leading the 'Human Futures' theme in iHuman, where she is developing a programme of research on Robots in a Human Future and continues to publish in the area of human genome editing. She was PI on the multidisciplinary project 'Improving Inclusivity in Robotics Design' and is currently research lead on the UKRI-TAS pump priming project 'Imagining Robotic Care'. She is on the Executive of iHuman and Sheffield Robotics and continues her research on Responsible Stagnation as a founder member of the Fourth Quadrant Research Network, which considers responsible innovation through the lens of steady state economics as a way of maintaining social prosperity in a state of permanent slow growth. Stevie is also a certified facilitator in LEGO Serious Play, which she uses for research (presently as part of Imagining Robotic Care), teaching, and as a consultant on embedding responsible research and innovation into science and engineering projects. 

Research interests

I have a major research interest in the mechanisms of altered neuronal excitability that occur under the pathological conditions of nerve injury and inflammation, and which contribute to the development of chronic pain, including that in the oro–facial region. Much of this research has been done at the academic–industrial interface. Collaborations with GSK, Pfizer and Eli Lilly have funded a wide range of pre-clinical translational studies, using pre-clinical models and human tissues to identify and validate a range of regulators of neuronal excitability as potential targets for the development of novel analgesics and anti-inflammatory mediators.

Other research projects are directed towards improvement of nerve regeneration. This work investigates methods of improving nerve repair through the use of a range of anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring agents, and includes collaboration with the Department of Engineering Materials at the University of Sheffield to develop bioengineered conduits to enhance nerve regeneration. In other projects I collaborate with the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) investigating the role of chemokines in CNS disease.
I also have a significant research interest in neural–immune interactions and their role in the development of disease. I have a number of pilot projects underway in this field investigating neural interactions in the generation of cancer pain and tumour progression.

Welcome! For an overview of my work, please see my website arturgower.github.io, google scholar, or read below.

Background: I apply mathematics and physics (BSc, MSc, PhD) to understand the microstructure of complex solids. I mostly develop code and mathematical models for waves (like sound and radio). 

Research: We still do not fully understand how waves (like sound, radio, light, and vibrations) behave in many materials. How well can these waves propagate, and how much information can they carry in different materials?

Answering these questions will allow us to design the next generation of materials that can control waves. These new materials can then improve telecommunications by controlling light and elastic waves, and mechanical engineering by controlling vibrations and even earthquakes!

The main way we sense the world around us is by using waves too. Light and sound are reflected from all materials, and when they reach us, our brains can decode them to understand what objects are around us.

In a similar way, waves are used to sense materials during manufacturing. To automate manufacturing, we need to develop sensors that can decode waves like our brains do. Ideally these sensors would be able to detect changes in the material's microstructure, and as a result determine when the material has reached its ideal flexibility, strength, and capacity to transmit information!

Lecturer in Marketing

Shilpa has earned a doctorate in management and a postdoctoral fellowship in marketing. Her research interests include sustainability, digitalization, marketing, strategy, branding, sustainable business and consumerism, the digital platform ecosystem, behavioural operations, and FinTech.

Her research has appeared in high-impact and internationally reputed journals, including Business Strategy and the Environment, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, among others. Along with this, she has a strong pipeline of research to her credit. She is serving as a reviewer for reputed high-impact journals, including the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, Business Strategy and the Environment, International Journal of Consumer Studies, International Journal of Bank Marketing, to name a few, and global conferences, namely the Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meetings and the Academy of International Business (AIB) conferences, among others.

She is a professional member of reputed bodies including the Academy of Marketing Science, the Association for Consumer Research, IEEE, the MIS Quarterly (MISQ) Insider Community, and the Group for Research on Organizations and the Natural Environment (GRONEN) Community.

Currently, she is actively engaged in different research projects aimed at promoting sustainable consumption, such as working as a Fellow in the COMFOCUS project funded by the European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme.

Rob studied Chemistry (BSc) and Physical Chemistry (PhD) at the University of Durham (UK) and joined the Department of Engineering Materials at the University of Sheffield in 1988, where he held the Chair of Material and Biomaterial Chemistry from 2001. During this period, Rob helped develop a materials-cell technology (myskin) for treating severe burns and scalds; adopted in the UK by the NHS, this technology was used over a decade in all the UK’s major burns centres. Rob also established Plasso Technology, an advanced materials for life science research company. Plasso developed technology that now underpins a range of products (PureCoatTM) sold globally for cell culture and cell therapy.  

In 2006, Rob joined the University of South Australia, where he held the positions of Director of an advanced manufacturing research institute, Dean of Research and Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice President. At the invitation of the Minister of Education he served on the Australian Research Council's College of Experts for three years.  

In Australia, he successfully co-led bids for an A$110M national centre for wound management innovation and a A$60M national centre for cell therapy manufacturing. Both have resulted in successful innovations in wound care and cell therapy. These include the companies, Carina Biotechnology (www.carinabiotech.com), which is developing a novel CAR-T cell therapy for solid (cancer) tumours and Tekcyte (www.tekcyte.com), whose products include a cell-based therapy for non-healing wounds, which entered clinical trials at the beginning of 2022.   

Rob returned to the UK as the Director of the Lancaster Material Science Institute, where he helped establish the Material Social Futures Centre for Doctoral Training, focusing on how materials’ innovations shape society (and vice versa). See Material Social Futures | Lancaster University.  This centre is training 22 PhD students. 

Last year, Rob cofounded with Dr Endre Szili (UniSA) Plasma-4 (www.plasma-4.com) a company that is developing novel plasma (ionised gas)-materials technology for the treatment of a range of clinical indications.  

Over his career, Rob has won over A$250M of grants and investments, including ARC Discovery, Linkage etc, CRC, and in the UK, EPSRC, Wellcome, Leverhulme, Royal Society etc. He has supervised to completion 25 PhDs and 30 post-doctoral researchers. He has published over 250 substantive peer reviewed papers. 

In 2013, Rob was elected to the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.  

He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. 

Rob rejoined the University of Sheffield in October 2022.

My research interests are centred on buoyant, reactive flow. This work can be can be broadly split into work in two general areas, namely process safety (incorporating combustion, explosion and the dispersion of reactive chemicals) and the energy-water nexus, focussing on the use of low-cost technologies for the production of potable or irrigation water in arid regions.

My work has focussed on understanding the interaction of fluid mechanics and chemistry on a fundamental level using a combination of numerical and analytical techniques, coupled to simple experiments. My broad areas of interest are summarised below.

Combustion

The heat released by combustion reactions can result in significant changes in the density, and thus can induce natural convection. This work has led to numerous publications in high ranking chemical engineering, combustion and interdisciplinary journals and involves a theoretical and numerical investigation of natural convection coupled with two combustion phenomena, namely cool flames, which are a feature of low temperature combustion, and thermal explosion.

Turbulent Plumes

I work on the development new integral models describing plumes in which a chemical reaction alters the density. Such plumes can arise in a variety of circumstances ranging from industrial accidents (e.g. the Gulf of Mexico oil spill) to volcanic eruption columns. The development of new models to describe such plumes is vital for designing effective responses to such events.

Energy-Water Nexus

I am interested in the investigation and deployment of low cost methods of solar energy capture and storage. In particular, I work on solar ponds, where salinity gradients can be used to trap solar energy and industrial waste heat for use in driving desalination processes.

Research interests

Dr. Ilida Ortega Asencio specialises in biomaterial development and the utilisation of advanced biofabrication techniques, such as electrospinning and 3D-printing. Her primary research involves the manufacturing, characterization, and in vitro testing of biomaterial devices tailored for tissue engineering applications. With a comprehensive understanding of materials for soft tissue regeneration, particularly in skin and cornea, she has collaborated internationally with renowned organizations and networks, including LV Prasad Eye Institute and European Consortiums such as COST NetskinModels.

Dr. Ortega's interests lie in the design of 3D synthetic niche-like microenvironments to explore cell responses, as well as in the creation of smart electrospun materials for targeted drug delivery. Notably, she has explored bone tissue regeneration approaches through a Chinese Government-funded scholarship, investigating novel strategies to address problems at the bone-tendon interface. She has also secured funding from the Advanced Biomedical Materials CDT (Manchester/Sheffield) to develop a bilayer skin construct that incorporates topographical cues resembling the rete ridges in the skin.

Dr. Ortega is renowned for her contributions to dental materials research, characterized by her close collaboration with clinicians to develop cutting-edge approaches to dental materials design. Recently, Dr. Ortega has developed a keen interest in exploring sustainability aspects related to her research, particularly in conjunction with CAD-CAM approaches. She has secured knowledge-exchange funding for a collaborative project with Dentsply Sirona focused on life cycle analysis (LCA). Overall, Dr. Ortega's work in biomaterial development exemplifies a bench-to-clinic approach, demonstrating her dedication to advancing regenerative medicine and ultimately improving patient outcomes.