Degrees by Research
121
PhD, MPhil or EngD PhD: 3 years full-time; 5 years part-time MPhil: 2 years full-time; 3 years part-time EngD: 4 years full-time Research Proposal
Please contact the School for an information and application pack. You are encouraged to approach appropriate members of academic staff to discuss your proposal prior to submission.
Entry Qualification
A good degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent substantial relevant experience.
Contact
Director of Research Degrees David Whalley E: d.c.whalley@lboro.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1509 227661
School Support and Training for Research Students All research students are provided with: ● a computer, photocopying and inter-library loan facilities and supervisor(s) with expertise in the chosen research area ● additional guidance and pastoral support via the Director of Research Degree Programmes ● support from any other departmental academic staff if appropriate ● a structured induction programme to familiarise them with the School and University All research students: ● are encouraged to attend regular departmental research seminars ● must attend training courses throughout their PhD to support their research and develop transferable skills ● are represented on the Staff Research Student Committee
Additive Manufacturing
Loughborough University has a long-established global profile in this field. We have comprehensive additive manufacturing laboratories, supported by state-of-the-art testing and analysis facilities, both within the School and elsewhere across the University. Our broad scope of research activities spans fundamental investigations to translational activities. The majority of our research is conducted in collaboration with industrial partners across a range of sectors including aerospace, automotive, consumer, sports and medical. Much of our work is cross-disciplinary, conducted in collaboration with academic colleagues world-wide. We have a number of PhD opportunities available, including those through the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Additive Manufacturing. Academic staff: Dr Ross Friel, Professor Russell Harris, Dr Robert Kay, Dr Darren Watts Contact: r.a.harris@lboro.ac.uk
Dynamics
This Group focuses on accurate measurement; advanced analysis, including modelling and simulation; and efficient motion control, both active and passive, which are key to success in the design and development of dynamic systems. ● Multi-body dynamics of vehicles, machines and mechanisms, medical devices and biomechanics ● Application of strongly non-linear dynamic phenomena ● Autoresonant excitation ● Engines and powertrains, rotors, bearings and vehicle dynamics ● Noise, vibration, harshness and refinement ● Tribology: Hydrodynamics, Elastohydrodynamics ● Nano-tribolgy with applications in MEMS and pharmaceutical devices ● Non-contact vibration measurement using laser techniques ● Noise and vibration measurement including modal analysis Academic staff: Professor Memis Acar, Dr Miguel De La Cruz, Paul King, Professor Homer Rahnejat, Dr Ramin Rahmani, Professor Steve Rothberg, Dr Stephanos Theodossiades Contact: h.rahnejat@lboro.ac.uk
Healthcare Engineering
A cross-disciplinary Group with a significant life science and bio-technology capability, researching the design, manufacture and exploitation of medical devices and translation of emerging technologies, especially regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Leader of the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Regenerative Medicine. Partner in the EPSRC Doctoral Training Centre in Regenerative Medicine and the UK RMP Pluripotent Stem Cell Platform. ● Pre-clinical cell and gene therapy development ● Innovative cell sources and improving cell function in vivo ● Manufacturing system and bioprocess design for tissue engineering and stem cell expansion ● Variation control and design for manufacture including quality by design ● Rapid real-time sensors for biomanufacturing and healthcare diagnostics ● Biomarker and theranostic marker development ● Device and drug interactions in drug and stem cell delivery ● Exploitation and adoption of healthcare technology Academic staff: Dr Sourav Ghosh, Dr Yang Liu, Professor Nicholas Medcalf, Dr Alexandra Stolzing, Dr Rob Thomas, Professor David Williams Contact: d.j.williams@lboro.ac.uk
Intelligent Automation
Intelligent Automation provides supervisory functionality as well as production functionality. The Group brings together expertise in mechatronics and manufacturing systems integration, and is one of the leading centres for intelligent machinery research in Europe, having made prominent contributions to enterprise modelling and large-scale systems engineering concepts and methods for the last two decades. ● Medical applications – robotic surgery, novel instruments ● Advanced robotics in manufacturing ● Machine vision ● Machine vision directed laser materials processing ● Manufacturing engineering led computer science for intelligent automation ● Intelligent machine maintenance systems ● Systems integration technologies ● Design and control of component-based machines ● Design of distributed engineering environments ● Virtual modelling of automation systems and manufacturing processes ● Human factors in automation and semi-automation of complex tasks Academic staff: Professor Memis Acar, Dr Kaddour Bouazza-Marouf, Professor Keith Case, Dr John Edwards, Dr Mey Goh, Professor Jenny Harding, Professor Mike Jackson, Dr Laura Justham, Dr David Kerr, Dr Radmehr Monfared, Professor Robert Parkin, Andy Taylor, Professor Andy West, Bob Wood, Dr Robert Young Contact: m.r.jackson@lboro.ac.uk
Interconnection
The Group addresses the mechanical, manufacturing and materials issues in the physical realisation of electronic products including those containing MEMS and micro-fluidic components. Major research themes include joining, manufacturing processes, and packaging. ● Understanding novel adhesive systems in fine pitch applications ● Lead-free solders in nano-scale micro-joining and flux-free soldering ● Development of new processes ● Control and instrumentation ● Computational process modelling and process configuration ● Packaging of electronics in new areas, eg. medical, automotive ● Substrate development and packaging design ● Electronics and the environment ● Design and costing tools ● Technology forecasting and modelling ● Strategic globalisation issues for electronics manufacture Academic staff: Professor Paul Conway, Dr David Hutt, Professor Changqing Liu, David Whalley Contact: p.p.conway@lboro.ac.uk
Manufacturing Organisation
The Manufacturing Organisation Research Group is concerned with improving the capability of organisations to develop and deploy efficient and effective business processes through a better understanding of organisational and human factors. The Group aims to ensure integration of all elements of organisational capability (control, people, process, structure and tools) required to deliver new products and services that fulfil time, cost, quality, functional and environmental requirements throughout the value chain. ● Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Leadership ● Operations Management ● Resilience ● Ambidextrous organisations ● Antifragility ● Servitization ● Motivation and Performance Measures Academic staff: Professor Chris Backhouse, Dr Ran Bhamra, Dr Sue Morton Contact: c.j.backhouse@lboro.ac.uk