STAFF

Dr Andrew McBride
Senior Lecturer

Andrew's research focuses on simulating the behaviour of nonlinear materials, both biological and fabricated. Of particular interest are continuum theories that account for scale-dependence in plasticity and elasticity. The approximation of these theories using high-quality finite element tools is critically important for prediction. Research areas include phase-field modelling of fracture in polycrystals, biomechanics, surface elasticity, and discrete element modelling of granular flow.

Dr Cise Unluer
Reader

Cise’s research aims to contribute to a sustainable built environment through the development of innovative and functional construction products with high performance and durability. In her work, she focuses on the use of waste materials, carbon sequestration, recycling, self-healing and 3D printing processes involving cement-based mixes. Within these topics, she is interested in studying the relationship between reaction mechanisms, mechanical performance and microstructural development, as well as the environmental impacts of various binder systems and materials.

​Cise joined Glasgow as a Reader in Smart Infrastructure Materials in 2020. Prior to this, she completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge (2009-2012). She worked as a postdoctoral associate at the Concrete Sustainability Hub of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2012-2013) and a lecturer at Nanyang Technological University (2013-2020), where she established her research group on the development of novel binders and sustainable construction products.

Dr Kumar Shanmugam
Reader in Composites and Additive Manufacturing

Kumar obtained his academic qualifications from the University of Oxford, University of Southampton, Indian Institute of Science and College of Engineering, Guindy. Prior to joining the University of Glasgow, he was an Associate Professor at Masdar Institute- a relatively young university established in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Kumar has advised/mentored about 35 higher degree research students (MS/PhD) and research staff (postdocs/research scientists). Eight of his former group members moved on to faculty positions at leading universities around the world. He has recently edited topical Special Issues in research journals (Functionally Graded Adhesively Bonded Systems; Mechanics of Composite Adhesive Joints and Repairs) in the area of Mechanics of Adhesion and Adhesives. Kumar has also held short visiting appointments at the University of Cambridge, MIT and NTU Singapore.
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Dr. Shanmugam’s current efforts focus on biologically inspired and integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) approaches for the design of additive manufacturing-enabled multifunctional materials and composites for orthopedics, aerospace, automotive, defense and energy applications. His group’s strengths in combining theory, simulations and experiments have led to several novel contributions, for e.g., 3D printed compliance-tailored multilayers. With a vision towards data-driven materials innovation and manufacturing, his overarching research objective is to continue to lead the development and application of next-generation multifunctional additive manufacturing technologies to address opportunities and challenges posed by both academia and industry. 

Dr Philip Harrison
Senior Lecturer

Philip Harrison is a composite manufacturing and materials engineer. He pioneered what has now become the widely accepted standard theoretical analysis of the most popular engineering fabric shear characterisation test. He has made innovations in the comprehensive modelling of textile forming mechanics, allowing ever more accurate finite element simulations of manufacturing defects such as fabric wrinkling. His current focus is on inventing a novel approach to manufacturing low-cost steered fibre laminates and developing a radical new processing technology for advanced thermoplastic composites. His expertise in fabric mechanics has recently led him into cross-disciplinary collaboration with conservationists, working on strain measurement on historic tapestries hanging in Scottish museums.
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Philip started work in the Materials and Manufacturing Group at the University of Glasgow in 2005. Prior to this he worked in several internationally leading groups in Europe, including: the Composites Group at the University of Nottingham, the Materials Group in the Technical University of Eindhoven, the Centre de Mise en Forme in the Ecole des Mines de Paris and the Rheology Group in the University of Wales at Aberystwyth.

Dr Peifeng Li
Senior Lecturer

Peifeng joined the research group in early 2018. Prior to his position at the University of Glasgow, he was an Assistant Professor in School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore in 2010–2017, and a postdoctoral researcher in Solid Mechanics and Materials Engineering Group at University of Oxford in 2007–2010. Peifeng obtained his PhD in Materials Science from Imperial College London in 2006. 
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One of the recent focuses in his research has been on additive manufacturing (3D printing) of metals. The main strategy is to exploit the advantages of combined advanced experimental characterisation and material modelling techniques at various length and time scales. Application includes light alloys (Ti, Al), additive manufactured metals, metal foams, polymeric foams and fibre reinforced polymeric laminates, and ceramics for automotive, aerospace, defence and even biomedical sectors.

Dr Peter Grassl
Senior Lecturer

The aim of Peter's research is to understand, predict and improve strength and durability of geomaterials, such as concrete, rock and soils by combining a virtual laboratory with physical testing. 

​Peter studied Civil Engineering at the RWTH Aachen in Germany, Structural Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg, Sweden and was awarded a PhD in Structural Engineering at the same university. He also worked as researcher at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland and at Northwestern University in Evanston, USA.

Dr Daniel Mulvihill
Lecturer

Daniel’s research focuses on a variety of applied problems in mechanics of materials and tribology. He completed his doctoral degree at the University of Oxford in 2012 and subsequently undertook post-doctoral periods at University of Limerick, EPFL Switzerland and Cambridge University before joining Glasgow in 2016.  Past research has included work on the mechanics of frictional joints, carbon nanotube fibre strength and friction in composites forming.

​His present research spans tribology, composite materials, experimental mechanics and materials characterisation. Current projects encompass work on the mechanical behaviour of nano and micro-structured interfaces, controlling and understanding friction in composites forming and optimising triboelectric generator performance. He is also active in the group’s experimental work characterising the mechanical behaviour of various metal alloys. Daniel was BSSM Young Stress Analyst in 2011 and was awarded the Tribology Bronze medal by the IMechE in 2013.

Dr Ying Liu
Lecturer

Ying was appointed as a Lecturer in Manufacturing Systems Engineering at the University of Glasgow in June 2017. Ying received her PhD from the University of Nottingham on multi-objective optimisation for sustainable manufacturing in 2014 and BEng in Industrial Engineering from Zhejiang University in 2008. She subsequently extended her research field to Industry 4.0 Intelligent Manufacturing, taking up PDRA posts in Cranfield University and Loughborough University. Ying is already establishing a strong track record in her field of research: Sustainable Manufacturing, Operational Research, Multi-objective Optimisation, Evolutionary Computation, and Intelligent Manufacturing Systems.

Ying’s recent research interest and projects encompass modelling and optimisation energy consumptions for the additive manufacturing, machining and manufacturing systems, artificial intelligence based multi-objective optimisation for energy management in dynamic flexible manufacturing systems, uncertainty and resilience for dynamic manufacturing systems, communication for machine to machine to human (M2M2H) using visible light to enable data modelling, optimisation and decision support (Industry 4.0).

Dr Mohammad Fotouhi
Lecturer

Mohammad joined the University of Glasgow as a lecturer in September 2019 and his expertise lies in composites design, manufacturing and integrity. He is currently working on generative design, lightweight/smart bio-inspired composites, 4D printed self-morphing structures and multi-functional materials. He has made innovations in designing high-performance composite T-joints, Pseudo-ductile and notch insensitive composites, and novel damage detection methods.

Before joining Glasgow, Mohammad was as a lecturer at the University of the West of England and previously led the Hybrid Composites developments in the HiPerDuCT programme (EP/I02946X/1), as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bristol. He also has 3 years of industrial experience in R&D activities including reverse engineering, manufacturing, CAD/CAM and material analysis.

Mohammad graduated with honoured MSc and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering (manufacturing and production), both his MSc and PhD theses were on acoustic emission-based damage monitoring of composites, and were singled out for their quality in a University-wide assessment. He is in editorial board of international journals: Composite Materials, Science publishing group, and Journal of engineering and technology.

Dr Andrew Feeney
Lecturer

​Andrew’s research is focused on the integration of smart materials, particularly those exhibiting shape memory, into electro-mechanical systems for a range of medical and industrial applications. He received his PhD from the University of Glasgow in 2014, on Nitinol cymbal transducers for tuneable ultrasonic devices. He then undertook postdoctoral research into new ultrasonic exploration technology for high pressure and temperature environments and investigated the influence of ultrasonics on different sub-sea geological materials. In 2016, he joined the Department of Physics, University of Warwick, where he was Research Fellow in the Centre for Industrial Ultrasonics until 2020. His research during this period focused on new high frequency flexural ultrasonic transducers for operation in a range of liquid and gas measurement environments towards 200 bar and 500°C.
 
Andrew was appointed as a Lecturer in May 2020. His current research interests are multi-functional ultrasonic and electro-mechanical systems, shape memory materials, encompassing both experimental characterisation and finite element modelling, exploration technologies for sub-sea and hostile environments, and piezoelectric materials and devices. He is also a Chartered Engineer and member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Dr Enric Grustan-Gutiérrez
Lecturer

Dr Enric Grustan-Gutiérrez holds a "Top International Managers in Engineering" double master's degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from BarcelonaTech and University of Padua (Italy) respectively. He was awarded a Balsells fellowship to pursue a PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of California Irvine.
After his graduation, he joined Lanzalab (Soochow University, China) as a Postdoctoral researcher on 2D materials characterisation and its uses on microelectronics.
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Enric's research focuses on the use of microfabrication, rapid prototyping and new materials on Space Thrusters and the uses of electrospray for fabrication and surface engineering.

Dr Daniele Barbera
Research Associate

Daniele Barbera worked as a Research Associate in the System Power and Energy Department within the School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow between 2017-2019.  He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (2017) a MEng in Aerospace Engineering (2013) and a BSc in Material Science (2010)  from the University of Strathclyde, University of Rome "La Sapienza" and "Tor Vergata" respectively.

​His main areas of research are process modelling of inertia friction welding for aerospace application and high-temperature structural integrity, focusing on material and structure numerical modelling. Currently, he is investigating new remeshing scheme for IFW and material modelling for nickel superalloys. During his Ph.D. and past research, he investigated the effects of high-temperature creep and fatigue on the crack initiation process in metallic structures. He also has other areas of interest such as advanced materials and space deployable structures.

Dr Zhaofei Xiao
Research Associate

Zhaofei Xiao is a Research Associate in composites manufacturing and design. He joined the Materials and Manufacturing Research Group at the University of Glasgow in October 2017. Zhaofei completed his PhD in Materials Engineering and Design at the University of Nottingham in 2018, MSc in Materials Science and Technology at Loughborough University in 2013, and BEng in Materials Science and Engineering at Shandong University in 2012.

Zhaofei’s present research focuses on the development of a low-cost steered fibre laminates manufacturing process and optimisation of mechanical properties of composites structures via numerical modelling. His previous research spans manufacturing process automation, experimental mechanics and characterisation for both composites and metal alloys.

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STUDENTS

Mark Docherty
PhD Student

Mark's academic background started out by studying an HNC qualification in Mechanical Engineering at the University of the West of Scotland back in 2010/11. This lead him to study a BEng degree in Mechanical Engineering at Edinburgh Napier University from 2011-2015 where I gained a 2:1 classification. Following the completion of his BEng degree, he then successfully completed an MSc in Advanced Materials Engineering, again at Edinburgh Napier University during the 2015/16 academic year. His current research area of his PhD lies within the thermo-mechanical processing of nickel superalloys.

Scott Sneddon
PhD Student

Scott completed his undergrad in mechanical engineering and his masters in Advanced Materials Engineering in at Edinburgh Napier University. His master's project involved a collaboration with Rolls-Royce investigating alpha-case growth found in titanium 6/4. His current research interests are found in titanium alloys where he is investigating the deformation of low aluminium titanium alloys.

Jimeng Yang
PhD Student

Jimeng graduated from Tianjin University with an BEng from the Mechanical Engineering School and started her PhD research at the University of Glasgow in 2016. Now in her third year, her research is focusing on multi-objective optimisations applied into Additive Manufacturing (AM) which aims at providing a genetic approach to predict time, energy consumption, product performance and seeks for an optimal manufacturing solution for AM.

Colin Souza
PhD Student

Colin began his PhD on acoustoplasticity in 2017. His project aims to develop better techniques for characterising the interaction of a high intensity ultrasonic wavefield with quasi-static loading during metal deformation, identifying the microstructural responses. Currently his research focusses on adapting high-speed imaging techniques for use with material deformation under ultrasonic motion. Colin graduated from the University of Glasgow with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering in 2008. Before returning to Glasgow he spent eight years in industry as a mechanical engineer, working on a variety of interesting projects such as high-speed valve actuation for a digital-hydraulics research spin-out, and cryogenic neutron-moderator systems for the UK’s neutron source facility in Oxfordshire.

Chris Triantafyllou
PhD Student

Chris graduated from the University of Glasgow with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering in 2017 and first joined the research group during his final year project. His dissertation focused on the cold dwell fatigue behaviour of Ti64 and led to the development of a crystal plasticity model capable of capturing this complex behaviour. As an undergraduate he spent two months at the Karlsruhe Insitute of Technology in Germany as a manufacturing research assistant. His PhD project is a continuation of his work on cold dwell fatigue with further focus on the influence of high stress concentrations and the effect of cross-rolling. He is the founder and current president of the non-profit aerospace education organisation, JetX Engineering.

Ross Williams
PhD Student

Ross graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2017 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. His interests lie at the intersection of continuum mechanics and computational materials science. These interests, coupled with an interest in the aerospace sector, were behind the decision to pursue a PhD, modelling the inertia friction welding process of nickel-based superalloys at both the macroscale (from a process modelling perspective using Abaqus), and the mesoscale (with non-isothermal phase field modelling accounting for multiple grains, phases, and components using MOOSE).

Enrique Frutos Myro
PhD Student

Enrique completed his 5-year degree in Chemistry with a final year in Materials Science at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Between 2012 and 2016, he worked as a volunteer at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in studies of heritage identification and conservation, at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in metallurgy and alloys for biomedical engineering and at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas (CENIM-CSIC) for the study of new light high-entropy alloys. His PhD project focuses on the characterization and optimization of dual-phase titanium alloys.

Saad Bin Jaber
PhD Student

Saad was awarded an MSc in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology by the University of Glasgow in 2017. Previously he completed a BSc degree in General Physics at Al-Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University in Saudi Arabia. His PhD project is on understanding and utilising the frictional behaviour of nano and micro-structured interfaces. ​

Iain Campbell
PhD Student

Iain was awarded an MEng (1.1) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Glasgow in 2017. His PhD project is on tribology in composites forming.  The work has three main aims: understanding the underlying physics of friction in forming, improving predictive forming models and reducing and controlling friction during the forming process. ​

D. Khoa Do
PhD Student

Khoa achieved his undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering in Hochiminh City University of Technology, Vietnam. He started his PhD program in University of Glasgow in 2017 after 2.5 years working in Singapore Center for 3D Printing (SC3DP). His research topic is material modelling and development for Additive Manufacturing including Selective Laser Melting and Metal Extrusion-based Method. He is working on Ti-6Al-4V and 316L stainless steel alloys for aerospace and biomedical applications.

Alex Hamilton
PhD Student

Alex was awarded an MEng (1.1) in Biomedical Engineering by the University of Glasgow in 2017.  His PhD project is on optimised bonded interfaces utilising nano and micro-structured surfaces. The aim of this work is to examine the potential for nano and micro structured interlocking interfaces to enhance joint performance (i.e. through increasing strength, toughness, repeatability etc.). ​

Guanbo Min
PhD Student

Guanbo was awarded an MSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering by University of Glasgow in 2017. Previously, he completed a BSc in Electronic Information Engineering from Macau University of Science and Technology, China. Guanbo’s project is on optimising triboelectric generator performance using improved materials selection, surface design and structure. This will be accomplished via improved understanding of the fundamental physics of the triboelectric effect. ​

Lukman A. Yusuf
PhD Student

Lukman obtained his BEng in Electrical Engineering from Kano University of Science and Technology in Wudil, and his MEng in the same discipline from Bayero University, Kano both in Nigeria. Lukman started his PhD in 2018 on dynamic jobs scheduling at the University of Glasgow. Currently, his research focuses on incorporating preventive maintenance and energy saving plans in multi-objective dynamic jobs scheduling in the manufacturing industry.

Gaoyang Meng
PhD Student

Gaoyang achieved his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at Beihang University in Beijing, and he completed his MSc in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Glasgow in 2017. During his previous study, he gained experience related to the forming mechanics of engineering fabrics including glass and carbon fibre. He started his PhD in 2019 on the mechanical modelling of advanced composites.
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Gaoyang’s current interests involve the development of mapping algorithms to transfer information from one finite element mesh to another and the development of multi-variant interpolation algorithms to help predict the forming mechanics of engineering fabrics.

Jason Lee
PhD Student

Jason graduated from the University of Bristol with an BEng Aeronautical Engineering degree and completed a MSc degree in the University of Glasgow in Aeronautical Engineering.

​He started his PhD in 2018 and the aim of his project is to improve the buckling and post-buckling performances of mechanically coupled composite structures.

Nimrekha Kahavitage Dona
PhD Student

Nimrekha completed her BTech degree in Science & Technology, specialising in Materials Science & Technology (2:1) from Uva Wellassa University, Sri Lanka in 2012 and obtained her MSc in the same field of materials science from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka in 2018. My masters research particularly focused on the investigation of the potentials of surface-modified nano-fibre (Nanofibrillated cellulose) reinforced polyolefin composites in enhancing the thermal and mechanical properties.

Nimrekha started her PhD in 2019 and her research focuses on the investigation of thermoplastic composite forming processes for automotive and industrial structures production.

Ismail Mohsen Ibrahim Aldellaa
PhD Student

Ismail started his PhD at the University of Glasgow in 2019. His project aim is to investigate the influence of time dependence of concrete on corrosion-induced cracking. Before that, he has been working for 2 years with Civil Engineering Department at the College of Technical Sciences in Misurata, Libya and in 2016 he completed an MSc in Civil and Structural Engineering from the University of South Wales, UK.

​He finished the undergraduate studies in Civil Engineering in the Higher Institute of Sciences and Technology in Libya in 2006. After that, he worked for 7 years as a member of the engineering team of the Contracting Company on infrastructure projects in Libya.

Ifiok Ekop
PhD Student

Ifiok obtained his BSc in Building from the University of Uyo, and his MSc in Construction Technology from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

He started his PhD in 2020 and his research focuses on strengthening and repairing concrete structures with (carbon) fibre reinforced polymers.

Xiaowei Liu
PhD Student

Xiaowei started her PhD research at the University of Glasgow in 2020. Her PhD project focuses on the shock compression behaviors of reinforced concrete and developing a computationally efficient constitutive model for concrete subjected to multiaxial stress states.
 
She was awarded an MSc in Structural Engineering from the Heibei University of Engineering, China. Before that, she worked for a construction company in China for two years.

Johannes Schneider
PhD Student

Johannes was awarded a Dipl.Ing. degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on lightweight constructions by Technical University of Dresden, Germany. After graduation, he moved to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to work with Khalifa University.

​His PhD program with University of Glasgow started in 2020, focusing on additive manufacturing-enabled multifunctional cellular composites for biomedical applications.

Former Members