EngD case studies

Dozens of EngD graduates complete their research projects every year, sharing new learning with their sponsoring organisations and enhancing their own professional prospects.

Biopharmaceutical Process Development, Newcastle University

Amin Ganjian graduated from Tehran University with a BSc in Chemical Engineering - Process Design and completed an MSc in Process Control at Newcastle University. His research project, an investigation into the use of PAT tools and technology for Life Science Manufacturing Processes, is with ABB who operate in the power and automation technology areas, finding integrated solutions for control, plant optimization, and industry-specific application knowledge. Read more...

IDC in Systems, University of Bristol

Zack Gill has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering (MEng, 1st class hons) from the University of Bristol (2007). His EngD research is supported by Buro Happold Consulting Engineers where he works within the Sustainability and Alternatives Technology (SAT) department at their London offices. SAT provides international consulting services related to sustainable development and alternative energy, water and waste technologies for buildings. Zack’s research looks into the real-life performance of buildings by utilising post-occupancy evaluation (POE) techniques; he sees occupant behaviour as a pivotal factor to achieving high performance. Read more...

Sustainability for Engineering & Energy Systems, University of Surrey

By sponsoring James Dickinson, Buro Happold wanted to build a new area of expertise in sustainable energy. The project, supervised by Professor Tim Jackson and Dr Marcus Matthews of the University, involved a study into geology and hydrogeology in the UK, researching the different parameters crucial to a ground heating and cooling system. Read more...

Centre for Innovative and Collaborate Construction Engineering (CICE), Loughborough University

After sponsoring research engineers Sian Christina and Maria Spyrou, Tesco, first, achieved energy savings in Tesco stores through motivating staff to participate in energy reduction programmes, and, second, began to identify stores where energy performance best practice was not being attained so that remedial energy saving initiatives could be instigated. Read more...

CICE has a rising star among its Research Engineers. Gary Robinson, sponsored by Hanson Structherm, was part of a winning research project for the Institution of Structural Engineers Model and Full Scale Testing Award 2011 and is a shortlisted finalist for the Institution of Structural Engineers Young Researcher of the Year 2012. Read more...

The research that Peter Wilkinson, an Associate Director of the Fire Protection Association (his sponsor), is undertaking as part of his EngD programme is central to the FPA's remit and therefore integral to the organisation's commercial strategy. Furthermore, sponsoring an existing employee enables the FPA to actively support Peter's personal and professional development. Read more...

Materials and Manufacturing Academy, University of Swansea

Ashley Pursglove gained his BSc (Hons) in Applied Chemistry from The University of Leeds in 2009. As this was the height of the economic crisis he found work packing boxes in a warehouse in Wigan. After several months a job offer from BASF found him starting work at BASF Coatings LTD in Deeside, North Wales. Following several months of work on coating properties and adhesion work, BASF offered to sponsor him through an MRes and an EngD at Swansea University. Read more...

Rhys Charles’ EngD project focused on the recovery of critical raw materials from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEE). As a result of his project, Rhys was a co-author for the "WRAP Recovery of Critical Raw Materials from WEEE – Wales: Final Report." The report provides guidance and information to others seeking to exploit WEEE as a CRM source. The report enhanced the reputations of Rhys and sponsor company Metech, and led to further projects... which led to influencing policy.... Read more...

Solar technology is making huge advances in terms of efficiencies achieved in cells. Although this is happening at a laboratory scale, transferring this to a product that is cheap and quick to make using safe, abundant materials is not always possible. Researcher Daniel Bryant came up with a new design for solar cells that reduced manufacturing costs and production time using earth abundant materials and a novel laminate he developed. Read more...

Refractory materials are high temperature resistant ceramics used for lining metallurgical vessels. Tuyères are stirring elements used for bath agitation in steelmaking. Researcher Szymon Kubal investigated thermo-mechanical behaviour of refractory materials; combined results of literature search and post mortem analysis of tuyères led to a new stirring element design that will enable consistent delivery of mixing energy to the system and extend refractory lining service life, improving overall vessel availability. Read more...

Centre for Digital Entertainment, Bath / Bournemouth universities

Alastair Barber says: "My project was in the area of camera tracking for use in visual effects production. The aim was to reduce the amount of time artists spent doing tedious and repetitive tasks that are essential for creating believable and exciting visual effects for film. We produced a set of novel algorithms for analysing footage and assisting in calculating the camera's movement in the real world using just the footage that had been recorded. We have also completed and published the first study of its kind within both academia and industry on the most common types of footage recorded for VFX work and the impacts of these on the production workflow and overall project cost."  Read more...