Research Interests
The Advanced Composites Research Group undertakes fundamental and applied research in a number of areas linked to composites technology. These include research programmes in computational modelling, manufacturing and processing, nano-enhanced multifunctional composites, and advanced composite aerostructures.
Public outreach & key achievements
Membership of Thought Leadership Committees:
- Member of the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) International Advisory Group (since 2019).
- Member of the Northern Ireland MATRIX panel (since 2018).
- Member of the Council of Mechanical Engineering Professors (since 2015)
- Council member of ADS Northern Ireland (since 2014) Committee and Conference Chairs:
- Chair of the 23rd International Conference on Composite Materials (ICCM23), Belfast, UK (2021)
- Chair of the 1st European Conference on Crashworthiness of Composite Structures (ECCCS-1), Belfast, UK (2019)
- Chair of the QUB VC’s appointed Sub-Group on Academic Standards and Career Progression (2017)
- Chair and Organiser of the 19th Annual Sir Bernard Crossland Symposium and Workshop (2016)
- Co-chair of the 2014 EU-US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, Seattle, USA (2014)
- Chair of the 15th Australian Aeronautical Conference (2013)
- Co-chair of the 15th Australian International Aerospace Congress (2013)
- Chairman of GARTEUR (Group of Aeronautical Research and Technology in Europe) Action Group AG 28 (2003-2005)
Editorial Boards:
- Editorial board member of Advances in Aircraft and Spacecraft Science, An International Journal (since 2016)
- Associate Editor for the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Aeronautical Journal (since 2013)
- Editorial board member for Computational and experimental Methods in Structures, World Scientific Press (since 2008)
- Member of the Editorial Board of the Applied Composites Materials Journal (since 2005)
Awards and Prizes:
- Bronze Award (Paper Prize) from the Royal Aeronautical Society – 2019
- Belfast Ambassador of the Year from Visit Belfast – 2018
- EPSRC RISE (Recognising Inspirational Scientists and Engineers) Connector award – 2017
- QUB Graduate School PGR Supervisory Excellence Award – 2016
- Australian Leadership Award – 2009
- Silver Award (Paper Prize) from the Royal Aeronautical Society – 2008
- George Taylor Prize from the Royal Aeronautical Society – 2008
- Foreign Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund: UK-Japan Collaboration Award – 2006
- International Aircraft Development Fund award (Japan) – 2004
- Isaiah Berlin Israel Award – 2003
- London Technology Network Business Fellowship – 2003/4
- Euromech Fellowship – 1999
- Graduates Golden Jubilee Research Prize for Aeronautics – 1994
- Silver Medal at the Airshow Canada Symposium Design Competition – 1991
- Science Foundation Scholarship for Physics – 1989
- William and Jane Grahame Mechanical Engineering Prize – 1988
Selected Media/Press releases:
- ‘Coronavirus Northern Ireland: Queen's Aerospace teams making NHS face shields’ Belfast Live, 2nd April 2020 https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/coronavirus-northern-ireland-queens-aerospace-18024313
- JEC Composites No. 129 July – August 2019: Technology: inside the lab: ‘Advanced Composites Research Group – Queen’s University Belfast’ https://www.nxtbook.fr/newpress/jeccomposites/jcm1907_129/index.php
- ADVANCE (The official publication of ADS) – anti-icing/de-icing device: https://www.adsadvance.co.uk/queen-s-researchers-develop-ice-build-up-prevention-solution-for-aircraft.html
- Live QUB Facebook stream – anti-icing/de-icing device: https://www.facebook.com/QUBelfast/videos/1061089927404661/
- ‘QUB crash test boffins making future transport safer’ The Belfast Telegraph, 1st February 2017. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/news/qub-crash-test-boffins-making-future-transport-safer-35413136.html
- ‘Queen’s Expert Leads International Study to Improve Safety of Carbon Fibre Aircraft and Vehicles’ Net Composites, 7th February 2017. https://netcomposites.com/news/queens-expert-leads-international-study-to-improve-safety-of-carbon-fibre-aircraft-and-vehicles/
- ‘Lear Fan’ Appearance on the BBC’s The One Show, 15 May 2015.
- ‘The Airbus A380 wing cracks: an engineer’s perspective’ The Conversation (www.theconversation.edu.au), 10 Feb 2012
Research students
Mr Apostolos Parmalas, "Optimisation of the injection method using nano-enhanced resins for the repair of composite structures" (2019-2022) - Greece.
Mr Massimiliano Russello, "Synthesis and Modelling of Multifunctional Hierarchical Thin-ply/CNTs/GNP Composites" (2018-2021) - Italy.
Mr Daniel Higgins, "Microstructure evolution of additive manufacturing parts and compatibility with co-blast coating technology" (2017-2020) - Northern Ireland.
Ms Belinda Joseph, "Metamaterials for improved crashworthiness" (2017-2020) - Northern Ireland.
Ms Clare Burnett , "Using auxetic materials as a core for sandwich structures under severe loading conditions (2017-2020) - Northern Ireland.
Mr Georg Graninger, "Nanocellulose as a cost effective additive to develop high performance composite materials" (2017-2020) - Austria.
Mr Suhail Attar, "Developing sustainable energy absorbing materials for transportation structures" (2017-2020) - Pakistan.
Ms Farzaneh Hassani, "Thermoplastic self-reinforced composites for energy absorbing applications" (2017-2020) - Iran.
Mr Luis Varandas, "High fidelity computational modelling of composite crushing" (2017-2020) - Portugal.
Alumni: Where are they now
Ms Xudan Yao, "Anti-icing/de-icing of advanced composite aerostructures using carbon nanotubes" (2014-2018) - China. [Researcher at the Graphene Institute, University of Manchester]
Mr Haibao Liu, "Predicting impact damage and strength in composite aerostructures" (2014-2018) - China. [Researcher at Imperial College London]
Ms Emer McAleavy, "Analysis and design of thermoplastic composite structural joints (2014-2018) - Northern Ireland. [Researcher at Queen's University Belfast]
Mr Ravi Chitwan, "Lightning strike protection on advanced composite aerostructures using nanotechnology" (2014-2017) - India. [Manufacturing and Production Engineer, Marshall Aerospace and Defence]
Mr Tan Wei, "Modelling the crush response of thermoplastic composites" (2013-2016) - China. [Lecturer, Queen Mary University of London]
Mr Nelson Muthu, "Multiscale modelling of composite materials using meshless methods" (2011-2014) - India. [Assistant Professor, IIT Guwahati, India]
Mr Robert Pierce, "Process modelling of resin infused composite structures" (2011-2014) - Australia. [Lecturer, University of Nottingham, China Campus]