PhD and EngD Conferences 2012

The annual PhD and EngD conferences are a great way for staff and students to share ideas about some of the research going on here at WMG and the students also benefit from the opportunity to brush up their presentation skills.

This year the conferences are happening over three consecutives Mondays, one for each of the Research Themes.

On Monday 16 April we held the first one around Digital Technologies, including presentations from the Institute of Digital Healthcare. Seven 3rd year students presented their work to an audience of fellow students and staff. Topics ranged from 3D laser scanning technology, to the potential for technology to increase Hand Hygiene Compliance in the NHS.

Second year students also contributed by producing academic posters which demonstrated the developments in their on-going research. These included the development of a Hybrid Electrical Vehicle Energy Management Strategy, the design of healthcare waiting areas, and systems for evaluating manufacturing SMEs’ competencies.

This past Monday the second conference was held on Materials and Manufacturing, featuring presentations on: 3D printing, An Unmanned Indoor Aerial Inspection Vehicle, Graphical Representation of the Range of Motion Assessment of Total Hip Arthoplasty, and Improved Determination of Forming Limit Curves.

Posters were also presented topics such as 'The potential of low carbon technologies in developing countries', 'Additive Manufacture of Nickel Superalloy based Metal Matrix Composites by Laser Melting', 'Crash Energy Absorber for Railway Vehicles' and 'Sustainable & Improved Content Gas Offerings'.

A highlight was Stefan Winkvist’s demonstration of his UAV.

The third and final conference will be held on Monday 30 April on the theme of Operations and Business Management.

Find out more about our Research Degrees

Hannah Reese : 27 Apr 2012 19:47 |  Tags: Engd PhD |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Bang Goes the Theory

A few weeks ago we had a great day filming with Bang Goes the Theory presenter Dallas Campbell. He was here to interview Professor Paul Jennings for their forthcoming programme on sound - Is life too loud?.

Dallas was interested to find out more on Professor Jenning's research into sounds in electric vehicles. We know that electric vehicles are quiet at low speeds so Professor Jennings is interested to learn how to design appropriate sounds that give sufficient warning, whilst having minimal negative impact on the environment.

Filming took place in our interactive NVH simulator lab and the sounds room before Dallas hit the road in ELVIN our electric vehicle with intereactive noise. ELVIN is fitted with NoVISim's sound system which is programmed with a variety of noises, a UFO was chosen for Dallas. ELVIN can help gain some really valuable feedback from drivers and road users including what sounds they prefer to hear as pedestrians and as the driver of the vehicle.

Between you and me, it was difficult to get Dallas to stop driving ELVIN, thankfully there was still more filming to do or else I think he would have driven off in him.

We can't wait to see the programme, which is on BBC One Monday 19th March at 19.30, we hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed filming it!

Lisa Barwick : 14 Mar 2012 12:45 |  Tags: Bang Goes The Theory Dallas Campbell Elvin Professor Paul Jennings Sound |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

How Did I Get Here – Story of an International EngD Student

Guest post from Courtney Thornberry, one of our latest recruits to the International EngD - and she really is international, hailing from the USA!

When I landed at Birmingham airport in August of 2011 for the Sustainability for Niche Applications and High Performance Transport (SNAPT) Summer School, I knew very little about the University of Warwick and WMG. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time in Indiana at IUPUI (Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis) to get the opportunity to attend. As a girl growing up in rural Indiana and Michigan, my knowledge about the UK in general was limited to the pop culture I had grown up on - Monty Python, Spinal Tap and The Beatles. I was very excited to travel, meet people, expand my knowledge of British culture and have new experiences.

Over the course of the week I came to learn a great deal, not only with the subject material of the summer school, but also about the people at WMG. Over dinner one evening, I had a chat with Dr Steve Maggs and Dr Nick Mallinson about the new International Engineering Doctorate programme at WMG. I had actually given Steve a tour of the fuel cell labs I was working in at IUPUI for my Master’s degree earlier in February 2011. I had completed my Master’s in Engineering Technology, focusing on fuel cell electrode fabrication, and I was considering either entering the work force, or going on for a doctorate degree, while I was doing some part time work at IUPUI. My advisors at IUPUI, among others, were encouraging me to go forward for a doctorate degree, but I had not yet found a programme I was completely interested in. I was not particularly interested in the structure of a typical PhD but the structure of the EngD was something completely different.

When I returned back to the States, I did more research on the programme and started communication with Nick, Dr Kerry Kirwan and Steve. I applied formally, after discussing a research topic with Steve and Dr Jay Bal via what was a very early morning Skype conversation for me. There was not enough time for me to start in October 2011, so it was decided that I would start in January 2012. I had to get accepted, which was facilitated a great deal by Kerry, and then I had to work on getting a student visa. I finally got my visa around the beginning of November 2011, and was able to purchase a plane ticket.

Moving anywhere is always an ordeal, but relocating to another country is huge. I had to essentially get rid of everything I owned, including my car and my motorcycle. I found a place to live through Warwick Accommodations, in Kenilworth. After much packing and saying goodbye to friends and family, I landed again in Birmingham on a Thursday afternoon a few days after New Year’s. I was greeted by Steve and Nick, who helped me get to my flat and settled in. I could not have got everything straightened out without help from Steve, Nick, Kerry, Dr Stuart Coles, Ruth Cherrington, Nikki-Ann Wensley, Thomas Blenkinsopp and many others. Everyone has been so nice and helpful, which has made this transition go very smoothly for me.

I’ve been exploring several areas of interest with regards to my EngD topic, which is looking at aspects of PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) and how those aspects can be beneficial to SMEs (Small to Medium-sized Enterprises). I’ve so far been doing this by working with the Warwick Racing Formula Student team to understand their working dynamics, researching types of collaboration, such as open source hardware design, and trying to fit in a sustainability theme as well. I took my first MSc module at the end of January on Collaborative Product Development. I’ve also starting working with some other EngD students on a couple of group projects that are required. We’ve come up with some good ideas so far, but are still in the early stages of project development. 

I’ve now been here for two months. I have had a myriad of cultural, social, and professional experiences, including: hanging out at the pub in Kenilworth; going out with the Formula Student team; meeting with my sponsor company, PTC; getting a French roommate in my flat; getting on the wrong bus; and coming down with Tonsillitis. I’ve also enjoyed running with people at WMG and other international students that are my neighbours. I’ve signed up for two 10k races this spring and I am looking forward to more races in the future, hopefully running a few marathons in my time here. I am very happy to be a part of WMG and I am looking forward to being an EngD student here for the next four years!

You can follow Courtney on her EngD journey via her personal blog http://www.iupuigradtowarwick.blogspot.com/

Hannah Reese : 14 Mar 2012 12:43 |  Tags: Courtney Thornberry Engd Student Wmg |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Working Towards a Low Carbon Future

Tuesday marked the end of the active R&D phase of the two year Low Carbon Vehicle Technology Project (LCVTP), with a full day of presentations, knowledge transfer and networking opportunities here at WMG.

Funded by Advantage West Midlands and the European Regional Development Fund as well as industry contribution, the £29 million project was managed by WMG and run in collaboration with partners Jaguar Land Rover, Mira, Ricardo, Tata Motors European Technical Centre, Zytek Automotive and Coventry University.

The aim was to create the required R&D capability and capacity for the development of key low and ultra-low carbon vehicle technologies, safeguard jobs in the region's automotive supply chain and play a key role in making the West Midlands a global centre of excellence in low carbon vehicle engineering.

With so many delegates in attendance the organisers were forced to move venue into WMG's largest auditorium where Dr Alistair Keddie, Chair of the project's Steering Group welcomed everyone. It was good to hear from him that the project had achieved impressive results which had recently been independently evaluated and the team had been declared to have significantly acheived all technical objectives.

Robert Evans, CEO of Cenex, gave an interesting keynote speech on why programmes like LCVTP matter, citing two main drivers: 1) Environmental - climate change concerns and regulations and 2) Economic - industry competitiveness and customer demand. He believed that energy efficiency and security, particularly in relation to fuel supply, would be of the utmost importance in the future and the automotive industry needed to protect itself by ensuring it was competitive and had the required capabilities through growing SMEs, Centres of Excellence and of course the new High Value Manufacturing Catapult of which WMG is a member. The new Catapult will have an important role in leveraging the findings from the R&D and getting them through to market.

Gavin Bottrell, Project Manager at WMG, informed us that 40 different companies and suppliers had been involved in the project, creating 405 new skills, 38 business assists and £12.5 million knock on investment for the design and manufacture of low carbon vehicles. By 2014 it will have created £36 million in value added to the project partners. A Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study has also shown that if several of the key technologies developed by the project were to be incorporated into a large luxury saloon car, CO₂ emissions would be cut by up to 20%.

Even thought the active phase of the project is now at an end, partners are continuing to take the knowledge and new processes into their own product development. Project Director, John O'Connor, explained that WMG would be continuing its work on batteries, power electronics, lightweighting and HMI through the new High Value Manufacturing Catapult. He also highlighted the importance of stepping out of the automotive box to work with goverment on energy policies and also alongside the energy companies themselves.

If you are interested in other events on these themes - efficient transport, lightweighting and energy efficient powertrains - then the UK Trade and Investment are holding Sert 2012 on Wednesday 21 March and Thursday 22 March 2012 at the Henry Ford College, Loughborough.

Hannah Reese : 23 Feb 2012 16:55 |  Tags: Lcvtp Low Carbon |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Winter Graduation 2012

After the quiet of early January, campus was once again buzzing last week as students participating in Winter Graduation arrived to receive their well earned prizes, revisiting old haunts and collecting hats and gowns and photographs a plenty along the way. With families and friends in tow it was great to see so many familiar and happy faces back again.

For WMG it was a day of two halves, starting with a reception and lunch over in Arden conference centre for those graduating with MSc's from our part-time Professional and Executive Programmes and those with PhD and EngD Research Degrees. After a substantial 3 course meal and time to chat with tutors and staff, the Graduands made their way over to Butterworth Hall for the ceremony we're sure they had long been waiting for, before going on their way into their new futures.

For us, it was then over to Rootes Social Building, where the Panorama Suite had been beautifully transformed by the hospitality staff and our Admissions Team for an evening reception for our full-time MSc students. With around 600 guests from all over the world, there was a fantastic atmosphere with reunions going on all around us.

One thing that was great to hear was the feedback from the new Graduates on their time at WMG. We were able to capture a number of video profiles and testimonials at both the lunchtime and evening receptions at which we heard again and again how much they had benefited from their time at WMG and the memories they would take away with them. Two of our full-time MSc students have even gone on to set up their own business together.

Judging by the number of people around the alumni registration table it won't be the last we see of the class of 2011!

Hannah Reese : 25 Jan 2012 17:51 |  Tags: Engd Graduation Msc PhD Professional Programmes Wmg |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem