Cambridge and India
Engineering
The mission of the Department of Engineering is to address the world's most pressing challenges. Its research divisions work within three main themes: engineering for life sciences (for example, the development of new medical imaging materials and biomaterials, such as replacement bone), cognitive systems engineering (such as speech recognition) and sustainable development (water and sanitation and renewable energy).
Specialist inter-disciplinary centres have been set up within the Department to collaborate with industry. They include: the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (a collaboration with industry to invent electronic and photonic materials); the University Gas Turbine Partnership (a joint project with Rolls Royce); and the Institute for Aviation and the Environment.
During 2009-10 the Department is managing the AIM Network - an international network of academics and industrial researchers applying non-modal stability analysis to industrial problems. The network uses web-based resources that were originally pioneered for undergraduate teaching. These include template computer code and video tutorials that can be downloaded and adapted by network members as well as a wiki and discussion boards for on-line interaction. The network has already led to a £1m joint Indo-UK research proposal and a number of visits between the two countries. The work arising from this could change the way that engineers design fluid mechanical systems, such as combustion chambers, wind turbine blades, industrial reaction chambers and ink jet printers.
Professor Gehan Amaratunga
Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering
Professor Amaratunga is the head of the Electronics, Power and Energy Conversion (EPEC) Research Group within the Electrical Engineering Division of the Cambridge University Engineering Department. His major research interests include nanoscale materials and device design for electronics and energy conversion, novel materials and device structures for low cost, highly efficient solar cells, power electronics for optimum grid connection of large photovoltaic electric generation systems and integrated and discrete semiconductor devices for power switching and control.
India links: has supervised Nehru Scholars and other Indian research students who have progressed to senior posts; collaboration in nanotechnology with the Sri Satya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL), Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, with support for students to visit Cambridge.
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Professor Dame Ann Dowling
Energy, Fluid Mechanics & Turbomachinery Division, Department of Engineering
Ann Dowling is Head of the Department of Engineering, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Chairman of the University Gas Turbine Partnership with Rolls-Royce. Her research is primarily in the fields of combustion, acoustics and vibration and is aimed, in particular, at low-emission combustion and quiet vehicles.
India links: has had many successful Indian research students and post-docs and is currently co-investigator of the EPSRC-funded India-UK Advanced Instability Methods (AIM) Network. This Network links the University of Cambridge with the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras; the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay; the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bangalore, together with industrial project partners BP Chemicals, Global Inkjet Systems, Hamworthy Engineering Ltd and Rolls-Royce plc.
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Dr Matthew Juniper
Energy Group, Department of Engineering
Dr Juniper's areas of expertise include the stability of flows, with particular application to gas turbine engines.
India links: leads The Advanced Instability Methods (AIM) Network, an Indo-UK academic network funded by EPSRC and managed by the University of Cambridge. This network has been set up to transfer recent theoretical advances in fluid mechanics from applied maths into engineering practice. The Indian partners are the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bangalore, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, the Aditya Birla Group and the Indian Gas Turbine Research Establishment.
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Dr Gopal Madabhushi
Geotechnical and Environmental Research Group, Department of Engineering
Dr Madabhushi is a Reader in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Cambridge. His main research interests lie in the area of Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering. He developed new earthquake actuators that can simulate earthquake loading in the enhanced gravity field of a geotechnical centrifuge. He is also interested in advanced numerical modelling using finite element based methods. Recently he published two books titled Design of Pile Foundations in Liquefiable Soils and Seismic Design of Buildings to Eurocode 8. He was awarded the Shamsher Prakash Research Award in 2005, the TK Hsieh prize by the Institution of Civil Engineers, UK and the AIMIL-IGS Biennial award, India in 2008. His research interests include Biomechanics where he worked on the experimental and numerical evaluation of the current surgical procedures employed in Total Hip Replacement Revision Arthoplasties. He won the Medical Innovations Award for his work in this area in 2008 and patented a vibration device for impaction of bone graft.
India links: supervised several Nehru/Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholars. Adjunct Professor at IIT Mumbai; with IIT Mumbai runs biennial workshop for industry and academia supported by the Royal Society, UK and DST in India. He has been the Keynote speaker at several Indian Geotechnical Conferences (Allahabad 2005, Bangalore 2008 and Guntur 2009).
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