Alumni PhD Students

Dr. Xiaoling Liu graduated from The University of Nottingham and received her PhD in Advanced Materials in 2014, and then joined Ningbo campus in 2015 after working as a visiting researcher in National University of Singapore. Her main teaching directions are Fibre Reinforced Composite and Engineering (MM3FRC), Introduction of Materials and Material Forming (MM1IMF), BEng Individual Project (MM3BPR), Mechanics of Solids (MM1MS1) and Design and Manufacture (MM1DM1).

Her main research area is polymer composite, including novel bioresorbable glass fibre reinforced composite for biomedical applications, lightweight structure in marine, automobile and aerospace, new processing techniques of polymer composite, etc. Currently, she is also working with International companies and composite companies on some International projects like R&D of Lightweight High-Strength SMC molded composites, 3D printing of polymer composites, Fire retardant composites for aviation application, etc.

Since she joined the University, she has built up two composite labs for research as well as undergraduate teaching. She has been working as PI or CI in several funding schemes and been very actively engaged with Sino-UK business development and knowledge transfer activities.

To contact Dr. Xiaoling Liu, please email Xiaoling.Liu@nottingham.edu.cn; or the link: https://www.nottingham.edu.cn/en/science-engineering/staffprofile/liu-xiaoling.aspx

A chartered mechanical engineer with years of experience in surface engineering research—Materials and Manufacturing. Tunji has over five years of lecturing (Teaching & Research) and community engagement services. Tunji's research experiences include failure mechanism study, development of new coatings for applications in wear and thermal barrier coatings (TBC)  for power plants and aviation engines. 

Harriet joined the University of Nottingham in September 2011, as an undergraduate student, studying Biomedical Materials Science. Initially attracted to the interdisciplinary nature of the course, it was soon apparent that her skills and interests lay firmly within the materials science aspects of the programme. Subsequently opting for modules such as Biomechanics, Design Audit and Polymer Engineering. In July 2014 Harriet graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, with a 1st Class Honours degree.

Three months later, she joined the Mid-infrared Photonics Group, supervised by Prof. Angela Seddon, where she focused on a unique type of glass known as the chalcogenides. Working towards a novel technology which could provide an early, in-vivo diagnosis for cancer patients, Harriet’s PhD involved the complex fabrication of high-purity Ge-Sb-Se/S glasses and optical fibres. As well as trips to present her work in San Francisco and Nizhny Novgorod (Russia), Harriet also had the opportunity to present her research in two national finals organised by IOM3 and STEM for BRITAIN, held at the Houses of Parliament, Westminster.

Currently working as a Materials Specialist at Granta Design in Cambridge, she is now helping Prof. Mike Ashby enhance the teaching of Engineering at universities across the world. Thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to create engaging content for a global audience, Harriet hopes to one day use what she has learned to enrich an academic career and inspire the next generation of young scientists and engineers.

I studied at the University of Nottingham for both my undergraduate degree in Medical Materials Science and my doctorate. My PhD was in the field of biomaterials and was supervised by David Grant, Colin Scotchford and Gavin Walker. The title of my thesis was ‘Organic Functionalisation of Titania’ which is quite a broad topic, but essentially I was developing a method to improve the integration of orthopaedic implants.

After my PhD I went to work for an orthopaedic company called Biomet in their research department, which was a great experience and I learned a huge amount. However, I missed academia and after 3 years of working in industry I decided to take up a post-doctoral position at the University of Oxford.

I worked in the Oxford Orthopaedic Engineering Centre for Prof David Murray for 5 years, after which I moved to the University of Bath to take up a lectureship in mechanical engineering. I get great satisfaction from my job; I particularly enjoy the teaching and the freedom to direct my own research – you never get bored!

I studied both my undergraduate and doctorate degrees at the University of Nottingham. I did my MEng in Mechanical Engineering (Bioengineering). During the summer between third year and fourth year, I completed an 8-week internship as part of the High Fliers Scheme under the guidance of Dr Ifty Ahmed. The work that I did recognised and received the High Fliers Academic Research Excellence Award. I completed my undergrad in 2010 and graduated with a 1st Class Honours degree.

I went on to do a PhD in Mechanical Engineering as a recipient of the Dean of Engineering Research Scholarship for International Excellence. My research was based on improving interfacial properties between the fibre and polymer matrix in biocomposites with the use of a novel coupling agent. These biocomposites are being investigated for use in internal fracture fixation devices in lieu of metals. 

After University, I did an internship with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), working with the Standards and Trade Facilitation division. I provided support for various initiatives in quality infrastructure and management, and standards compliance including, writing a project proposal to strengthen capacity for development of biosimilars in the Andean region. 

I later got the opportunity to come to Australia and I now work for the QA Department at Sirtex Medical Limited in Sydney. I'm enjoying learning all the various aspects of implementing and maintaining a quality management system for a medical device company. I always thought I wanted to work in research and development but I am thoroughly inspired to take my career in the direction of Quality Management. At this stage of my career, I don't know where it's going to take me, but I am definitely enjoying the ride!

I studied at the University of Nottingham for both my undergraduate degree in Materials and Chemistry and my PhD in Materials; my PhD was on the wear of HVOF WC-Co coatings and compared nanoscale sized tungsten carbide grained material against conventional micron-sized carbide material. Using skills learnt during my PhD I started work with British Nuclear Fuels as a transmission electron microscopy specialist looking at welds in reactor pressure vessel steels and core graphite from the advanced gas reactor (AGR) fleet.

After a number of years with BNFL I returned to working on coatings when I joined a Rolls-Royce joint venture company called Turbine Surface Technologies Ltd (TSTL) as the Head of Laboratories and Process Capability. TSTL provided the wear and corrosion protection coatings for turbine blades and nozzle guide vanes and from there I joined Rolls-Royce’s Surface Engineering Group supporting the civil and defence aerospace businesses before moving to the Nuclear Materials, Chemistry and Corrosion department. Whilst working on various coating projects, some in collaboration with Nottingham, I also managed the Materials team within the department for a number of years.

As well as my work for Rolls-Royce I also support the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining where as a Fellow of IOM3 and a Chartered Engineer I interview membership applicants and have spent time on both the Membership Committee and Professional Policy Board.

Chenkai joined in the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) in September 2008 as an Undergraduate student, studying the Mechanical Engineering. After two years studying, he came to University of Nottingham (UoN) to finish UG courses and graduated with a 1st Class Honours Degree.

Fortunately, He achieved the Inter-campus PhD scholarship to start the PhD study in the Biocomposite Group. The study is about the development of novel phosphate glass fibre (PGF) formulation and manufacture process, aim to achieve the multifilament PGF products in industrial scale, and produce PGF textile for bioresorbable composite reinforcement. This PhD project offered a unique collaboration between the UoN and famous glass fibre company (Sinoma) in China, develop the first generation of PGF Textile products in the world.

In 2016, Chenkai completed his PhD study and returned to the UNNC as a research fellow working in the Composite Group. His research is not only focused on Bio-resorbable composite with novel manufacturing technique, but also involved in the R&D of novel fire retardant composite and long fibre reinforced thermoplastic for automotive applications.