2017 brings promotions to Mech Eng academics

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Professor Aimee Morgans

Professor Aimee Morgans

September comes with a new round of academic promotions recognising the achievements of Mechanical Engineering staff.

Aimee Morgans, who has been promoted to Professor of Thermofluids, is the Department’s first female professor. Her research aims to make energy generation and transport more environmentally friendly. Professor Morgans holds a European Research Council (ERC) €1.3M grant on modelling and controlling thermoacoustic instabilities in gas turbines.

“I’m delighted to be recognised in this way for my research and my contributions to Imperial. I feel very lucky to have a job where I can push myself intellectually, understanding and improving how things work. The fact that I get to share the journey with so many excellent PhD students, postdocs, collaborators, undergraduates, funders and mentors makes it even more rewarding”, said Professor Morgans.

The leader of the Imperial Hazelab research group, Guillermo Rein, has been promoted to Professor of Fire Science. Professor Rein’s research is focused on reducing the worldwide burden of accidental fires and protecting people, their property, and the environment. His work with Hazelab member Dr Egle Raskaukaite and Arup engineers recently won The Engineer magazine's Collaborate to Innovate award in the Built Environment category.

Professor Rein said: “Many people do not know there is a branch of science fully dedicated to understanding fire, so fatalities can be avoided and damage to property minimised. There are only a handful of full professors in fire science worldwide. So I am delighted that through me Imperial is now one of them. I am planning to celebrate my promotion with my research and family, who have been so supportive of me and my work.”

Mike Bluck

Dr Mike Bluck

 

Dr Michael Bluck, Director of the Centre for Nuclear Engineering at Imperial, has been promoted to Reader in Nuclear Engineering. Dr Bluck’s interests cover nuclear thermal hydraulics, neutronics and associated computational methods.

Dr Bluck said: "I’m really thrilled about my promotion. I’ve got a wide range of responsibilities - Director of the Undergraduate Course, Director of the Centre for Nuclear Engineering and Deputy Director of the Rolls-Royce Nuclear UTC, and it’s great to get recognition for my work. It also gives me real impetus to push forward in these areas. Of course, nothing is ever down to one person, and I have all of my colleagues to thank for their wonderful support". 

Professor Mehdi Vahdati is now Principal Research Fellow in the Dynamics group. His main research focus is the development of CFD algorithms, modelling fan blade flutter, turbine and compressor forced response, stall and surge modelling, and aeroelastic behaviour.

Also from the Dynamics group, Dr Christoph Schwingshackl has been promoted to Senior Lecturer. The main aim of his work is to gain a better understanding of the nonlinear frequency response of assembled structures to allow a reliable stress and fatigue analysis of the components.

The promotions came into effect on 1 September. This year, Imperial College London has promoted a total of 130 staff from across the College.

Reporter

Nadia Barbu

Nadia Barbu
Department of Mechanical Engineering