Staff profiles

• Materials
• Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (ADMEC)
• Product Design

Research interests focus on the utilisation of new and emerging materials and technologies, and includes biomimetics, biomaterials, biorobotics, smart packaging, wearable technologies, intelligent environments, swarm robotics and investigative research related to the utilisation of 'smart materials' for clinical and medical applications related to in vivo devices.

Current and recent research is being conducted with the collaboration, funding and/or support of:

• PepsiCo Europe
• Unilever
• Nottingham University Hospital
• Medilink East Midlands
• Aqualab (Speedo)
• Merlin Systems Corp.
• Tyrone Textiles
• JPL (Ocular prosthetics).

EPSRC Cross-Disciplinary Feasibility Account research project - development of links from the EPSRC and other Smart Materials funded research within Science to design and functional applications, joint between Science & Technology and Art & Design and Built Environment. Grant £202k, 2010 - 2012.

• 2012: Editor, Smart Design: First International Conference Proceedings
• 2012: Chair, Special Interest Group, Biomaterials, Medilink EM, UK Cluster
• 2012: Program Committee member, IADIS Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction
• 2012: Science Advisory Board member, 1st Annual World Congress of Cultural & Creative IT Industries
• 2011: Conference Chair, 1st International Conference on Smart Design, Nottingham Trent University
• 2011: Associate Editor, The International Journal of Science in Society, Volume 2, Issue 1
• 2011: Invited book reviewer, Pearson Higher and Professional Education
• 2011: Editorial Review Board, Technology and Society Book Series, Common Ground Publishing
• 2011: Associate Editor, Volume 5, Issue 6, Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal, 2011
• 2011: Associate Editor, Volume 5, Issue 4, Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal, 2011
• 2010-2011: Member of the Organising Committee, Intelligent Environments 2011
• 2010: Member of the Editorial Board, Australian Medical Journal on Design and Health
• 2010: Invited Lecturer, Health and Design Innovation, TEDx lecture series, University of Montreal, Canada
• 2010: Invited Lecturer, Interdisciplinary Research, Design and Smart Materials, PepsiCo Europe Transformational Productivity Seminar, Nottingham Conference Centre
• 2010: Invited Lecturer, Biomimetics for Design, Copenhagen University College of Engineering
• 2010: Associate Editor, Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal, Vol. 4, Number 1
• 2010: Associate Editor, The International Journal of Science in Society
• 2010: Chair NTU Materials Research Group
• 2009: Invited Lecturer, Smart Materials, UK Trade and Industry, UK Mission to New Zealand on Smart Materials and Textiles
• 2007-2008: The Snake project was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) as part of the 'Designing for the 21^st Century' funding scheme. The Nottingham Trent University researchers are one of three teams participating in Emergent Objects, a portfolio of projects funded by the scheme, and which explores design processes through the lens of performance led by the University of Leeds.
• 2007: Snake project presentation, Ninth Great British Research and R&D Show, House of Commons, Westminster, London.

My research interests and current research activities are related to: new and emerging technologies, smart materials, biomimetics, biomaterials, biorobotics, wearable technologies, adaptive architecture, intelligent environments and smart packaging/processes.

I am currently the Director of Studies for four PhD students working in the areas of biomaterials/biomechatronic systems, technical textiles, swarm robotics and digital design and ceramics. I am also the second supervisor for a PhD student working in the area of smart fibres.