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10 October 2019

AILU Vice President, Prof Adam Clare, receives Royal Academy of Engineering funds

AI-enabled drug design, fibre-reinforced concrete and high-temperature components for fusion power plants are among the research challenges being addressed by three new Research Chairs and three new Senior Research Fellows funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering. Focusing on industry-relevant research across the full range of engineering disciplines, the Academy’s Research Chairs and Senior Research Fellowships enhance the links between academia and businesses with each of the prestigious five-year positions co-sponsored by an industrial partner.

Professor Karen Holford, Chair of the Academy’s Research Committee, says: “The Academy programmes promote engineering excellence in the UK and enable strategic partnerships with industry. I am delighted to welcome these leading researchers to join us. Working closely with their industrial partners, each awardee will establish a world-leading research group in their field of engineering that will ultimately help to generate real economic benefits.”

One of the three Research Chairs is AILU Vice President Adam Clare 

Research Chair

Professor Adam Clare, University of Nottingham

Rolls-Royce / Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair in Miniaturisation of Electrophysical Techniques for Next Generation On-Wing Repair

Professor Clare plans to develop technology to offer quick and easy repairs for gas turbine engines, which power aircraft around the world. Engines can be very expensive and time consuming to maintain, especially for unscheduled issues, because they often must be taken completely off the wing. Repairs are currently undertaken using a multitude of highly invasive techniques, but Professor Clare hopes to make technologies such as this portable through miniaturisation to work on engines in situ on the wing. He believes it will be applicable to the next generation of air travel, including electric planes and future propulsion systems.

He says: “My journey as an engineer started with a Saturday job, helping my uncle to fix things up, welding, repairing machines or fixing broken trucks. Over time, I wanted new challenges and started playing with more sophisticated engines. I was fascinated by gas turbine engines – I think they’re beautiful, and it is remarkable how whole economies depend on them. What excites me most about engineering is that it never runs out – there’s always a new challenge to solve. Engineering advancements can and have changed the destiny of our species: through this award, I hope to contribute in my own way.”

For more information click here.


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