Spotlight 7 Dec 2011

Placement and Careers National Award, see page 12

SP TLIGHT

www.brunel.ac.uk December 2011

Welcome | Aerospace graduate article | Academic staff profile | UG Design graduate article | Civil Engineer graduate article | Aerospace research article | Design Futures | MA Design graduate article | Solar Soldier research | Sustainable Electrical Power graduate article | Engineering Management graduate article | Electronic Engineering graduate article | Crown Bursaries | Placement and Careers Award | Digital Media graduate articles | Industrial Links | Proctor and Gamble visit | New Book | ESAB workshop | New Courses | Calendar of Events

WELCOMEto the seventh Spotlight newsletter from the School of Engineering and Design.In this issue we again celebrate the many achievements of staff and students over the past year. A continuing emphasis on employability at Brunel is high on the agenda of both School and University, and one of the strengths of Brunel graduates is that they enjoy extraordinarily high rates of employability after leaving Brunel. 91% of Brunel’s 2010 graduates were in full-time employment, further education or a mix of the two, by the Spring of 2011 (a statistic taken from the graduates who took part in the 2010 Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey). It is not surprising that this strong success in employment is underpinned by the School’s provision of excellent and industrially relevant degree courses, and its strong links with industry. But we must not forget the invaluable role played by students having the opportunity of sandwich work placements in the third year of studies and postgraduates carrying out dissertations in industry (see article on page 14 and 15), and in this respect emphasis on employability also receives further recognition by several national awards that the Brunel Placement and Careers Service have recently won (see article page 12).

My name is Anthony Lui a graduate on the MEng Aerospace Engineering course. I started my studies at Brunel in September 2004 studying the Foundation of Engineering and progressed on to the MEng in Aerospace Engineering. My five years on the MEng were wonderful years. Brunel is a very diverse university. The lecturers were mainly researchers, who had a lot of knowledge in the engineering field. One of the interesting things is sometimes in the library, you can find books that were written by your lecturers presenting your lessons! One great thing about engineering at Brunel was the vast array of up to date engineering software available, many of which are currently being used in Engineering industries. When you apply for jobs, listing the software you have used is something powerful to put on your CV.

I applied for an industrial placement in my second year of my aerospace degree to a number of companies, and received huge help from the placement

officer in writing my CV and on-line application. Brunel has an excellent Placement and Careers Service. I had a call from General Electric (GE) and was invited for an interview and placed amongst 20 finalists. Two weeks later, General Electric called me and offered me a job for a year!

My job title during my placement in GE was Engineering Intern (Turbine Blades). I worked in the Inspection & Repair Service business in the Turbine Blades cell. I was responsible for Parts In Part Out, process design/improvement, repair process planning and quality and communication with different departments. During my placement, I learnt about engineering as a business, company competitors, real engineering tasks and project management. And the good thing is they paid me !! Therefore, I didn’t have many problems financially as I was able to pay my own rent, utilities and other costs of living. I also saved up some money that year enough to buy a second hand car.

Continued on page 2....

AEROSPACE INDUSTRIAL PLACEMENT LEADS TO JOB WITH GENERAL ELECTRIC PLC

ON ENGINEERING

AND DESIGN

2 SPOTLIGHT on Engineering and Design

Continued from front cover....

Throughout my engineering degree studies at Brunel, the most hands on experience we had was the final year of the Masters course. I was part of a group of five students who entered the Heavy Lift Competition. Basically, the project was about building a two meter wing span model plane with a minimum weight of 2kg to lift as much as possible. We applied all the knowledge we had gained in our last five years into this project, designing everything from scratch. We cut and assembled all the aircraft components ourselves and had a School technical person with us at all times, providing help and support, advice and guidance. It was a great experience and I gained so much from it.

Three months before I graduated, I had a phone call from GE. They asked

me whether I was interested in their Operational Management Leadership Program. Then I went through four different interviews and eventually got an offer of a job from GE. I’m currently still in the program. It is a two year programme with four different six month rotations: 1st rotation, I was sent to GE Power and Water Technologies in Hungary. I worked there as a Process Improvement and Quality Engineer; 2nd rotation, I was in Germany, working in the GE Wind Energy business. I was a Sourcing specialist. Currently. I’m on my 3rd rotation, working in GE Industrial and Solution for Engineering Projects in the Netherlands and will be back to the UK for my final rotation. In general terms my work includes working with plant managers and engineers on engineering projects, process improvement in the shop floor and

leaning 6Sigma. Without the technical background I learnt at Brunel, I would not have been able to do my job. I also use most of my knowledge from my final year Master such as Project Management, FMEA risk analysis, Advance Aerospace Material and structural design.

In sum, Brunel gave me a great experience, offering me a chance to progress in engineering starting with a Foundations course, and prepared me, with both the excellent teaching and placement experience, to cope with becoming a real engineer, in the real world. I would recommend Brunel as an institution to start your engineering career without hesitation.

Anthony Liu, graduated on the MEng Aerospace Engineering July 2010

ANTHONY WITH HEAVY LIFT AIRCRAFT

SPOTLIGHT on Engineering and Design 3

ACADEMIC STAFF PROFILE

Professor John W Bull took up his post as Head of Civil Engineering in the School of Engineering and Design at the beginning of October 2010. John is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Institute of Wood Science. He is also a European Engineer and holds two doctorates, including a Doctor of Science.

John has 159 publications which include four authored books, 10 edited books and 15 book chapters. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Computers and Structures, and has been a member of the Editorial Boards of more than 31 refereed conferences. John has been an advisor on book proposals to eight publishers and has refereed papers for 16 journals and publishers. His most recent edited book is “Linear and non-linear numerical analysis of foundations”, published by Taylor & Francis in 2009.

As civil engineering is a practical vocational subject, John was initially employed in the construction industry gaining Chartered Engineer status. In his academic life, John’s research has ranged over a number of areas, initially the development of finite elements to analyse holes in cylindrical shells. Further analytical work, again with finite elements led to the development of self-designing structures and their use by industry.

John successfully carried out research to develop a design method for large precast concrete pavement units used for the rapid repair of damaged military runways. This work led to the development of design charts for the construction of pedestrian footways. Further research considered the implications of underground explosions and their effect on runway capacity. Other published research included hardwood timber importing into the UK and, at present, researching the physical properties of reclaimed timber beams for reuse in the construction industry.

John has given keynote lectures at many international conferences and has national and international research links. He also served time on British Standards Institute committees and is

presently a member of the Structural Aluminium Eurocode committee, where his major interests are in aluminium shell structures.

Commenting about the new Subject Area John said “Civil Engineering is a relatively new subject area at Brunel University, having started in 2007 with an MEng/BEng in Civil Engineering with Sustainability. The student numbers have increased yearly. The existing degree continues to gain professional accreditation and combined with the very successful graduate employment statistics, and the fact that Isambard Kingdom Brunel was a very successful Victorian civil engineer, a new Civil Engineering MEng/BEng degree and an MSc in Water Engineering are being introduced.”

PROFESSOR JOHN BULLHEAD OF CIVIL ENGINEERING


MADE IN BRUNEL AWARD-WINNER ROUNDS OFF A FIRST-CLASS SUMMER WITH NEW DESIGNERS PRIZE

Made in Brunel award-winner Buster Palmano won both the O2 Telefonica Electric Vehicle Design Challenge for his Tata Energy Cell, and the New Designers InterContinental Hotels Group Award for his innovative ceiling fan design.

His winning projects are described below.

WING FANWith a design overlooked for 130 years, ceiling fans are viewed in the US and Far East as those unable to afford air conditioning. The wing fan addresses many of the problems traditional fans face, and without the uncomfortable dry air created by AC units. Examination of the aerodynamics of blades moving through the air led to the flat blade and fixed angle of existing fan blades being replaced with a twisted aerofoil shape, which vastly increases the air movement.

The Wing Fan, an efficient and affordable ceiling fan was designed by Buster to increase airflow and reduce noise, and best satisfied the award’s criteria to design an intrinsically innovative and environmental solution that makes life better for the user.

The judges said: “Buster resolved many common issues with existing fans to

create a really innovative solution that has many environmental benefits whilst delivering a vastly improved consumer experience.” The prize involved a two week work placement at Intercontinental Hotels Group, plus a weekend break in the Hotel InterContinental, Park Lane.

Buster talking about the fan: “Research shows that ceiling fans are unpopular due to their unattractive aesthetic and the fact that they are very noisy to use. The wing fan’s design draws upon biomimetics (the study and application of natural mechanisms to the design of products) and airflow simulation to maximise airflow while minimising noise, creating a fan that moves silently and slowly, while moving more air than traditional flat blades. The flared wingtips observed on soaring birds, and the secondary wing present on water fowl, were adapted to further

increase the airflow and greatly reduce the noise of the blades. Increases in airflow were computed using fluid dynamics and then proved with physical prototyping, with the resulting fan operating both silently and at half the speed of existing fans. At optimal speed the fan exceeds energy star airflow requirements by over 180% while still remaining 60% above efficiency requirements, consuming only 14W. Winning the New Designers award was a great feeling. The final year project at Brunel is unlike any other design project as it represents the culmination of four years of study, so being rewarded for my efforts is amazing.”

New Designers is a graduate design event which brings together over 3,500 graduates from across a range of disciplines, and aims to create a showcase for the next generation of design leaders.


TATA ENERGY CELLAt Made in Brunel, an annual graduate showcase of final year student projects (http://madeinbrunel.com/ ), Buster won the O2 Telefonica Electric Vehicle Design Challenge for a new battery and application concept. The impetus behind Buster’s project came from examining third world issues. Rapid urban population growth has led to logistical issues with the growth of unplanned urban areas, or shanty towns, with a third of the developing world’s urban population living in these areas. Distribution and storage of power affects millions of households holds without reliable access to electricity. Tata is a people-centric company, and Buster’s Tata Energy Cell uses new technology developed by MIT that replaces the anode in traditional Li-ion batteries with silicone

nanotubes. This results in ten times the energy density of existing batteries incorporated into a package, that is highly portable and rugged for rough working environments. The cells themselves are designed to be easily removed from the casing and replaced when they lose capacity, extending the product life cycle. Each battery can provide enough electricity to cook and heat a house for a day, at a fraction of the cost of gas stoves and ovens. The concept product is not restricted to developing nations with intermittent power. With the growth of electrical vehicles also hampered by high weight to energy ratio of existing batteries, a single battery could power a small car for 10 km, and could be replaced in seconds.

BUSTER PALMANO

BSc Product Design Engineering, 2007-2011.

Buster commenced his studies at Brunel in September 2007. During his time at Brunel he undertook a year’s industrial placement with PDD Ltd as a technical intern working on a broad variety of roles including technical research, product design and specification, PCB design, FEA, ray tracing, product testing, graphic design and modelmaking. He also secured two separate summer placements lasting two months each. On graduation Buster started employment as a Product Design Engineer at IDC in Datchet, a Design consultancy. He also works outside his full-time job with IDC for Plumens, a light bulb company, focusing his energies on helping the company develop a new range of products and accessories.


At the end of my Greek military service, I wanted to spread my wings, see a new world and experience a different culture. I considered a Civil Engineering degree in the UK. Amongst five universities, I chose Brunel University, due to its reputation in Engineering. Another contributing factor was the fact that it combined civil engineering with sustainability, a field currently lacking in the industry of Cyprus.

The three years I have spent at Brunel under the tutelage of experienced professors and other staff have helped me to evolve, mature and enrich my knowledge in civil engineering. Modules such as ‘Construction and Sustainability’, ‘Management and Sustainability’, ‘Civil Engineering Materials’, ‘Geotechnical Engineering’, ‘Structural Analysis’ and ‘Steel and Concrete’ have made me realise the importance of my field of study in the industry.

Innovation was a word that characterised me from a young age, so the choice of “joint and connections in composites and hybrid structures” for my final year project was not coincidental. This project was challenging, because of the different natures of construction materials in

hybrid systems. My project aims were specifically to determine suitability of existing joints and connectors, to develop or modify connectors specific for composites, and to design joints for composite to composite or composite to hybrid. The combination of different materials, the difference in materials’ performance under different environments (for example in an isotropic environment, concrete will move, but wood will move a little bit more), the inherent characteristics and the different stress modes, highlights the need for new joints and connectors for composites. My supervisor, Dr. Mizi Fan, and I are currently working on developing this project with a view to publishing our findings, a prospect I find particularly exciting.

Coming back for my graduation ceremony (July 2010) made me realise that my “journey” at Brunel University was not ready to come to an end. During my graduation and the prize giving ceremonies, in which I was the recipient of two prizes (the Thomas Gerald Gray prize awarded for the Greatest Academic Improvement in Civil Engineering with Sustainability, and the Graham Hawkes prize awarded for the best final year project in Civil

Engineering with Sustainability), I realised that everything was worth it, including the late nights studying and the hard work. I was holding my degree in my hands, I could not be more proud of myself.

Now, wanting to achieve even more, I have recently started my PhD at Brunel in Nano Enhanced Insulation Materials/Systems for Construction. I believe a PhD degree will be vital in enhancing my knowledge.

In conclusion, and with no hesitation, I would recommend the Civil Engineering degree at Brunel, as it is very promising for a future career in the field, and a very well structured degree, covering everything you should know about your subject. The lecturing staff of the civil engineering department work very hard, and are helpful and supportive. Also the laboratories have the latest civil engineering equipment to cover all the range of research. In addition to its excellence in the field of civil engineering, Brunel University is the only campus university in London and is 15 minutes from London’s Heathrow Airport, making it an ideal choice for international travel.

KYRIAKOS SOTIRIOU

BEng Civil Engineering with Sustainability, 2007-2010.

CIVIL ENGINEER GRADUATE

DOUBLE PRIZE WINNER


Dr Mark Jabbal joined Brunel in April 2011 as a lecturer in Aerospace Engineering within the School of Engineering and Design. Before joining Brunel, Mark was a research associate in the Aerospace Group at the University of Manchester. He worked on an EU FP7 Clean Sky project with the Aircraft Research Association on aerodynamic flow control technology, which has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of aircraft. Prior to that Mark studied for his PhD, working on a flow control device called a synthetic jet actuator and its interaction with a boundary layer. During his early post-doctoral career, Mark developed a series of low-order modelling tools for assessing the weight and power costs of implementing various flow control systems (e.g. synthetic jets, pneumatic blowing, active dimples and plasma actuators) to civil transport aircraft. The work was undertaken as part of the EU FP6 AVERT project and forms an important input to Airbus-UK flow control design trade studies. In parallel with this work, Mark undertook research to model and test the performance of synthetic

jets, with a view to improving their energy efficiency, and will continue this research at Brunel. He is also involved with collaborative work with Dr William Crowther from the University of Manchester. The project involves the technical development and evaluation of a micro pump with no moving parts, which is an iteration on the basic synthetic jet actuator. The design has several desirable characteristics, including high power density and good scaling for ultrasonic (silent) operation. Successful development could lead to applications in areas such as medical drug delivery, thermal cooling and wind turbine improvements. At Brunel, Mark intends to develop actuator flow control techniques for drag reduction and conduct research on the impact of these systems to civil transport aircraft and unmanned air vehicles. Mark is also active in engaging the public with his research, and has organised EPSRC-funded events on ‘green’ aircraft for science festivals. Mark will continue his public engagement role as a new member of the Brunel Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Ambassador Group.

RESEARCH AT BRUNEL

DR MARK JABBAL

Every year, as part of the Masters Design Strategy Programme, the MA Team run a Design Futures module. This is intended to give students a chance to explore future trends and scenarios and to use research in order to find design-based solutions to issues facing the world.

As part of this initiative we invite eminent guest speakers from all aspects of the design profession to come to Brunel and give the students their views of the future, and the role that design will play in meeting global challenges. Speakers in recent years have included Sir Terence Conran, Sir George Cox, Wally Olins, Michael Wolff and Michael Peters, to name but a few.

In 2010, the quality of the guests was every bit as good as ever, and we were especially pleased to welcome Wally Olins for the second time in five years and, making his first appearance at Brunel, Lord Michael Bichard, Chairman of the Design Council. He gave his lecture on Thursday 17th February and his theme was the importance and increasing contribution that design can, and is, making to help improve Public Services, Social Welfare and Social Care. He began by giving examples of excellence in British design and British designers, including the achievements of Dame Vivienne Westwood, Christopher Bailey, Neville Brody, Margaret Calvert, Zaha Hadid, Adrian Newey and Bill Moggridge. He then went on to illustrate the impact of the micro-chip revolution and the innovation it has brought with it such as the birth of the world-wide web, the smart phone and social networking. Lord Bichard is passionate about improving Public Services and gave examples showing the positive effect that design is having in the UK on aspects of our everyday lives, such as hospital care, housing, Revenue & Customs and design education.

DESIGN FUTURES WELCOMES LORD BICHARD, CHAIR OF THE DESIGN COUNCIL TO BRUNEL


DEBBIE-ANN ESTWICK

MA Design & Branding Strategy, November 2010.

In 2008 I was working as a graphic designer in Barbados when I realised that my job as a designer was to only create something that “looked OK”. I felt limited and bored because I wanted to use my design skills to provide real solutions. I had always enjoyed the thinking process behind design work, but I didn’t know how to position myself as a thinker that could also design. I decided to look for Masters’ programs and came across Brunel University in my search process. I applied to study an MA in Design and Branding Strategy.

I was accepted, packed up my things and moved oceans away to a continent I had never visited. Naturally, I was very excited and a little nervous, being familiar only with the Caribbean and the USA, but I quickly realised that settling in would be easy. I was greeted by Brunel student representatives at the airport who helped me and my dad with my four suitcases, and carried them to my accommodation on campus. My room was beautiful and spacious and I even had a view from my window. My dad and I gave ourselves a quick tour of the campus, enjoying hot chocolate at the campus cafe, walking through lush garden areas and even visiting the sports park. I was able to happily wish my dad good-bye, knowing that I would have no problem settling in.

On my course I enjoyed my lectures, but particularly valued the workshops and group work that we often participated in after lectures. It was by participating in these activities and assigned group/individual projects that I learnt and grew most, even though it didn’t always feel that way. The room was often a buzz with ideas

as people from all over the world shared their culturally-influenced ideas and perspectives. It was amazing that although we were from diverse countries and cultures, we all seemed to speak the language and share a similar passion when it came to design. The design disciplines weren’t so separate anymore: we were no longer fashion designers, graphic designers or product designers, we were all just designers with the common goal of proposing real design solutions. We tackled multiple issues, from corporate re-brands to making life easier on physically or mentally challenged people.

I was afforded the opportunity of participating in an international, interdisciplinary workshop in St. Etienne, France. Multidisciplinary teams worked to conceptualise innovations based on a wide brief to “Materialise digital identities while preserving user trust and control and disclosing minimal amounts of information.” The solutions of products and services that the teams proposed were amazing, but more valuable than that was the experience of learning how to work with people who did not have a design thinker’s approach.

I chose to research the possible role of culture in design & branding strategies for a Barbadian health and activities resort for my dissertation. I entitled my dissertation “The Culture Kick” and in it I developed a model that could align business and brand strategies as I realised that branding could not be limited to colours, logos and design of a physical space, but needed to be deeply embedded in a company’s goals, daily processes and every aspect and activity of the organisation. The

research process gave me a deeper understanding of Barbados’ tourism industry and the many opportunities that lie there.

After completing my course, I received a job offer from Ethnic Vision inc. in Barbados. I was hired as Senior Brand and Innovation Strategist at their brand-led design consultancy. Their approach is very similar to the practical design approach that Brunel teaches. The goal is not just to produce great looking design work, but to provide real, measurable, solutions.

My degree at Brunel has equipped me with the knowledge and skills to work on solutions, such as Staycation Barbados a project to improve the relationship between tourist businesses and locals and to contribute to the development of strategic design thinking and brand-led business strategies in the Caribbean. With the knowledge from my degree, I am now in a position to work with other professionals to contribute to the improvement and further development of Barbados, and by extension, the Caribbean.

I chose to focus more on the business side of design and branding with my degree, because I felt that I needed to develop that most in order to be heard, and to give design a voice in business or board meetings. For me, Brunel University was an amazing experience, both in and out of the classroom. I would strongly recommend the MA in Design and Branding Strategy course to anyone that is passionate about design, and wishing to improve as a designer and a professional, and would like to see their design solutions implemented.

BARBADOS

MA DESIGN GRADUATE

SENIOR BRAND AND INNOVATION STRATEGIST IN

SIMULATING THE SOLAR SOLDIER:

BRUNEL EXPERTS MAXIMISE THE EFFECT OF NEW ARMY POWER PACKS

Academics in the School of Engineering and Design are helping to integrate a new dual solar and thermoelectric power pack into the battle dress of British infantry soldiers.

combination of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and thermoelectric devices, which generate energy through the difference in temperature between the outside and inside of a soldier’s clothes. They also employ cutting-edge storage technology to ensure a continuous energy supply. The project’s eventual objective is to create incredibly thin nanostructured PV and thermoelectric films on a flexible surface, which could be woven into the fabric of soldiers’ battle uniforms. The very small scale of the prototype, however, has led the Brunel team to develop a complex simulation environment based on conditions in various locations around the world, to model the future functionality of the power packs. “The prototype is on such a small scale that you can’t actually place it to see how it will work best,” Dr Tsekleves explained. “We’ve built a 3D simulation environment by extending existing 3D authoring tools, so we can model different scenarios, different weather conditions, specified dates to show the differing intensity of the sun, and different kinds of mission which would require different ranges of motion. We can then pinpoint exactly how much light hits different parts of the body, enabling us to work out where best to place the technology. The results of the simulation have been validated against actual data from the environments modelled, with very encouraging results.” The conclusions drawn from simulated scenarios can then be considered in the light of practical considerations. “One of the best positions for a solar cell would be the top of the helmet,” said Dr Tsekleves, “but in 40°C heat in Iraq, soldiers will seek shade when they can, so the power pack would be less effective. Instead the top of the backpack could

be better – when they take their backpacks off to rest they could leave them in the sun to continue charging”. The new power packs have a number of advantages over conventional chemical battery packs: they will be up to 50% lighter, improving soldiers’ mobility; they will increase the scope of infantry missions by eliminating the necessity of returning to base to recharge; and even more significantly, they absorb the heat as it is lost from soldiers’ bodies overnight, making troops less detectable to night vision equipment. The 24/7 generation of power also makes the technology applicable to a wide range of applications, such as mobile phones, cars, satellites, and as an emergency power supply in disaster zones to transport medicines, supplies and fresh food.

Dr Tsekleves’ involvement in the collaboration came about through an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) ‘sandpit’ event focussing on ‘reducing the burden on the dismounted soldier’. Sandpits bring together relevant academics and industry experts from a variety of fields, who are given five days to generate ideas and brainstorm in a multidisciplinary environment. The ‘Solar Soldier’ project team includes specialists from a wide range of disciplines including chemistry, materials science, process engineering, electrical engineering and design.

The two-year project, scheduled to finish in December 2011, received £650,000 of funding from EPSRC and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), the research arm of the Ministry of Defence. The consortium hopes to gain further funding to continue this work.

Superimposed numbers represent simulated sunlight readings

A prototype of the new ‘solar soldier’ pack is being developed by a consortium of six British universities, led by the University of Glasgow. Brunel’s Dr Emmanuel Tsekleves, an expert in 3D technology, human-computer interaction and human-centred design, is leading research on how best to integrate the technology into the whole set up of a soldier’s kit, to maximise efficiency and minimise obstruction to the wearer. The new environmentally-friendly batteries produce power throughout the day and night, using an innovative



Selecting a Master’s degree is not an easy task, first you have to find the right program and then find the right University. Having a chemical engineering background I wanted to improve my management skills without incurring excessive financial costs which usually happens when doing an MBA. A Masters of Engineering Management program was a perfect fit for my interest, since it provided me with all the managerial tools to take the next step in my career.

After doing intense research on universities offering this program, I chose Brunel University for three main reasons: first its excellent reputation in engineering throughout the UK and Europe; second very good recommendations from former students, both on the education quality and life on campus; and thirdly, because I am a sports person and the sports facilities at Brunel are better than I had dreamed of.

I secured employment abroad in Qatar, right after completing my Electrical Engineering Bachelor’s degree at the Lebanese American University.

After around two years of site experience, I decided to pursue an MSc with emphasis on sustainability to increase my knowledge and research skills. I sought a deeper understanding of existing technologies; which would empower me to contribute to the development and implementation of new sustainable energy, power systems and strategies. My research showed that the engineering school at Brunel University responsible for the MSc in Sustainable Electrical Power strongly represented the best there is.

I was impressed by the way the course structure and content are linked to each other, particularly the advanced concepts of sustainable electrical power systems, from energy generation to distribution management. During my course, I had access to a great network of support from fellow students, tutors, lecturers and professors. I was able to carry out both theoretical and practical studies and research, with the abundance of academic resources, infrastructure and cutting edge facilities. In addition to this, the software used during the workshop sessions, the site visits and industrial presentations broadened my knowledge in sustainable energy, power electronics, electricity market, power system management and smart

grids. I was enthralled by the fact that the course was closely linked to the needs of industry and approved by the Institution of Engineering and Technology.

I was fortunate to be selected to do an industrial based project with the National Grid entitled “Online Visualisation of State-Estimated Transmission System Voltages”. The aim of the study was to provide National Control Centre with a suitable PC-based graphing package, which would provide control engineers with immediately understandable visualisations of voltage conditions, and assist in taking corrective measures for unfavourable voltage conditions in real time, while taking into consideration human factors.

On completion of my course, I gained employment with the National Grid as an IEMS Network Analysis & Data Interfaces Engineer. Our team is responsible for ensuring that the IEMS tool used in the UK national control room accurately reflect the performance of the Electricity Transmission System under varying scenarios.

While at Brunel, my academic efforts were rewarded by receiving the best overall student prize from EDF. During my spell at Brunel, I gained additional skills and knowledge which I believe will enhance my career. Because of this, I overwhelmingly recommend the Brunel study experience!

JAVIER DUQUE ULLOA

Graduated MSc Engineering Management, November 2010.

MARELLIE AKOURY

Graduated in MSc in Sustainable Electrical Power, November 2009.

GRADUATE NOW WORKING FOR NATIONAL GRID

GRADUATE NOW WORKING IN SWITZERLAND


UNDERGRADUATE CHOOSES AN MSc AFTER WINNING PANASONIC SCHOLARSHIP

I was accepted at Brunel based on the grades I had obtained from a BTEC National Diploma in General Engineering from Brooklands College after I had left school.

There was a range of facilities available at Brunel when I came here, and a lot of computer labs all around the university with the latest software which was really useful. During my undergraduate course some of the lecturers were particularly inspiring and added a real enthusiasm to their subjects. Without the help of remedial mathematics lessons during the first year of the course I believe I would never have progressed to the second year, as they were pivotal in gaining a solid mathematical background needed for the duration of my time at Brunel.

My final year dissertation looked at modelling the different topologies used for single and three-phase transformers using PSpice simulation software. A good model of the transformer was required in order to evaluate the performance parameters of power converters such as three-phase diode rectifiers. The complications that were associated with this problem involved attempting to model the non-linear characteristic of a magnetic circuit. A model was also created based on an actual iron core transformer used within the laboratory, and where no data sheet was available tests had to be carried out to ascertain specific characteristics of the iron core transformer such as magnetic flux density, number of turns, csa of windings and many other parameters. One of the main reasons why I chose this project is that I am very interested in how a transformer is utilised in the

transmission and distribution network, and it provided a challenge that would allow my interest to develop further.

Over the summer, after I finished my undergraduate degree I was informed by Dr Gary Taylor who is in charge of a related MSc course, that there was a scholarship being offered by the Panasonic Trust in conjunction with the Royal Academy of Engineering. I applied for it and I was told that I had been shortlisted from many applications for an interview in London at the Royal Academy of Engineering head office. I was one of five successful applicants who was awarded the prestigious scholarship. Around the same time as receiving the scholarship I was also offered a job in the electrical research department of Cummins, a global engineering company who had seen my CV, however, I turned this opportunity down in favour of improving my skill set and level of knowledge on the MSc. I have to thank a fantastic Placement and Careers Service at Brunel who helped me to improve my CV, without which, some of the job offers I received would not have been possible.

I am currently studying my postgraduate MSc in Sustainable Electrical Power at Brunel.

I would encourage students to apply for the BEng Electronic and Electrical Engineering as it has really given me a lot of opportunities and opened a lot of doors into industry. I feel that my experience at Brunel to date has been a good one and although there is a lot of hard work, it does pay off if you are willing to work hard and learn more.

IAN JOHNSON

BEng Electronic and Electrical Engineering, 2007-2010.

JAVIER DUQUE ULLOA

During my one year study at Brunel I had the chance to do projects on topics that really interested me, and that were not related to my work experience, so it was an opportunity for me to develop knowledge in other fields. I did projects related to environmental sustainability looking at waste management models, and carried out my dissertation on water consumption at the Molson Coors Alton Brewery thanks to the help of one of my tutors. There, I had the chance to spend two months on a real working ambient.

After graduation I landed a job working for Nestlé’s Systems Technology Centre (STC) in Switzerland, where I have the position of Project Manager. The STC is a Research and Development site where technical developments take place. As you can imagine this position is a perfect fit for me since it combines the technical side with the managerial tools acquired during my studies at Brunel.


Six students of Mechanical Engineering in the School of Engineering and Design are recipients of a generous bursary scheme offered exclusively to Brunel University by Crown Packaging UK plc. They met with the Vice Chancellor, Crown Packaging representatives and Brunel staff to formally mark this wonderful news.

Each student received £1825 per year of their studies at Brunel and there are more bursaries planned

for next year. Crown Packaging also sponsor design prizes for the best design projects at each level from all courses within Mechanical Engineering and have supplied guest speakers. Crown Packaging is an international packaging company employing more than 50 Brunel mechanical engineering graduates, from recently-qualified engineers through to Vice President level. Crown Packaging also take Brunel students on placement.

Course Leader and Crown Packaging liaison academic, Dr Mark Atherton commented, “Crown Packaging is an extraordinary company in their level of commitment to our students. We are very grateful to them and we look forward to more Brunel students continuing to strengthen the position of Crown Packaging in its global industry.”

Pictured left

Back Row Dr Mark Atherton (Course Leader) Professor Hua Zhao (Head of Mech Eng) Ivan Kerley (Human Resources Manager Crown Packaging UK) Professor Chris Jenks (Vice Chancellor) Kevin Ambrose (VP Metals Technology, Crown Packaging UK) Ally Ross (Human Resources, Crown Packaging UK) and Mike Grey (Placements)

Front Row Students Lisa Webster Alexandra Woodcock Andrew Jennings Harry Pinder William Poku George Davis

CROWN BURSARIES

FOR BRUNEL MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

A SPOTLIGHT ON THE EXCELLENCE OF BRUNEL’S PLACEMENT AND CAREERS SERVICEBrunel’s Placement and Careers Service has won two national awards. Firstly, ‘Best Placement Service’ accolade at the 2010 National Placement and Internship Awards, run by RateMyPlacement.co.uk for the quality service they provide our students in finding placements and careers, on and before graduation (see picture adjacent). But there is more good news!”!! Following on from the 2010 award above, the Brunel Placement and Careers Services won another national award at the Rate My Placement Awards 2011. They beat off

stiff competition from Bath University, Aston University, Nottingham Trent University and Reading University, having been shortlisted from over 25 nominations, to win the award for “The University with a Forward Thinking Attitude to Work Based Learning. “ The award “celebrates the initiatives and innovations carried out by UK universities and departments in promoting the value of work based learning to students and employers.” The reason Brunel won was described as:

“Brunel University’s contemporary approach to work-based learning was described by the judges as ‘amazing’. They go miles beyond the call of duty and offer an integrated service providing a one-stop-shop for all students.”

Left to Right

Doug Perkins, Michelle Kavan, Shona Wright and Mo Rahman.

NATIONAL AWARD


SPOTLIGHT ON DIGITAL MEDIA!

I chose to study Multimedia Technology and Design at Brunel because I had seen it featured in the Computer Arts magazine graduate showcase several times, and my Design Technology teacher had completed a Design course at Brunel too. It was also one of the few universities that offered a Multimedia (media technology) and Design course at the time.

In the first year we covered most digital design topics which were a great way of figuring out what area I wanted to specialise in. By the end of the second year I had decided to concentrate on digital 3D modelling and animation, and sought a placement in that area. I was lucky enough to get a paid placement at Mediatonic, a company run by Brunel Multimedia graduates. I was the sole 3D artist in the company and worked as primary artist on a number of large projects, for clients as diverse as Universal and Pixar. It was a great experience and prepared me for my final year at Brunel and proved to be a great help in finding employment after graduating.

For my final year project, I decided to make a short 3D film about my dog, Rosie. I chose to do this as it would allow me to use all my knowledge in 3D to produce something I could use in job applications after graduating. I used 3D Studio Max and Mudbox to create and

render the animation, and then After Effects to composite the shots and, finally, Final Cut Studio to edit them together.

I loved my time at Brunel. The tutors and lecturers were very warm and easy to talk to and had a lot of time for us. The facilities at the university were incredible, by far the best I’ve seen in any university, and the provision removed the usual technical barriers present in other universities, allowing us to pursue any ideas for our projects.

I’m now employed as an Architectural Visualiser at Foster and Partners, a large architecture practice in London.

I think students should choose Multimedia at Brunel because it can nurture any aspirations they have, and support any idea with great resources and teacher support. At the end of the course, you’ll be one of the most employable graduates too!

Studying Broadcast Media Design and Technology at Brunel University gave me the opportunity to chase my dream of working in the television industry.

The course provided a well-balanced curriculum with both practical and

theoretical teachings, a significant advantage over other university media courses, and I left equipped with an array of technical and design skills required to succeed in the industry (3D, motion graphics, video and green screen production and SFX amongst other production and post-production skills). Having lecturers with previous industry experience proved fundamental in my development as they were enthusiastic, proficient and could give constructive feedback on my work. Furthermore, the course provided up to date industry software, equipment and trends, whilst always looking forward.

All the knowledge that I obtained from this course enabled me to land my first job as a creative intern at MTV Networks Europe. I immediately applied for the position after doing

my research and successfully passing two stages of interviews I was offered the job. They were impressed by my attention to detail, depth of knowledge and personality that my university experience helped me build upon.

In my final year, my dissertation was on 3D animation. I decided to choose this area of study because it had long been of interest to me and an area that I am still passionate about. My final artefact was created using 3Ds Max, Adobe After Effects and Final Cut Pro.

I strongly believe that without my degree I would not be where I am today. I would recommend this course to anyone who is creative, hands-on, hardworking and serious about wanting to work within the media industry.

JASON ASHMAN

BSc Broadcast Media Design and Technology, 2007-2010.

HUGH WYETH

BSc Multimedia Technology and Design, 2007-2010.

A STUDENT REALISES HIS DREAMS TO WORK IN THE TV INDUSTRY

“I LOVED MY TIME AT BRUNEL.”


INTRODUCTIONEmployability, a stated theme at the outset of this latest Spotlight issue, is a key thread running through the length and breadth of the School’s provision of exciting and industrially relevant degree programmes. Indeed, a significant aspect enhancing graduate employability relates to the relationship a University has with industry. The School of Engineering and Design has long established, strong connections with many industrial partners, and in this article I intend to describe the various positive and enriching ways the School and its students, have both direct and indirect links with industry. Such links provide many positive benefits, not the least of which involve conferring industrial relevance to the courses we offer, and in turn, enhancing students’ future career prospects.

Links with industry can be seen in four main ways:

1. Industrial Advisory Panels

One important way the School links with industry is holding regular Industrial Advisory Panels. Each Subject Area invites representatives of industry to periodic meetings at Brunel, for a two way exchange of ideas, information and collaboration, which is an essential process in the validation of existing courses and the development of new ones, in respect to their industrial relevance. These Industrial Advisory Panels meet at least annually.

2. Undergraduate one year sandwich industrial placement

There are immense benefits personally, professionally and financially for a student that undertakes a year in industry. Our award winning Placement and Careers Service Officers link continuously with a broad range of companies, “selling” the skills and knowledge of Brunel students. The Placement Office holds a number of seminars for year 1 and year 2 students, covering all the issues surrounding placements, offering help with writing CVs, honing students’ interview skills, and, in the second year, providing access to an extensive company database, enabling students to optimise their chances to win a company placement. The special advantages of a placement year include:

• Engineering students enjoy paid placements, on average £12,000 to £20,000 annually

• Home/EU Placement students pay only £1000 tuition fees that year

• If students do a good job, they will often be offered a job ! Many students return from their placement year with a job offer in their hand

• On completion of a year in industry, students are markedly more rounded, mature, highly motivated and focused individuals, having worked in the “real” world on projects relevant to their degree studies.

• Enjoying immense competitive edge at job interview stage post graduation

• Opportunity to study abroad - a number of students enjoy placements abroad, and these are obtained in at least two different ways. Firstly, through their own personal company contacts outside the UK. Secondly, linking with companies with the help of the Placement Office

And do not worry about your year in industry. We do not let you loose on your own. You will be allocated a dedicated mentor in the form of a School Academic Industrial Liaison Officer, who not only agrees with you a personally tailored placement plan, setting you goals for that year, but also carries out visits to your company, to review the relevance of your work and the progress you are making on the goals that have been set.

A number of students also seek to maximise their placement experience by using Brunel’s award winning Placement Service to obtain a summer placement as early as the end of year one of their studies.

3. Postgraduate MSc Dissertations in Industry

Many of the School’s postgraduate taught students have rich and varied opportunities to link with industry at the dissertation stage from May to September each year. The opportunity to carry out a dissertation with industry arises in the following ways:

• Placement Office industrial links

• Academic staff professional industrial contacts

• Course specific Industry visits to Brunel

Carrying out a dissertation in industry offers enormous benefits to the future employability of students, with a number of the advantages enjoyed by the Undergraduate placement scheme mentioned above, also being relevant to postgraduate dissertation internships with industry. Sometimes these postgraduate industrial placements are paid and result in job offers, but they also offer students a huge opportunity to network across the relevant industrial sector. Moreover, carrying out a dissertation in industry can provide a vital individual “industrial flavour” to your skills portfolio on graduation, the industrial-based dissertation becoming your personal showcase work, serving as an excellent starting point with prospective future employers to tout your employment credentials.

4. Industrial links as part of the taught programme

Across the full range of courses there are specific modules that invite external guest speakers to talk on specialist engineering topics. We also have many companies that visit Brunel to give presentations, Crown Packaging is one example, with a view to offering selected students bursaries, and also the opportunity to carry out undergraduate projects with them, or postgraduate dissertations, and some visits include a selection employment programme (see example of a recent visit to the Advanced Manufacturing Enterprise Engineering Subject Area by Proctor and Gamble below). Students on many courses also, as part of their taught programme, visit an array of companies, called site visits.

CONCLUSIONI have through this article introduced you to one of the main and abiding strengths associated with the School’s degree programmes, that is, the extensive industrial links underpinning the high degree of employability of the School’s graduates. In this issue we have seen a number of graduate employment success stories including students carrying out dissertations in

SCHOOL INDUSTRIAL LINKS


industry, and there are many more good news stories posted on the course web pages. These graduate success stories are directly related to host of things, some of which I have mentioned in this last article, which I now recap upon: the award winning Placement and Careers Service; the rich and varied collaborative work academics carry out with a broad range of companies including research and consultancy; the Subject Area industrial advisory panels, including course specific industrial steering panels; the undergraduate industrial sandwich year; the postgraduate dissertation conducted in industry; and finally the myriad direct links to industry that we introduce to students as part of their taught programme. It is for all these reasons that the School’s graduates enjoy unprecedented success in graduate employment, and Brunel, in general, higher than average graduate starting salaries. I hope after reading this article and the Spotlight newsletter, that you are inspired by our success stories to join the many students that came to Brunel, and are now in employment. I will conclude by saying that we are truly proud of our strong links with industry and the resultant graduate employment success story, and, also that a number of our graduates are now heading up international, globally successful companies, providing a true testimony to the success of both the School and Brunel University.

Article by Tom Kissack

Marios C. Angelides and Harry Agius (Eds.), The Handbook of MPEG Applications: Standards in Practice, Wiley, 2011 (552 pages, ISBN: 978-0-470-75007-0)

In this book, the authors, both academics in the Electronic and Computer Engineering Subject Area, address five leading MPEG standards: MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MPEG-7, MPEG-21, and MPEG-A, focusing not only on the standards themselves, but specifically upon their application (e.g. for broadcasting media, personalised advertising and news, multimedia collaboration, digital rights management, resource adaptation, digital home systems, and so on) including MPEG cross-breed applications. In the evolving digital multimedia landscape, this book

provides comprehensive coverage of the key MPEG standards used for generation and storage, distribution and dissemination, and delivery of multimedia data to various platforms within a wide variety of application domains. It considers how these MPEG standards may be used, the context of their use, and how supporting and complementary technologies and the standards interact and add value to each other. The book provides an invaluable reference for researchers, practitioners, CTOs, design engineers, and developers. Postgraduate students taking MSc, MRes, MPhil and PhD courses in computer science and engineering, IT consultants, and system developers in the telecoms, broadcasting and publishing sectors will also find this book of interest.

PROCTOR AND GAMBLE, OCTOBER 2011 VISITAn example of linking with industry

Proctor & Gamble came to Brunel on Wednesday the 19th October 2011 to recruit Masters students currently studying in the Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering Subject Area. Successful students will be given a 3-month internship to start in June 2012. During this internship period, the students will work on projects which will meet the MSc academic requirements for

dissertations and the needs of the company. The internship is salaried, £1525 per month, with the students in effect being paid for doing their dissertations. Students who were interested in the internship sat a reasoning test on the day. 25 out of 45 passed the test and they were invited to apply online. If shortlisted, they will be invited for interviews.

NEW BOOK PUBLISHED!

P&G R&D Internship Recruiting

Doro Langer, Maxine Walter, Colin Smith, Lucas Nanini

Brunel University 19 October 2011

Are you ready to face a new challenge every day?


NEW COURSES COMMENCING SINCE LAST ISSUE• Advanced Multimedia Design and 3D Technologies MSc

• Civil Engineering MEng / BEng

• Computer Systems Engineering (software) BEng

• Computer Systems Engineering (Networks) BEng

• Electronic and Computer Engineering MEng / BEng

• Electronic and Communications Engineering MEng / BEng

• Water Engineering MSc (2012 entry)

For information on all courses and previous Spotlight newsletter issues, see: www.brunel.ac.uk/sed

Further comments, suggestions and future submissions:

Tom Kissack Marketing and Recruitment Manager, School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1895 266634 Email: [email protected]

The picture above depicts the delegates from the fourth successful ESAB “developing excellence” workshop held in the School of Engineering and design from 12 – 16 September 2011. In October 2009, a £200+k contract for continuing professional development was awarded to Brunel by ESAB, an international supplier of welding and cutting products. The Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering Subject Area has designed a three-year CPD programme for 120 ESAB staff that facilitates a strategic shift in the mindset of their middle management from being product-centric to customer-focused.

ESAB WORKSHOP

CALENDAR OF SCHOOL EVENTS

25th January 2012 Brunel Motorsport Centre Opening

June 2012 Made in Brunel graduate showcase

18 – 20th June 2012 ResCon 12 (annual research student conference)

Documents

Spotlight 7 Dec 2011