WMG News - Latest news from WMG

WMG was honoured to host a visit from Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, former Malaysian Prime Minister, accompanied by Mr Aslam Farikullah, COO Lotus Group and Mr Tajul Zahari Abu Bakar, Director Vehicle Development & Engineering, Proton Holdings Berhad.

Meeting with Professor Lord Bhattacharyya they were interested to understand how WMG develops partnerships with industry and the significant economic benefits of such partnerships. They were also interested to understand the breadth of research undertaken by WMG including developing strengths in composites and nanocomposites.

Engineering students at the University of Warwick are working to achieve their dream of designing and building a human-powered submarine.

On July 7, the Warwick Sub team of seven finalists will be competing in the four-day European International Submarine Race (eISR) at Gosport’s Ocean Basin, the biggest covered water space in Europe. However, their first challenge on the path to glory will be raising enough funds to enable them to manufacture the vessel.

A team of engineering students from the University of Warwick spent some of their time on Valentine’s Day this year taking part in an action-packed event aimed at helping school children fall in love with engineering.

The #inlovewithengineering event was attended by the University’s Warwick Sub team – a project team of final year engineering students who are working to design and build a race worthy human-powered submarine to compete in the European International Submarine Race in July 2014.

The event, which was organised by The Market Bosworth School, in conjunction with The Big Bang regional team, was attended by over 650 year 7 to 9 pupils and 100 primary school pupils from the Leicestershire area.

WMG, at the University of Warwick, have announced that Professor Claire Davis and Professor Barbara Shollock have been appointed as two new Tata Steel Chairs for research into Thermo-mechanical Processing and Advanced Characterisation and Coatings.

These appointments strengthen the rapidly developing relationship between WMG, the University and Tata Steel. They confirm the strong commitment of Tata Steel to research and manufacturing in the UK.

Building on the initial Tata Steel / Royal Academy of Engineering Chair of Professor Sridhar Seetharaman, the company and the University have been working closely to develop an exciting strategic partnership, with research, research infrastructure, education and exploitation opportunities.

The University of Warwick was proud to award Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women, an Engineering Doctorate at its degree ceremony on Wednesday 22nd January. This was not an honorary degree but one for which she studied as a student at WMG at the University.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008 and was the first woman to hold this position, and at that point the highest ranking woman in South Africa’s history. In 2010 she was offered her current role at the United Nations by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The University of Warwick is helping students with physical disabilities from a local college become their own product designers so they can 3D-print personalised objects that help them in their everyday lives.

Students at Hereward College in Coventry, located close to the University of Warwick campus, are tapping into university expertise in additive layer manufacturing (commonly known as 3D printing) and adaptive systems so they can create assistive equipment that is adapted to their own personal needs.

By learning to use computer-assisted design technology through sessions with staff and students from the University of Warwick, a group of Hereward students with restricted physical movement have come up with solutions to every-day challenges, such as eating and drinking, which they can print out with the click of a button.

On Wednesday 15 January, WMG welcomed members of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car (SSC) project team for a series of events held in the International Manufacturing Centre.

The Bloodhound SSC is a jet and rocket powered car and is being designed and built to achieve 1,000 mph (just over 1,600 kph) - which would break the land speed record by 33%, the largest ever margin. The project is being directed by Richard Noble OBE, who also attended and spoke during the event on Wednesday.

During a busy visit, the Bloodhound team were a feature of an Engineering Careers afternoon which was run in collaboration with the School of Engineering. In the afternoon, 95 pupils from 8 local schools in Coventry and Warwickshire visited the university to find out more about the variety of exciting careers offered through studying Engineering.

Founder and Chairman of WMG, Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, has been presented with a Coventry Award of Merit, an honour established in order to highlight the efforts of local people in raising the profile and reputation of the City.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya was chosen as a recipient of the prestigious award for his outstanding personal achievement as the founder of WMG, raising the status of engineering and manufacturing in the UK and for his service to the promotion of the University of Warwick and the City of Coventry.

WMG at the University of Warwick have helped Oldbury-based start-up company, CMK, win an award from leading mountain biking magazine Enduro for their novel bike mudguard product.

The company were awarded the prize based on the effectiveness of the mudguard which attaches to the bike’s seatstays rather than the seat post. The innovative Mudhugger concept was borne out of CMK Director Bruce and Jamie Gardiner’s passion for mountain biking. They turned to researchers and business support specialist in WMG’s SME team based at the International Institute for Product and Service Innovation at University of Warwick to help give life to their design idea.

WMG were able to help prototype the design and gave tailored advice and recommendations on the potential manufacturing route and materials that the company could use. WMG also helped them with materials analysis and technology advice on how to bond different plastics.

We are saddened to report that Dr Kajal Mallick, Associate Professor at WMG, passed away over Christmas. He died peacefully in his sleep on 25 December 2013, aged 63.

Kajal was an internationally renowned expert in the field of materials science and technology. He joined the University of Warwick in 1985, studying his PhD in the Department of Physics. In 1988 he was appointed as a member of staff in WMG and during his 25 years within the department undertook a range of roles as a researcher, academic and lecturer. He was promoted to the position of Associate Professor in October 2009.