Multidisciplinary research themes
If you would like further information about our research in these areas you can contact Sara.Diegoli@glasgow.ac.uk or Lynne.Brown@glasgow.ac.uk.
Electronics and Photonics
Electronics and Photonics integrates theoretical and technological research. It underpins many of our applications-orientated projects in optoelectronics, bioelectronics, nanoelectronics and ultrafast devices and systems.
Our research activities cover the areas of control and intelligent systems, microelectronic systems, power electronics and power systems.
Energy & Sustainability
Energy and water remain two of the most important resources that we need to sustain in order to ensure our long-term survival on this planet.
Enabling the world’s rapidly growing, resource-intensive population to thrive in the coming decades will require that we look to new technologies associated with the treatment, desalination, recycling, storage and transportation of water.
We are using its expertise in bio-energy, water and agricultural systems, sustainable fishing and food production in order to help ensure the longevity of vital ecological support systems.
Healthcare & Diagnostics
The diagnosis of disease lies at the centre of improvements in our medical infrastructure. Examples range from low-cost, disposable biosensors for infectious diseases such as malaria in the developing world, to the detection of the early signs of heart disease in more affluent populations.
Other heathcare opportunities enabled by new technologies drawn from across the sciences and engineering include
- rehabilitation engineering (with new automated systems helping patients with spinal injury to walk)
- the use of new biomaterials to improve medical implants, promote wound healing in the skin and enable organ regeneration.
Imaging
The acquisition, reconstruction and interpretation of images require expertise from a wide range of disciplines. Among the researchers participating in the imaging network are representatives from such diverse fields as archaeology and bioengineering, biochemists and geologists, electrical engineers and dentists, computer scientists and vets.
The network aims to foster world-class research in the development and application of imaging technology and analysis. Our research is supported by an array of UK, European and international funding sources, both public and private funding. Working together, we believe we can do more.
Our activities provide a mechanism to propose new ideas, increase the impact of our research, and improve the capabilities of the projects on which we work.
Materials and Nanotechnology
This theme cuts across many science and engineering topics, including the development of new materials for solar fuels, biocompatible materials for implants and new plastics to replace conventional electronic components. We are also at the forefront of the use of nanotechnology in a wide spectrum of industries including electronics, healthcare, security, photonics and renewable energies.
Materials research is not simply about making new materials with extraordinary functional properties. It is equally important to understand how advanced structural materials break and corrode, using modelling and simulation tools to predict catastrophic failure in aeroplanes, bones and concrete.
Researchers and industrial multinationals travel across the world to use our Nanofabrication facility and draw upon our nanotechnology expertise.
Modelling and Simulation
Modelling and Simulation in Glasgow is supported by strong cross-College and cross-disciplinary collaborations, and has applications in almost every single area of science and technology. By combining mathematical models, simulations and experiments, we are actively engaged in innovative and original research targeted at the most important challenges facing society and industry.
- Modelling & Simulation (PDF)
Security, Defence and Aerospace
We have been a leader in aerospace research for over 60 years. Our main research themes include aerospace structures & materials, autonomous vehicles, flight dynamics, fluid mechanics and space systems engineering.
Our facilities include
- wind tunnel laboratories
- a ground-based flight simulator laboratory
- Selex Galileo unmanned airborne systems laboratory.
Within the broad range of defence and security research, our work includes
- understanding the failure of complex systems
- developing simulations that can be used in counter-terrorism applications
- the engineering of complex socio-technical systems
- improving the reliability of software systems
- placing energy security within national and international critical infrastructures
- developing mobile and airborne gamma ray spectrometry techniques which can be used to map areas affected by radiation.
Electronics and sensors lie at the heart of many critical systems within aerospace, defence and security. Our engineers design, manufacture and use technologies which contribute to these critical systems.
Sensor Systems
Sensor systems have grown in complexity so that they now contain many sensors that are integrated to yield sophisticated data. These data need to be combined, processed and communicated to the user. There is an increasing need for automated evaluation and inference to produce high quality information.
Research into sensors and sensor systems is very dynamic and calls for many different skills and areas of expertise to be brought to bear on user-defined problems. We have developed a six-layer ‘stack’ model to describe the generic functional elements contained within sensor systems.
The model takes into account the broad range of expertise that we can offer collaborators, from basic science, through engineering and computing science, to mathematical and statistical modelling of data to meet specific client requirements.
- Sensor Systems Initiative
- Fellowship opportunities for Sensor Systems
- Sensor Systems Research brochure (PDF)
Space
Space Glasgow members are involved in activities related to space exploration and understanding the Solar System. To demonstrate the breadth of research activity within Space Glasgow, our researchers
- contribute to the construction of critical hardware for the LISA pathfinder mission
- engage in the study of the ancient Martian hydrosphere and icy planetesimals
- carry out activities to take forward numerous sounding rocket payloads and small satellite systems
- work with international organisations to develop safety assessments for human space flight.
Space Glasgow works with key organisations globally to expand knowledge and expertise in space science, technology and engineering. Researchers have strong links with industry and governmental organisations and are keen to create new links to continue to build capability.
Synthetic Biology
Modern biology and medicine pose complex questions on how cells, organs and tissues interact with each other. Synthetic biology draws heavily on both engineering and the physical sciences, seeking to develop rules that enable new biochemical pathways to be produced within cell-like structures.
Synthetic biology looks into the design and construction of new biological functions and systems not already found in nature and the recreation of natural systems synthetically in the lab.
Our main research themes include
- the development of 'tools', especially new sensors
- bioenergy and the production of novel molecules, such as new antibiotics and alternative chemical feedstocks
- artificial life.