Ivana Partridge, Professor of Composites Processing in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Director of the new centre, has joined Bristol University after leading the composites activities at Cranfield University for over 30 years.
Professor Partridge’s long-term research interests include thermoset resin and composite toughening, through thickness reinforcement of composites, composite process control and polymer-metal-fibre hybridisation. Her past research has been funded mainly by EPSRC grants, but also by EU and direct industry programmes.
Professor Nishan Canagarajah, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said:
The Faculty is delighted Professor Partridge has joined the University. Professor Partridge’s expertise in the field of composites will ensure the IDC provides the composites manufacturing industry with elite research engineers of the future.
The Industrial Doctorate Centre (IDC), which will have close links to the National Composites Centre, aims to provide the composites manufacturing industry with engineers equipped with the necessary advanced technical and leadership skills required for effective adoption of new knowledge and technologies in composites manufacture.
The IDC is integral to the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites (EPSRC Centre) and will support over 30 EngD programmes, of four years duration, where selected research engineers will undertake specialist training and conduct an industrially focused research project, spending 75 per cent of their time at a company.
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