Postgraduates researching clever machines, smart paints, imaging and robotic technologies have won prestigious Industrial Fellowships.

Each year, the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 awards Industrial Fellowships to outstanding engineering, science and medicine graduates. Four of the nine fellowships awarded this year have gone to students at Imperial. Each Fellow receives a grant of £80,000, giving them the opportunity to progress their research, in conjunction with both an academic and a business partner. 

Imperial’s Industrial Fellows are Silvia Araguas-Rodriguez, from the Department of Materials, Benjamin Chamberlain, from the Department of Computing, and Misty Haith and Mathew Holloway, both from the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Silvia Araguas-Rodriguez

Having completed a Masters in nanotechnology, Silvia Araguas-Rodriguez has turned her hand to producing luminescent pigments and paints that can indicate changes in temperature.  Together with industrial partner Sensor Coating Systems Ltd., Silvia is developing a thin-film paint that can be applied to various mechanical components that are exposed to extreme high temperatures.  The paint then ‘remembers’ recorded temperatures by altering its luminescence, providing accurate reading for use in the testing of high performance cars, power generation turbines and even aero engines. 

Ben Chamberlain     

Ben Chamberlain has been developing techniques to ‘teach’ computers to understand the structure of online societies and identify influential people within these communities.  His research helps marketers go beyond individually targeted adverts, identifying better ways for them to engage with relevant communities and allowing them to offer services and products that those communities value.  With billions of people using social media across the world, pinpointing the right communities to contribute to is a challenging problem. Working alongside industrial partner Starcount, Ben will use his Fellowship to develop software that is better at searching for influencers, the communities who connect with them, and the passions they share. 

Ben said: “The ultimate goal is to make social media spam a thing of the past, replacing it with useful information, and positive contributions to engaged communities.”

Misty Haith

Misty Haith is working in collaboration with the international oil and gas company BP. Ultimately she aims to improve the quality and reliability of subsea pipeline inspections. Such inspections are important to the integrity of the oil supply, as pipes can be vulnerable to cracks and impurities in the welding process, and require regular monitoring.  Digital radiography is used to capture images, a technique familiar to most of us in the form of x-rays.  By `stitching' multiple radiographs into a single image via new calibration software, Misty’s project aims to improve both the reliability and area coverage of inspections, while simultaneously reducing their cost.

Misty said: “I am very proud to have been selected as an 1851 fellow.  The fellowship has already facilitated an international collaboration and significant practical experience.”

Mathew Holloway

Mathew Holloway will use his time as a Fellow to push forward the research frontier in robotics.  Working alongside social housing providers, Mathew is developing robotic technologies to insulate walls and floors of buildings, making them both cost effective and environmentally friendly to heat.  Joining forces with industrial partner Q-Bot will give Mathew the opportunity to apply innovative technologies in industry, bringing about a positive impact on both society and environment.  Additionally, Mathew hopes that his research at Imperial will aid in the design of complex systems for robotics, improving speed and accuracy. 

Mathew said: “This will hopefully benefit the broader robotics community; the teaching of robotics, as well as improving our technology at Q-Bot as a result.”

Industrial Fellowships are open to exceptional first degree students in engineering, science and medicine.  Applications are currently being accepted for 2015 fellowships.