Author: Stephanie Thomson

Student Erin Saltmarsh (far right) and the DEPLOY project, photograph copyright Novespace

Walking in the air: University of Brighton researchers touch down after testing ground-breaking devices in zero gravity

Researchers have spent last week suspended in space-like conditions as they put two experiments through their paces during weightless parabolic flights.

The two projects tested, GELL-P and DEPLOY!, both have potential applications for space exploration and on earth. Rachel Forss from the School of Sport and Health Sciences and the Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Devices who led the GELL-P project said of the flight: “It was amazing! A bit like swimming underwater but with less resistance and control. A unique experience; the zero g is quite pleasant, but the 1.8g on either side is what makes it tiring.”

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Portrait of Idil

Meet Dr Idil Fenercioglu Aydin

Idil Aydin is course leader for the Aerospace Engineering courses at the University of Brighton. Her area of expertise is in experimental aerodynamics, and she loves teaching students about the physics of flight, flight dynamics and aircraft design.

My subject and my experience
I’ve been fascinated by aviation and space since I was young. I studied Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Istanbul Technical University and started workings as a research assistant during my post graduate studies. This role involved actively supporting teaching in the supersonic wind tunnel and low-speed fluid dynamics facilities.

Subsequently, I earned my Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and embarked on a research role in a DLR project at the RWTH-Aachen Shock Wave Laboratory before I returned to ITU to pursue my Aerospace Engineering PhD in experimental aerodynamics.

Following my Post-Doc position at the University of Bath, I had the privilege of teaching orbital mechanics at the Turkish Air Force Postgraduate Academy, while also holding a regular teaching position at ITU, where I conveyed my practice-based knowledge in compressible aerodynamics and experimental methods in fluid dynamics to my students.

What I love about teaching and about Brighton
Teaching and mentoring have always been integral parts to my role, and I derive immense satisfaction from these aspects of my career.

My journey led me to the University of Brighton, where I was captivated by the vibrant engineering research culture and the opportunity to continue my passion for teaching and research.

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Meet Dr Goran Soldar

Goran Soldar is course leader on our Computer Science BSc(Hons) degree.

My journey into teaching
Many years ago, when in secondary school (equivalent to sixth form in the UK), I studied the programming languages, such as FORTRAN 4 and COBOL, that were the computer languages for the computer systems then.

After completing sixth form I went to university and studied Computer Science and Information Systems, which equipped me with the knowledge and skills for software development. Since then, my work always has been in the IT industry, working on various projects.

The best thing about teaching is the ability to pass your knowledge to students and see them succeed in their professional career.

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Meet Jennie Harding

Jennie Harding is the course leader for our Software Engineering BSc(Hons) degree at Brighton.

My career path and journey into teaching.
I was training as a nurse and left to have a child. When I returned to work I worked for supporting housing, supporting clients based on alarm call response and was intrigued to see the database system that enabled call handlers to responds to an alarm and also call next of kin or career, access information about GPs, medications, call history amongst other things.

This seemed to solve so many of the problems that I’d seen in hospitals around discharge care, for example people remaining in hospital when there was no medical need. I was hooked on how well-thought-out systems can help people. So I changed my plan from completing my nurse training and took a computing degree instead.

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TEF silver 2023 logo

Brighton secures national Silver Award for teaching excellence

The University of Brighton has been recognised for the quality of its teaching and student outcomes in a UK-wide evaluation of higher education institutions.

The university has today secured a Silver award in the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The award confirms that the student experience and student outcomes across all of the university’s undergraduate provision including apprenticeships are “typically very high quality”, delivering excellence above the rigorous standards set for the UK’s higher education providers. The rating lasts for four years, until September 2027.

The TEF is a national scheme run by the Office for Students (OfS). It aims to encourage universities to improve and deliver excellence in the areas that students care about the most: teaching, learning and achieving positive outcomes from their studies.

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Male student sitting down with a dog and smiling at the camera

Mindful thought processes, science and a world of possibilities

In this blog, automotive engineering student and course representative James Allan, reflects on a recent module, and how it has further enhanced his knowledge and skills as a ‘graduate of the future’.

I have been actively engaged in the Energy Systems modules for 12 weeks and I can honestly say it has been a very interesting subject. With regard to the modern world, there are a vast array of everyday items that rely on productive and efficient energy systems. This module has primarily focused on the transportation sector, whilst also covering fluid dynamics, thermal storage systems, heat exchangers and refrigeration systems.

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Close of female student in engineering lab wearing a white lab coat and safety glasses looking at the camera

Focusing on solutions and sustainability in engineering

Mechanical engineering student Isabel Paglinawan tells us about the Energy Systems modules and reflects on how it has enhanced her knowledge and skills as a ‘graduate of the future’.

Critical Thinker
The ‘Energy Systems’ module, gives us the opportunity to undertake learning in a much more practical approach. Our lecturers have first-hand experience working in relevant industries that made it really engaging. They gave us problems similar to ones they have faced in the industry and walked us through their way of finding a solution. As students, we had to think critically about each possible solution and its possible effects.

Aside from many real-life relevant problems, we engaged with many visuals during lectures which kept our learning experience engaging and easier to visibly understand the function of systems such as Turbofan or Gasoline engines.

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Engineering lecturer working on robot project with primary school pupils

Engineering students mentor primary pupils in school STEM week robot tournament

A team of our first- and second-year engineering students, along with engineering lecturer Ian Watts, have been out and about encouraging pupils from a local primary school to discover the possibilities within STEM by taking part in robot tournament as part of the school’s STEM week.

Under the mentorship of our engineering students, 120 pupils from years three to six constructed ‘Antweight’ robots, which were tested in various competitions including football, sumo, and an assault course. The sumo competition was a particular hit.

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Architecture and design awards 2023

Architecture and Design end of year show and awards

Architecture and Design hosted their End of Year Show in June, showcasing the talent of our school’s creative community. In the midst of a summer heatwave, the show attracted a remarkable turnout, demonstrating the ongoing importance of our Architecture and Design reputation.

Bringing together students from various design disciplines the show included students from BA(Hons) Architecture, MArch Architecture, BA(Hons) Interior Architecture, BSc(Hons) Product Design, MA Interior Design, MA Sustainable Design, and Architecture and Design Integrated Foundation courses. Each course presented a unique fusion of creativity, practicality, and innovative design principles, with every project showcasing outstanding vision and execution.

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poster explaining civil engineering project work

Two firsts for civil engineering graduate Luke

Congratulations to Luke Gardiner on winning the esteemed ‘Best Poster Award’ at the British Geotechnical Association Conference 2023 and graduating with a first from our Civil Engineering BEng(Hons) with integrated foundation year.

We caught up with Luke and Maria Diakoumi, Principal Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering about his project and the opportunity to get involved in research.

Luke’s dissertation and the work presented in his poster received high praise and the winning vote at the conference, an annual event attended by universities and industry. The poster focused on numerical modelling, building on earlier research on Gravity Base Structures for offshore foundations carried out by civil engineering lecturers Dr Maria Diakoumi and Dr Kevin Stone.

“This recognition is particularly significant given the tough competition from prestigious institutions such as the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and Imperial College. We all felt very proud,” said Maria.

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