Category: Student success

Staff and students representing the Gell-P and DEPLOY! projects sitting with five at the back and three people in the front

Last minute checks for research teams as countdown for weightless flights begins

Researchers practice for zero gravity flight to put ground-breaking experimental devices through their paces

The University of Brighton teams, including Aerospace Engineering MEng student Erin Saltmarsh, will have just 20 seconds at a time to run tasks in weightless conditions.

During each flight the plane will climb to an altitude of 7,500m before the aircraft goes into a 3000m high roller coaster climb and fall during which weightlessness will be experienced for about 20 seconds. This will happen 30 times in each of the three planned flights. Not surprisingly teams will be given anti-nausea jabs prior to the flights. Staff and students from the Schools of Architecture,Technology and Engineering, School of Sport and Health Sciences, Centre for Regenerative Medicines and Devices and Advanced Engineering Centre representing the Gell-P and DEPLOY! Projects gathered to go through a series of tightly choreographed tasks in preparation for the flights at the end of the month.

The Gell P team working on the project
Lecturer and student with VC showing her the project
Student Erin standing in room with project equipment
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Laura RubyLeave a comment
European Space Agency logo

European Space Agency collaborative projects

Deploy! Project

The DEPLOY! Project is a collaboration between the universities of Pisa, Parma, and Brighton, as well as the European Space Agency (ESA) sponsored PETRI student project, with additional funding received from the UK Space Agency.

The project focuses on the dynamic deployment of a novel satellite radiator panel thermal interface using a flexible Pulsating Heat Pipe. This research aligns with the ongoing work on Pulsating Heat Pipes at the universities of Brighton and Pisa. The project team, consisting of five Masters’ students and one PhD student, has been mentored by experts from the partner universities, who have provided access to their expertise and key experimental equipment. The DEPLOY! team, led by Erin Saltmarsh from the University of Brighton, has been spearheading the manufacturing and mechanical design aspects of the project.

The flight campaign for the DEPLOY! Project is scheduled to start on November 20th in Bordeaux, France. To learn more about this exciting project, visit their website.

Gell-P (Gravitational Effects of Lower Limb Perfusion)

Gell-P is a collaborative project between the School of Health Sciences and the School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering. The project aims to investigate the effects of gravity on foot perfusion to support a wider demographic of astronauts and mitigate injuries. By evaluating foot vascular flow under varying gravity conditions, the project seeks to understand lower limb injury healing for long-term astronaut missions.

The collaboration involves a team of podiatrists from the School of Health Sciences, led by project PI Rachel Forss, along with support from a team of engineers from the School of Architecture, Technology, and Engineering.

The experiment, designed and built at the AEB, will be tested during the 83rd European Space Agency parabolic flight campaign starting on November 20th. Read this post to learn more about this fascinating project.

European Low Gravity Research Association (ELGRA)

Dr Nicolas Miche has been selected as a mentor for the first European Low Gravity Research Association mentoring scheme. ELGRA is a nonprofit international society that promotes European research in microgravity, simulated microgravity, and hypergravity conditions. It serves as a platform for scientists interested in life and physical sciences in space.

The goals of ELGRA include representing and strengthening the scientific community of altered gravity research and involving young people in research through educational programmes.

ELGRA achieves these goals by organising scientific symposia and courses, cooperating with institutions and agencies to organise scientific events, spreading information about opportunities and new platforms, and supporting students and young scientists through grants and educational programmes from ESA.

Laura RubyLeave a comment
Students Max,James and Alex pictured in company building of Paxon Access

Brighton students land scholarships with global technology firm

Students from Brighton have been awarded two of three annual scholarships offered by a leading Brighton-based global technology company, Paxton Access.

This is the sixth year that Paxton has offered engineering scholarships to students studying STEM courses at University of Brighton and University of Sussex. Successful applicants receive £10,000 each towards their final year university fees, and a three-month paid work placement within Paxton’s experienced Development department.

This year, the scholarships are awarded to Alex Moreton and Max Lewandowski from University of Brighton, and James Napp from University of Sussex. The scholars have been working at Paxton for more than a month and have found the placement beneficial for building new skill sets that will be useful in their future career.

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Laura RubyLeave a comment
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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Stephanie ThomsonLeave a comment
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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Headphones hooked over a wooden stand on a desk

Graduates 2023: Christy Cairns: Product Design BSc(Hons)

The course began with a very broad introduction to the breadth of what Product Design means and led to us all being in a position to pursue the areas that complement our interests. My work’s impact on the environment is a key driver for me. A lot of my work looks at resource use and circular systems.

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences:

I have a love of nature and my work’s impact on the environment is a key driver for me. A lot of my work looks at resource use and circular systems. I’ve worked on projects here and abroad that have aimed to utilise waste materials. I’m influenced by designer’s with a similar ethos and are critical of their impact on the world.

How have you found your course and time at Brighton?

Good. It has been full of challenges, some hard, most enjoyable. The course began with a very broad introduction to the breadth of what Product Design means and led to us all being in a position to pursue the areas that complement our interests. The faculty are a real strength of the Product Design course. They’re engaging, supportive and exceptionally knowledgeable of contemporary design. Regardless of the direction you are travelling in, or where your interests lie, they are able to recognize its connection to the course and provide strong references to work from.  

How did you choose your course – why did you choose to study Product Design?

Initially I wanted a change and a challenge. I knew I would enjoy a course that combines creativity and research, it leads to creating with purpose. Over other courses the studio space we have is unique, it is intimate, casual and creative space which although daunting at first, having fellow students and your tutors constantly wandering past your desk and your work is incredibly beneficial. Forget the scheduled contact time, some of the most informative conversations I have had have been quick 10 minute chats on the fly.

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Photo of Andrea Dhelpra, smiling standing by the river in London

Computing project exhibition 2023: Andrea Dhelpra, Computer Science BSc(Hons)

The highlight for me was the opportunity to apply everything I learned in my final project. This project was personally meaningful to me, and I enjoyed the process of putting my knowledge and skills into practice.

Tell us a bit about your project

I became interested in the blockchain field in 2020 during my second year of studies. I was getting really excited about the things that are possible thanks to this technology, so I started my side project with some friends and decided that it would be a great idea to commercialise a cryptocurrency trading bot. This suited very well with my final project, so I decided to use the support given from the university to start building a prototype.

My supervisor helped me understand how I could make the bot stand out from the competition and how it could be further improved. This was very helpful guidance from an experienced point of view. In addition to that, the research materials and resources available at the university, such as textbooks and access to online papers, helped me perform an extensive literature review that allowed me to become more informed about what I was building.

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Log in screen for computer science project about blog chain

Computing project exhibition 2023: Constandinos Kotsis, Computer Science BSc(Hons)

In essence, the university holds your hand whilst you navigate your way and once you are ready, it lets you go to start your journey.

Tell us a bit about your project

The final year project thesis I have developed is centred around blockchain technology and providing a unique solution to online voting systems. It addresses the issues surrounding election fraud, voter anonymity and the miscount of votes and proposes a blockchain electronic voting decentralised application combining the different features of blockchain technology at its forefront. I was intrigued by the overall reputation that blockchain has in academia and society and wanted to explore the field further.

It certainly isn’t something I knew a lot about which can be a testament to how risky choosing a field with minimal experience can be for the final year project. But luckily it turned out very well. The University prepared me from the get-go; at the beginning of the year I had already chosen a supervisor for my project and had an initial idea for what I wanted to do.

It all went from there really, I continued having regular meetings with my supervisor talking about my project and also about my plans after university.

Wallet screen for computer science project about block chain
Mobile registration screen for computer science project about block chain
Mobile registration screen for computer science project about block chain
Log in screen for computer science project about blog chain
Constantine Kotsis head shot
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Stephanie ThomsonLeave a comment
Internal walkway graphic

Finalist in Urban Design Group National Student Competition

Congratulations to Architectural and Urban Design MA student Rafa Grosso Macpherson, who is a finalist in the Urban Design Group’s national annual student competition.

Rafa’s concept design is based on the need to tackle the climate and biodiversity emergencies, starting by retaining existing structures and surfaces in an effort to reduce embodied energy from demolition and new building. But it is also an honest celebration of the industrial heritage of the 20th Century, many times forgotten and replaced with ‘anywhere developments’. One of the drivers for this concept design was to activate the derelict site with a network of destinations and hubs that will provide a function to residents, workers and visitors. Overall, the concept design tries to remain realistic but aspirational of a better future for people that feels connected to their place and the landscape.

Architectural graphic of a flow chart
Internal walkway graphic
Graphic of people standing on a terrace
Architectural and Urban Design MA

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