Academic team

Personal Statement

I am a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the Dyson Institute. Prior to joining, I worked as an industrial lecturer at Swansea University. My role enabled me to bring my research, teaching and interpersonal skills together to motivate Welsh SME (Small & Medium Enterprises) employees to upskill their academic knowledge which was very successful and as a result I was featured in the Inspiring Women 2020 list.

My Higher Education pedagogic experience spans over 5 years with a specific interest in Engineering and I received the Fellowship of Higher Education Academy (FHEA) in 2020. I also have the experience of the PG-CertHE programme for my professional teaching development, which has allowed me to reflect on various teaching techniques. Since 2018 I have been teaching lead for various engineering courses such as Manufacturing Technology, Engineering Analysis, Smart Manufacturing, Static Mechanics, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).

I am very enthusiastic about teaching, and I believed this has been aspired by my academic background and research experiences. During my PhD studies, I performed the computational modelling of fluid-structure interactions at nano-scale boundaries using molecular dynamics for drug delivery applications in the healthcare industry. Following my PhD, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Cross Flow Energy Ltd, performing computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations for design optimization of wind turbines. This involved the modelling of different turbulent conditions to achieve the highest efficiency. In this research, hundreds of CFD simulations were ran on supercomputer clusters for days and weeks to achieve the optimum design. Our simulations in this research lead to the development and manufacturing of a novel type of wind turbine. The great feeling of development of a device which transforms an intellect into a product which not just supports the race to net zero, but brings connectivity to ‘not-spots’ in remote and rural areas was such an enjoyable moment and I believe, I wouldn’t be able to achieve these impacts without having a great instructor during my undergraduate and postgraduate studies and this is what motivates me in delivering my teaching in a way that could help students to grasp the practical aspects of theories they learn.

Why did you choose the Dyson Institute?

My ideal career choice is work in an industry-academia interface. I believe academia holds one of the main keys to empower the technology and the industry sectors to solve the real-world problems.

The Dyson Institute provides both theoretical and deep understanding the engineering concepts to its students by investigating practical aspects of thought topics in their workplace rotations and transforming them into valuable and sought-after experienced engineers. In my previous role, we developed courses to address skill shortages for industry employees to improve their understanding of engineering processes and this prepared me to join the Dyson Institute.  

The degree apprenticeship programme at the Dyson Institute gives the exaptational opportunity to gain a paid-for degree while getting industry experience and earning a salary, which is the best possible type of degree in engineering and I’m proud to be part of that journey for the future engineers.

In terms of my professional development, I’ve found the Dyson Institute a very challenging place which provides more areas for growth in teaching as well as research. Its students are actively involved in discussions, and they challenge me in classes with their curiosities and riveting questions. Moreover, collaboration with Dyson engineers and developing the course base of what they need to thrive at Dyson is a novel approach. Also, the focus of research is always on applications which are quite practical and towards the future of the industry.

Academic qualifications and any professional memberships

2017-2020: PG Cert Teaching in HE Programme - Teaching Fellow

PhD 2010-2014: Mechanical Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
Thesis title: Computational Modelling Of Fluid-Structure Interaction At Nano-Scale

MSc 2008-2009: Mechanical Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
Thesis title: Stability of the non-linear passive compass gait model on the sloping surface

BSc  2003-2008: Mechanical Engineering, University of Mazandaran, Iran.

Research interests are in the areas of:

Fluid-Flow analysis in continuum scale as well as the Nano Scale
Molecular Dynamic
Wind Energy

Publications

F. Hafezi, S. Rolland, D.McBride, T .N .Croft, M. Cross, R. Ellis , A CFD case study of using turbulence models for evaluating the performance of a drag based vertical axis wind turbine (ACME 2015)

F. Hafezi, RS Ransing, The calculation of drag on nano_cylinders. Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng 2017; 111:1025–1046

F. Hafezi, RS Ransing, Computational Modelling of fluid structure interaction at nano-scale boundaries with modified Maxwellian velocity. Applied Mathematical Modelling, 37, 14-15, 7504-7520, 2013

F. Hafezi, RS Ransing and D.T. Gethin, Compaction of particle assemblies: numerical prediction of yield surfacest. UK National Conference on Computational Mechanics in Engineering, Southampton University, 29-31 March 2010

Personal statement

Prior to working at the Dyson Institute, I worked as an Engineering and Mathematics Lecturer at the Bedford College Group for thirteen years. While there, I had the opportunity to undertake multiple roles, including acting as the HE Course Manager. As part of my job role, I was responsible for overseeing curriculum content, assessment apparatus and general course administration. I also functioned as a Pastoral Tutor for apprentices undertaking undergraduate courses, supporting them to make consistent progress while managing their work-life balance. As part of a small team, I was also involved in the design and development of new BSc programmes in mechanical, electrical and electronic and mechatronics, in partnership with the University of Northampton.

My teaching specialism principally relates to engineering mathematics and mathematical modelling at undergraduate level, as well as other engineering subjects, including fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. My passion for teaching mathematics stems from its applications in real engineering problems. I strongly believe that, as an academic, it is essential to motivate, enthuse and influence students, as it is integral to fostering active engagement in learning, which in turn enables students to make progress in quantifiable ways. In practice, for me, this equates to showing students that maths is applicable in everyday life. I am careful to include this in my planning and delivery because I have observed that students consistently ask why we use certain theories and where they come from. Consequently, I endeavour to provide them with this underlying knowledge and demonstrate how these concepts/theorems are applicable within their frame of reference and beyond. I feel that this approach is fundamental to teaching mathematics successfully.

Why did you choose the Dyson Institute?

The first thing that inspired me to come to the Dyson Institute was the goal to deliver a world class academic programme that encompasses invaluable work experience for students within Dyson. I was enthused by the opportunity to become part of a team that were collaborating to set-up a degree programme, one that would be distinctly different to traditional university degrees. In addition, Dyson itself is an innovative and forward-thinking company and I strongly believe that the degree apprenticeship at the Dyson Institute provides students with a tremendous opportunity to gain invaluable professional experience, as well as academic excellence. The beauty of this model is that students can apply their learning immediately through workplace rotations during term and group projects during the summer. The opportunity for students to develop themselves both professionally and personally is key to forming the next generation of engineers… I wish I had had the same experience in my first degree.

When I first visited the teaching spaces and labs, it was exciting to see that the Dyson Institute really cared about providing the best education to the next generation of engineers. The Dyson Institute is equipped with the latest technology, software and resources available, both on campus and online, with access to the latest research within Dyson where students will be given the opportunity to make vital contributions.

As for my own development, to be working for such an innovative and progressive company, the opportunities are endless. Since joining, I have learnt a great deal about the operational components that underpin a higher education institution. I was also thrilled by the chance to collaborate with other academics and engineers to design enriching programmes for developing future engineers.

Academic qualifications & professional memberships 

• MSc in Mathematics, Birkbeck, University of London, 2018
• Graduate Certificate in Mathematics, Birkbeck, University of London, 2015
• Post-Graduate certificate in Post-Compulsory Education, University of Bedfordshire, 2010
• BEng(Hons) in Aerospace Engineering, University of Hertfordshire, 2006 

Research & academic papers/outputs

I am currently exploring various avenues with the aim of conducting research in Mathematical Modelling.

Personal Statement

I'm a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the Dyson Institute. Prior to joining the Institute, I was a Teaching Tutor in Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University.

My doctoral work focused on Nonlinear Model Updating in Structural Dynamics, led to the development of various identification methods in structural dynamics including a harmonic-balance-based identification method (AFTHB approach) that is applicable to a wide range of complicated nonlinear systems. I have actively collaborated in different distinguished research projects including the DigiTwin project which aimed to create robustly-validated digital twins for dynamics applications, and the project of Shape Adaptive Blades for Rotorcraft Efficiency (SABRE) which was focused on developing new helicopter blade morphing technologies. I have developed efficient codes for the dynamic analysis, stability study, and bifurcation analysis of nonlinear systems in time and frequency domains.

My research focuses on structural dynamics, vibration control, fluid-structure interaction, and morphing aircraft. As an expert dynamicist of linear and nonlinear systems, I am particularly interested in the application of vibration-based inverse methods in structural and health condition monitoring. I am also enthusiastic about pursuing my research interests at Dyson Institute in area of rotordynamics. Other topics that I am currently focusing on is to design and develop vibration-based energy harvesting and MEMS/NEMS sensors and devices.

Why did you choose the Dyson Institute?

I have always been envisaging my ideal career as a position involving teaching and research activities related to my areas of expertise. I have always dreamt of reconciling my academic theoretical background and research experience with practical applications in real-life systems. At the Dyson Institute, I found this great opportunity of having close collaboration between Academia and Industry.  

My teaching philosophy is based on a combination of a variety of teaching/learning methods that can maximise student engagement. The objectives here in the Institute are set to provide the Undergraduate Engineers with the best possible hands-on experience. Also, having very well-equipped teaching spaces and different laboratories at the Institute makes it much easier for me to achieve my goals.

As an ambitious growing academic organisation, the Dyson Institute is an ideal place for my future career, where I can not only be involved in the teaching and research, but actively play my role in administration activities and help the Institute through its way towards its ambitious goals.

Academic qualifications & professional memberships

PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons), MASME

Research & academic papers

Taghipour, Javad, Hamed Haddad Khodaparast, Michael I. Friswell, Alexander D. Shaw, Hassan Jalali, and Nidhal Jamia. "Harmonic-Balance-Based parameter estimation of nonlinear structures in the presence of Multi-Harmonic response and force." Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing 162 (2022): 108057.

Taghipour, Javad, Jiaying Zhang, Alexander D. Shaw, Mike I. Friswell, Huayuan Gu, and Chen Wang. "Resonant passive energy balancing of morphing helicopter blades with bend–twist coupling." Nonlinear Dynamics 107, no. 1 (2022): 617-639.

Gu, Huaiyuan, Javad Taghipour, Andres Rivero, Mohammadreza Amoozgar, Alexander D. Shaw, Jiaying Zhang, Chen Wang, and Michael I. Friswell. "Experimental validation of inertial twist concept for rotor blade application." Composite Structures 288 (2022): 115414.

Azizi, Saber, Hadi Madinei, Javad Taghipour, and Hassen M. Ouakad. "Bifurcation analysis and nonlinear dynamics of a capacitive energy harvester in the vicinity of the primary and secondary resonances." Nonlinear Dynamics 108, no. 2 (2022): 873-886.

Jalali, Hassan, Nidhal Jamia, Michael I. Friswell, Hamed Haddad Khodaparast, and Javad Taghipour. "A generalization of the Valanis model for friction modelling." Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing 179 (2022): 109339.

Taghipour, Javad, Morteza Dardel, and Mohammad Hadi Pashaei. "Nonlinear vibration mitigation of a flexible rotor shaft carrying a longitudinally dispositioned unbalanced rigid disc." Nonlinear Dynamics 104, no. 3 (2021): 2145-2184.

Taghipour, Javad, Hamed Haddad Khodaparast, Michael I. Friswell, Hassan Jalali, Hadi Madinei, and Nidhal Jamia. "On the sensitivity of the equivalent dynamic stiffness mapping technique to measurement noise and modelling error." Applied Mathematical Modelling 89 (2021): 225-248.

Taghipour, Javad, Morteza Dardel, and Mohammad Hadi Pashaei. "Nonlinear vibration analysis of a flexible rotor shaft with a longitudinally dispositioned unbalanced rigid disc." Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation 97 (2021): 105761.

Jamia, Nidhal, Hassan Jalali, Javad Taghipour, M. I. Friswell, and H. Haddad Khodaparast. "An equivalent model of a nonlinear bolted flange joint." Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing 153 (2021): 107507.

Taghipour, Javad, and Morteza Dardel. "Steady state dynamics and robustness of a harmonically excited essentially nonlinear oscillator coupled with a two-DOF nonlinear energy sink." Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing 62 (2015): 164-182.

Taghipour, Javad, Morteza Dardel, and Mohammad Hadi Pashaei. "Vibration mitigation of a nonlinear rotor system with linear and nonlinear vibration absorbers." Mechanism and Machine Theory 128 (2018): 586-615.

Taghipour, Javad, Hamed Haddad Khodaparast, Michael I. Friswell, and Hassan Jalali. "An optimization-based framework for nonlinear model selection and identification." Vibration 2, no. 4 (2019): 311-331.

Personal Statement

I’m an Engineer inspiring young people to design a better world.

I'm the Lead in Innovation and Enterprise and Lecturer in Electronics at the Institute. My passion lies in reimagining engineering education – in particular, through developing an immersive, integrated, and bespoke engineering learning model based on 'engineering thinking’.

I hold a doctorate in Electrical Engineering as a Nehru Cambridge Scholar from the University of Cambridge and was awarded the Schlumberger Faculty for Future Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Oxford.

I have received international recognition for my engineering initiatives. I am a Global Ambassador for the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. I was listed in the ‘Top 50 Women in Engineering in UK' in 2017 and the Clinton Global Changemaker Class 2018.

I am a TEDx, and regularly invited, speaker on technical subjects. I’m passionate about public engagement with engineering, champion women in STEM, and mentor many aspiring youngsters.

Over the past decade, I have held key leadership roles ranging from Co-founder/CTO in start-ups to scientific advisory boards of governments and universities. I have achieved recognition as an influencer in higher education, with a record of achievement in leadership, enterprise, and global industrial and academic partnerships.

Why did you choose the Dyson Institute?

My ambition is to lead the restructuring of engineering education.

In particular, I wish to develop immersive, integrated problem- and challenge-based learning, with a focus on empathy, ethics and emotional intelligence on issues of personal and societal relevance. As an ambitious and innovative organisation, the Dyson Institute provides a unique platform for shaping the next generation of engineering degree programmes.

My philosophy of engineering education is based on the fact that being an engineer involves more than just obtaining a degree or having work experience: it entails a way of thinking – and even a way of life.

My role as an engineering educator involves helping students use the process of ‘engineering thinking’ to evolve their engineering identities and to become engineers of value to society.

My teaching is based on the need to cultivate and nurture engineering thinking to help students become holistic engineers. With experts at Dyson, industry and academia, I’m working on building a model to interconnect enterprise and innovation and integrate them into engineering pedagogy.

My initiatives here include workshops like the Magic of Engineering and initiatives like the Engineering journal, Technology, Enterprise and Tinkering hub and Learning to be an Engineering Leader sessions from pre-induction onwards.

I love what I do. I’m excited by the way that the Dyson Institute presents me with a challenging opportunity to experiment with integrating my intersectional background, innovation, enterprise, and research into my electronics teaching.

The team at Dyson is wonderful. It shares the same aspirations and has complementary skillsets: working here offers spaces for creative interactions and intellectual discourse. This provides the platform for enriching my learning as an engineer, for forging my interests, skills, and knowledge, and helping me to reimagine engineering education.

Academic qualifications and professional memberships 

Post-doctoral Fellowship, Faculty for Future Fellow (University of Oxford)

PhD, Cantab (University of Cambridge)

MTech: Master’s in Technology, Power Electronics & Drives (Sri Ramaswamy Memorial Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST))

BTech: Bachelor’s in technology, Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering (Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT))

Professional bodies - elected roles:

• Global ambassador & council member - Queen Elizabeth Prize in Engineering
• Co-chair - Independent Higher Education (IHE), Research & Innovation Network
  Advisory board, STEM scholarship panel – Proprep UK
• Research & Innovation Transfer Committee – Engineering Professors Council (EPC)
• Panel, MIT Technology Review
• UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) Young Researcher Forum • Regional Rep -British Federation for Women Graduates (BFWG)

Memberships:

• Women in Engineering Society (WES)  
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Advance Higher Education (Advance HE)

Personal interests 

I’m a ‘STEMist’ in love with the magical hope of trials, tragedies and triumphs in books, movies and music! I enjoy shopping; to de-stress, I love binge-watching spy thrillers and crime dramas over a pot of chilli Indian snacks and a cup of hot chocolate. More productive time-off involves reading and exploring my creative self through interior designing and decoration.

Research papers & academic outputs

My multi-disciplinary research interests range across machine learning for electronics applications, power electronics and disruptive restructuring of engineering education, including design of an inclusive engineering learning model for fostering a sustainable world.

I have provided 60+ keynotes and a 100+ outreach talks and 26 peer-reviewed journal papers. I have gained £180k in study and research grant; and have spearheaded research collaboration between top-tier universities and semiconductor companies, gaining funding and access to resources.

Latest keynotes and outreach activities:

• Nov 21: Career talk on Women in Engineering Society Annual Student Conference: 'Preparing for an Interdisciplinary Future'.
• Oct 2021: Invited Keynote on 'Wonders of Engineering' attended by 120+ selected female engineering aspirants – SHE (Scheme for her empowerment) forum of the Government College of Engineering Kannur (GCEK), India. Attended by 3k+ engineering aspirants.
• July 2021: Invited by Times Higher Education to be on the panel with Guy Daly (deputy VC, Education, from Coventry University (UK), David Rumsey (associate dean, education) from Indiana Institute of Technology-USA, Louise Krmpotic (VP) from DigitalEd (Canada), and Alistair Lawrence (editor) from Times Higher Education to discuss the future of STEM education. {Hybrid learning and the future of STEM education}. Attended by 340+ educationists.
• June 2021: International Women in Engineering Day workshop: Delivered a half-hour session on 'My engineering day at the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology', followed by a taster lecture on International Women in Engineering Day attended by 200+ aspiring female students.
• May 2021: Plenary talk on ‘Reimaging Engineering Education with Arts’, ‘Young women in science and education’, Federal State Educational Budgetary Institution of Higher Education, Moscow.

For full list refer to: https://nikitahari.com/talks/

Latest Journal Papers:

• N. Hari, M. Ahsan, S. Ramasamy, P. Sanjeevikumar, A. Albarbar and F. Blaabjerg, "Gallium Nitride Power Electronic Devices Modelling using Machine Learning," in IEEE Access, vol. 8, pp. 119654-119667, 2020.
• Hari N, Ramasamy S, Ahsan M, Haider J, Rodrigues EMG. An RF Approach to Modelling Gallium Nitride Power Devices Using Parasitic Extraction. Electronics. 2020; 9(12): 2007.
• Nikita Hari, Edward Shelton, Teng Long, "Investigation of Gate Drive Strategies for High Voltage GaN HEMTs" in Energy Procedia, Elsevier, Vol 117, June 2017, 1152-1159.

For full list refer to: https://nikitahari.com/research/

Personal Statement

I joined the Dyson Institute as a Lecturer in Computer Science. Prior to that, I was a Sessional Lecturer at Wrexham Glyndŵr University.

I have been in academia for over eight years, studying, teaching, and researching on several topics within the umbrella of Data Science and the broader area of Computer Science. My love for Computer Science piqued when I first studied Information Retrieval during my Master’s and ever since I have been enthralled by the myriad possibilities that Data Science holds in our day-to-day lives while also nurturing one’s academic pursuits. In my active involvement with research, I have imbued a considerable interest in the nexus between Machine Learning and Data Analytics.

While doing novel research is a noble activity, to translate it into a tangible resource, I feel teaching is of quintessential importance. I believe teaching is complementary to research; one cannot thrive without the other. My teaching experience includes a paraphernalia of Computer Science modules, such as Programming, Operating Systems, Databases, Parallel Computing, Microprocessors, Artificial Intelligence, Information Retrieval, Cloud Computing, Data Design & Modelling and Data Analytics. I have also successfully supervised 5 Master theses and 12 Bachelor dissertations across my teaching experience in different institutions.

From being on both sides of the desk, as a student and a tutor, I have understood that knowledge gained should enable us to apply it to solve novel problems. Uncharacteristically that requires a solid understanding of the theoretical approaches. This is what my philosophy of teaching encapsulates—to inculcate an intuitive understanding of a subject and allow students to translate that into practical skills. I prefer to teach with examples and enable them to understand a problem, approach it, develop a sound algorithm, and then finally solve it mathematically or empirically. As I have learnt while growing up, you learn best when you practice, and so I develop modules that give students enough opportunity to practice and apply what they learnt in class to solve problems outside the confines of a textbook.

Why did you choose the Dyson Institute?

Of the multiple factors that led to me join the Dyson Institute, the strongest reason was my innate yearning to be part of an alternative higher education system that not only imparts the requisite knowledge but also provides the conducive environment for real world application. I believe this is profoundly missing in the traditional set up of current engineering institutions. On my visit to the Institute, I was overwhelmed by the uniqueness of the model which treated students as partners. The Institute takes pride in what they do and the care that goes in the support and development of undergraduates. As many of my dearest colleagues have pointed out, I wish I had the privilege to be an undergraduate at such an institution during my time.

There are few companies that stresses on innovation as much as Dyson does. And I strongly believe that the culture the Dyson Institute imbibes in their students, not only make them successful engineers but excellent and resolute human beings keen for changing the world for the better.  As an academic and researcher, I wanted to be part of this journey and enhance the Institute’s reputation as a world class research and educational institution.

Academic qualifications

• PhD (2017- ) in Informatics from Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland.
• Tech (2014) in Computer Science and Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad, India.
• Tech (2012) in Computer Science and Engineering from West Bengal University of Technology, Kolkata, India.

I have served as a reviewer for several international journals and conferences and co-organised conferences.

Research and academic papers

My primary research interests include Data Science, Information Retrieval, Text Mining and Patent Analytics. I have had several successful research collaborations across Switzerland, India, UK, US and Australia.

Selected publications:

• Chakraborty, Manajit, Maksym Byshkin, and Fabio Crestani. “Patent citation network analysis: A perspective from descriptive statistics and ERGMs.” PLOS One 15, no. 12 (2020): e0241797.
• Aliannejadi, Mohammad, Manajit Chakraborty, Esteban Andrés Ríssola, and Fabio Crestani. “Harnessing evolution of multi-turn conversations for effective answer retrieval.” In Proceedings of the 2020 Conference on Human Information Interaction and Retrieval, pp. 33-42. 2020.
• Chakraborty, Manajit, Sukomal Pal, Rahul Pramanik, and C. Ravindranath Chowdary. “Recent developments in social spam detection and combating techniques: A survey”. Information Processing & Management 52, no. 6 (2016): 1053-1073.
• Agarwal Akshita, Manajit Chakraborty, and C. Ravindranath Chowdary. “Does order matter? Effect of order in group recommendation”. Expert Systems with Applications 82 (2017): 115-127.
• Chakraborty, Manajit and Fabio Crestani. “Old is Not Always Gold: Early Identification of Milestone Patents Employing Network Flow Metrics”. Proceedings of the Swiss Text Analytics Conference 2021, Winterthur, Switzerland, June 14-16, 2021 (Online), Vol. 2957.

Personal Statement

Holding a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Northumbria University, I joined the Dyson Institute as a lecturer of thermofluids in 2022. Before joining, I was a research fellow at University College London (UCL), working on Systems-Based Methods for Innovation. I have published more than ten papers in international journals and peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts in more than five journals. Recently I have been recognised as a "Global Talent" by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Throughout my academic career, I have participated in various multidisciplinary research projects such as developing renewable energy systems, designing microfluidics devices and optimising drug manufacturing units. In all these projects, I aimed to use numerical models to solve and/or optimise an engineering problem. Since completing my PhD in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), I have become increasingly interested in thermofluids, and I have chosen to continue my teaching and research in this area.

Having a keen interest in thermofluids, I have experience teaching core mechanical engineering modules focusing on fluid dynamics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and CFD. I believe teaching by real-world examples is the best way to transfer knowledge to young engineers. Consequently, I believe the Dyson Institute is one of the top institutes in the world where this method can be applied.

Why did you choose the Dyson Institute?

It is all about the relationship between a teacher and a student when it comes to teaching. The idea of being able to work in an environment where today's students will be tomorrow's colleagues fascinates me. The Dyson Institute allows me to follow my students' progress even beyond graduation. It is exciting to see that my students will have a global footprint in the future and will design innovative products to solve a problem.

Furthermore, the integration of the Dyson Institute with the research and development units of Dyson gives me many opportunities to deliver my modules with industrial examples. I like to engage students in activities that challenge them to develop, optimise, and apply fundamental theories to real-world problems and become active participants in the learning process.

The Dyson Institute is a very young, yet ambitious institution. It gives me great pleasure to be a member of the academic team and contribute to the Institute's development. Since joining the Dyson Institute, I have been involved in different committees supporting academic program development. I believe such a unique experience is a great chance for my personal development, which can seldom be offered in other higher educational universities.

Academic qualifications & professional memberships

PhD, MSc, BSc, CEng, MIMechE

Research & academic papers

Applying mathematical models to tackle complex real-world problems has always been my curiosity. I have applied numerical models to optimise renewable, zero-emission fuel cell power plants. Furthermore, I have used CFD models to design and optimise the lab-on-a-chip devices. I have also used a continuum approach to model the flow of powders in the continuous manufacturing of drug products. The outcome of this research is used in designing the next generation of drug production units. The results of my research have been published in many international journal papers. A list of my selected publications is listed below:

• Mehdi H Biroun, Luke Haworth, Prashant Agrawal, Bethany Orme, Glen McHale, Hamdi Torun, Mohammad Rahmati, YongQing Fu (2021) Surface Acoustic Waves to Control Droplet Impact onto Superhydrophobic and Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces,13, 38, 46076–46087.
• Mehdi H. Biroun, Mohammad Rahmati, Mehdi Jangi, Baixin Chen, Yong Qing Fu (2021) Numerical and experimental investigations of interdigital transducer configurations for efficient droplet streaming and jetting induced by surface acoustic waves. Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 136, 103545.
• Mehdi H. Biroun, Mohammad Rahmati, Ran Tao, Hamdi Torun, Mehdi Jangi, Yongqing Fu (2020) Dynamic behaviour of droplet impact on inclined surfaces with acoustic waves, Langmuir, 36, 34, 10175–10186.
• Mehdi H. Biroun, Jie Li, Ran Tao, Mohammad Rahmati, Glen McHale, Linxi Dong, Mehdi Jangi, Hamdi Torun, YongQing Fu (2020) Acoustic waves for active reduction of droplet impact contact time, Phys. Rev. Applied 14, 024029.
• Pianko-oprych, P., & Mehdi H. Biroun. (2017). Dynamic Analysis of Load Operations of Two-Stage SOFC Stacks Power Generation System. Energies, 10(12), 2103.
• Mehdi H. Biroun, Shamekhi, A. H., & Yazdani, A. (2012). Dynamic modelling and simulation of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell used in vehicle considering heat transfer effects. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 4(4).

Personal statement

With more than 17 years of rich experience teaching undergraduate Electrical Engineering courses, in a broad range of classroom settings including face-to-face, online, hybrid, and hyFlex formats across US universities and colleges, I am delighted to join the Dyson Institute as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lead and a Lecturer of Electronics.

I am a dedicated and experienced STEM educator and proactive advisor with an immense passion to teach, mentor, and engage students from all walks of life and backgrounds, especially women, underrepresented minorities, and neurodiverse students. Professionally trained in academic mentoring, advising, student recruitment, outreach and retention, students’ success, inclusion and diversity.

Equipped with interpersonal skills and effective conflict resolution strategies across genders, cultures, and organisational levels, I have presented at various conferences, spearheaded various committees to bolster student engagement and retention and further the mission of advancement of students as well as faculty members.

I have received numerous awards including Outstanding Faculty Awards, Excellence in Academic Advising, Outstanding Undergraduate Faculty, Outstanding Student Organisation Faculty Advisor, Favourite Professors Award, Teaching with Technology Faculty Award, Research Achievement Award, and Advocating for Recruitment & Retention of Women in STEM Award, to name a few.

Why did you choose the Dyson Institute?

At the Dyson Institute, I have the opportunity to equip, motivate, and nurture the new generation of learners to uphold authentic, different, and pioneering ingenious innovative values while exploring the global challenges of tomorrow and their crucial roles as responsible engineers. These values aligned with the three essential principles of my teaching philosophy to help students build a strong understanding of the fundamental concepts of electrical engineering; to inspire students’ creativity and curiosity while developing analytical skills; & to help develop problem-solving skills by guiding and training students to become independent learners and critical thinkers.

My track record in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion scene specifically in the Higher Education setting aligns with the mission of Dyson and the Dyson Institute to level the engineering field for women and other underrepresented minority groups. With an average of 40% female undergraduate population, the Dyson Institute is among one of the most progressive engineering academic institutions. We are aspired to attract and increase the enrolment of ethnic minorities and underrepresented groups in our learner population. This mission is especially dear and near to my heart and I am determined to apply my expertise and knowledge in this area to make this mission a reality and a norm rather than an exception.

Our values at Dyson are authentic, different, and pioneering ingenious technologies. At the Dyson Institute, students are given an expedient opportunity to build a strong foundation of engineering concepts from accomplished and knowledgeable academic professionals, while experiencing practical aspects of engineering alongside some of the accomplished and talented engineers at Dyson and given the opportunity to work on the most innovating projects.

Academic qualifications & professional memberships

Ph.D. Candidate: The Influence of Bias, Discrimination, and Microaggression on Women and Underrepresented Minority in Engineering

Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering

Women’s Engineers Society (WES)

Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

American Educational Research Association (AERA)

Engineering Council

Selected research & academic papers

Mardani, M., Stupnisky, R. H. (2022, April). Under-represented Minority STEM Faculty Members’ Motivation for Research: A Multi-Group Structural Equation Model Predicting Success. Paper presented to the American Educational Research Association Conference, April 22-25, San Diego, CA.

Mardani, M., Stupnisky, R. H. (2023, April). Examining the Influence of Workplace Microaggressions on Under-represented Minority STEM Faculty Members’ Motivation for Research. Paper submitted to the American Educational Research Association Conference, April 13-17, Chicago, IL

Stupnisky, R. H., Chang, C., Omojiba, M. O., Amida, A., Clinton-Lisell, V., Herbert, M. J., Jaeger, J. A., Mardani, M. (2022, April). University Faculty Motivation for Teaching and Research: A Systematic Literature Review. Paper submitted to the American Educational Research Association Conference, April 22-25, San Diego, CA.

Mardani, M. (2021, October). You’re in my Way: Discrimination of Women in Academia. Presenting at the Society of Women Engineers Annual Conference.

Mardani, M., & Stupnisky, R. H. (2021, April).  Examining Under-represented Minority STEM Faculty Members’ Motivation for Research. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Conference.

Prakash Ranganathan, Richard Schultz, Mojdeh Mardani, “Use of Lego Mindstorms in Engineering Education” Proceedings of the 2008 ASEE North Midwest Sectional Conference.

Mardani and T Ortmeyer, “GTO Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor Switch Performance,” IEEE Transaction on Power Delivery, Presented at IEEE Winter meeting, New York, NY

Mardani and J. Ganjavi, “Design and cost factors for a 400 kilo-Volts transmission Power line”

Selected panel and conference speaker:

Allyship for Gender Equality Men, the missing piece of the puzzle

Cultural Competence in Design and Evaluation of Engineering Projects

Inclusive Teaching and Anti-racist Pedagogy

Diversity's Promise For Excellence (DEI Book read Moderator)

Work/life Balance Policies For Faculty, SWE conference 

National Women’s History Month, Women Center, University of North Dakota (UND)

Women in Science: Cultural Norms and Need for Change, RRW Conference, UND

Annual Guest Speaker for T&L: Adolescent Development & Education

Personal Statement

Before working at the Dyson Institute, I was a Lecturer in Computer Science at Swansea University for 3 years. As part of this role, I had numerous responsibilities including Head of Year 2 computer science and software engineering students, lead for academic integrity within the Computer Science department and involved in numerous taught modules centred around programming and software engineering. I supervised over 25 undergraduate projects, 10 master’s projects and had lead supervision on 2 PhD students and second supervision of 1 student. Prior to my role at Swansea, I was a teaching assistant and personal tutor at Newcastle university where I was most involved in supporting the MSc computer science conversion course and its students.

Why did you choose the Dyson Institute?

I was attracted to the Dyson Institute for the potential to be a part of shaping a world class practice focused academic programme. I have long believed traditional university courses significantly lack in how they prepare young adults for the workplace with predominantly theory driven programmes that result in students having to re-learn or adopt new skills when they first enter employment. The Dyson Institute aims to induct students into a non-typical university degree which encompasses high amounts of applied work experience to prepare students with the cutting-edge skills they need to innovate. Academic studies are reinforced by industry practice and professional standards which allow students to develop themselves into the next generation of engineers.

The Dyson Institute is brimming with the latest technology, software, and engineering resources available on campus and online. Dyson students are well catered for with a fully paid degree programme, monthly wage and first year on-site accommodation. These are only some of the many benefits our students have access to which reinforces Dyson’s desire to ensure students are properly prepared to go straight into the workplace. Personally, I am excited to collaborate with other passionate academics and engineers to develop modules, courses, and research to further the Dyson Institute.

Academic qualifications

PhD in Computer Science, Newcastle University, 2022

MRes in Digital Civics, Newcastle University, 2016

MSc in Computer Science, Newcastle University, 2015

BA (Hons) in IT and Computer Studies in Secondary Education, Sunderland University, 2014

Research and academic outputs

I am a cross-disciplinary researcher that sits in the field of Human-Computer Interaction. It’s my goal to tackle real-world problems to better understand how technology and socio-technical processes can support communities. My past research has involved engagement with rural communities in the design and deployment of pervasive technology to enhance community information sharing and awareness.

Stuart Nicholson, Clara Crivellaro, Adrian K Clear, Dan Jackson, Rob Comber, Vasilis Vlachokyriakos, and Patrick Olivier. 2021. Sustaining a Networked Community Resource: Findings from a Longitudinal Situated Display Deployment. In Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’21). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 561, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445693

Stuart Nicholson, Dan Jackson, Adrian K Clear, and Patrick Olivier. 2019. Showboater: insight into sustainable rural community display networks from a longitudinal study. In Proceedings of the 8^th ACM International Symposium on Pervasive Displays (PerDis ’19). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 12, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1145/3321335.3324948