Department of Engineering and Design

Celebrating 50 years of Engineering at Sussex

A Brief History

The first students entered Engineering at Sussex in 1965, from the School of Applied Science (AS) making 2015 Engineering’s 50th year.

April 24th 2015 was a day of celebration with past and current staff and students in attendance.

The day consisted of department tours, talks from current staff and culminated in Professor Robert Prance's inaugural lecture, this was followed by dinner attended by 120.

The full schedule of events, along with selected videos and photographs can be found below. Towards the bottom of this page is a short video which captures the day.

Schedule of Events
Guests Arrive at the Meeting House

Guests arrive for the day, with an opportunity to catch up with old associates

First arrival of the day Those who attended were given a schedule of events for the day We were joined by 150 guests during the day Sir John Clifford West arrives for the day
A moment to remember for Christopher Unwin Head of Department Dr Helen Prance greeted guests Bob Gillespie in conversation Head of School, Professor Diane Mynors and Sir John Clifford West
Many enjoyed the opportunity to catch up John Batchelder catches up with a cohort of Alumni Dr Helen Prance discussing Engineering students final year posters displayed at the Meeting House Dr Rupert Young talks with the Alumni team

Research Groups and Talks - videos and photographs

Fulton Lectures

Gathering between lectures, viewing the displays based on information from The Keep and catching up on the evolution of the Department.

John Batchelder, far right, keen to head off on a tour with John Hailstone (2nd from right) Emeritus Professor Bernard Weiss and Professor Derek Atherton Frances Bearn and ex-colleagues enjoying the days activities Professor J Michael Owen (centre) joins in the conversations with Ian Wilson MBE (right)
A current student getting an education into the way things were with Simon Smewing Professor John Carroll and Des Watson sharing in the information from the Keep Godwin Ita Ekong and current faculty Professor Martin Rose Student ambassadors enjoyed hearing about the way things were and how the department has developed

Presentations from the four Research Groups

Dr Julian Dunne introduced the various people within the Dynamics, Control, and Vehicle (DCV) Research Group, explaining what the DCV Group does, and the reasons why. He then went on to discuss a selection of nine current research projects. His presentation summarised the main focus of the Group, and highlighted current industrial collaborations.

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Professor Julian Dunne begins his presentation An audience of Alumni A current student listens intently Professor Dunne in the throws of his presentation

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Professor Chris Chatwin introduced the Industrial Informatics and Signal Processing (iisp) Research Group explaining what iisp Group does which includes medical image processing, fluorescence microscopy electrical impedance mammography, biometrics, and security systems for smart cities.

The presentation concentrated on major achievements by the Group including micro-stereolithography and the spinout company TexRAD which utilises medical image processing, and fluorescence microscopy.

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Professor Chris Chatwin begins his presentation Focused listening, an insight into the research group for our Alumni Professor Chatwin is engaging his audience The presentation gives good over view of and insight into the research area

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Dr Daniel Roggen introduced the Sensor Technology Research Centre (STRC) including the five research areas: fundamentals of sensors, wearable technologies, flexible electronics, communications technologies, and extreme environment detectors. The presentation included examples of how combinations of the research within the Centre enables the invention and development of new sensors, and how they can lead to licensed technologies which result in new products which are beneficial to a wide user base. 

Sensor Technology Research Centre, Dr Daniel Roggen

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The Thermo-Fluids Research Centre (TFMRC) Team summarised the history of TMFRC which was founded with an EPSRC grant in 1977. The continuous and significant industrial collaborations, including the current collaboration with GE Aviation, were discussed. The experimental and theoretical research into the aerodynamics and heat transfer inside jet engines was described. Examples included the specialist high speed engine representative rigs used in the development of the temperature field measurements on both stationary and rotating parts and sophisticated Large Eddy Simulations (LES) to study fuel droplets and combustion.

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Dr Zhiyin Yang presents some of presentation Engineering Alumni, Ken Hart (2nd left) and Michael Owen (2nd left) taking in the presentation Alumni Bob Gillespie takes in the presentation Dr Vasudevan Kanjirakkad sharing in presenting the research group overview

Tours

Pictures from the tours of student accomodation, the campus, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronic engineering.

Student Accommodation Tour

The Department's student ambassadors act as guides.

Student ambassadors head off with guests on an accommodation tour A regular mode of transport for students parked outside the accommodation buildings Lancaster House, one of the accommodation buildings housing some of the 5,000 students who live on campus Student ambassadors give a good insight into the accommodation with Christine Thornton-Clough, Frances Bearn and Mike King
The kitchens are a pleasant surprise to Christine Thornton-Clough A student residence in Swanborough where the 250 rooms are all ensuite The style of decor is of course individual, Robert Ahern and Frances Bearn The group head up to East Slope, popular with the first years flats hold 6-12 students
When you head up East Slope you then of course do need to head back down Outside Swanborough House, the campus is in bloom for the summer Students make their surroundings homely Swanborough House is centrally located on campus

Mechanical Engineering Tour

Faculty take guests around the various departmental laboratories and workshops. In the Shawcross building they saw the Tribology Laboratory; in Richmond building the Engine Laboratories.

On arrival at John Clifford West's (JCW) building guests toured the Electrical Machines, Electronics, and Rapid Prototyping laboratories; and visited the Formula Student development area before walking over to the Thermo-fluid Mechanics Research Centre (TMFRC).

Dr Romeo Glovnea with Professor J M Owen Professor William Wang guides the tour group through the labs A close up of the equipment Dr William Wang with Ian Wilson MBE (left) and his tour group
A recent kit addition for Engineering students, the department has two buggies A recent kit addition for Engineering students, the department has two buggies A close up of the buggy The buggy is a good learning tool for the students
More kit used to teach students Dr Vasudevan Kanjirakkad talks through the various areas of Sir John Clifford West building Photos of previous Formula Student Teams - places on the team are highly sought after by Mechanical Engineering students How Engineering has developed, Alastair Mackinnon flying his quadcopter
Alastair Mackinnon flying his quadcopter, Andrew Ostrowski (right) is enjoying the display Professor John Clifford West, inaugural Dean of the School, outside the building named in his honour JCW

Professor Robert J Prance's Inaugural Lecture

Professor Robert Prance was made a Professor of Sensor Technology in 2009 and leads the Sensor Technology Research Centre in the Department of Engineering and Design. Professor Prance gave his lecture in the Jubilee Lecture Theatre, this was entitled

                                                    It's an Analogue World: Sensors in the Digital Age

                                                                   Video of lecture coming soon

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The inaugural lecture was attended by alumni, faculty and current students. Introduced by the Head of School, Professor Diane Mynors, Professor Prance 'entertained' all in attendance with his interactive and engaging lecture. Professor Kenneth Grattan FREng of City University London, delivered the vote of thanks, at which point everybody gathered to celebrate and congratulate Professor Prance.

Professor Prance takes the audience through his lecture Professor Prance mid demonstration Those who came to watch the lecture were fully engaged throughout Professor Kenneth Grattan giving the vote of thanks to Professor Prance for his lecture Professor Robert Prance, Professor Kenneth Grattan and Dr Helen Prance

Post Lecture Gathering

After Professor Prance's inaugural lecture everyone continued to ask questions and discuss the lecture over drinks. Judging by the level of conversation the lecture clearly sparked much interest and debate.

Head of Department Dr Helen Prance Post lecture drinks created some great points of discussion John Kinghorn in debate with a colleague Jeremy Maris and Professor Robert Prance An enthused John Hailstone Dimitrios Tsilenis the Formula Student Team Steering System Design Engineer The Formula Student Team enjoy a post lecture drink Photographs of last year's Formula Student Team John Torry chatting with Edward Osman Formula Student Team Chief Engineer Matthew Spencer Dr Vasudevan Kanjirakkad, one of the presenters of the TFMRC Lecture Dr Ian Carter Sussex's Director of Research and Enterprise Dr Rupert Young chats with Matthew Boultwood Dr Shrijit Mukherjee of the Sensor Technology Research Group
Dinner Celebrating the 50th Anniversary

The 50th anniversary dinner took place on campus in Bramber House. The 120 guests were treated to a three course meal, and enjoyed vibrant conversation until late in the evening when the carriages arrived. Those that were unable to attend missed out on a sumptuous selection of food and wine. 

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We all love Sussex Before the 120 guests arrived Guests were each given "Making The Future", a commemorative book which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the University of Sussex The dinning tables were all set for the evenings gathering
The evening guests finding their tables PVC Clare Mackie and Director of Research and Enterprise Dr Ian Carter Professor John Carroll and Emeritus Professor Bernard Weiss Gill Partridge
Dr Chang Wang Michael Scott Head of School, Professor Diane Mynors, thanked all for attending and hoped they had enjoyed the day All listen to Head of School, Professor Diane Mynors
All enjoyd the event Ian Wilson MBE and Tutorial Fellow Harri Koivisto Curriculum & Assessment Officer Anthea Clark Head of School, Professor Diane Mynors, animated in thanking all
Photographer Morten Watkins, without whom the day would only be in our memories

Starters

Grilled mackerel, pickled summer vegetables, corn chowder

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Ratatouille and summer squash soup

Main Course

Pot roasted free range chicken breast, roasted vine cherry tomatoes and sauteed new potatoes

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Pea and shallot tortellini, sauteed spinach an sage butter noi

Desert

Summer fruit pudding with vanilla ice cream

Coffee, tea and chocolates

Pictures of the Past

All former students are entitled to join the Alumni Network, if you wish to join the 140,000 Sussex Alumni worldwide, please visit the Alumni site to find out more. Provided below are some glances back in time.

Sussex in the sixties: a look back on our early years.

 Below watch the video of the day, this encapsulates all of the activities