Welcome to FEPS!
Surrey’s Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (FEPS) is a dynamic, collaborative community where just about anything is possible.
Clockwise from top left: Francesca Castaldo, Alastair Finlinson, Ramsha Saleem and Emma Wright
The last year has seen its challenges but there have also been lots of high points in FEPS – like the launch of Surrey’s 6G Innovation Centre and being recognised with a Gold award by the National Cyber Security Centre (part of GCHQ) for our cyber security education.
With a brand new cohort of undergraduates joining the Faculty this month, we’re taking the opportunity to celebrate what makes FEPS such a great place to study, highlighting some of the incredible achievements of our students and staff over the past 12 months.
Student success stories
As part of the FEPS community you’ll find there are plenty of chances to get involved over and above your studies, whether that’s participating in a competition, working on a research project or joining a new society. The 2021-21 year has been no exception, with our students doing Surrey proud at national level.
Mechanical Engineering students won first place in an unmanned aircraft competition
Lea Motte (Electrical Engineering) made a discovery that could improve the reliability of future smart devices
In July, a team of mechanical engineering students clinched first prize in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ unmanned aircraft competition – managing to make a dramatic come-back after a final day crash!
Biomedical engineering students have also been smashing it this year with two winning prestigious competitions. Emma Wright won the coveted Cadzow Smith Award – given to just one final year student from across 11 universities – and Francesca Castaldo’s project on the link between electric signals and Alzheimer’s disease claimed top place in an Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) competition.
Meanwhile Foundation Year students in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering scooped first prize in an Engineers in Business competition for designing an app which promotes work experience opportunities for graduates.
Making the most of opportunities at Surrey sometimes leads you in a completely unexpected direction. Ramsha Saleem, who’s studying for a Civil Engineering degree, is set to become a published author as a result of her summer research placement. Electronic Engineering student Alex Pirie’s research in the Surrey Space Centre was featured in The MagPi (the official Raspberry Pi magazine), and Alastair Finlinson, studying Computer Science, got the chance to take to the stage of the DataMod 2020 conference and present his final year project to an industry audience. And in her final year project, Lea Motte, studying Electrical Engineering, has made a discovery that could improve the reliability of future smart electronics.
Amazing academics
Academics in the Faculty are leading the way in global research across fascinating areas of science like solar energy capture and nuclear physics, and you’ll find that there are lots of opportunities to engage with them – not just in lectures and tutorials but on research projects and summer placements.
Professor Jim Al-Khalili was awarded a CBE
These are some of the academics who’ve recently been recognised for their incredible work:
- Theoretical physicist Professor Jim Al-Khalili was awarded a CBE for his outstanding services to science and public engagement in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and solar energy expert Professor Ravi Silva was also awarded a CBE for his services to science, education and research
- Regius Professor Rahim Tafazolli, Head of the Institute for Communication Systems (home of the 5G/6G Innovation Centre) was named as one of Total Telecom’s top 100 influencers
- Professor Yaochu Jin, one of the world’s most influential computer scientists, has been invited to join the highly prestigious Academia Europaea network.
Research that changes lives
In FEPS our research is aimed at solving some of the world’s biggest challenges and, as a student here, this research will shape and inform your studies.
Analytical chemists in FEPS have made strides in improving our understanding of plastic pollution
Here are just a few of the exciting research breakthroughs from the past year:
- Chemistry researchers have demonstrated that a single fingerprint left at a crime scene could be used to determine use of class A drugs
- A unique device developed by the Advanced Technology Institute has brought us a step closer to next generation wearable AI electronics
- Researchers in our Centre for Automotive Engineering have pioneered some innovative approaches that could dramatically improve the performance of electric vehicles
- Climate change experts in our Global Centre for Clean Air Research have discovered that remote monitoring using drones could revolutionise the way we use nature-based solutions to safeguard communities from devastating natural hazards
- Astrophysics researchers discovered a population of 100 black holes in the star cluster Palomar 5
- Our analytical chemists have developed a ground breaking method to label and track nano-particles which will improve our understanding of plastic pollution, while Surrey has also been awarded major funding to build a new laboratory for research into microplastics
As you can see, there’s been plenty to celebrate in FEPS over the past 12 months. Our students have always been the lifeblood of the Faculty, bringing energy, enthusiasm and new ideas – and we’re sure that this year’s cohort will be no exception!
Find out more about FEPS.