CEC Research Group

Header The CEC Group, led by Prof Stephen Garrett, boasts critical mass in research excellence within the broad discipline of computational engineering science. It develops and applies computational and analytical techniques to problems within control engineering, energy engineering and fluid mechanics. The group believes in a balanced approach to research projects and fosters collaborations, both nationally and internationally, with experimental scientists, mathematicians and computational modellers in academia and industry. The group sits in the Data Analytics & Computational Modelling theme within the College of Science and Engineering, and shares interests with the Environment, Life Science Interface, and Astronomy, Space & Earth Observation themes.

The underlying ethos of our control activities is to develop practically relevant control system design & analysis tools. Our control research, therefore, includes both the development of fundamental control theory, and the application of advanced tools to novel practical control problems. This diversity of activity is reflected in our broad income base which includes funding from government and EU bodies (e.g. EPSRC, TSB, FP7), from industry (e.g. Agusta-Westland Helicopters, MBDA, Rolls Royce) and also from projects involving mixed funding with joint BAE Systems and EPSRC sponsorship.

In terms of fluid mechanics and energy engineering, the group specialises in analytical and computational approaches with a particular, but not exclusive, interest in transitional and turbulent flows, and energy conversion and storage technologies. Of particular focus is the development of a fundamental understanding of transitional flows towards their control in engineering applications. Our fluids research spans fundamental work through to aerospace, energy, and electrochemical applications and has been supported by the EPSRC, European Commission and the Royal Academy of Engineering. The CEC Group leads two special interest groups within the national UK Fluids Network: Boundary Layers & Complex Rotating Flows, and Turbulent Free Shear Flows.

The CEC Group also hosts the Advanced Structural Dynamics Evaluation Centre (ASDEC), directed by Prof Stephen Garrett.

Research Projects

We are keen to lead or take part in collaborative research projects and consortia. Informal discussions can be initiated with either the Head of Group or any of the CEC group members directly.

PhD applications

We welcome students to study for PhD degrees in any of our research areas. Informal discussion can be made with either the Head of Group or any of the CEC group members directly. Details of our research topics can be found in the websites of CEC group members.

For application procedure, contact Mrs Michelle Pryce mc41@leicester.ac.uk.

Learn more and apply for research degrees in engineering.