Fri, 16 October, 2020
It has been announced this week that TWI Senior Project Leader, Josh Barras, will be a recipient of the prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. The fellowship funds the most promising early career researchers across academia and industry, to ensure a vibrant environment for research and innovation in the UK. Josh’s new team will focus on the novel Extreme High-Speed Laser Application (EHLA) coating and deposition technology, and develop TWI’s capabilities as the first UK EHLA research centre.
Currently, Josh specialises in laser metal deposition (LMD) research and development. His area of focus is developing innovative solutions for coatings, component repair and additive manufacturing. Within this role, Josh leads both public funded and contracted research programmes; all focused on industrial application of LMD across many sectors. Josh mentors and supports engineers, operators and students, and leads technology strategy and development within his technology field.
His new research programme will target evolving new technologies and solutions (shown in image below), becoming a world leading expertise of Extreme High-speed Laser Application technology and application for the UK and its manufacturing industry. Josh is collaborating with EHLA inventors, Fraunhofer ILT, who are also applying for match funding to support the Fellowship objectives.
Josh’s Fellowship covers three key areas of research and development:
Josh is an Incorporated Engineer (IEng, MWeldI), with over 7 years of applied LMD experience and is completing his PhD on induction-assisted LMD for high performance coatings (i.e. Tribaloy T800). He is an advocate for establishing new technologies with advanced capabilities, formulating long-term collaborations with industry and actively engaging in technology outreach. Josh also sits on a panel of experts in additive manufacturing for an EU funded skills for AM initiative.
The Laser Additive Manufacturing team and wider TWI community would like to congratulate Josh on his momentous achievement, and look forward to supporting the growth of his team and his technology into the future.
More on the Future Leaders Fellowship Scheme:
“Over 100 of the UK’s up-and-coming science and research leaders will benefit from a £109 million cash boost to convert their innovative ideas to transformational products and services, the government announced Thursday 15 October.
Tackling some of the world’s greatest challenges, including climate change and terminal disease, each scientist and researcher will receive a share of £109 million to develop their ‘blue sky’ solutions to global issues such as food supply, cancer diagnosis and dementia treatment.
The investment will enable the UK’s most promising scientists and researchers from across the UK to fund vital equipment and researcher wages, helping to drive forward their studies and projects at speed.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uks-most-promising-scientists-backed-by-over-100-million-government-investment-to-bring-pioneering-ideas-to-market