NSIRC Doctoral Researcher Becomes IMechE Chartered Engineer

NSIRC Doctoral Researcher Thamasha Samarasinghe has become an IMechE Chartered Engineer.

Cambridge, United Kingdom - Based within the Brunel Composites Centre (BCC), Thamasha Samarasinghe is pursuing an industry-focused PhD on the design and development of composite panels with variable thermal conductivity for Li-ion battery modules.

"Being a chartered engineer gives me recognition within industry and academia because it demonstrates to my employers, and clients, that I have the required and important engineering competencies", said Thamasha. "Also, it indirectly shows that my credentials are verified and I have made a commitment to continuous professional development in engineering."

After graduating from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka with a BSc (Hons) degree in Mechanical Engineering back in 2016, Thamasha completed her MPhil degree in Engineering from the University of Liverpool, UK in 2019.

Her impressive research work focuses on developing a composite casing for passive cooling of battery elements.

Since current solutions with active and passive cooling add weight and complexity in the handling of heat emitted by electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) batteries, there is a need for a cost-effective, lightweight and novel structural case for battery elements.

Thamasha aims to develop a composite casing that will have variable thermal conductivity, depending on the volume fraction of carbon fibers and other conductive elements.

This will increase the performance of the battery element while minimising temperature extrusions outside a desired temperature range.

Dr. Mihalis Kazilas, Brunel University London, the lead academic partner of NSIRC, and Dr. Stuart Lewis, a Technology Expert at TWI Ltd, offer academic supervision to Thamasha's PhD project. Funding for Thamasha's PhD studentship is provided by Lloyd's Register Foundation.

Thamasha has published on the development of an automated microscopic imaging system for TB screening at the Electrical Engineering Conference (EECon) 2016, in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

She has also published a paper on airflow resistance measurements between room temperature and 800℃ at the 23rd International Congress of Acoustics (ICA) 2019, in Aachen, Germany.

Another publication includes her work on thermal and heat transfer modeling of Lithium-Ion Battery Module during the Discharge Cycle; COMSOL Conference 2020, in Grenoble, France.

Thamasha's MPhil thesis from 2019 was titled, 'Airflow resistivity measurement of alkaline earth silicate materials between room temperature and 800°C.'

Thamasha has an active LinkedIn profile that you can find to connect with her. You can also find out more about the industry-led PhD research taking place at NSIRC by visiting the Our Research page.