People in the department
Professor Rachel Thomson
Professor of Materials Engineering
Head of Department
Director of the Materials Research School
BA, MA, PhD, FIMMM
Tel: 01509 223155
Fax: 01509 223949
Email: R.C.Thomson@Lboro.ac.uk
Background
Rachel read for a degree in Natural Sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge University between 1986 and 1989, specialising in Physics. She then carried out her PhD in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, also at Cambridge, between 1989 and 1992. For the following 3 years she held the position of Research Fellow in the same department, supported by SERC (now EPSRC) and Rolls-Royce plc. Between 1993 and 1995 she was awarded a non-stipendiary Research Fellowship at Darwin College, Cambridge University. In 1995, Rachel moved to a lectureship in the Materials department at Loughborough University, being promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1999 and to a Personal Chair in 2002. She became the Director of the Materials Research School, one of 5 multidisciplinary Research Schools in the University, in September 2006. Became Head of Department in 2011.
Qualifications
- BA and MA Honours degree in Natural Sciences, Physics and Theoretical Physics, Newnham College, Cambridge University, II(i), 1989 (BA) and 1992 (MA)
- PhD Cambridge University, 1992, "Carbide Composition Changes in Power Plant Steels as a Method of Remanent Creep Prediction", SERC CASE with National Power
- FIMMM Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, 2009
Key awards
- Rosenhain Medal, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, 2005
- Fellowship from the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, 2003
- E.W. Müeller Outstanding Young Scientist Medal, 42nd International Field Emission Symposium, 1995
Current teaching responsibilities
- MPA105 Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria
- MPC020 Vehicle and Component Design
- MPP143 Materials Modelling
- MPD030 Master’s Group Design Project
Current administrative responsibilities
- Head of Department
- Director of the Materials Research School
- Member of Department Management Advisory Group (Finance Advisor)
- Member of Department Research Committee
- Member of University Council
Outline of main research interests
The development of models to enable the prediction of microstructure and mechanical property evolution in metal alloys as a function of the initial processing and also subsequent service. Development of new alloys and coatings, and understanding of degradation mechanisms for steels, superalloys, cast irons and Al-Si alloys. Experimental characterisation using advanced techniques.
Recent publications
30 journal and refereed conference papers have been published in the last 5 years, including:
- Karunaratne, M., Ogden, S.L., Kenny, S.D. and Thomson, R.C., ''A Mulitcomponent Diffusion Model for the Prediction of Microstructural Evolution in Coated Ni-based Superalloy Systems'', Materials Science and Technology, 25(2), 2009, 287-299.
- Pace, M.T., Thomson, R.C. and Wells, J., ''Oxidation of MCrAlY Coatings on Ni-based Superalloys'', Superalloys 2008, Reed, R.C., Green, K.A., Caron, P., Gabb, T.P., Fahrmann, M.G., Huron, E.S., Woodward, S.R. (eds), TMS, Seven Springs, PA, USA, Sept 2008, 651-660, TMS.
- Sanchez-Hanton, J.J. and Thomson, R.C., ''Characterization of Isothermally Aged Grade 91 (9Cr-1Mo-Nb-V) Steel by EBSD'', Materials Science and Engineering A, 460-461, 2007, 261-267.
- Liu (Changqing), C., Huang, Z., Conway, P.P. and Thomson, R.C., ''Materials behaviour and intermetallics characteristics in the reaction between SnAgCu and SnPb solder alloys'', Journal of Materials Science, 42(11), 2007, 4076-4086.
Current and recent grants and contracts (with others)
Grants in excess of £8.5M awarded (EPSRC, government and industry) in the last 5 years, including:
- 2008-2012 Plant lifing of high efficiency, low CO2 emission power plant, EPSRC £4.3M
- 2007-2009 Improved modelling of material properties for high efficiency power plant TSB £155k
- 2004-2008 Lifetime extension of conventional power plant, EPSRC £2.1
- 2002-2013 Oxidation resistant coatings for industrial gas turbines, RWEnpower (3 grants) £93.5k
External collaborators
Universities of Bristol, Cranfield, Nottingham and Southampton UK; National Institute for Materials Science, Japan; Alstom Power Ltd., Corus, E.On UK, Doosan Babcock Energy Ltd., Federal-Mogul, NPL, QinetiQ, Rolls-Royce plc, RWE npower, Sermatech Ltd. and Siemens.
External roles and appointments
- High Temperature Materials and Surface Engineering Committees of the Institute of Materials
- Editorial Board of Materials Science and Technology
- EPSRC Peer Review College and frequent panel member, including NSF International Panel (2007)
- Oxford University Materials Characterisation External Advisory Committee
- External Examiner for MSc Materials Engineering at Manchester University (2006-2009) and BEng Materials Engineering at Swansea University (2008-2010)
- Chair NPL MTDATA Advisory Group (2003-)
- Derby University Academic Appointments Committee (2005-)
Full list of publications
Loughborough CIS Portal: Publications list