Images of Research 2014 Gallery

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Business and Industry

<span class=heading><b>Industrial Dilemmas</b> by Naomi Briggs (SIPBS)</span><br />Bearding, Fouling, Scaling, Sticking, Encrustation - the formation of solid crust during pharmaceutical crystallisation. This is one of the major limiting factors preventing the successful implementation of industrial continuous crystallisation. It leads to uncontrolled processing, blockages and all sorts of predicaments. Continuous crystallisation provides higher quality medicines, cheaply, with a reduced footprint. Careful control will accelerate the adaption of continuous crystallisation. <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Naomi Briggs</span>. <span class=small>Collaborators: Fiona McGurk</span>

<span class=heading><b>Robotic Rolling Rumba</b> by Rahul Summan (Electronic and Electrical Engineering)</span><br />Ultrasonic inspection of aircraft composite structures is a critical stage in manufacture that ensures parts are within stringent safety limits. This image shows a KUKA KR5HW robot carrying out an automated ultrasonic inspection of a subscale wing component using an ultrasonic wheel probe which rolls over the surface. The robot appears to dance as it sweeps the probe over the component. <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Rahul Summan</span>. <span class=small>Collaborators: Maxim Morozov, Charles Macleod, Gareth Pierce, Spirit AeroSystems </span>

<span class=heading><b>Stranded Fossil Fuel Assets</b> by Sarah Boyar (Accounting and Finance)</span><br />Once an oxygen-producing boreal forest, this Canadian tar sands site now produces carbon dioxide. If climate emission targets are to be achieved, tar sands’ oil cannot be burned.This could leave many banks stranded with project loans that cannot be repaid. I study the perception of environmental and social risks in financial institutions. I interview bankers and create data relationships from their stories, helping them generate knowledge about their own perceptions and processes.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Sarah Boyar</span>

<span class=heading><b>The Future of Space Transportation</b> by Romain Wuilbercq (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)</span><br />The picture depicts our CFASTT-1A space plane orbiting around the Earth before reentry into the terrestrial atmosphere. This research aims to support the promising new space-access industry that has arisen since the demise of NASA’s space shuttle, and to develop new ways of providing cost effective, efficient and reliable global transport and access to space.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Romain Wuilbercq</span>. <span class=small>Collaborators: Prof. Richard Brown</span>

Government and Third Sector

<div><div style="float:left;padding-left:5px;width:70%"><span class=heading><b>Biomass Management in Malawi</b> by Peter Dauenhauer (Electronic and Electrical Engineering)</span><br />In Balaka, central Malawi, a group of homes stand out in the valley of the sparsely vegetated nearby hillside.
Deforestation is a widespread problem in Malawi. Households depend on wood-fuel for nearly all of their cooking. Charcoal production for urban centres pressures the forests even further.
The Malawi Renewable Energy Acceleration Programme has overseen creation of eight community based forestry management projects and distribution of over 7,000 efficient cook stoves.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Peter Dauenhauer</span></div><div style="float:right;padding-right:5px;"><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/153081186&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true"></iframe></div></div>

<span class=heading><b>Pellet of Destiny</b> by Noor Hamzah (Pure and Applied Chemistry)</span><br />
Air weapons are commonly used by hobbyists, however they are also increasingly used in criminal activities. As with other weapons, the projectiles produced by some air weapons contain striation marks which could potentially link the projectile to a specific weapon. This research examines new objective means of assessing the match criteria of striations between air pistol pellets. The image is a magnified region illustrating the striation marks on a pellet.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Noor Hamzah</span>. <span class=small>Collaborators: Prof. Niamh Nic Daeid</span>

<span class=heading><b>Reinforced Concrete Subjected to Fire</b> by Mohammad Alqassim (Pure and Applied Chemistry)</span><br />Forensic examination of fire-damaged concrete structures could be achieved by several engineering methods. The responses of construction materials to thermal exposures are variable, and typical reinforced concrete may withstand temperatures up to 1000 °C before disintegration. Intensity and duration of the fire can be estimated by observing the collateral damages. Information gathered from the latter may provide necessary evidence in the analysis of fire scene debris and expert witness reports. </strong><br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Mohammad Alqassim</span>. <span class=small>Collaborators: Prof. Niamh Nic Daeid</span>

$Vibrant-Deformation: Geology Encompassing Engineering by Chiara Mazzoni (Civil and Environmental Engineering) A geological site investigation, highlighting the deformation patterns formed due to changes in the rock structure. Deformation can result in small fault zones containing fractures; potential conduits for fluid flow. We use novel geophysical site investigation techniques combined with short period seismometers to detect fault zones less than 5m in width. This technology will monitor discrete leaking due to the cracking of capped rocks in the subsurface, contributing towards a globally sustainable future. Image: © 2014 Chiara Mazzoni. Collaborators: Megan Heather$

Academia

<span class=heading><b>Root treatment for embankment?</b> by Phillippe Sentenac (Civil and Environmental Engineering)</span><br />New developments in geophysical tomography can now predict hidden weaknesses inside flood defences avoiding catastrophic collapse during flooding. The image shows a typical cross section of a compromised embankment revealing anomalies (red) which have, or will lead to failure. This research and the fast track techniques used could help Environment Agencies to manage flood risk more readily, identify problems before they occur, reduce insurance costs and raise public/investor confidence <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Phillippe Sentenac</span>. <span class=small>Collaborators: Mr Andrew Wilkin, Mr Gareth Jones, Dr Marcin Zielinski, Mr Ron Baron</span>

<div><div style="float:left;padding-left:5px;width:70%"><span class=heading><b>Self-organization of cold atoms</b> by Pedro Monteiro Gomes (Physics)</span><br />
Light can interact with atoms. In some cases random fluctuations in the interaction are amplified to create beautiful structures that resemble others more familiar such as the honeycombs that bees create. This image shows an example of these self-organizing phenomena that can be manipulated in an atomic physics laboratory to help understand how simple natural random processes can lead to complex structures.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Pedro Monteiro Gomes</span>. <span class=small>Collaborators: Guillaume Labeyrie,Thorsten Ackemann, Aidan Arnold, Robin Kaiser, Enrico Tesio, Gordon Robb, Gian-Luca Oppo, William Firth</span></div><div style="float:right;padding-right:5px;"><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/162669527&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true"></iframe></div></div>

<span class=heading><b>Should we drink this water?</b> by Sadia Khan (Civil and Environmental Engineering )</span><br />Water distribution systems contain pathogens including antibiotic resistant bacteria which are difficult to treat by disinfectants. Elimination of these organisms from drinking water is not easy. People think that water is bacteria free. This is not true, we just can’t see these microscopic bodies which find their way into water and multiple there. These organisms are emerging pollutants. So think when you drink!

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<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Sadia Khan</span>

The Public and Communities

<div><div style="float:left;padding-left:5px;width:70%"><span class=heading><b>Divided communities</b> by Radoslaw Polkowski (Human Resource Management)</span><br />Painting elements of urban infrastructure is a way in which rival communities in Northern Ireland symbolically divide public spaces: Irish tricolour marks the republican, British tricolour the loyalist areas in Derry/Londonderry, the city whose name is also a contested issue. How does this unique context impact on lives of newcomers to these old-established communities: e.g migrant workers? In answering this question, my study critically engages with our established notions of community.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Radoslaw Polkowski</span></div><div style="float:right;padding-right:5px;"><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/153080766&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true"></iframe></div></div>

<span class=heading><b>Flaming Keyboards</b> by Mark Shephard (Politics)</span><br />How heated does social media get on the Scottish independence referendum? What do those posting comments make of: independence (Yes versus No); national identity; political parties; and political leaders? How much Over-The-Top/flaming behaviour takes place online? Does flaming behaviour have any impact on the views of those engaging with social media? How does opinion online compare with representative public opinion? What are the lessons we need to learn from this?<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Mark Shephard</span>. <span class=small>Collaborators: Dr. Stephen Quinlan, Dr. Stephen Tagg, Prof. Lindsay Paterson</span>

<span class=heading><b>The jury decides: windfarm development</b> by Jen Roberts (Civil and Environmental Engineering)</span><br />What should be the key principles for decisions about wind farm development in Scotland, and why? We put this question to the jury - in fact, to three different ‘juries’ each made up of diverse groups of Scottish citizens. Over two Saturdays, each jury heard evidence from all sides of the argument, reflected on the issues raised and agreed on what matters to them.
<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2014 Jen Roberts</span>. <span class=small>Collaborators: Oliver Escobar (Academy of Government, University of Edinburgh), Research Coordinator: Jen Roberts (ClimateXChange, University of Strathclyde), Project Manager: Ragne Low (ClimateXChange), Research Team: University of Edinburgh; Dr Leslie Mabon, Dr Claire Haggett, Dr Mhairi Aitken, Professor Andrew Thompson, Dr Niccole Pamphilis, University of the West of Scotland: Dr Stephen Elstub, Ruth Lightbody, Queen Margaret University: Dr Magda Pieczka, Communications: Anne-Marte Bergseng (ClimateXChange), Administration: Darcy Pimblett and Lee Callaghan (ClimateXChange)</span>