Research Profiles

Research Interest: Mechanical Engineering Science Department

Prof Rudolf Laubscher: (011) 5592102

Mechanical design, Structural integrity, Non-linear FEA, Physical metallurgy, Manufacturing, Metal cutting, Surface integrity

Prof Tien-Chien Jen (011) 559 4208

Advance Materials and Manufacturing, Solar Cell, Fuel Cell, Atomic Layer Deposition, Nano-structure Materials, Cold Gas Dynamic Spraying, Water Purification/Desalination/Treatment, Hydrogen Generation/ Storage, Environmentally Benign Manufacturing, Smart Factory, Quantum Computing, Drug Delivery, Drug Discovery.

Dr Muaaz Bhamjee (011) 559 3476

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Heat and Mass Transfer, Experimental Fluid Dynamics, Lattice Boltzmann Modelling, Multiphase Flow, Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT), High Performance Computing (HPC), Solar and Renewable Energy, Solar Air Heating, Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Modelling, Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI), Fluid Dynamics in Biomedical Applications, Engineering Education.

Dr Anton Maneschijn (011)559 4478

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My specialisation field covers airworthiness requirements of manned and unmanned aircraft and aircraft systems, with my primary interest vested in light aircraft (sub-2500 kg) and unmanned aircraft. With UJ funding, I formalised Project Opula in 2019 to investigate, develop and test primarily mechanical and structural properties of fixed wing aircraft. The research is conducted in the Department of Mechanical Engineering Science. An existing full-scale light aircraft design was selected for this project and the first phase of the research involves developing a 1/3-scale radio controlled model of the existing design. This phase will be taken further towards autonomous flight, while the second phase will initiate the same research approach to develop a full-scale version as an optionally piloted unmanned light aircraft (hence the name OPULA). Currently, three Masters students are involved in the project, with scope for more and for PhD students.

Dr Botha Barend (011) 559 2714

Systems Engineering, Design Management, Product development, Design, Water security – Starting out

Dr Sunita Kruger (011) 559 2066

Computational Fluid Dynamics, Natural Ventilation, Natural convection, Heat transfer and fluid flow in buildings, Heat transfer and fluid flow in agricultural applications

Dr Nkosinathi Madushele (011) 559 2538

Life Cycle Assessment; Energy Systems Modelling

Dr Rudolf Bester (011) 559 4184

Mechanical Vibrations, Structural Dynamics, Impact- and Shock loads, Advanced Composite Materials, Aerodynamics, Turbomachinery

Prof Simon Connell (011) 559 4380

Nuclear Energy, Applied Nuclear Physics, Quantum Physics, Materials Science, Diamond Physics, Computational Physics, High Performance Computing, Innovation and Commercialisation.

Research links:

• Particle / Nuclear / Applied Physics
• Nuclear Chapter
• Nexus@UJ : Nexus of Energy, Water, Food and Waste
• Google scholar page
• Personal webpage

Group Portal

Prof P Naidoo (What’sApp : 081 467 4084)

Sustainable Development as Driven by the Green Economy and Industrial Revolution 4.0; with particular reference to the rapidly changing global environmental landscape and its impacts on energy, water and food security, the start-up of the hydrogen economy and electric transportation, the acceleration of nuclear science, engineering and technology in clean energy development, the active promotion of natural renewable resources of sun, wind and rainfall into daily applications and the development of circular economics for waste beneficiation. Covid 19 has set a new normal; public health and biomedical engineering requires our collective attention for novel, practical and simple solutions. On line continuous learning, working and networking will become the new world of employment and employability.

Dr Daniel Madyira (011 559 4030)

Strength of Materials, Fatigue and Fracture, Machining, Numerical Stress Analysis, Biomass Processing, Biomass Combustion, Solar Drying applied to biomass (briquettes) and food (fruit and vegetables).

The DMES registered SLPs are as follows:

The SLPs highlighted in yellow have active applications. PEETS is assisting us to administer and deliver them as of September 2020. Dr. Madyira will lecture the Applied Renewable Energy SLP. PEETS is assisting us to find someone to lecture the Green Building Legislation SLP. The remaining SLPs do not have any applications. The envisaged plan is to deliver the one SLP in September 2020 and the other in October 2020.

For 2021 onwards, we would like to offer the SLPs in Feb, March, September and October.