Ben Whiteside

Prof Ben Whiteside is a Professor of Precision Manufacturing at the University of Bradford, leading the Centre for Polymer Micro and Nano Technology (Polymer MNT Centre). His roles include Director of the Polymer MNT Centre, a key European facility for micro and nano moulding research. He holds a PhD from the University of Bradford (2001) in glass fibre orientation simulation for automotive mouldings.

Education:

• PhD in Precision Manufacturing, University of Bradford (2001)

Research Focus: Investigates micro-injection moulding, material modification, surface structuring, process measurement, and tribology. The Polymer MNT Centre specializes in industry collaboration for R&D and small-scale manufacturing.

Grants & Funding: Secured over £5m in grants and industrial contracts, including EPSRC-funded postdoctoral research. The Centre bridges academic and industrial needs through contract R&D and proof-of-concept projects.

Labs/Teams: Directs the Polymer MNT Centre, focusing on precision engineering, high-speed imaging systems, and nano-scale surface analysis.