About
Professor David Penney is a distinguished academic in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Swansea University, specializing in Materials Science and Engineering. With extensive experience bridging industry and academia, he holds the position of Professor and serves as co-director of the £15 million Materials and Manufacturing Academy (M2A).
Penney's research focuses on metallurgy, galvanizing processes, metallic coatings, and corrosion mechanisms, with particular expertise in zinc-aluminum alloys and stainless steel applications. His work has significant industrial relevance, especially in the iron and steel sector. Over his career, he has secured more than £30 million in grant funding to support collaborative industry-academia initiatives.
Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on Zn-Mg-Al coating systems, corrosion mechanisms, alloy development, and industrial manufacturing processes. His research combines experimental work with computational approaches to solve practical engineering challenges in the steel and automotive industries.
- Frank Fitzgerald award from the IOM3 (2016) for personal contribution to the Iron and Steel industry
Penney actively supervises numerous PhD and EngD students through the Materials and Manufacturing Academy (M2A), with over 140 students expected to graduate from the program in the next four years. His supervision spans topics including corrosion protection, metallic coatings, and advanced manufacturing techniques. He also co-created the Materials Work-Based Learning, Education, Training and Learning (METaL) program to upskill the existing workforce through flexible short courses.
His laboratory work focuses on the Materials and Manufacturing Academy (M2A), which incorporates the EPSRC-funded COATED2 Doctoral Training Center and maintains strong industry partnerships for research and training initiatives.
