Michael Preuss

Professor Michael Preuss is a leading academic in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at Monash University, Faculty of Engineering, where he joined in August 2020. He also holds a 20% continuing position at the University of Manchester, UK, where he previously served in multiple leadership roles. His research focuses on the relationship between manufacturing, processing, and performance of structural materials, particularly titanium and zirconium alloys, nickel-base superalloys, and steels for high-temperature and nuclear applications.

• First Degree: Technical University Berlin, Germany
• PhD: Technical University Hamburg-Harburg, Germany

Michael Preuss’s research interests lie at the intersection of materials processing and performance prediction. He investigates how microstructural evolution during manufacturing affects mechanical behavior, with a focus on reducing safety margins in safety-critical components such as aeroengine parts and nuclear fuel claddings. His work emphasizes in-situ characterisation using advanced tools like synchrotron X-ray, neutron diffraction, digital image correlation, and 3D X-ray tomography. The research is highly interdisciplinary, combining experimental data with modelling to understand degradation mechanisms under stress, temperature, and irradiation.

The recent publications highlight a strong focus on irradiation damage in zirconium alloys, plasticity in Ni-base superalloys, and advanced alloy development. These works employ cutting-edge diffraction and imaging techniques to probe dislocation structures, phase evolution, and mechanical onset at micro scales, reflecting a trend toward physically based lifetime prediction models. His work is closely tied to large-scale facilities and national initiatives like the European Spallation Source and the Sir Henry Royce Institute.

Scientific awards include:

• Grunfeld Memorial Medal (IOM3, 2013)
• ASTM Kroll Medal (lifetime achievement in zirconium research)
• EPSRC Leadership Fellowship (2011)
• Fellow of Materials, Minerals and Mining (2016)
• MWA Research Activation Fund (2024)

Michael Preuss actively supervises PhD students and leads major research projects, including those funded by EPSRC and focused on fuel cladding (MIDAS) and advanced manufacturing. He collaborates extensively with researchers across institutions and industries. He chairs the Scientific Advisory Committee of the European Spallation Source and serves on panels for neutron facilities like ILL and ISIS. His labs and research teams are equipped for solid-state additive manufacturing, in-operando micromechanical testing, and advanced microstructural analysis, forming a robust ecosystem for materials innovation.