معرفی
Dr. Andrew Hillis is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath, where he has been employed since 2007. He is a member of the Centre for Power Transmission and Motion Control, Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC), and The Foundry: Centre for Digital, Manufacturing & Design.
Dr. Hillis obtained his Masters and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bristol in 2001 and 2005, respectively. Prior to joining the University of Bath, he worked for Engineering Consultancies 42 Technology and Atkins Oil & Gas.
Dr. Hillis's research focuses on the intersection of dynamics, control systems, and renewable energy technologies. His work has particularly emphasized wave energy conversion systems, where he has made significant contributions to the understanding and optimization of power take-off mechanisms. His research spans theoretical modeling, computational simulation, and experimental validation of control strategies for energy harvesting systems. Key research areas include adaptive control systems, vibration-based structural health monitoring, and active noise and vibration control.
Dr. Hillis has led multiple research projects funded by Innovate UK and Wave Energy Scotland, with a focus on improving the efficiency and reliability of wave energy converters. His work has demonstrated how advanced control strategies can reduce structural fatigue while maintaining energy capture efficiency across various wave energy converter platforms.
Research Awards and Recognition
- Multiple research grants from Innovate UK and Wave Energy Scotland
- Contributions to projects supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in clean energy
Dr. Hillis has supervised 13 research students and has collaborated extensively with industry partners including Atkins Oil & Gas and various wave energy technology companies. His research has been supported by over £1 million in external funding across 13 completed projects, including the Safe Flight project (2021-2022) and Synthetic EnvironmEnt Risk analytics for autonomous UAS (SEER) project (2020-2022).
As a member of the Centre for Power Transmission and Motion Control, Dr. Hillis collaborates with researchers specializing in fluid power systems, mechanical design, and control engineering. His work bridges theoretical control concepts with practical engineering applications in renewable energy systems, particularly in the development of active engine mounts for vibration cancellation in cars, the bicoherence method for damage detection, and active suspension systems for aircraft.
