Irene Renaud-Assemat

Dr. Irene Renaud-Assemat is a Senior Lecturer (Education-focused role) at the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW. She holds a MSc in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Applied Sciences, Lyon, and a PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics from the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse. Prior to UNSW, she served as a Lecturer and Senior Tutor at the University of Bristol (UK), focusing on thermofluids education and student support. Her academic roles emphasize engineering education innovation, including problem-based learning, flipped classrooms, and STEM outreach.

• Education Background:
• MSc in Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Applied Sciences, Lyon, France
• PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics, National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse, France

Research Interests: Irene’s work centers on enhancing engineering education through methodologies like flipped learning, peer-assessed assessments, and hands-on project-based curricula. She advocates for improving student communication skills and equitable STEM access through outreach programs targeting school-aged students. Her contributions include designing work experience programs and virtual collaborative learning environments.

Recent Trends in Publications: Her articles highlight strategies to modernize engineering education, including virtual conference formats for collaborative learning, scaffolding technical writing skills, and integrating authentic learning experiences in mechanical design courses. These efforts align with broader goals of fostering student autonomy and real-world problem-solving.

• Awards: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK)

Teaching & Supervision: Irene leads units in thermodynamics and mechanical design at UNSW. She previously supervised undergraduate research projects and was Unit Director for Computer-Based Modelling. Her roles include academic advising and pastoral support for students.

Labs & Teams: While her primary focus is pedagogical innovation, she collaborates with the UNSW Engineering Education Research Group and contributes to outreach initiatives to diversify engineering education access.