Oana Ghita

Oana Ghita is a Professor of Materials Science and Manufacturing at the University of Exeter, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy. She holds the Victrex/Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair in Large-Scale Process Development of PAEK-based Materials for Sustainable, Durable Renewable Energy Applications. She serves as Research Lead for Exeter Engineering 2030 and Co-director of the Exeter Technology Group (ETG), which includes Exeter Advanced Technologies (X-AT), Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM), and Centre for Alternative Materials and Remanufacturing (CALMARE). She is the academic lead for CALM, focusing on advanced manufacturing and sustainable materials.

Her research is centered on high-performance polymers and composites, particularly polyaryletherketones (PAEK) such as PEEK and PEI, and their processing via conventional and emerging techniques like Additive Manufacturing (AM). Her expertise spans Large Format AM, Powder Bed Fusion (PBF), and Material Extrusion (MEX), with a strong emphasis on understanding the relationship between molecular structure, processing, and final material properties. She leads a portfolio of major industrial and publicly funded projects.

Oana Ghita’s research projects reflect a strong integration of materials science, manufacturing innovation, and sustainability. Her work involves developing novel polymeric materials and composites for aerospace, biomedical, and energy applications, often in collaboration with industrial partners like Victrex, Sartorius-Stedim, and the Manufacturing Technology Centre. She also pioneers in-line monitoring technologies using near-IR and Raman spectroscopy to reduce waste and improve process efficiency.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM)
• EPSRC Early Career Forum in Manufacturing Research (2012)

She has secured over £10 million in research funding from EPSRC, Innovate UK, EU, and industrial partnerships. Her grants include major projects such as the Victrex industrial partnerships, Innovate UK’s OVERHIPP and F4 PAEK, KTPs with Sartorius-Stedim and Finisterre, and EPSRC’s Novel High Performance Polymeric Composites for AM. She acts as a reviewer and technical expert for EPSRC and the European Commission, demonstrating national and international recognition.

Oana leads the Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM) and leverages Exeter’s unique capabilities in high-temperature AM systems, including the RapidFusion LFAM, EOS P800/P810, 3DGENCE F340, MiniFactory Ultra, Intamsys, and in-house developed high-temperature MEX systems. The DEMEX-integrated LFAM system is the only one of its kind in the UK, enabling large-scale printing with high-performance polymers.