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Professor Thomas Adcock is a Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford and Tutorial Fellow at St Peter's College. He currently serves as Senior Proctor for the 2024/25 Proctorial year, with responsibilities spanning University Council, over 50 University committees, OUP delegation, finance committee membership, ceremonial events, and student discipline. Previously, he served as Associate Head (Teaching) during the COVID pandemic and Director of Third Year Studies in the Department of Engineering Science.
Professor Adcock received his MEng in Engineering Science from St. Peter's College, Oxford in 2001, followed by a D.Phil. under Paul Taylor at New College, Oxford. After initial post-doctoral work at Oxford, he gained industry experience as a metocean engineer for GL Noble Denton in London before returning to Oxford for research in tidal stream energy, eventually securing a lectureship in 2012 and promotion to Professor in 2022.
His research focuses on ocean hydrodynamics for marine energy applications, with expertise in extreme wave statistics (particularly rogue waves in non-equilibrium sea states), wave-structure interactions (especially for offshore wind turbines), tidal stream energy resource assessment, and storm surge analysis. His Environmental Fluid Mechanics group employs analytical, numerical (including machine learning), and experimental methods to analyze ocean data, with strong international collaborations, particularly with the University of Western Australia. The group also explores historical engineering projects like the WWII Mulberry Harbours and innovative applications such as 'flyak' kayaks.
Professor Adcock's recent publications reveal a strategic integration of machine learning with traditional fluid dynamics, particularly in tidal prediction (RTide), wave analysis, and offshore structure design. His work bridges fundamental fluid mechanics with practical engineering applications in renewable energy, with numerous publications in top journals spanning from 2006 to the present.
- 2024 Divisional teaching award for establishing a residential program for underrepresented prospective students
- Editing the engineering formula book (HLT)
- Exceptional tutoring and pastoral care recognition
- Students Tim Tang and Thomas Monahan won the Osborne Reynolds competition
- Media coverage in The Guardian and The Independent for Pentland Firth research
- BBC One Show demonstration of Mulberry Harbour engineering
As a supervisor, Professor Adcock has mentored numerous doctoral students to completion with a median DPhil time of 40 months (vs. 48 months university-wide). His current research team includes post-doctoral researchers and graduate students working on floating wind turbines, wave-structure interactions, and tidal energy forecasting. He actively seeks students with strong backgrounds in engineering, physics, or mathematics interested in ocean engineering and marine energy.
Professor Adcock chairs 'SUTGEF,' a special interest group of the Society for Underwater Technology, and maintains leadership roles in college governance. His Environmental Fluid Mechanics group conducts both fundamental and applied research, maintaining strong industry connections in marine renewable energy and collaborating on tidal and wave energy projects worldwide. The group's recent 'away day' in Wytham Woods exemplifies their collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to ocean engineering challenges.
