Timothy Burnett

Professor Timothy Burnett is a leading academic in advanced materials imaging at The University of Manchester. He holds dual roles as Director of the National X-ray CT Facility (NXCT) and Deputy Director of the University's Harwell campus. His research focuses on correlative imaging techniques combining 3D X-ray tomography, FIB-SEM serial sectioning, and in-situ experiments to study material degradation mechanisms, particularly environmentally assisted cracking in light alloys.

Education: MEng (Materials Science & Engineering) and PhD (2015) from University of Leeds, with thesis on bismuth ferrite-lead titanate single crystals. Prior academic and industry experience includes roles at National Physical Laboratory and FEI Company/Thermo Fisher.

Research emphasizes multiscale imaging workflows, plasma FIB, and femtosecond laser machining. He leads major facilities including the Henry Moseley X-ray Imaging Lab and collaborates internationally on sustainable materials development aligned with UN SDGs. Supervised 13 research projects and contributed to 91 publications, 3 research projects, and multiple datasets.

Key projects include the £9M SusCoRD coating design initiative and the University of Manchester at Harwell strategic hub. His work bridges fundamental materials science with industrial applications through advanced characterization technologies.