Kieran is from Glasgow and has a BEng(hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Strathclyde. He begin his PhD studies in June 2018.
Kieran’s thesis, entitled ”An Investigation into The Damaging Effects of Rain Erosion on Wind Turbine Blades in Various Environmental Conditions”, is an experimental approach into rain erosion on wind turbine blades and the effect of internal stresses of the material has on the accumulative effect of rain erosion. This was undertaken by stressing a test specimen in a weathering chamber specifically made for this investigation which has been constructed to industry standard.
What attracted you to complete your PhD in this area?
I believe wind energy is the way forward and this PhD allowed me to be part of the development of the turbine blades to help them last longer in the field and ultimately provide renewable energy for longer.
What attracted you to study at University of Strathclyde?
I was lucky enough to complete my undergrad at Strathclyde and what attracted me to this university is its deep-rooted heritage in engineering and innovation within industry.
What were your expectations for study and were these met?
Expectations included a hands-on approach to the research question including building a new test rig and running custom experiments. This was met but it took much longer than anticipated.
What were the highlights/lowlights of the programme?
Highlights include presenting at the SDEWES conference in Dubrovnik and meeting lots of like-minded academics. Lowlight was the height of the pandemic when everything came to a halt, and I was unsure if I could even finish my PhD.
How has the PhD influenced your career aspirations?
I believe it has changed my outlook on finding a job, instead of trying to find anyone who will hire me, I believe I am now qualified enough to choose which job I really want.
What’s next for you?
Next is working within industry, applying what I’ve studied into practice.