Background
Luke came to IDCORE from a very practical background. After leaving
school he did an HND and then a degree in Electrical Engineering. He
subsequently worked as a laboratory technician at Caledonian University
where colleagues encouraged him to think about doing a PhD. It was the balance of training and practical work within IDCORE that
appealed to Luke. He saw it as a unique opportunity, and he has been
using skills gained during the first year throughout his time at EMEC.
Luke’s Project
EMEC have had such good experiences with IDCORE students that they
agreed to sponsor two students in 2020 despite having only one project
specified. Consequently, Luke spent the first part of his project
working with EMEC and his academic supervisors to define the work
needed. He is now making great progress in exploring placement and
configuration of sensors to monitor tidal turbines, examining potential
instrument locations and their impact on measurements of the power
curve. Industry standards are currently based on experience from wind
turbines. Tidal turbines create very different challenges, particularly
the new floating designs.
IDCORE
This
multi-disciplinary Centre brings together diverse areas of expertise to
train engineers and scientists with the skills, knowledge and
confidence to tackle current and future offshore renewable energy
challenges. The strategic direction of the programme is guided by an
Industrial Steering Board comprising representatives from professional
bodies, employers and regulators. EngD students on the programme (called
Research Engineers) undertake advanced training in technical skills and
competencies as well as transferable skills such as project management,
innovation management, and team working. Alongside this they undertake a
challenging and original research project at PhD level.