James Rouse

Dr James Paul Rouse graduated from the University of Nottingham in July 2010 with a 1st class honours Master degree in Mechanical Engineering. During this time, he specialised in solid mechanics, material modelling strategies, and failure mechanism prediction. This led to the completion of a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nottingham (under the supervision of Prof. Wei Sun, Prof. Thomas H. Hyde, and Dr Christopher J. Hyde) in January 2014. The title of the Ph.D. thesis is "Computational Component Analysis Techniques for High Temperature Power Plant Applications" and was completed with funding from both E.On UK and the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Science Research Council). Research in this project focused around the determination of material constants for complex material models from experimental data, the characterisation of realistic power plant pipe bend sections operating under creep and the development of an analysis methodology for high temperature components. In the final year of his Ph.D. studies Dr Rouse was employed as a visiting assistant professor at the University of Nottingham's Ningbo (China) campus, with teaching responsibilities mainly focusing on delivery of undergraduate solid mechanics modules and preparation of assessment material.

Since 2014 Dr Rouse has been employed in several post-doctoral appointments through participation in the Gas Turbine and Transmission Research Centre (G2TRC) at the University of Nottingham. These appointments have required engagement with many industrial partners and projects have contributed to multiple areas of research across the engineering faculty. Projects have worked with partners such as EDF and Airbus and have involved stress analysis, structural integrity assessment, multiscale composite material modelling methods, and the development of novel energy storage technology. Of particular note is the collaborative EU (Clean Sky 2) funded project DevTMF, for which Dr Rouse is the Nottingham deputy lead. DevTMF brings together expertise from Rolls-Royce, the University Of Nottingham, Swansea University, and Linkoping University to investigate thermo-mechanical fatigue in Nickle super alloys for aero engine applications.

In October 2018 Dr Rouse began a 3 year Nottingham Research Fellowship appointment funded by the University Of Nottingham (with technical support from Rolls-Royce). The independent research opportunity is focused on the development of intelligent material testing methods which can maximise the amount of information that can be extracted from a given amount of source material. Modified versions of standard testing methods will be investigated and a configurable multiaxial loading "proof of concept" testing rig will be designed/manufactured. Supporting advanced modelling activities will also be performed, drawing on material deformation/failure modelling, finite element, and multiscale modelling expertise.