As part of our Alumni Series, we speak to Reece Lincoln, Senior Engineer at Frazer-Nash Consultancy about life after the BCI…
Why did you choose the Bristol Composites Institute for your studies?
I chose the Bristol Composites Institute as it is a world-class research institute for composites. I was interested in researching composite structures and there was no better place to go. I was attracted to the PhD programme as it was cohort-based, meaning it wouldn’t be a completely solo adventure. I was also at Bristol Uni for my undergrad, so I knew the lecturers and research staff were excellent.
What research area did you specialise in whilst you were here?
I specialised in structures, specifically shell buckling. I researched how a BCI-created manufacturing technique, Rapid Tow Shearing, could be used to reduce the sensitivity of thin-walled shells to premature buckling under axial compression. I showed that with Rapid Tow Shearing, a more mass-efficient structure could be manufactured, which could lead to direct mass savings on a structure.
After leaving the BCI where did you go?
I have been working at Frazer-Nash Consultancy for the past 15 months, working on data science and machine learning projects.
What are you currently working on and what do your future plans look like?
My projects are wide ranging – but general process is similar – I work in a team of two to five that creates a model of a complex system. We then visualise this model in an interactive tool for the client. I have worked on modelling the graphite within nuclear reactors, the roll-out of gigabit-capable internet across the UK, the cost and performance of a space-based solar-power satellite, the resilience of the UK energy network to weather events, and the post-processing of nuclear waste. My future plans are to continue what I’m doing now – working on tough problems that are impactful and interesting.
How did the BCI prepare you for work outside of academia?
BCI prepared me for work outside academia by teaching me how to be rigorous in understanding a problem, methodical in my approach to creating a solution, and critical of the results any solution produces. BCI also taught me how to communicate clearly and concisely, recognising that technical problems have ‘stories’ to tell and the story is as important as the solution.