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Dr Mingwen Bai

Dr Mingwen Bai

  • Position: Assistant Professor in Materials Engineering
  • Areas of expertise: Materials Science and Engineering, Surface Engineering, Sustainable Manufacturing
  • Email: M.Bai2@leeds.ac.uk
  • Phone: +44(0)113 343 1373
  • Location: 2.45 Mechanical Engineering
  • Website: LinkedIn | Googlescholar | Researchgate | ORCID

Profile

I am a UK Chartered Engineer (CEng) with over a decade of experience in surface engineering aimed at protecting metals from environmental degradation such as oxidation, corrosion, and wear. My work has broad applications in power generation, including aerospace gas turbines, biomass-fired power plants, and nuclear reactors. I earned my BEng in Materials Science and Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2011 and completed my PhD in Materials at the University of Manchester in 2015. Before assuming my current role, I served as an Assistant Professor at Coventry University from 2020 to 2023. I have also held postdoctoral positions at the University of Sheffield (2018-2020) and the University of Nottingham (2016-2018), contributing to two large EPSRC-funded projects (EP/R001766/1 and EP/M01536X/1).

Responsibilities

  • School Deputy International Lead
  • Program Lead: MSc Advanced Manufacturing and Automation (NEW)

Research interests

In-situ Mechanical Testing of Materials in a Scanning Electron Microscope: Traditional approaches in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) have been limited in their capacity to analyse dynamic material behaviour, often leading to skewed interpretations that can hinder progress in materials science. However, our recent work transcends these limitations by pioneering in-situ mechanical testing within SEM. This marks a critical advancement in the field, shifting from static, post-mortem examinations to real-time analyses. Our research synergises advanced instrumentation with emerging technologies like Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), forming an integrated analytical framework. This breakthrough allows us to untangle complex material behaviours, providing robust, quantifiable data that is essential for computational modelling and diverse applications.

Qualifications

  • PhD in Materials, University of Manchester
  • BEng in Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
  • Postgraduate Certificate, Academic Practice in Higher Education, Coventry University
  • Fellow, Higher Education Academy (HEA)

Professional memberships

  • Chartered Engineer (CEng)
  • Member, The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (MIMMM)
  • Royal Society’s Grant Committees (Newton International Fellowships Committee)
  • Member of the EPSRC’s Peer Review College
  • Member, UKRI ECR Forum
  • Associate Editor, Frontier in Ceramics
  • Early Career Advisory Board Member, Surface and Coatings Technology
  • Editorial Board Member, MDPI-Coatings

Student education

I am teaching Design and Manufacturing 1 to our first-year undergraduate students with CNC machining and Advanced Manufacturing to MSc students. I am also currently developing a new MSc program: Advanced Manufacturing and Automation as the program lead.

Research groups and institutes

  • Institute of Design, Robotics and Manufacturing
  • Institute of Functional Surfaces
<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>
Projects
    <li><a href="//phd.leeds.ac.uk/project/2185-effect-of-electrical-charge-on-the-tribological-behaviour-in-high-speed-automotive-applications">Effect of electrical charge on the tribological behaviour in high speed automotive applications</a></li>