Joseph Robson

Biography

Joe Robson graduated in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge in 1993, and obtained his PhD from the same institution in 1996. Since then he has worked at Cambridge, Swansea, and Manchester universities, and in 2003 was appointed to a Lectureship. Joe is a member of the Light Alloy Processing group with research interests that are focussed on microstructural evolution and control in industrial alloys, with an emphasis on modelling.

Current work involves the coupling of thermodynamic models, based on Calphad methods, to novel kinetic models, enabling the time and temperature dependence of the microstructure (particularly second phase particles) to be determined for complex industrial alloys and processes. Such an approach is being used to predict microstructure evolution and subsequent effect on properties for a range of aluminium, magnesium, and zirconium alloys during processes such as hot rolling and welding. Applications for these materials include the automotive, aerospace, and nuclear industries.

Joe also has an active interest in developing a better understanding of the effects of processing and service on the microstructure of metals through the use of electron microscopy and X-ray analysis. Ongoing work includes investigating microstructure evolution during processing of zirconium alloys and the study of novel wrought magnesium alloys.

Research Networks and Beacons

• Aerospace Research Institute
• Advanced materials
• Energy