Dr Iain Barton

Qualifications:

PG.Cert in Higher Education, BSc in Physics, PhD in Aerospace Engineering, CEng working in Industrial Aerospace & Defence Sector.

Position:

Lecturer in Engineering

Department:

School of Engineering

Telephone:

+441173286726

Email:

Iain.Barton@uwe.ac.uk

Social media:

About me

I am a Chartered Engineer, lecturer and engineering educator with experience spanning higher education, industrial research, computational modelling and engineering consultancy.

I currently lecture in Mechanical Engineering at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), teaching subjects including engineering mathematics, engineering science, fluid mechanics, stress analysis, structural integrity, renewable energy and computational modelling. My particular interest is helping students develop the mathematical and analytical skills needed to solve real engineering problems.

Before joining UWE, I held academic positions at Brunel University, City of Bristol College and the Open University, teaching a wide range of engineering and physics-based subjects while developing and leading programmes at both university and college level. Throughout my career I have supervised undergraduate, master's and doctoral research projects and have extensive experience in curriculum development, quality assurance and student support.

Prior to returning to academia, I worked as a Principal Research Scientist at BAE Systems' Advanced Technology Centre in Bristol, undertaking advanced computational modelling and simulation work in aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, stress analysis and renewable energy applications. My work supported projects ranging from aerospace and defence systems to emerging engineering technologies. I also coordinated engineering modelling and simulation activities across multiple business units within the UK and Australia.

I also worked as a Research Engineer at CERFACS in Toulouse, France, where I was involved in industrially funded computational fluid dynamics research in collaboration with major automotive partners.

My academic qualifications include a First Class Honours degree in Physics from the University of Nottingham and a PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics from the University of Manchester. I am a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institute of Physics.

Professional interests include:

 • Computational Modelling and Simulation
 • Engineering Mathematics
 • Stress Analysis and Structural Integrity
 • Engineering Education
 • Numerical Methods and Engineering Software

I am passionate about making engineering accessible, engaging and relevant, helping students connect theory with practice and preparing the next generation of engineers for successful careers in industry.

Area of expertise

My principal area of experience is engineering education and teaching, supported by a strong background in engineering research, computational modelling and industrial practice. I have taught engineering and mathematics across higher education and further education, working with students at different stages of their academic development and with a wide range of mathematical and technical backgrounds.

My teaching covers Mathematics, Engineering and Technology Sciences, with particular expertise in engineering mathematics, computational modelling, fluid mechanics, mathematical modelling, renewable and alternative energy, stress analysis and structural integrity. I have also taught subjects including computational fluid dynamics (CFD), thermodynamics, aerodynamics, engineering science, numerical methods and engineering analysis.

A central theme throughout my teaching is helping students make the connection between mathematical theory and real engineering applications. Mathematics is fundamental to engineering, but students do not always immediately see how mathematical techniques relate to the physical systems they are studying. I therefore aim to place mathematics within an engineering context, using practical examples to demonstrate how equations, numerical methods and computational techniques can be used to understand and predict the behaviour of engineering systems.

I have particular experience in teaching students with different levels of mathematical confidence and previous educational experience. This has encouraged me to develop approaches that break complex engineering and mathematical problems into understandable stages, while maintaining the technical rigour required at university level. I enjoy helping students progress from understanding fundamental principles to applying those principles independently to more complex engineering problems.

Computational modelling is one of my main specialist areas and forms an important link between my teaching, research and industrial experience. I have extensive experience of applying mathematical and numerical methods to engineering problems and using computational techniques to investigate physical systems. This allows me to introduce students not simply to engineering software, but to the mathematical and physical principles underlying computational solutions. Understanding assumptions, boundary conditions, numerical accuracy and the limitations of a model is just as important as obtaining a numerical result.

My experience in fluid mechanics and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has been developed through both academic research and industrial application. My academic background includes a First Class Honours degree in Physics from the University of Nottingham and a PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics from the University of Manchester. This combination of physics, mathematics and engineering has strongly influenced my approach to teaching and problem solving.

Before concentrating on engineering education, I gained significant industrial research experience. As a Principal Research Scientist at BAE Systems' Advanced Technology Centre in Bristol, I worked in computational modelling and simulation across areas including aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, stress analysis and renewable energy. This industrial experience continues to inform my teaching and enables me to demonstrate how the analytical and computational techniques encountered by students are applied to genuine engineering problems.

I also worked as a Research Engineer at CERFACS in Toulouse, France, undertaking computational fluid dynamics research within an industrially supported project. Working within research environments helped develop my understanding of the relationship between theoretical modelling, numerical methods, experimental or real-world behaviour and the practical constraints associated with engineering analysis.

My research experience has included computational and mathematical modelling, CFD and numerical simulation. During my academic career I have also been involved in research supervision, including undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral-level projects. Although teaching is now the major focus of my work, my research background remains extremely valuable because it enables me to bring a research-informed approach to engineering education and encourage students to question results rather than simply accept them.

Another significant area of my experience is stress analysis and structural integrity. These subjects allow students to see particularly clearly how mathematics, mechanics and engineering judgement combine in determining whether components and structures will perform safely and reliably. I am interested in developing students' ability not only to carry out calculations, but also to interpret results and judge whether those results are physically reasonable.

Similarly, my interest in renewable and alternative energy brings together several strands of my experience, including fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, mathematical modelling and computational simulation. Sustainable energy presents engineers with complex multidisciplinary problems and provides an excellent environment in which students can apply fundamental engineering principles to contemporary technological challenges.

Throughout my academic career, I have also gained experience in curriculum development, module and programme leadership, assessment, quality assurance and student support. Having previously held programme leadership responsibilities, I understand the wider context within which individual modules and subjects contribute to the development of an engineering graduate. This has strengthened my interest in creating coherent learning experiences in which students progressively develop their mathematical, analytical, computational and professional capabilities.

I strongly believe that effective engineering education should develop understanding rather than simply the ability to reproduce a calculation. Students need the confidence to approach unfamiliar problems, identify the relevant engineering principles, make appropriate assumptions, select suitable analytical or computational methods and critically evaluate the solution they obtain.

My experience across universities, further education and industrial research gives me a broad perspective on engineering education. It allows me to combine theoretical understanding with practical engineering experience and to communicate subjects from several different viewpoints.

Ultimately, teaching remains at the centre of my professional interests. I enjoy making difficult mathematical and engineering concepts understandable, demonstrating their relevance through practical applications, and helping students develop from learners of engineering into confident, independent problem-solvers.

Publications

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