Engineering research boosted by new funding

Engineering research boosted by new funding

Engineering research at the University of Auckland receives more than $1.5 million in new funding from the Marsden Fund for 2017.

Engineering research at the University of Auckland receives more than $1.5 million in new funding from the Marsden Fund for 2017.

Projects within the Faculty of Engineering at the University to receive funding this round include $945,000 for research led by Professor Bryony James to explore why more complex food texture makes us feel fuller, faster.

Professor James, from the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, explores the link between food and texture and satiation. Her work investigates whether it is the brain’s response to the sensations we feel while chewing that leads to satiation.

Mechanical Engineering lecturer Lihua Tang leads a project investigating vibration energy harvesting technologies and developing an eco-friendly alternative to traditional battery power. This project receives $300,000 in Marsden funding.

Electrical and Computer Engineering lecturer Xuyun Zhang also receives $300,000 in funding to develop a new framework for data analytics in relation to the Internet of Things.

The work could lead to the adoption of new approaches developed within the project for applications such as remote healthcare and smart manufacturing.

Dean of Engineering Professor Nic Smith says the new funding is welcome support for innovative research.

“I warmly congratulate our successful researchers who receive funding through the Marsden Fund and which allows us to pursue new and ground-breaking knowledge within the Faculty through innovative and high quality research,” he says.

The annual Marsden grants are administered by the Royal Society Te Apārangi and allocated over three years.

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