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Dr Declan Nolan

School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Dr Declan Nolan

Dr Declan Nolan

School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Declan Nolan is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, with research interests in design to simulation automation, and structural impact analysis. He received his PhD in 2013, with thesis titled “Defining Simulation Intent”. This novel approach to simulation aims to capture modelling and idealisation decisions, which can then be redeployed or altered to reduce manual pre-processing efforts. Prior to his current role, he spent time in industry with Michelin, Williams F1 and B/E Aerospace, gaining valuable experience within each organisation which continues to motivate his research.

At Williams F1 he worked as a Stress Engineer, ensuring structural integrity and optimisation of metallic and composite racecar components. At B/E Aerospace, he was Senior Structural Engineer, specifically focused on the introduction of novel composite components into Aircraft Seat Structures. His particular interest, was the performance of these composite structures under a range of in-service and crash events.

Having taken up his current position in 2017, his more recent research projects have centred around simulation technologies, structural impact analysis and bio-inspired design.

Contact info

  • View Academic Profile
  • d.nolan@qub.ac.uk
  • +44 (0) 28 9097 5625

Research Interests

Open to PhD applications in:

  • Structural analysis methodology
  • Impact Analysis/Crashworthiness
  • Engineering design systems
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Composites simulation

Make a PhD enquiry


Public outreach & key achievements

  • Supervisor on the School’s Formula Student project – an international competition which challenges our students to build a single seater racing car to compete against teams from around the world.
  • Chartered Engineer (CEng IMechE)
  • Fellow of Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
  • Member of the EPSRC Early Career Forum in Manufacturing and the Circular Economy
  • Board member of the UK Association for Computational Mechanics

Research students

PhD area Developing Adaptive Simulation Methods to Support the Digital Thread
Name Mikhail Kondrashenkov
Years of study 2024 - Currently
Country Northern Ireland
   
PhD area Efficiently Assessing Fan Blade-Off Structural Response in Early-Stage Aircraft Design
Name Neil Dickson
Years of study 2021 - Currently
Country Northern Ireland

Alumni: Where are they now

PhD area Simulation Intent for Multi-Fidelity Composite Structural Analysis
Name Cara Harley
Years of study 2014 - 2021
Country Northern Ireland
   
PhD area Bio-inspired Design System
Name Stephen Kyle
Years of study 2018 - 2022
Country Northern Ireland
   
PhD area Novel Aircraft Concepts and Their Effect Upon Structural Definition
Name Stephen Colbert
Years of study 2018 - 2023
Country Northern Ireland
   
PhD area Application of machine learning for feature recognition in 3D CAD models
Name Andrew Colligan
Years of study 2018 - 2022
Country Northern Ireland

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  • Faculty of Engineering and Physical Science
  • School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering




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School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

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Stranmillis Road
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Northern Ireland
BT9 5AH

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E-mail: schooloffice.mae@qub.ac.uk
Tel:+44 (0)28 9097 4147

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