Pawel Niewczas

Dr Pawel Niewczas is a Reader in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. He is leading the Advanced Sensors Team within the Institute for Energy and Environment in the same department. His main research interests centre on the advancement of photonic sensing methods and systems integration in applications that lie predominantly in power and energy sectors. He has carried out a unique portfolio of research programmes, generally focusing on fibre based spectrally encoded sensors, and addressing such issues as sensor design, fabrication, packaging, deployment, and interrogation in challenging environments. The current key strategic applications of his research include such areas as power system metering and protection; wind turbine structural health monitoring; downhole pressure, temperature, voltage and current measurement; and sensing in nuclear fission and fusion environments. He has published over 100 technical papers in this area and holds 2 granted patents. Externally, he is a co-founder and R&D Director of the spin-out company Synaptec.

Dr Niewczas is the Director of the Electrical Power Engineering with Business (EPEwB) MSc Course, and Member of the Faculty Board of Study.

Development and application of photonic sensors within power and energy industries, including such areas as power system metering and protection; wind turbine structural health monitoring; gas turbine monitoring; downhole and subsea pressure, temperature voltage and current measurement; sensing in nuclear fission and fusion environments; and other sensing applications.

Research interest in intrinsic and hybrid fibre-optic sensors; sensor design, fabrication, encapsulation and deployment; sensor networks and interrogation techniques; signal processing and communication.

Sensor development

• Development of spectrally encoded sensor devices exploiting intrinsic and hybrid sensing mechanisms
• Development of fibre-to-metal bonds, seals and fabrication techniques
• Fundamental research in the area of materials science

Sensor instrumentation and metrology

• High frequency measurements
• Static measurements
• Nano-ε resolution measurements
• Extended step-out and multiplexed systems
• Integrated photonics, low-cost/high-performance FBG interrogation techniques

Measurement capabilities

• temperature, strain (static & dynamic), pressure
• magnetic/ electric fields, voltage, current, bend

Delivery of industrially focussed projects

• Good understanding of industry needs
• Experience of projects with tight timescales and tangible outcomes

Present and former industrial collaborators:

Scottish Power Renewables (SPR), Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), EDF Energy, Toshiba, The Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF), ConocoPhillips, GE OIL & GAS, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE), and Rolls-Royce.

Teaching Responsibilities:

• EE108/19260 Electrical Circuits
• EE269 Electronic & Electrical Principles II
• EE986 Professional Studies
• Final Year Project/MSc/MPhil/PhD/EngD Student Supervisor

Teaching Administration Responsibilities:

• Graduate School Deputy Director
• Director of the Electrical Power Engineering with Business (EPEwB) MSc Course
• Academic Selector for the MSc Course in EEE
• Member of the Courses & Teaching Working Group
• Member of the 1st and 2nd Year Teaching and Learning Groups
• Member of the Faculty Board of Study
• UCAS Interviewer