Dr Emeka Amalu is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK. He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) as well as the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Emeka achieved the status of Fellow of Higher Education Academy (FHEA). His remit is to combine scientific knowledge, mathematics and modelling skills to provide solutions to societal engineering challenges.

Dr E. Amalu has very relevant critical teaching and research skills with international experiences. He has taught a range of mechanical engineering and mathematics modules. Upon joining the service of the Teesside University in 2016, his effective research-led and inspired teaching practice earned him the winner of the Outstanding Teaching Award 2017 of the Teesside University Star Awards 2016/2017. Similarly, publishing over nine journal articles and five conference papers during his PhD studies, Emeka received the prize for the best PhD Student 2012, awarded by the School of Engineering, University of Greenwich UoG, London. His previous effective teaching practices earned him nominations for the Inspirational Lecturer Award 2013/14 and 2015/16 sessions awarded by the University of Wolverhampton (UoW) Student Union - while his research outputs were included in the UoW Research Excellence Framework (REF) submission under General Engineering in 2014. Dr E. Amalu’s previous roles included Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the UoW, UK; part-time lecturer at the UoG at Medway, UK; and Senior Lecturer at the University of Benin, Nigeria.

Dr Emeka Amalu is research active and has numerous publications in several high impact factor journals. His Scopus publication metrics include over 42 documents having 696 citations at h-index of 14, while his google statistics are 59 papers having 972 citations at h–index of 17. Emeka’s areas of research interest include sustainable energy technologies, electronics packaging reliability and systems modelling as well as characterisation of soft solids. Dr E. Amalu employs experimental mechanics and modelling technique in his research. His modelling capabilities include 3-D Static Structural, Steady State Thermal and Computational Fluid Dynamics. Utilising Computer Aided Engineering (CAD) coupled with ANSYS Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Emeka models the response of structural systems to applied loads and predicts their performances. He has PhD completions and currently supervises many PhD students. In addition, he has experience in proposal development and has on-going research projects.

Dr Amalu was a visiting Research Fellow to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Ghana and collaborates with many academic research groups in the UK, Europe, USA, Asia and Africa.

The areas of my research expertise are in the fields of electronics manufacturing, soft solids characterisation, sustainable energy engineering and application of computer aided enginering (CAE) in systems modelling:

(I) Microelectronics manufacturing

Specific areas include electronics manufacturing, assembly, reliability and integrity of microelectronic solder joints. Extended interest include study on thermo-mechanical reliability of 3-D electronics packaging using components which include flip chip package and package-on-package. I am highly experienced in experimental mechanics and have designed and conducted experiments which required operating a vast array of equipment used in electronics assembly, reliability, testing and damage mechanics qualification. 

(II) Solder materials characterisation

I conduct research focused on rheological characterisation of solder pastes to inform on their stencil print performance behaviour. This area of research is stretched to include investigation on thermo-fatigue and durability of solder materials used as solder joints to assemble miniaturised electronic components on the substrate printed circuit board (PCB).

(III) Sustainable energy engineering

I have conducted and published vital research findings on photovoltaics (PV) technology - expecially on crystalline silicon PV module. The investigations focuse on improving the cell, contacts and interconnection technologies of the PV modules for improved performance (output power, power conversion efficiency) and interconnection reliability - especially for operations in hot temperature climates. This involves optimisation of the design parameters associated with thermal management and structural integrity of the PV module assembly for increased operational reliability.

(IV) Systems Modelling

I have advanced knowledge of static structural and steady state thermal modelling of systems. I have worked with ANSYS Fluent package to model fluid response to loads. I employ Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using ANSYS software to model and provide solutions to engineering problems associated with reliability predictions of systems and processes, with specific emphasis on electronics and photovoltaics interconnections, assembly, packaging and manufacture.