LIFD staff spotlight: Dr Claire McIlroy

Dr Claire McIlroy, Lecturer in Applied Mathematics, LIFD EDI Committee member

Background

I completed my PhD “Complex Inkjets” at the University of Leeds in 2014. I then moved to Georgetown University, Washington DC for a post-doc position to better understand extrusion-based 3D printing. In 2017, I was awarded a Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 independent research fellowship to study “Semi-crystalline polymers for 3D printing”, which I held at the University of Nottingham. From 2019-2024, I was a Lecturer in the School of Maths & Physics at the University of Lincoln, before returning to Leeds.

Research expertise

My research focuses on the theory and modelling of complex non-Newtonian fluids for industrial flow applications. I have expertise in rheology, inkjet printing, and additive manufacturing.

Current research interests

At the moment, I am interested in the broadening the range of materials suitable for 3D printing applications and the recycling of 3D printed polymer material.

Current projects

I currently co-supervise a PhD student based at the University of Lincoln, who is conducting microplastic analysis on samples taken from the human body, including lung tissue, blood and urine samples. Mathematical modelling can give us insight into how microplastic particles are transported around the body and thus their ultimate fate.

Key industry partnerships 

My PhD formed part of a larger EPSRC project comprising several industrial partners from the inkjet sector. As a mathematician I always find visiting industry helpful to put problems into context. More recently, I have worked with filament manufacturers and co-authored journal articles; it is encouraging that industrial collaborators also benefit from the credibility that comes with published research.

The next big development areas for your discipline area

The long-standing challenge for understanding the processing of complex materials is the development of scalable models that can predict how the microstructure of the material translates to the macroscopic response and function of a product. I think we will see significant progress in addressing this challenge in the near future.

Opportunities within the research group 

I have several PhD projects on offer through the Fluids CDT.