Formerly at Lancaster University
Gerard’s current role within the department is to provide mechanical engineering support to local companies through the Cumbria Innovations Platform (CuSP) project. This European Regional Development Fund project is designed to increase Cumbrian SME’s competitiveness by accelerating their innovation in new products and services. Gerard typically works with companies on six to twelve week engineering design and product development projects, assisting companies with Computer Aided Design (CAD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and rapid prototyping.
Though not in a direct research role, Gerard’s research interests are centred around additive manufacturing, and the creation of novel workflows and techniques using AM to reduce the cost, and increase the flexibility of conventional manufacturing processes.
Gerard Shields joined the university as a member of staff in July 2018, after studying within the department as a student and graduating with a 1st Class MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering degree. As a student, Gerard was the Team Leader for the 2017/18 Formula Student project, and continues to provide advice and assistance to the team each year. Gerard is an associate member of the IMechE and is working towards Chartered Engineer status.
The Engineering Engagement team is a small, friendly group focussed towards helping businesses (particularly SMEs) to collaborate with the university primarily in designing, building and testing new products. The team’s expertise lies broadly within mechanical design, design for manufacture, rapid prototyping, rapid tooling and a range of additive technologies (or 3D printing) to support fabrication. The team are also able to draw on broader Engineering skills, expertise and facilities to collaborate with industry partners, depending on specific needs.
The Engineering Engagement team is part of a wider partnerships function, encompassing Physical Sciences, which includes the Departments of Chemistry and Physics as well as interdisciplinary centres of excellence (such as Energy Lancaster, Materials Science Institute and the Cockcroft Institute). We collaborate regularly with other faculties and departments as well as external organisations to undertake interdisciplinary research and benefit from synergistic approaches to problem solving.
Since the establishment of the Engineering Engagement team in 2002, we have undertaken more than 1200 collaborative projects with external partners, including SMEs, large enterprises, public bodies and charitable organisations.
