Dr Catherine Jones

Strathclyde Chancellor's Fellow

Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Personal statement

I am a Chancellor's Fellow (lecturer) within the Institute for Energy and Environment.

My research focusses on the design of resilient, compact electrical power systems design, incorporating the influence of non-electrical power systems (e.g. carbon fibre composite structures).

This includes efficient methodologies for electrical power system architecture design for disruptive technologies, to meet both performance (weight, efficiency) and dynamic functionality requirements.

Design of integrated electrical power and structural systems, and multifunctional (combined electrical, structural and thermal systems), incorporating:

Component scale electrical and thermal modelling of carbon fibre composites.
Electrical fault diagnostics, prognostics and health monitoring.
Interdependent electrical power systems architectures (including grounding topologies) and composite structure design and trades.

My research involves a range of modelling & simulation and laboratory based hardware testing methods.

The main application for my research to date is aerospace, with electrification and lightweight structures two of the key enabling technologies for decarbonisation of aviation. However, my research is also relevant for other compact networks, e.g. Microgrids, marine electrical networks.

Publications

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Publications

Electrical protection design for integrated motor drives with carbon fibre composite casings for aircraft: Jones Catherine E, Higgins Mark, Tahir Muhammad Hijaaj, Norman Patrick, Burt Graeme M; IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification (2024); https://doi.org/10.1109/TTE.2024.3375932
Low frequency design criteria for carbon fibre composite casings for aircraft power electronic converters: Higgins Mark, Jones Catherine E, Peña Alzola Rafael, Burt Graeme; International Conference on More Electric Aircraft (2024)
Sizing of superconducting cables for turbo-electric distributed propulsion aircraft using a particle swarm optimization approach: Nolan Steven, Jones Catherine E, Norman Patrick J, Burt Graeme M; IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification Vol 8, pp. 4789-4798 (2022); https://doi.org/10.1109/TTE.2022.3172495
Design of modular, CFRP-encased electrical power systems for more-electric aircraft applications: Higgins M, Jones C E, Pena Alzola R, Norman P, Burt G; SAMPE Conference 2022 (2022)
At scale, experimental capture of electrical response of carbon fibre composites to inform integrated electrical power and structural systems: Jones Catherine E, Johny Jeffy, Norman Patrick, Burt Graeme; Towards Sustainable Aviation Summit 2022, 3AF (2022)
A framework for efficient design of multifunctional-CFRP for future aircraft: Tahir M Hijaaj, Jones C E, Whitfield R I, Norman P, Burt G; Proceedings of the 20th European Conference on Composite Materials, ECCM20 The 20th European Conference on Composite Materials, pp. 461-468 (2022); https://doi.org/10.5075/epfl-298799_978-2-9701614-0-0

More publications

Teaching

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Teaching

I lead the Vertically Integrated Project on Integrated Systems for Decarbonisation of Aviation.

Research

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Professional Activities

UKESF Girls into Electronics 2023: Chair; 14/6/2023
Integrating Electrical Power Systems with Composite Materials: Speaker; 15/11/2019
AIAA/IEEE Electric aircraft technologies Symposium: Participant; 22/8/2019
Engineering the Future for Girls: Contributor; 18/6/2019
IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification (Journal): Peer reviewer; 5/2019
IET Scotland Committee (External organisation): Advisor; 2019

More professional activities

Projects

Manufacturing of Multifunctional Conduction Composites: Yokan, Catherine (Principal Investigator) Jones, Catherine (Principal Investigator); 29-Jan-2023 - 31-Jan-2023
INtegration and Digital demonstration of low-emission aIrcraft technoloGies and airport Operations (INDIGO) (Horizon Europe CL5): Fossati, Marco (Principal Investigator) Jones, Catherine (Co-investigator) Maddock, Christie (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2023 - 31-Jan-2026
Multifunctional carbon fibre composites for lightweight, structural electrical current return networks for future electric aircraft.: Jones, Catherine (Principal Investigator); 01-Jan-2022 - 31-Jan-2024
Failure modes of CFRP due to electrical current conduction - Vertical Aerospace: Jones, Catherine (Principal Investigator) Cutting, Daniel James (Co-investigator) Norman, Patrick (Co-investigator) Yokan, Catherine (Co-investigator); Application to the Inward Investment Catalyst Fund; 14-Jan-2022 - 14-Jan-2023
ARCTRACK: Assessment of arc tracking hazards in high voltage aerospace systems: Norman, Patrick (Principal Investigator) Burt, Graeme (Co-investigator) Jones, Catherine (Co-investigator) Sztykiel, Michal (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2019 - 31-Jan-2021
Cross-disciplinary advanced Vibration Laboratory (£32K EPSRC Capital Award for ECRs, £11K Faculty of Engineering Strategic Research Funding): Tubaldi, Enrico (Principal Investigator) Coraddu, Andrea (Principal Investigator) Jones, Catherine (Principal Investigator) Cartmell, Matthew (Principal Investigator); Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is an emerging technology for damage identification of aerospace, civil and mechanical engineering infrastructure, with significant potential for life-safety and economic benefits. Vibration-based SHM entails measuring the response of structural systems to dynamic excitations through appropriate sensors, and intelligently analysing the measured response to identify damage occurrence or degradation. This project supports the development and build of a vibration laboratory (VibLab) across the Faculty of Engineering, a new inter-disciplinary facility for there is a strong need, but is currently missing at Strathclyde. The laboratory will benefit the short- and long-term career development plans of Early Career Researchers (ECRs), enhancing their capabilities in the field of SHM. It will also strengthen the connections across departments, and contribute to maximise external funding income and attract new industrial and academic partners. The facility is a joint initiative between the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Naval Architecture and Ocean and Marine Engineering.

£32K EPSRC Capital Award for ECRs, £11K Faculty of Engineering Strategic Research Funding, £20k total combined departmental funding.; 01-Jan-2019