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Professor Markus Mueller has been awarded a Chair in Emerging Technologies by the Royal Academy of Engineering, in recognition of his status as a global leader in his field.
Professor Mueller, who is Chair of Electrical Generation Systems in the School of Engineering, is one of two new Chairs in Emerging Technologies created by the Academy in the UK, in addition to the four announced in December 2022.
Funded by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Academy’s Chair in Emerging Technologies is designed to identify and provide long-term support to global research visionaries, who are developing emerging technologies that have potential to deliver economic and social benefit to the UK.
Professor Mueller will receive £2.5 million in funding over the next ten years to lead on developing innovative new electrical machine technologies, to support the energy and transport sectors in achieving net-zero targets.
Professor Mueller is working on the SuperMachine: a high power density, high efficiency modular superconducting electrical machine, that will help pave the way to the electrification of transport and more sustainable energy generation in future.
The new machine concept will use arrays of high-temperature superconductor (HTS) coils combined with structural materials of low mass density, in place of the conventional materials of iron, copper and magnets, leading to motors and generators of higher power density and efficiency.
The approach will also allow engineers more flexibility in the design of electrical machines, enabling greater modularity and system integration within a wide range of applications, alongside more effective use of materials.
Professor Mueller said: "The Academy's Chair in Emerging Technology is an excellent scheme providing continuous funding to take novel technology from the laboratory into industry.
"I am very grateful and excited to be given this opportunity to build a team to develop the SuperMachine concept, contributing to the electrical revolution required to meet net-zero targets in transport and energy."
Acting Head of the School of Engineering, Dr Dave Laurenson added: "This award recognises the importance of the work Professor Mueller is carrying out in the School of Engineering in the global move towards net-zero.”
