Professor Jonathan Lawrence PhD, BEng, PGDipHE, CEng, MIMechE is currently a Professor in Laser Materials Processing at the University of Lincoln School of Engineering. He has been teaching and conducting world class research at top level universities for over 15 years. As an established researcher he has attracted over £1.3M in funding from industry, and national and internal funding bodies to research laser materials processing and laser technology, as well as advanced manufacturing technologies His achievements to date are demonstrated by the publication of four books, over 100 journal papers in international journals of repute and over 50 conference papers. Professor Lawrence’s work has also generated five international patents. He is the Editor-in-Chief for the journal Lasers in Engineering, has sat on the Organizing/Programme Committees of various international conferences and is a referee for numerous international journals.
Before joining the University of Lincoln School of Engineering Professor Lawrence was a Senior Lecturer in the Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Loughborough University. Before this he was an Assistant Professor in the Manufacturing Engineering Division of the School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He has also spent a considerable amount of time in industry - first as a time-served centre lathe turner and then as a project engineer for the design of new taper roller bearings, being technically and financially responsible for projects with British Steel, Lockheed-Martin, Land Rover, Jaguar and SNCF. He was also involved with the design and testing of the wheel bearings for the Thrust SSC land speed record breaking car.
Professor Lawrence’s current research work is focused very much on laser materials processing issues with regard to manufacturing and life sciences. The projects is undertaking are very diverse in their nature and range from laser modification of biomaterials for improved biocompatibility, to the repair of battle-damaged aircraft, to the treatment of building materials. All of these research projects have a commercial bias. His particular interests are the further investigation of the effects of laser radiation on the wettability characteristics of selected ceramics, metals, natural and man-made biomaterials and polymers; improving the biocompatibility of implant materials using laser radiation; as well as studying the feasibility of using the high power diode lasers (HPDL) and fibre lasers for the forming of mild steel sheet. In addition, he is in the process of developing research possibilities into many other different aspects of advanced manufacturing and bio-engineering.
Current Research Projects
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An In-line Debris Removal System for Laser Micromachining.
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Laser Surface Treatment of Nylon 6,6 for the Modification Of Wettability Characteristics and Subsequent Enhancement of Osteoblast Cell Response.
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Optimization of Machine Bed Design.
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Laser Surface Engineering of Ceramics.
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Smart Materials Structures by Ultrasonic Consolidation.
Recent Research Funding
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Singapore Ministry of the Environment (ENV) - Nanyang Technological University Research Fund: ENV-NTU2/01 Laser Surface Treatment of the Refractory Materials and Grouts Used as Linings for Waste Incinerator PI Jonathan Lawrence, S$70,200.00.
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University Research Council of Singapore Start-up Research Grant: SUG13/02 Laser Augmentation of the Wettability Characteristics of Selected Medical and Dental Bio-materials for Improved Biocompatibility PI Jonathan Lawrence, S$98,970.00.
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Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund/Joint Collaboration with Industry (ARF/JCI) - Coherent Inc. High Power Diode Laser (HPDL) Plastic Welding for Telecommunications Applications PI Jonathan Lawrence, S$22,000.00 and US$50,000.00.
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DTI - JCB Ltd. KTP Grant: KTP001310 Development of Laser Processing Technologies for Improved Performance and Service Life of Off-Highway Vehicle Engines PI: Karen Williams (Loughborough University); CI: Jonathan Lawrence, £108,750.00.
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EPSRC Platform Grant: GR/T25040/01 Enhancement of Wear and Corrosion Resistance of NiTi Medical Implants by means of Laser Surface Modification PI: Jonathan Lawrence, £8,625.00.
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Microkerf Ltd Optimization of Fibre Laser Beam Delivery Devices for Hermetic Welding of Controlled Expansion Metal Alloys PI: Jonathan Lawrence, £30,000.00.
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EPSRC First Grant: EP/E046851/1 Laser Surface Treatment of Polymeric Biomaterials for Enhanced Cell Response PI: Jonathan Lawrence, £216,073.00.
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EPSRC IMCRC Grant: EP/E002323/1 - IMCRC275 Smart MaterialsStructures by U ltrasonic Consolidation PI: Russell Harris (Loughborough University); CI: Jonathan Lawrence, £774,042.00.
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EPSRC Platform Grant: GR/T25040/01 An In-line Debris Removal System for Laser Micromachining PI: Jonathan Lawrence, £18,000.00.
Research Interests
Laser materials processing
Laser welding, cutting and drilling, Laser deposition, Laser processing of architectural and construction materials, Laser surface treatment, Laser micro- and nano-fabrication; Laser cleaning and debris removal, Laser sealing, Mathematical modelling of laser processes
Wettability
Contact angle and wettability analysis, Contact angle and wettability modification, Bonding characteristics analysis and modification
Healthcare Engineering
Laser surface treatment of bio-implant materials, Development of enhanced biomimetic surfaces, Cell analysis, Scaffold development
Advanced Manufacturing
High power diode laser applications in the telecommunications industry, Novel and more effective approaches to laser drilling for manufacturing and bio-medicine, Laser machining of aerospace alloys for optical fibre/shape memory alloy (SMA) placement.
PhD Graduates
Dr. Liang HAO – 2005
Dr. Colin DOWDING – 2009
Dr. David WAUGH - 2010
