Tze Pei Chong - Learning from nature to quiet our machines

As part of our 60th Anniversary celebrations, we are thrilled to welcome you to our new series of Inaugural Lectures. This lecture will feature Professor Harjit Singh, a professor in Sustainable Energy Technologies.

Modern society relies on machines that move through air and water, from aircraft and wind turbines to drones and vehicles. While these technologies bring enormous benefits and conveniences, they also generate noise that affects communities and the environment. A major scientific challenge is therefore how to design machines that are both efficient and quiet.

This lecture will explore how nature offers powerful inspiration for solving this problem. Many animals have evolved sophisticated aerodynamic and hydrodynamic features that allow them to move silently through their environments. By studying these natural designs, such as the silent flight of owls and the surface structures of marine animals, engineers can develop new strategies to reduce noise while maintaining or even improving performance. The talk will also reflect on the broader journey of research in this field and its role in shaping a quieter and more sustainable technological future.

Professor Chong hopes you will join him for a drinks reception after the lecture.

What is an Inaugural Lecture?

An Inaugural Lecture marks a significant milestone in any academic career. Join us as we celebrate the extraordinary careers and research excellence of our academic colleagues, recently joined or promoted to Professor.

In these special open lectures, our professors welcome family, friends, colleagues and members of the public for a memorable evening unpacking their research expertise and offering insights from their career journey.

The Inaugural Lecture Series showcases a wide range of subjects and professorial expertise. These beacons of Brunel’s research community are leaders in their wider field, presenting their expertise, free and open to all.

All ages are welcome - we request that those under 18 are accompanied by an adult.