The paper titled 'Analysis of a Low Reynolds Number Rotor Acting as a Thruster and an Energy Harvester in Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Conditions' has been accepted for presentation at the 16th International Conference on Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (ICMAE 2025), to be held in Rome, Italy this July and will be published in its proceedings. The conference is highly competitive, having an acceptance rate of about 55%. The acceptance of this paper is a significant achievement, showcasing the quality and innovation fostered within the MEng programmes in the school.

The paper presents a novel investigation into the dual-use application of a rotor inspired by NASA’s Mars helicopter design. By integrating computational and experimental methods, the study explores the rotor’s performance both as a thruster and as a wind energy harvester, applicable to terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments. A particular highlight of the work is the introduction of a new one-dimensional model accounting for the effects of confined space on the rotor thrust, an important consideration for lab-based tests.

So warm congratulations to the MEng students Szymon Lesniakowski, Abdulhaq Shodipe, Sarah Mbayi, and Mohammed Shariffe for their exceptional work. Their efforts were guided by the supervisors Dr Fariborz Motallebi and Dr Eldad Avital, along with a support from the British Council.

This achievement reflects the outstanding opportunities offered by our MEng programmes, enabling students to contribute to cutting-edge engineering research and gain international recognition.