Ross Nolan

I am a Senior Technical Specialist based in the Henry Royce Institute at the University of Manchester, with over 15 years of experience in thermomechanical processing and mechanical testing of metals.

I lead the Faculty of Science and Engineering's Advanced Metals Development core facility which encompasses a wide variety of techniques involved in metallurgical research. I provide technical expertise, training, and consultancy to academia and industry partners.

I am also the Henry Royce Institute Technology Platform Lead for Thermomechanical processing.  Alongside this I am a Co-I for the National Technology Platform for Materials Innovation.

I graduated from The University of Manchester with an MChem (Hons) in Chemistry with my final year project focusing on single molecule magnets.  After this I joined the Advanced Metallic Systems Centre for Doctoral Training to study for my PhD.  In my PhD my research focused on the microstructure and formability relationships in a novel 7xxx series aluminium alloy for automotive applications.

Following my PhD I worked for Exova (which became Element in 2018) as a Failure Metallurgist.  In this role I conducted failure investigations on a vast array of components manufcatured from different materials to determine a cause of failure and provide recommendations to avoid future problems.  Failure investigations were undertaken for a range of different industries including Aerospace, Defence, Oil & Gas, Marine and Utilities.  Alongside failure investigations I was responsible for project management of high value clients' metallurgical and mechanical testing.  In 2018 I left Element to go travelling.

Returning from travelling I transitioned back to academia in a technical role as an Experimental Officer for the Henry Royce Institute.  Whilst in this role I was appointed as the Henry Royce Institute Technology Platform Lead for Thermomechanical Processing in 2022, with this role being renewed in 2025 for a further three years.  In 2023 I became the Faculty of Science and Engineering core facility lead for Advanced Metals Development and in 2024 I was promoted to a Senior Technical Specialist for Advanced Metals Development.

I hold a NEBOSH general certificate and I am a PRINCE2 7 Practitioner.

I am a Co-I for the National Technology Platform for Materials Innovation.  Alongside this I am the co-chair of the Henry Royce Institute Technician Commitment Committee.

I hold three roles on the Henry Royce Health & Safety Committee (Heavy Machinery, Manual Handling and Lifting and the PS staff representative).