Researcher

Professor Gangadhara Prusty

Biography

Professor Prusty specialises in the field of nano, micro and macro-mechanics of composites. His interdisciplinary approach to composites research, extends from mechanics of materials through to the implementation of automated manufacturing technologies to complete composite structures/components and biomechanics application. He is the Centre Director of ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites (AMAC). His glittering...view more

Professor Prusty specialises in the field of nano, micro and macro-mechanics of composites. His interdisciplinary approach to composites research, extends from mechanics of materials through to the implementation of automated manufacturing technologies to complete composite structures/components and biomechanics application. He is the Centre Director of ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites (AMAC). His glittering 25+ years career has firmly established him as a pre-eminent founder, inventor, researcher and teacher.

Professor Prusty is the Director of Research and Bid Lead for the Sovereign Manufacturing Automation of Composites Cooperative Research Centre (SoMAC CRC), funded by the Commonwealth of Australia. SoMAC brings together 33 partnering organisations in a $250 million program, 10-year (2022-2032) strategy to build sovereign capability within the Australian composites industry. His multi-disciplined ability has seen him secure over 100 research grants, author over 300 referred articles, graduate 30 Higher Degree Researchers, patent an invention of Dental Composites and obtain multiple invention disclosures.

Professor Prusty’s teaching innovations include his novel web-based methods, such as the world’s first adaptive Massive Open Online Course on Engineering Mechanics, which has attracted global acclaim and recognition. In recognition of his teaching contributions, he has been recognised through multiple teaching excellence awards, including the “Australian Awards for University Teaching”, the “Australian Council of Engineering Deans Award for Engineering Education”, the “Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation” and the “UNSW Vice-chancellor's Teaching” excellence awards.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Director of Research, Sovereign Manufacturing Automation for Composites CRC (SoMAC CRC) (2022-
Director, ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites (2016-
Deputy Director, Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT@UNSW) (2008-2019)
Visiting Professor, University of Liege, Belgium (2010)
Professor (since 2014); Associate Professor (2011-2013); Senior Lecturer (2007-2010); Lecturer (2005-2007), UNSW Australia

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Automated Tape/Fibre Placement (ATP/AFP) of advanced composites- Online monitoring and processing
Nano, Micro and Macro- Mechanics and Failure analyses of fibre reinforced composite structures
Linear and non-linear finite element analysis of stiffened structures
Functionally graded materials
Fracture mechanics of nano-modified fibre reinforced composite structures

TEACHING AREAS

Engineering Mechanics
Mechanics of Solids
Composites: Materials, Mechanics and Manufacturing

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Fellow, Institution of Engineers Australia (IEAust)
Fellow, Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA)
Fellow, Australian Association of Engineering Education (AaeE)

ROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Co-host, 9th Australasian Congress on Applied Mechanics (ACAM9), 27-29th Nov 2017.
Member of Experts, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), Australian Government.
Research Leader, Advanced Structures and Materials research group of MECHENG
Organising and Technical Committee member for International Maritime Conference (IMC), Australasian Congress of Applied Mechanics (ACAM) & Sixth International Composites Conference (ACUN6)

My Grants

G Prusty et al.; (2010-2015): AU $280 k: Systems for Crashworhiness, Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures (CRC-ACS)
G Prusty et al; (2013-2015): AU $250 k: The Virtual Design Workshop: An on-line adaptive resource for engineering and architecture, Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT), Australian Government.
G Prusty et al.; (2014): AU$1. 2 Mil: An Australasian facility for the automated fabrication of high performance bespoke components, Australian Research Council (ARC)- LIEF
G Prusty with V. Sahajwalla et al.; (2014-2018): AU $4.1 Mil (ARC: $2.2 Mil + Partners: $1.9 Mil): ARC Research Hub for transforming waste directly in cost-effective green manufacturing, Australian Research Council (ARC)- Industrial Transformation Research Hubs scheme
G Prusty with G Pearce et al.; (2016-2019): AU $0.5Mil (ARC: $330 k + Partners: $180 k): Onset Theory: Pushing the design envelope for textile composite structures, Australian Research Council (ARC)- Linkage Projects
G Prusty et al.; (2016-2019): AU $0.65 Mil (ARC: $360 k + Partners: $270 k): Flowable composite system with short S-glass fibre and halloysite nanotubes, Australian Research Council (ARC)- Linkage Projects
G Prusty et al.; (2017-2022): AU $6.5 Mil (ARC: $3.8 M + Partners: $2.7 M ): ARC Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites(AMAC), Australian Research Council (ARC)- Industrial Transformation Training Hub
G Prusty with P Compston et al. (2018): AU $1.2 Mil: Laser-based Automated Fibre Placement facility; Australian Research Council (ARC)- LIEF
G Prusty with S Li et al.; (2018-2025): AU $6.5 Mil: UNSW Materials & Manufacturing Futures Institute
G Prusty et al.; (2019-2022): AU $8.5 Mil (Aus Industry: $3M + Partners: 5.5M): CRC-P with SDI Ltd. on Dental Composites; Australian Govt.
G Prusty (2020-2023): AU 0.8 Mil: Durability of Composite Propellers; DSTG funding
G Prusty et al.; (2022-2032): AU $250 Mil (Commonwealth: $70M + Partners: $180M): Sovereign Manufacturing Automation for Composites CRC (SoMAC CRC); Australian Govt.

My Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy (Structures), Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India, 2003
Graduate Certificate in University Learning & Teaching, UNSW Australia, 2008

My Awards

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

2023- Cooperative Research Australia Awards for Excellence in Innovation: Enduring Industry-Research Collaboration
2023- IBACA Australia India Science, Research and Development Award (Finalist)
2019- JEC Asia 2019 Innovation Award for “Shape Adaptive Hydrofoil with Fiber-Optic Sensing”
2016- Best paper award, Australasian Association for Engineering Education (AAEE 2016)
2012- Australian Awards for University Teaching- Award for Teaching Excellence
2012- Australian Council of Engineering Dean's National Award for Engineering Education Excellence
2012- UNSW Faculty of Engineering Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence
2010- UNSW Vice-Chancellor Award for Teaching Excellence
2010- Lecturer of the Year, MECHSOC, UNSW
2010- ALTC Citation Award for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning: “For innovative teaching and assessment of mechanics courses in engineering, which encourage and motivate students to learn threshold concepts effectively”.
2004- Australian Maritime College (AMC@UTAS) Council Award for High Achievement in Scholarship (Research).