Student & Early Career (IOM3 SEC) Group

Chair, Student & Early Career (SEC) Group

Dr Michael Kenyon MIMMM

Positive Planet

Michael studied for a PhD in Advanced Metallic Systems at the University of Manchester, investigating the evolution of dispersoids in Al-Mg-Si based automotive alloys with varying impurity levels; a project sponsored by Novelis. He now works for Positive Planet as a Principal Sustainability Consultant specialising in Life Cycle Assessments. Positive Planet believe businesses can be a catalyst for environmental and social change that lasts. With professional services including measurement, compliance, training, engagement and more across the sustainability spectrum, Positive Planet help businesses take real action to reduce their environmental footprint. Combining a career in both quantitative sustainability assessment, and materials science and research, Michael is supporting many businesses understand and reduce their environmental footprint.

Michael previously worked for Innoval Technology as Group lead for Sustainability & Knowledge transfer, a consultancy to the global aluminium industry, and has worked across many different material industries delivering LCAs for complex systems. He has worked across the automotive, aerospace and packaging sectors extensively among others. Working alongside universities and commercial partners, Michael finds collaborative projects particularly rewarding. Michael has been involved with many multi-year large scale publicly projects with the objective of improving the sustainability of materials.

Outside of work, you’ll find Michael with a camera in his hand, focusing on landscape, animal and astrophotography. Michael has been a keen Table Tennis player for many years, playing across the country.

Vice-Chair, SEC Group

Hannah Hilton-Tapp

Hannah Hilton-Tapp is a Process Chemist at Rolls-Royce, and is also in the process of submitting her PhD thesis to University of Leicester. Her PhD research topic was the electrodeposition of novel nanocomposite and alloy coatings for use as diffusion barrier layers in thermoelectric devices, in which she worked closely with the university's Space Nuclear Power team to further the development of thermoelectric and radioisotope power conversion technologies. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with Forensic Science and a Master’s degree in Chemistry, both also obtained from University of Leicester.

Alongside the IOM3 Student & Early Career Committee, Hannah is also a member of the IOM3 International Affairs Committee and a committee member for the East Midlands Materials Society. In 2024, she placed 3rd in the National Final for IOM3 Young Persons’ Lecture Competition, and was awarded the Peter Farr Memorial Award by the Institute of Materials Finishing for a paper published in their journal.

Alice Robinson CEng MIMMM

Rolls-Royce plc

Alice graduated from Imperial College London in 2018 with a First Class Honours degree in Materials with Nuclear Engineering before joining the Rolls-Royce graduate scheme which she has now completed. Alice has now secured a full-time role at the company working as a Materials Technologist focussing on novel manufacturing technologies. This current role allows Alice to continue to explore areas of materials science and engineering that she particularly enjoys, for instance additive manufacture and tribology whilst she supports programs which work to improve capability in these areas.

During university Alice began to foster relationships with the Armourers and Brasiers and the Tin Plate Workers and still remains involved with both companies today, attending relevant functions whenever possible. In 2019, Alice was one of the first Yeomen to be inaugurated into the Worshipful Company of the Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers.

Outside of work Alice spends the majority of her spare time at the gym or out socialising with friends. You can always guarantee her attendance at the local pub quiz too if she’s not on holiday somewhere sunny!

Ollie Thomas

University of Oxford

Ollie is a DPhil student in the department of materials at the University of Oxford. Ollie is working with Dr R. House and Prof. Sir. P. Bruce on developing novel cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries using earth-abundant and sustainable materials.

Ollie completed his undergraduate master’s in chemistry at the University of Durham, including a placement year at the CEA in Grenoble, France. Ollie is particularly interested in developing fundamental structure-property relationships in solid-state inorganic species and using this understanding to rationally design novel materials for a sustainable society rationally.

Ollie is passionate about ensuring that the voices of all scientists are heard and that the sciences are made accessible. To this end, Ollie has worked extensively with the royal society of chemistry and university governance bodies to improve the representation of early career scientists and provision for underrepresented groups such as those with disabilities. Ollie also regularly works on outreach and widening participation initiatives to encourage people into materials science.

Ollie is a keen cook and open-water swimmer.  He enjoys occupying his spare time with crosswords, video games, and listening to fantasy audiobooks, not to mention napping because naps are the best!

Ameer Zaki

University of Leeds

Ameer graduated from Queen Mary University of Londonwith a First Class Honours degree in Materials Science and Engineering. During this time,decided to study for a year abroad at the University of Toronto, where he undertook more familiar engineering modules, as well as taking the opportunity to expand his horizons and undertake modules not otherwise accessible to him, such as Accounting and Finance, and Coptic Art and Archeology. Now, Ameer is a PhD student at the University of Leeds where he is working with piezoelectric, lead free ceramic materials. This opportunity allows him to dive deeper into the world of materials and take part in the continual development occurring in the field whilst being allowed to focus on a longer term goal.

Throughout his time at Queen Mary, Ameer had multiple opportunities to undertake professional and educational opportunities. From being the representative of his cohort in an academic year, to welcoming and talking to children considering the university, as well as being able to undergo an internship where he worked to explore the upcycling applications of a pollutant, tyre wear, in partnership with The Tyre Collective, an ambitious startup. 

Outside of his PhD, Ameer likes to work with his local churches in Leeds and London, and to go to the GTech community stadium to watch Brentford when he gets the chance.

Dr Matthew Wadge MIMMM

Manchester Metropolitan University

Matthew is a Third Century Research Fellow in Surface Engineering at Manchester Metropolitan University, having joined in November 2024 from the Advanced Materials Research Group at the University of Nottingham (UoN). He holds a First-Class BSc (Hons.) degree in Biomedical Materials Science, and a PhD in Materials Engineering and Materials Design, both from the University of Nottingham. His research primarily focusses on the production of thin film coatings via wet chemical and PVD methodologies, specifically magnetron sputtering for a plethora of different applications, including biomaterials, energy storage, water treatment and electrocatalysis.

Matthew is passionate about science outreach, having taken on numerous volunteering roles such as, being a city co-ordinator of a Pint of Science festival, taking part in the “I’m a Scientist, Get Me Out of Here!” initiative, as well as being a STEM Outreach Ambassador. Matthew also holds other voluntary roles, including being a Committee Member for the British Standards Committee on Implants for Surgery (CH/150), as well as being a National Coatings Expert.

Within the IOM3, Matthew actively engaged with the East Midlands Materials Society whilst at Nottingham, and now aids the Surface Technologies Division. He was a National Finalist of the 2019 IOM3 Younger Persons Lecture Competition, as well as being featured as part of the “IOM3 Investigates” podcast series. He is a Member of the IOM3 (MIMMM), Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (FIBMS), and Alumnus of the Armourers and Brasiers. During his career, he has received several awards and prizes including the 2024 Silver Medal from the IOM3, 2020 STEM for Britain National Finalist, Armourers & Brasiers’ Gauntlet Trust TWI Best Final Year PhD and BSc/BEng Student Awards & Medals, as well as being chosen as one of ‘15 under 30’ to look out for in Material Science & Engineering by Materials World (2019).

Ian Marsh MIMMM

Surface Engineering Division

Ian has 8 years working in Additive Manufacturing, he has a vast amount of experience with different AM technologies. With a Masters in Materials Engineering from Loughborough University he is currently working towards Chartered Engineer status. He has spent time working internationally in Spain where he first started working on additive Manufacturing. He has worked in both industry and academia here in the UK. Ian is currently working as a technical sales engineer having previously worked as A Senior AM Engineer. 

Liv Andersson

Loughborough University

Olivia is currently an undergraduate student studying Materials Science and Engineering at Loughborough University. As part of her studies, Olivia is completing a year-long placement with the Materials Research department at Renishaw Plc, gaining valuable industry experience and exploring a diverse range of topics within the field.

During her placement, Olivia has become actively involved in various ED&I (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) groups, assisting with cultural calendar events. She enjoys engaging with others in the workplace and contributing to the fostering of inclusive and collaborative environments.

Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Olivia is a keen hockey player, enjoys reading, and always has a few textile projects on the go. Always eager to embrace new challenges, she is enthusiastic and excited to learn and grow with each opportunity that comes her way.

Samuel Jackson AIMMM

University of Sheffield

Sam is a PhD student in the Sheffield Titanium Alloy Research group within the School of Chemical, Materials, and Biological Engineering at the University of Sheffield. Prior to starting his PhD, Sam graduated from the University with a Bachelor's degree in Materials Science and Engineering with a Year in Industry. His self-proposed Bachelor's project, in collaboration with the National Composites Centre, focused on the mechanical properties of carbon-fibre, natural-fibre, and hybrid composite laminates. 

His industrial experience includes a Year in Industry at Airbus Defence and Space as a Materials and Processes engineer, along with two summer internships at Rolls-Royce plc. Following his undergraduate studies, Sam was awarded the IOM3 Royal Charter Prize and Excellence in Undergraduate Studies Award during the 2025 IOM3 Awards Day. Sam's work to date has focused on composite and metallic materials in a range of contexts including manufacturing, testing and certification, and failure analysis. His competition-funded, industry-sponsored PhD project focuses on the machining of metals — predominantly titanium —  in collaboration with Seco Tools and Element Six.

Outside of his research, Sam is passionate about sport and cooking. He enjoys swimming, kayaking, and is taking up triathlon. He used to play rugby but now prefers to be an armchair critic, and he also likes to hike, camp, and spend time outdoors.

Eleanor Smith

Ibstock PLC

Ellie is a Materials Science Technologist Degree Apprentice at Ibstock PLC, currently studying for her BEng in Materials Technology at Sheffield Hallam University. As a Manufacturing Management Trainee, Ellie's technical work focuses on process optimisation and the development of new products, investigating how changes to product makeup can be implemented to reduce carbon outputs and improve sustainability. She is currently training to become a Technical Manager within the factory, a position that will see her overseeing both quality standards and the environmental impact of industrial processes. 

Alongside her professional and academic work, Ellie is a dedicated STEM and East Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassador. She is passionate about increasing STEM outreach and is an advocate for promoting apprenticeships as a legitimate and rewarding route into technical careers.

Outside of work and university, Ellie spends most of her time at the gym or out exploring nature, usually with the guarantee of a new cafe or a local pub trip at the end of the walk! She also enjoys DJing in her spare time, finding it the perfect way to switch off from the world of materials and manufacturing.