Programme start date: 16/09/2013
EngD Thesis Title: Control of wave energy converters using machine learning strategies
Educational background
After spending my school years in Italy, I graduated from the University of Southampton with a first class MEng in Ship Science (Naval Architecture). During my third year, I studied for one semester at the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg (TUHH) in Germany on an exchange programme, where I specialised in computational fluid dynamics and structural mechanics.
What were you doing prior to this programme?
I applied to IDCORE straight after my undergraduate studies.
What attracted you to studying with IDCORE?
The expertise of the staff in the offshore renewable energy sector. Additionally, being an EngD, it provided me with a good exposure to both the academic and, in particular, the industry worlds. This should facilitate the choice of my future career path.
What attracted you to offshore renewables industry?/ What aspects of the industry do you find most inspiring, interesting or important for the future?
I came to know about offshore renewable energy in my ship science degree. What particularly attracts me is the relative infancy of the industry and its associated huge growth potential, especially considering the finite nature of other energy sources. Additionally, environmental concerns have played a major role in my decision of moving out of the ship-building industry.
At the moment, much as I am interested in wave energy converters, due to their similarities with ships, I think the tidal and in particular offshore wind turbines have a larger potential for success. What would really interest me is the design of a floating support structure for wind turbines, so that they may be successfully installed in deeper water without incurring in excessive costs.
