51cg

Biography

Dr M. Amir Siddiq is a Reader in Solid Mechanics and Materials at the 51cg, specialising in computational solid mechanics, multiscale materials modelling, structural integrity and data-driven engineering. With more than two decades of international academic and industrial experience, his research develops predictive computational frameworks linking material microstructure, deformation and damage to engineering performance and failure.

He is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA), Chartered Engineer (CEng), Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE), and Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM). He has been included in the Stanford/Elsevier global Top 2% Scientists rankings in multiple years and has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers.

Dr Siddiq has led and contributed to research programmes exceeding £3 million across advanced manufacturing, hydrogen energy systems, offshore engineering and computational modelling. His research spans hydrogen-material interactions, deformation and failure, residual stresses, stress corrosion cracking, advanced manufacturing and AI/data-driven mechanics.

His academic and professional service includes membership of an EPSRC Prioritisation Panel and election as a Councillor of the Scottish Association for Metals. He has supervised 14+ PhD researchers to completion, examined more than 20 doctoral theses internationally, and coordinates the MSc Advanced Mechanical Engineering and MSc Advanced Structural Engineering programmes.

Before joining Aberdeen, he worked at the Max-Planck Institute for Metal Research, Robert Bosch GmbH, the University of Sheffield, KAUST, the University of Strathclyde and the Advanced Forming Research Centre, alongside academic appointments in Pakistan.

Prizes and Awards

Research Impact and Recognition

• 100+ peer-reviewed publications | h-index: 24 | i10-index: 35
• Top 2% Scientist globally (Stanford & Elsevier)
• £3M+ external research funding (EPSRC, Chevron, Shell, Boeing, etc.)
• Recognised contributions in multiscale modelling, hydrogen degradation, and advanced manufacturing

Academic Leadership Highlights

• £535k+ research funding secured since 2021 (over £3M career total)
• 100+ peer-reviewed publications in leading journals and conferences (Int. J. Plasticity, Materials & Design)
• Recognised as Top 2% Scientist globally (Stanford & Elsevier, 2020–2022)
• Supervised 14+ PhD completions; examined 20+ PhDs internationally
• Led School Employability & Skills framework → improved graduate outcomes from 70% to 78%
• Strong industry engagement with Shell, Chevron, Boeing, Rolls-Royce plc, and NMIS
• Fellow of IMechE (CEng), IOM3 (FIMMM), and Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA)
• Member of ETP Scotland Hydrogen Steering Committee and Advanced Manufacturing Leadership Group Scottish Partnership for Energy and Engineering Research and Innovation (SPEERI)
• Founder of Professor 3MEC platform (computational mechanics & AI education)

Teaching Awards

• Excellence in Student Support Award (nominated), 51cg, 2024/25.
• Best Postgraduate Taught Lecturer Award (nominated), 51cg, 2024/25
• Excellence in Assessment and Feedback Award (nominated), 51cg, 2024/25
• Excellence in Leadership Award (nominated), 51cg, 2022
• Teaching Excellence Award (nominated), 51cg, 2016, 2021-2026
• Research Supervision Excellence Award (nominated), 51cg, 2022 & 2023
• Best Teacher Award in Automotive Engineering, NED University, 2010

Research Overview

Dr Amir Siddiq’s research lies at the intersection of experimental mechanics, computational materials modelling, and advanced manufacturing. His research integrates experimental characterisation, crystal plasticity finite element modelling (CPFEM), multiscale mechanics, and AI-assisted predictive analytics to develop digital twins for materials, manufacturing processes, and energy infrastructure.

Core research areas include:

• Multiscale deformation and failure of engineering materials (aluminium, titanium alloys, niobium, austenitic steels, nickel-based superalloys, ceramics, and soft biological materials).
• Crystal plasticity, constitutive modelling and AI-assisted predictive mechanics.
• Advanced manufacturing and process digitalisation, including ultrasonic consolidation, 3D metal printing, precision machining, ultrasonic-assisted sheet forming, incremental forming, extrusion, and wire drawing.
• Hydrogen infrastructure, structural integrity, and corrosion-assisted degradation.
• Renewable energy and offshore engineering systems, particularly in oil & gas, wind and wave energy systems.

His research aims to bridge experimental observations and computational intelligence, creating digital twins of materials and manufacturing processes that support sustainable and intelligent engineering solutions.

Current Research

Amir's research group focusses on a variety of materials and their behaviour along with different types of industrial manufacturing processes. We currently are working on the following projects.

• Microstructure-sensitive deformation and damage in dual-phase titanium alloys for aerospace applications
• Hydrogen-assisted degradation and structural integrity of metallic energy infrastructure
• Physics-informed machine learning for constitutive modelling and digital twins

We are always looking for outstanding PhD students, if you are interested in working on any of the above projects then please don't hesitate to contact me.

Knowledge Exchange

1. Dynamic Response of a Car Window-Lift Motor Assembly: In collaboration with Dipl.-Ing. Holger Dietzhausen () and (Institute A of Mechanics, University of Stuttgart)

2. Diffusion Process (Carburization) Simulation Code: In collaboration with Dr. Juergen Gegner () and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Oechsner ()

3. Ultrasonic Consolidation at Macroscale: In collaboration with University of Sheffield, DSTL and . 

4. Modelling and experiments of two point incremental sheet metal forming process and residual stress measurement and modelling: In collaboration with AFRC, BOEING.

5. Sheet metal forming core research project : In collaboration with AFRC, Rolls Royce plc., BOEING, Barnes Aerospace, and Timet.

6. Residual stress measurement core research project : In collaboration with AFRC, Rolls Royce plc., BOEING, Barnes Aerospace, Timet, and Aubert & Duval.

7. Sheet press forming and incremental sheet forming of titanium alloys: In collaboration with AFRC, Rolls Royce plc., BOEING, Barnes Aerospace, Timet, and Aubert & Duval.

8. Disc project – measurement and prediction of residual stress in quenched components: In collaboration with AFRC, Rolls Royce plc., BOEING, Barnes Aerospace, Timet, and Aubert & Duval.

9. Multi-scale Modelling of Stress Corrosion Cracking by Using Peridynamics: Dr Erkan Oterkus (University of Strathclyde), DSTL UK & Lloyds Register.

10. A Computational Framework for Underwater Shock Response of Marine Structures: Dr Erkan Oterkus (University of Strathclyde), DSTL UK & Lloyds Register.

11. Framework for digitalisation of the fitness for service assessment process: Wilkinson Coutts Engineering UK.

Collaborations

Collaborations and Funding

Collaborations span academia, industry, and government-funded research programmes including EPSRC, Chevron, Shell, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Bosch, SKF, KAUST, Max Planck Institute, and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult.

Funding and Grants

Total Research Income: £3M+ career total

Recent Funding (since 2021): £535k+ secured (PI/CI)

Research portfolio demonstrates a strategic balance between UKRI-funded research, industry collaboration, and translational engineering impact across hydrogen, offshore energy, and advanced manufacturing.

Successful Bids (PI: Principal Investigator; CI: Co-Principal Investigator)

Ongoing Projects

1. Long-term degradation of buried subsea pipeline coatings, 2024-2027, Chevron Corporation. (Total funding = £100.43k) (CI)
2. New materials and methods for hydrogen transport and storage: repurposing the economic future of the North Sea, 2025-2027, EPSRC. (Total funding = £232.48k) (CI)
3. Development of Computational Framework for Laser Assisted 3D Metal Printing of Biomedical Components through Novel Metastable Beta Titanium Alloys, 2026-2027, King Saud University, KSA. (Total funding = £326.8k) (Consultant)
4. A computational framework to understand and predict microstructure dependent sporadic fracture behaviour in near beta titanium alloys, Research in Residence (RiR) Scheme at National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland, 2024-2026, funded by UKRI (EPSRC), Catapult Network. (Total funding = £38.087k) (PI)
5. Characterising and optimising mechanical performance of additively manufactured (3D printed) titanium alloys, 2021-2025, Petroleum technology development fund, Total funding = £55.3k (CI)

Completed Projects

6. Repurposing of the pipeline infrastructure for Hydrogen and CO2 transportation in UKCS Using Digital Twins, 2023-2024, NZTC Ltd, Halliburton, Engtech Analytics, Offshore Independents B.V., Elixir Consultants UK Ltd. Total funding = £109k (CI)
7. Longevity and Fate of Structures Left in Place, 2020-2024, Oil & Gas Technology Centre Ltd and Chevron, Total funding = £200k (CI)
8. Post Decommissioning Monitoring, 2020-2022, Shell UK, Total funding = £303k (CI)
9. Framework for digitalisation of the fitness for service assessment process, 2020, 51cg Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation Award and Wilkinson Coutts Engineering UK, Total funding = £10k (PI)
10. Induced Ductile to Brittle Transition Impact Cut (IDBTIC), 2019-2023, Scottish Funding Council and Clockwise Technologies (Ltd), Total funding = £122.28k (CI).
11. Hydrogen induced Stress Corrosion Cracking in Steels, 2015-2021, Apache Ltd, total funding = £60k (PI).
12. A Multiscale Constitutive Model for Intragranular Ductile Damage during Sheet Metal Forming Processes, 2014-2016, EPSRC, Total funding = £100k (PI).
13. A Computational Framework for Underwater Shock Response of Marine Structures, 2014-2015, funded by DSTL UK, Total funding = £30k (CI).
14. Multi-scale Modelling of Stress Corrosion Cracking by Using Peridynamics, 2014-2015, funded by DSTL UK + Lloyds Register, Total funding = £45k (£30k + £15k) (CI).
15. Disc project – measurement and prediction of residual stress in quenched components, 2013-2014, funded by Rolls-Royce plc., BOEING, Barnes Aerospace, Timet, and Aubert & Duval, Total funding = £300k (CI).
16. Sheet press forming and incremental sheet forming of titanium alloys, 2013-2014, funded by Rolls-Royce plc., BOEING, Barnes Aerospace, Timet, and Aubert & Duval, Total funding = £330k (CI).
17. EPSRC Small Equipment Grant Scheme for microstructure-based modelling of polycrystalline materials, 2012-2013, £6.4k (PI).
18. Residual stress measurement core research project, 2012-2013, funded by Rolls-Royce plc., BOEING, Barnes Aerospace, Timet, and Aubert & Duval, Total funding = £175k (CI).
19. Sheet metal forming core research project, 2012-2013, funded by Rolls-Royce plc., BOEING, Barnes Aerospace, and Timet, Total funding = £118k (CI).
20. Modelling and experiments of two-point incremental sheet metal forming process and residual stress measurement and modelling, 2012-2013, Funded by BOEING, Total funding = £125k (CI).
21. Rate sensitivity effects during intergranular failure in nanocrystalline materials, DMEM, University of Strathclyde, 2012-2013, Total funding = £5k (PI).

Teaching Responsibilities

• EG5085 (2014-15): ADVANCED TOPICS

Coordinator/Organiser

• EG4578 : GROUP DESIGN PROJECT (BENG Mechanical)
• EG50F8/EG50G8: SUBSEA INTEGRITY
• EG55F2/EG55G2: PIPELINE AND SOIL MECHANICS
• EG59M9: INDIVIDUAL PROJECT IN MSc ADVANCED MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Supervision Responsibilities

• EG4013 : MEng INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS
• EG4014 : BEng ENGINEERING PROJECTS
• EG5565 : MEng GROUP DESIGN PROJECTS
• EG5908 : MSc INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS (OIL & GAS)
• EG5906/EG5910 : MSc INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS (SAFETY AND RELIABILITY)
• EG59F9/EG59G9 : MSc INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS (SUBSEA ENGINEERING)
• EG59M9: INDIVIDUAL PROJECT IN MSc ADVANCED MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
• EG4578 : GROUP DESIGN PROJECT (BENG)

Courses Taught in the Recent Past:

51cg: Advanced Topics, Renewable Energy (Wind), Subsea (Offshore) Integrity, Subsea Pipeline Design, UG/PG individual and group projects.

University of Strathclyde: Advanced Forming Technology and Systems, Advances in Machining, Integrating Studies, Professional Practice, Introduction to Production Engineering, UG/PG individual and group projects.

NED University of Engineering and Technology: FEM: Applications in Automotive Engineering, Finite Element Analysis, Automotive Vechicle Dynamics, Kinematics and Rigid Body Dynamics, Advanced Stress Analysis, Advanced Vehicle Dynamics, UG group projects.

University of Sheffield (as tutor): Engineering Mechanics, Materials under Stress, Thermo-Fluids.

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

• Employability & Skills Champion
• Programme co-ordinator
• Mentor
• Personal tutor