Dr. Alan Murphy

Biography

Alan began his professional journey with a Dual Cadetship in the British Merchant Navy, qualifying as a Deck Engineer Officer in 1995 with Shell Shipping. He pursued academic studies at Newcastle University, earning a First-Class BEng degree in Marine Technology with honors in Naval Architecture. Following his undergraduate education, he completed a PhD at the University of Southampton specializing in Fluid-Structure Interaction, gaining recognition through the Stanley Grey Fellowship from IMarEST and a Froude Scholarship from RINA. His research focused on the design, production, and testing of a laminar flow-based drag plate, supported by UK MoD funding. Alan has held numerous academic positions, including Research Fellow at the University of Southampton and Reader in Maritime Engineering at Newcastle University. He has played key roles in establishing significant initiatives, such as the Newcastle University Campus in Singapore and leading various research groups comprising a substantial number of academics and students. His areas of expertise include maritime machinery, propulsion systems, and thermofluids. Alan is actively involved with the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and serves on several committees related to maritime engineering. In 2023, he returned to the University of Southampton as a Professor in Maritime Engineering, contributing to research and education in sustainable, emission-free maritime systems.

Research Interests

Experience