Dr. Neil Phillips | Unconventional | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Shen Awards

Dr. Neil Phillips | Unconventional | Best Researcher Award

Research Fellow at Unconventional, University of the West of England, United Kingdom

Dr. Neil Phillips has a deep interest in understanding and improving systems, with a focus on the underlying technology and how it can be enhanced. They enjoy using scientific and mathematical methods to solve problems, including complex challenges. Their experience in industry and collaborative projects has equipped them with valuable skills, including commercial awareness, technical expertise, and academic proficiency. They are adept at working independently within broad guidelines and are willing to make tough decisions, seeking guidance when necessary. Dr. Phillips thrives in multidisciplinary teams and is driven to find innovative solutions to a variety of problems.

Professional Profiles:

Education:

Dr. Neil Phillips holds a Ph.D. from Cardiff University, where he focused on the application of High Temperature Superconductors to Electric Drives. He also completed his BEng with Honours in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Cardiff University.

Employment:

Dr. Neil Phillips is a Research Fellow with a focus on advancing research in fungal analog electronics. His current role, which began in June 2023, involves undertaking a variety of tasks to advance research with real-world impact and enhance the student experience. He researches sustainable technologies that can transform the future, promote long-term economic growth and development, and improve the quality of built and natural environments. Prior to his current position, Dr. Phillips was a Research Fellow on the Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) EU project at UWE from November 2022 to May 2023. This project investigated the novel functionalities of ELMs, such as their inherent intelligent, adaptive, and self-healing properties. It was funded under the EIC Pathfinder Call for cutting-edge research projects in strategic areas. Before that, he served as a Research Fellow on the Fungal Architectures EU project at UWE from June 2021 to November 2022. This cross-disciplinary research project aimed to develop a fully integrated structural and computational living substrate using fungal mycelium for growing architecture. The project’s principal targets were growing monolithic structures at meter length scales and functionalizing the mycelium network to act as a computing device.

Skills:

Dr. Neil Phillips possesses a diverse skill set that includes an APM certificate in Project Management, creative problem-solving abilities using TRIZ, and a Six Sigma Green Belt. He is adept at 3D CAD and prototyping with 3D printing, as well as data acquisition and computer interfacing to instrumentation. Dr. Phillips is skilled in circuit design, particularly in power electronics and control, and has programming experience, including with Arduino. Additionally, he is proficient in website design, specifically with WordPress. He has also served as an evaluator for the Google Science Fair competition and as a reviewer for EPSRC bids.

Patents:

Dr. Neil Phillips has contributed significantly to scientific advancements through his inventions, as evidenced by his involvement in several patents. While some of his work remains confidential due to intellectual property rights and commercial agreements, his named inventions include a Drying Apparatus (EP1419296A1), an Automatic Balancing Device (WO05075726A1), a Motor (EP980599B1), Improvements Relating to Floor Cleaning Devices (WO0128401A1), an Electrical Machine (GB2362268B2), and a Power Conversion Apparatus (WO04057747A1). These patents reflect his innovative approach and expertise in various technological fields.

Award Winning:

Dr. Neil Phillips has received several prestigious awards recognizing his outstanding contributions to research and innovation. In 2022, he was awarded the research publication of the year in the Journal of Biological Engineering by the Institute of Biological Engineering for his paper on ‘Marimo actuated rover systems’. He also won UWE’s Vice-Chancellor’s Challenge Award in 2023/2024 for his project ‘Freezing Global Warming’, highlighting his commitment to addressing climate change. Additionally, Dr. Phillips received ‘The Application of the Year’ prize in 2019 from the International Membrane Computing Society for his innovative work. He further demonstrated his excellence in public engagement and knowledge exchange, winning UWE’s Public/Community and Knowledge Exchange Award in 2024 for his ‘Climate Change mitigation knowledge exchange with the public’ project, as well as the FET Public Engagement and Outreach Award in 2018/19 for enabling the public to use slime as a biosensor. These accolades underscore Dr. Phillips’ dedication to impactful research and his ability to engage with diverse audiences.

Publications:

  1. Evaporation, lifetime, and robustness studies of liquid marbles for collision-based computing
    • Authors: C Fullarton, TC Draper, N Phillips, R Mayne, BPJ de Lacy Costello
    • Citations: 51
    • Year: 2018
  2. Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction in liquid marbles
    • Authors: C Fullarton, TC Draper, N Phillips, BPJ de Lacy Costello, A Adamatzky
    • Citations: 41
    • Year: 2019
  3. Liquid marble interaction gate for collision-based computing
    • Authors: TC Draper, C Fullarton, N Phillips, BPJ de Lacy Costello, A Adamatzky
    • Citations: 40
    • Year: 2017
  4. Performance enhancement of single and two phase SR drives using a capacitor boost circuit
    • Authors: JD Lewis, HR Bolton, NW Phillips
    • Citations: 37
    • Year: 1995
  5. Thermal switch of oscillation frequency in Belousov–Zhabotinsky liquid marbles
    • Authors: A Adamatzky, C Fullarton, N Phillips, B De Lacy Costello, TC Draper
    • Citations: 24
    • Year: 2019
  6. Towards experimental P-systems using multivesicular liposomes
    • Authors: R Mayne, N Phillips, A Adamatzky
    • Citations: 24
    • Year: 2019
  7. Power conversion apparatus
    • Authors: AC Clothier, S Greetham, MH Haywood, NJ Leighton, NW Phillips
    • Citations: 22
    • Year: 2008
  8. Liquid marble actuator for microfluidic logic systems
    • Authors: TC Draper, C Fullarton, N Phillips, BPJ de Lacy Costello, A Adamatzky
    • Citations: 20
    • Year: 2018
  9. Fungal electronics
    • Authors: A Adamatzky, P Ayres, AE Beasley, A Chiolerio, MM Dehshibi, A Gandia, …
    • Citations: 19
    • Year: 2022
  10. Mapping outcomes of liquid marble collisions
    • Authors: TC Draper, C Fullarton, R Mayne, N Phillips, GE Canciani, …
    • Citations: 16
    • Year: 2019