Allan Matthews facts for kids

Allan Matthews, born in 1952, is a professor at the University of Manchester. He studies how surfaces behave and how to make them stronger. He also leads a network that uses digital tools to create new surfaces.

Early Life and Education

Allan Matthews went to Upholland Grammar School. He earned his PhD (a high-level university degree) from Salford University. For his PhD, he studied special ways to use plasma (a type of gas) to create strong, eco-friendly coatings for tools.

Career Highlights

Early in his career, Professor Matthews worked in the UK's aerospace industry. He worked for companies like Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and British Aerospace Dynamics Group.

Pioneering Surface Engineering

In 1982, Professor Matthews became a leader in a field called surface engineering. This field focuses on changing the surfaces of materials to make them stronger or more useful. He started a special lab at Hull University to research this.

His team made big discoveries using plasma to treat surfaces and create coatings. They found ways to make steel and titanium alloys tougher. They also created coatings that protect cutting tools and airplane parts from wear and heat.

Work at Sheffield and Manchester

In 2002, Professor Matthews joined the University of Sheffield. There, he continued his research on surface engineering using plasma. He also helped create the Leonardo Centre for Tribology and Surface Technology. Tribology is the study of friction, wear, and lubrication.

In 2016, Professor Matthews moved to The University of Manchester. He became the Director of the International Centre for Advanced Materials (bp-ICAM). This center is a big partnership between BP (an energy company) and several top universities. These include The University of Manchester, Imperial College London, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Cambridge.

At Manchester, Professor Matthews has helped connect universities with industries. He focuses on how to improve materials, especially in the area of tribology. He has also written many scientific papers and a notable book called Coatings Tribology.

Awards and Recognition

Professor Matthews has been part of many important scientific groups. These include the British Vacuum Council and the Surface Engineering Divisional Board of the IoM3.

He has received many honors for his work:

• In 2012, he became a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng).
• In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.
• In 2011, he won the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) Gold Medal. This was for his important work in applying materials science to industry.
• In 2018, he received the IOM3 Tom Bell Surface Engineering Medal. He also won the AVS-ASED R. F. Bunshah Award.

Since 1987, Professor Matthews has been an editor for the scientific journal Elsevier Surface and Coatings Technology. He became its main editor in 2013. His research has been supported by various organizations, including the EPSRC and the European Union.