Dr Weichao Shi
Reader in Net Zero Maritime Systems, Babcock LGE
Weichao is currently leading a research team developing applied biomimetics marine hydrodynamics technology with the ambition of providing the maritime industry with effective and feasible solutions inspired by mother nature. Weichao started his higher education at the Harbin Institute of Technology in 2007, studying Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering. He continued his Master's degree in Mechatronics and got inspired to devote himself in tidal energy research. During his Master study, he was involved in several national R&D projects developing marine renewable energy systems. In 2013, he moved to Newcastle University to continue his PhD research in the Emerson Cavitation Tunnel, working on biomimetic concepts to improve tidal turbine performance. In 2016, he joined the University of Strathclyde as a research associate. In 2018, he was appointed as Strathclyde Chancellor's Fellow in low carbon technologies and in 2022 he was promoted to Senior Lecturer. And in 2023, he chose to return to Newcastle University as a Reader in Net Zero Maritime Systems.
To date, Weichao has been working on 30+ research and knowledge exchange projects with funding from various funding societies, including Horizon Europe, EU-H2020, Innovate UK, Department for Transport, the Royal Society, and various industrial companies, like BAE Systems, James Fisher and Defence, etc. He is the project coordinator for a number of multi-million projects, including RESHIP, TransSHIP, etc. Meanwhile, Weichao and his team have generated ~100 journal and conference papers together with 10 patents.
Weichao is a member of the ITTC specialist committee, RINA and HEA. He serves as guest editor for Journal of Ocean Engineering, Frontier in Energy Research and Journal of Marine Science and Engineering; and as an editorial board member for Journal of Mathematical Problems in Engineering and Journal of Sustainable Marine Structures. He also contributes organising many international conferences, including OMAE, AMT, MARINE
