Keith Vaugh is a member of academic staff in the Department of Polymer and Mechanical Engineering, with a 26-year career defined by leadership in programme development, innovation in teaching and learning, and applied research.
His expertise spans Mechanical, Polymer, and Manufacturing Engineering. He has been instrumental in developing over 18 academic programmes and coordinates the academic direction and supervision of student industrial placements, liaising with industry partners to provide academic support and ensure alignment with learning outcomes.
His technical practice centres on advanced Engineering Design methodologies, including CAD, FEA, Simulation, and CFD. He is currently investigating the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the engineering design process, exploring its potential to automate optimisation and enhance simulation accuracy. This research directly informs his teaching, ensuring curriculum relevance.
Keith’s applied research focused on New Product Development and Rapid Prototyping, Tooling and Manufacture (RPTM), specifically thermal management of tooling for polymer processing. He has a proven track record of securing competitive funding from bodies including Strand I, Enterprise Ireland, and InterTradeIreland, facilitating knowledge transfer between the university and industry.