Professor Stuart Burgess

Biomimetics, Engineering (UK)

Stuart Burgess BSc (Eng) PhD CEng FIMechE is Professor of Engineering Design at the University of Bristol (UK). (NB: ‘Professor’ is a title given only to the highest academic rank in British Commonwealth universities.)

His research interests include bio-inspired design, biomechanics and design in nature. He has worked in industry as a professional designer and spent five years working on projects for the European Space Agency. He has published over 140 secular papers on the science of design and has been co-editor of the International Journal of Design & Nature. He has lectured at both Cambridge University and Bristol University in the UK. He is also a visiting professor at Liberty University, USA. From 2004–2011 he was Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering at Bristol University.

Prof. Burgess is also an outspoken Christian and biblical creationist. See our interview. In 2016, he was again in the headlines when his contribution to the chain drives of all Team GB’s track bikes (i.e. for racing in the velodrome) helped them to a world-beating medal haul in Rio, both at the Summer Olympics (6 Golds) and the Paralympics (8 Golds).

UK National Awards for Engineering Design

2008 Wessex Institute Scientific Medal
1997 Worshipful Company of Turners Bronze Medal
1993 Worshipful Company of Turners Gold Medal (Presented by Professor R. N. Franklin, Vice Chancellor of City University)
1993 UK Mitutoyo Design Prize
1986 Design Council Molins Prize (Presented by the Right Hon Peter Morrison, Minister of State for Trade & Industry)
1985 IMechE National Queen’s Silver Jubilee Competition, Second Place

Professor Burgess has an extensive publication record (too many to list here). Here are some of his more recent papers, just from 2012:

• D Raabe, A Harrison, AJ Ireland, K Alemzadeh, JR Sandy, S Dogramadzi, CR Melhuish, SC Burgess, Improved single-and multi-contact life-time testing of dental restorative materials using key characteristics of the human masticatory system and a force/position-controlled robotic dental wear simulator, Bioinspiration & Biomimetics 7, (pp. 1–17), 2012
• Stuart C Burgess, Chung Seng Ling, Torquil Pyper, A linear actuated chain test rig capable of accelerated test speeds and continuous wear measurements, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science 226, 2012. ISBN: 09544062
• Ralph P Evins, P Pointer, Stuart C Burgess, Multi-objective optimisation of a modular building for different climate types, 2012
• Ralph P Evins, P. Pointer, Stuart C Burgess, Visual data exploration in sustainable building design, 2012
• Paul M Gibbons, C Kennedy, Stuart C Burgess, Patrick S Godfrey, The Development of a Value Improvement Model for Repetitive Processes (VIM): Combining Lean, Six Sigma & Systems Thinking, International Journal of Lean Six Sigma 3, (pp. 315), 2012
• A Boxerbaum, A Klein, J Kline, Stuart C Burgess, R Quinn, R Harkins, Ravi Vaidyanathan, Design, Simulation, Fabrication and Testing of a Bio-Inspired Amphibious Robot with Multiple Modes of Mobility, Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics 24, (pp. 629), 2012. ISBN: 0915–3942
• Appolinaire C Etoundi, Ravi Vaidyanathan, Stuart C Burgess, A bio-inspired condylar knee joint for leg amputees and for knee implants, (pp. 23–34), 2012
• OA Araromi, SC Burgess A finite element approach for modelling multilayer unimorph dielectric elastomer actuators with inhomogeneous layer geometry, Smart Materials and Structures 21, (pp. 1–11), 2012
• PM Gibbons, SC Burgess, C Kennedy, P Godfrey, Lean thinking: developing a theory of an eighth waste, International Journal of Lean Six Sigma 3, (pp. 4–27), 2012
• R Evins, P Pointer, R Vaidyanathan, SC Burgess, A case study exploring regulated energy use in domestic buildings using design-of-experiments and multi-objective optimisation, Building and Environment 54, (pp. 126–136), 2012

Creation articles

• Overdesign in the human being with a case study of facial expressions, Journal of Creation 28(1):98–103, 2014.
• Oliver, J.D. and Burgess, S.C., Atheism, evolutionism and families: analysis of a recent popular psychology article, 17 January 2013.
• The beauty of the peacock tail and the problems with the theory of sexual selection, Journal of Creation 15(2):94–102, 2001.
• Critical characteristics and the irreducible knee joint, Journal of Creation 13(2):112–117, 1999.

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