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Dr Christopher Braithwaite 

Year started

2017

Subject

Physics

Fellow Type

Lecturers, Professors and College Officers,

I was born and raised in Southport and attended Christ the King RC High School. In 2000 I began a 4 year course in Natural Sciences at King’s College, Cambridge and completed two projects in the SMF group. The first of these was a research review on the use of image correlation techniques for measuring internal displacement fields. The second was a Part III project looking at the use of digital image correlation in mapping the deformation of projectiles undergoing the classic Taylor Test.

After graduating in 2004 I began a PhD in the SMF group sponsored by De Beers and Rio Tinto to look at the shock properties of geological materials. While this was laboratory based, the research output fed directly into a large scale modelling effort being run by a number of the world’s largest mining concerns. After graduating again in 2009 I began work as a research associate in the group, investigating a wide range of phenomena, some of which are detailed in the research interests section below. I was appointed to an Early Career Lectureship in 2016 and currently teach in the undergraduate practical classes for 1st and 2nd year students.

Research Interests
Following on from the research in my PhD I have retained an active interest in the shock behaviour of granular and geological materials, assisting with a number of projects in this area, either as the main investigator or in a supervisory role with PhD students. Much of the groups work on reactive metal formulations has been led by projects where I was the main researcher, and a brief summary of this research can be found in the research section of the website. In addition to these two main research themes, I have been involved in a number of smaller projects for a variety of sponsors, including for example of the early efforts the group made into the area of space penetrators.
As well as my own research themes I have also offered and supervised a number of undergraduate projects for final year students.

College Positions

Teaching By-Fellow

01 October 2015 – 30 September 2017