Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research interests include:
-Nanolithography and nanofabrication
-Micro and nano-scale devices
-BioNanotechnology
-Surface texturing for solar cells

Growth, fundamental material properties, and device applications of metal oxide semiconductor films and nanostructures, in particular ZnO, SnO2, In2O3, Ga2O3 and their alloys. The engineering of electronic devices for optical displays, environmental sensors, smart windows, photovoltaics, memristor-based computing, and electrochemical carbon capture. Optoelectronic devices for monitoring erythemal UV exposure for epidemiological studies and primary prevention involving melanoma risk and vitamin D deficiency. School-based experiential SunSmart education programs.

Research interests include:

Circuit design for medical applications
Signal and image processing using hardware acceleration
High-frequency ultrasound imaging

Research interests over my career include:
-Image processing, in particular recovery of images by deconvolution, astronomical speckle imaging, medical imaging
-Machine vision
-Biomedical signal processing, especially EEG and ECG
-Neuromorphic computing

Joe's primary research is in the field of imaging, where he uses X-rays, electrons, optical light, and sound waves, among other things, to look at everything from galaxies to protein molecules - the aim is to visualise our universe and understand how things work.

Joe has experience in phase retrieval, X-ray diffractive imaging, and designing computational algorithms to reconstruct images of proteins and viruses from X-ray diffraction data collected at synchrotrons and X-ray free-electron lasers (XFEL). He is also working on ultrasonics for biomedical and environmental applications that will hopefully go on to help people.

Joe's other research interests include signal processing, quantum optics/computing, optimisation algorithms, and astrobiology.

Linda works as the Nanotechnology Research Engineer at the Nanofabrication Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
She completed her Ph.D. in 2020 with the thesis titled “Perovskite Solar Cell for Greenhouse Applications”. Her research interests include new-generation solar cell fabrication and characterization, novel fabrication and characterization techniques for solid-state devices, and functional material depositions.

Associate Professor Richard Clare is a specialist in adaptive optics, classical and physical optics, and image processing, with expertise in developing advanced optical systems that mitigate atmospheric turbulence for ground based astronomical and satellite imaging. His work enhances the performance and scientific yield of large aperture telescopes by designing, simulating, and building next generation adaptive optics technologies that deliver high precision, high stability observations under real atmospheric conditions.

Richard contributes to two major international applications:

 

• Optical design and performance optimisation for the European Southern Observatory’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), one of the world’s flagship next generation astronomy facilities. 
• High resolution satellite imaging and space debris detection using the telescopes at the University of Canterbury’s Mount John Observatory, supporting global space domain awareness.

He supervises postgraduate research in adaptive optics, wavefront sensing, atmospheric tomography, computational imaging, and machine learning. 

Assoc. Prof. Enda Crossin is the Head of Department, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Canterbury. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer (Australia) in areas of Mechanical Engineering, Leadership and Management, and Project Management. He is the Vice President of the Australasian Assocation for Engineering Education. 

 

Assoc. Prof. Enda Crossin is a specialist in engineering practice, materials, and sustainability, with extensive experience leading industry-based research projects across sectors such as renewable energy, packaging, and the built environment. His life cycle assessment research focuses on the application of life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental performance of emerging material technologies and waste-management systems. His engineering practice research focuses on life-course studies of engineers; he leads the BeLongEng project, the first longitudinal study of engineering practice, which examines how engineers learn, work, and develop across their careers.

 

Assoc. Prof. Crossin is passionate about developing engineers who are prepared for work in the 21st century, and is a Chartered Member of Engineering New Zealand | Te Ao Rangahau, Engineers Australia, and is the Vice-President of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education.

I am a process engineer working in the field of semiconductors and semiconductor devices.

My research is mainly related to magnetics engineering, including:

• Wireless Power Transfer: primarily near-field magnetic inductive power transfer, which is the technology behind wireless charging for smartphones and wearables. I have developed wireless chargers for consumer products, e-bikes and scooters, drones, implantable medical devices and electric vehicles. My research focuses on extending state-of-the-art efficiency and power density, mainly by operating the magnetic link at high frequency in the low-MHz range. 
• Applied Superconductivity: mainly flux pumps, which are wireless power supplies for superconducting magnets that thermally isolate the cold magnet from the room-temperature power supply, reducing the cryogenic burden and resulting in a smaller and lower-cost system. I am also interested in High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) magnet design, particularly non-insulated magnets, and in superconducting machines and cryogenics for hydrogen-electric aviation.
• Nuclear Fusion: mainly superconducting magnets and power systems, but also reactor integration for Tokamaks including plasma-magnet interaction, disruptions, neutronics and reactor economics. 

 

I also have a growing interest in machine learning for engineering, particularly reinforcement learning for robotics (using Nvidia Isaac Lab) and Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) for engineering modelling.

Research interests include:
-Electro-biotechnology: Bio-feedback rehabilitation devices, electrostatic allergen control, electro-surgery, and neural stimulation.
-Electric field mediated biomedical applications: research focuses on applications of electroporation and dielectrophoreisis. Electroporation is a term that is used for the observed increase in permeability of biological membranes to macromolecules through application of high magnitude electric field pulses. The increased membrane permeability allows the transport of material across the membrane that would otherwise be blocked. This effect has significant applications in research including genetic engineering, gene therapy, cancer chemotherapy and cloning. Dielectrophoresis is defined as medium magnitude AC non-linear electric field induced movement of cells. The movement can be used to separate mixed cell types, transport cells from place to place, and arrange cells into structures. This effect has applications in disease diagnosis, immunology, cell characterisation, and cloning.
-Power electronics applications: research is primarily involved with the design and construction of high voltage and high frequency power electronics. Of particular interest are high voltage electronics associated with electroporation research, modular multi-level converters for electric vehicle applications, and small-scale electrical power generation using sustainable energy sources.

Research interests include: 1. Biomedical Systems: Modelling of Glucose-Insulin system, development of macro-physical cardio-vascular system models including ventricular interaction, integral based Inverse Problem Solutions for a Digital Image-Based Elasto Tomography Breast Cancer Screening System, agitation sensing with Image Processing based on patient motion and facial grimacing. 2. Image Processing and Computer Vision: High Speed 3D Motion Sensing for a Digital Image-based Elasto Tomography Breast Cancer Screening System, intensive care patient motion detection and measurement (facial grimacing detection for the development of an agitation sensor), measuring morphological change in the Waimakariri River using a rotating camera system with zoom on a 33m power pylon and on a 12m portable mast. 3.Structural Health Monitoring: Developing real time integral based structural Health Monitoring algorithms, applying integral based methods to detect stiffness changes to the structure of multi-storey buildings during and after an earthquake using only accelerometer data 4. Development of real-time modeling and system identification techniques for implementation during rocket flight, 6DOF rigid body dynamic modeling of rocket response, Minimal modeling of shock waves and turbulence during rocket flight, Vertical wind tunnel testing and control system development, Orbital mechanics calculations and optimization for small payload low earth orbit insertion

My research interests are predominately around advances in healthcare through use of accessible solutions, focusing primarily within diabetes. Access to best care, and thus medical outcomes, are currently inequitable. I bring clinical insight from EAS experience to my engineering, thus enabling equitable solutions.

Dr Andrew Lapthorn leads the High Voltage Laboratory at the University of Canterbury, specialising in high-voltage engineering, power system resilience, electrical insulation performance, dielectric testing, and conformity assessment for the electrical industry. His expertise spans high-power systems, grid-scale electrical infrastructure, asset performance, failure analysis, and standards compliance, with recognised leadership as an IEC Young Professional. He has authored more than 60 technical papers and over 20 technical reports across high-voltage testing, power system reliability, and advanced electrical materials.

 

He leads Workstream 4 of the MBIE-funded programme Architecture of the Future Low Carbon, Resilient, Electrical Power System, focusing on future-grid architecture, low-carbon energy systems, electrification, and resilient power networks. He also leads Workstream 4 and contributes to Workstream 3 of the MBIE project High Power Electric Motors for Large-Scale Transport, advancing research in electrified transport, high-power motor technologies, and energy-efficient propulsion. As University of Canterbury lead, he directs research on the performance of power system protection under extreme solar storms within the Solar Tsunamis MBIE Endeavour Programme.

 

Dr Lapthorn serves as Secretary of the IEEE New Zealand Council and as Convenor of the New Zealand Panel of CIGRE A3 — High Voltage Equipment. Internationally, he is a member of the CIGRE D1 Study Committee on materials and emerging test techniques, and of Working Group B1.82, contributing to international work on cable systems, high-voltage equipment performance, and power system standards.

My primary research area is communication system and algorithm design. Research themes within this area include reduced complexity algorithms, high throughout system and modulation design, and incorporating more realistic assumptions and models into my research.

Technology has an ever increasing impact on our daily lives. The world has some massive challenges, which need to be solved. It is more critical than ever to have a diverse group of people designing the next generation of technology to serve our diverse society. This leads to an increasing need for socio-technical design for 5G and eventually 6G communication systems.

My research spans from the highly technical engineering of channel models, error control coding, detection, equalization and decoding, coded modulation, cognitive radio, mmwave communications etc, through to engineering education research and then on to diversity, equity and inclusion research.

My primary focus is design. That encompasses both helping our students to learn the practice of design, and designing learning experiences that help prepare our students for their future careers.

Research interests include:
-Image reconstruction
-Diffraction
-Mathematical and physical modelling
-Applications in biology, geology and atmospheric science

Ciaran Moore received the BE(Hons I) and PhD degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Canterbury in 2007 and 2012, respectively. After a brief period as a post doctoral fellow, he joined Victoria University of Wellington as a lecturer in 2013, teaching electronics and doing research on near-field imaging systems. In 2019 a growing family brought him back to Christchurch, where he joined the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UC as a senior lecturer, teaching embedded systems, electronics and materials science. Ciaran's current research interests include halide perovskite materials and sensors based on electronic, optical and chemical systems.

 

Volker Nock is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering whose work advances New Zealand’s capability in micro‑ and nanosystems, microfluidics, and Lab‑on‑a‑Chip technologies. His research enables new ways to study biomolecular interactions in plants and animals, supporting innovations in disease detection, biocontrol, and environmental resilience.

 

A Rutherford Discovery Fellow and long‑standing Principal Investigator with the MacDiarmid Institute and the Biomolecular Interaction Centre, he has led national research programmes in reconfigurable systems and biosecurity innovation. His group’s technologies contribute to improved understanding of biological function and the development of next‑generation diagnostic and sensing platforms.