A.3. Education
1976-1980	Cleves Middle School, Weybridge, Surrey
1980-1986	Christ’s Hospital, Horsham, Sussex
1986-1987	Student Engineers’ Training Centre, DRA Farnborough, Hants
1987-1994	University of Bath, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees

A.4. Qualifications
Undergraduate Degree	Aeronautical Engineering, with First Class Honours
Postgraduate Degree	PhD in High Angle of Attack Aerodynamics An experimental study of aircraft control during high angle of attack manoeuvres using forebody vortex blowing.
Other Qualifications	Maths, Physics, Chemistry A levels Ten O levels including English and French
Professional Engineering Status	Chartered Engineer Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Member of the Institute of Learning and Teaching

A.5. Previous Employment
9/94 – 12/96	Postdoctoral Research Officer, Fluid Power Centre, University of Bath
Project	Fault Diagnosis of Hydraulic Systems using Neural Networks
Overview	A collaboration between the Fluid Power Centre at the University of Bath and the Expert Systems Group at the University of Exeter. The project involved a combination of computer simulation, experimental work and neural network development. Upon completion, the research programme was able to demonstrate a technique for diagnosing faults in actual hardware using neural networks trained solely using simulated data.

A.6. Present Employment

Post: Senior Lecturer in Engineering, University of Manchester Appointed: 23/3/97

A.7. Recognised Achievements
1986	Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
1986	University Sponsorship by the Ministry of Defence
1990	Chilcot Prize for Outstanding Contribution to Student Music, University of Bath
1990	Royal Aeronautical Society Prize for Best Aeronautical Engineering Graduate
1992	Ede and Ravenscroft Prize for Outstanding work during a PhD
1993	N E Rowe Medal for Best Paper Presented to the Royal Aeronautical Society
2004	BAESYSTEMS Chairman’s Award for Innovation and Implementation, Silver, 2004, for development of Fluidic Thrust Vectoring Technology
2006	North West Development Agency ‘University of the year award’ for supervising the winning project in the annual Whittle Award competition
2006	University of Manchester postgraduate team working award joint first prize (as team manager) for the FLAVIIR project

B. Teaching

B.1. Current Departmental Duties

Academic year 1997-1998	MSc in Applied Mathematics and Fluid Dynamics. Half-module lecture course Basic Aerodynamics MT EA 5021. 12 lectures, 15 students. First Year Aerodynamics EA110. 24 lectures, two laboratories, 100 students. Student Questionnaire lecturing score 4.4/5. Awarded 4/4 in TQA assessed lecture. First Year Communications EA263. 2 lectures, 100 students. IGDS in Maintenance Engineering.1 lecture, 8 students.
1998-1999	MSc in Applied Mathematics and Fluid Dynamics. Half-module lecture course Basic Aerodynamics MT EA 5021.12 lectures, 15 students. First Year Aerodynamics EA110. 24 lectures, two laboratories, 100 students. Student Questionnaire score 4.2/5 First Year Communications EA263. 12 lectures, 100 students. Student Questionnaire score 3.9/5 IGDS in Maintenance Engineering.1 lecture, 5 students. Third Year Aircraft Design. Module coordinator. 10 lectures, 60 students.
1999-2000	MSc in Applied Mathematics and Fluid Dynamics. Half-module lecture course Basic Aerodynamics MT EA 5021. 12 lectures, 15 students. First Year Aerodynamics EA110. 24 lectures, two laboratories, 100 students. Third Year Aircraft Design. Unit coordinator. 10 lectures, 70 students. Communications practical skills with first year tutor group. 6 students, 8 hours.
2000-2001	First Year Aerodynamics EA110. 24 lectures, one laboratory, 100 students. Third Year Aircraft Design. Unit coordinator. 30 hours class contact, 80 students. Communications practical skills with first year tutor group. 6 students, 8 hours. IGDS in Maintenance Engineering. 1 lecture, five students.
2001-2002	Rocket first year PBL. Unit leader. 130 students, 8 hours contact Hovercraft first year PBL. Unit leader. 130 students, 10 hours contact Second semester PBL facilitator. 2 groups of 8 students. Third Year Aircraft Design. Unit coordinator. 30 hours class contact, 80 students.
2002-2003	Rocket first year PBL. Unit leader. 130 students, 8 hours contact Hovercraft first year PBL. Unit leader. 130 students, 10 hours contact Second semester PBL facilitator. 2 groups of 8 students. Second Year Aircraft Systems, Dynamics and Control. Unit leader. 65 students, 24 hours class contact, 12 hours group facilitation. Second Year Integrated Aircraft Design. 65 students, 12 hours group facilitation Third Year Aircraft Design. Unit coordinator. 30 hours class contact, 80 students.
2003-2004	Rocket first year PBL. Unit leader. 130 students, 8 hours contact Hovercraft first year PBL. Unit leader. 130 students, 10 hours contact Second semester PBL facilitator. 2 groups of 8 students Second year Aerodynamics PBLs leader. 30 hours of lab work over 3 weeks, 80 students. Second Year Aircraft Systems, Dynamics and Control. Unit leader. 65 students, 24 hours class contact, 12 hours group facilitation. Third Year Aircraft Design. Unit coordinator. 30 hours class contact, 80 students.
2004-2005	Rocket first year PBL. Unit leader. 130 students, 8 hours contact Hovercraft first year PBL. Unit leader. 130 students, 10 hours contact. Second year Aerodynamics PBLs leader. 30 hours of lab work over 3 weeks, 80 students. Second Year Aircraft Systems, Dynamics and Control. Unit leader. 65 students, 24 hours class contact, 12 hours group facilitation. Third Year Aircraft Design. Unit coordinator. 30 hours class contact, 120 students.
2005-2006	First year Rocket EBL, 1 week 80% full time, 160 students (aero/mech) First year Hovercraft EBL, 1 week 80% full time, 90 students Second Year Aircraft Design, Unit leader. 140 students, 16 hours class contact. Second Year Aircraft Systems and Control. Unit leader. 140 students, 20 hours class contact. Unit included 2 weeks of EBL activity (Systems EBL, Control EBL) Third Year Aircraft Design. Unit coordinator. 30 hours class contact, 130 students.

B.2. Other Teaching

· Tutor group assistant for the Teaching and Learning Course for New Lecturers (2002 - )

B.3. Continuing education or extra-mural teaching

University of Manchester External Lecture Programme, 2003-2004. 2 hour lecture on aerodynamics of sport for the ‘New Scientist’ programme.

B.4. Publications related to teaching

Crowther, W.J., ‘From PBL to EBL – a bumpy ride in Engineering?’, PBL Special Interest Group, CEEBL, Manchester, 16^th March 2006.

Crowther, W.J., ‘Motivating Engineering Students through PBL’, Workshop, SPATS Conference, York, November 2002.

Crowther, W.J., ‘Design and implementation of a Hovercraft Problem Based Learning exercise to teach first year fluids’, International Conference on Engineering Education, Manchester 2002.

Lennox, B. and Crowther, W.J., ‘Changing structures for delivery – Breaking traditional barriers’, International Conference on Engineering Education, Manchester 2002.

Crowther, W.J., Lennox, B., Procter, D., Wood, N.J. and Tobbell, R.E., ‘Implementation of PBL in the Manchester School of Engineering’, Implementing Problem Based Learning Regional Conference, Manchester, January 2001.

Crowther, W.J., Hopping, B. ‘Advent of PBL in the Manchester School of Engineering’, Snapshots of innovation 2002, University of Manchester/UMIST publication, May 2002.

B.5. Innovative work and contributions to curriculum reform and development

Primarily responsible for evolving PBL to EBL in the new school of MACE during 2005-2006. Whilst the EBL trial was partially successful, the school decided in future years it would concentrate on traditional teaching in order to simplify the logistics of provision.

Core member of the new programmes committee in former MSE, responsible for developing and implementing PBL from 2001. Member of the new Teaching Innovation team in MACE, 2005-.

Member of the team responsible for securing the recent £4.5m CETL bid to support EBL at the university from HEFCE. The proven track record demonstrated by the PBL implementation at MSE was considered to be a key factor in the success of the CETL bid.

Five conference publications related to innovative teaching methods developed at former MSE.

Widespread application of methods and technologies developed as part of research activity at undergraduate level. For example, use of real-time data acquisition and control using Matlab as a key part of a second year lab to design a pitch controller for an unstable aircraft mounted on a free to pitch rig in a wind tunnel. Also, third year aircraft group design activity based on current unmanned air vehicle research.

B.6. Examination responsibilities

none

B.7. Results of assessment of teaching ability

Academic Year	Unit	Teaching assessment score	Notes
1997-1998	· First Year Aerodynamics EA110* · First Year Communications	4.4/5 3.9/5
1998-1999	· First Year Aerodynamics EA110	4.2/5
1999-2000	· First Year Aerodynamics EA110	4.3/5
2000-2001	data not available**
2001-2002	data not available**		Rocket and Hovercraft voted most enjoyable PBLs by first year students
2002-2003	· 2^nd Year Systems, Dynamics and Control	4.2/5
2004-2005	· 3^rd year group design	4.1/5

* A 4/4 TQA teaching assessment was also obtained for an observed session of this unit

** assessment made but results not communicated back to staff due to admin problems

B.8. Appointments held as Course Director or Tutor

· Course Director for Aerospace Programmes, outgoing University of Manchester programme, 2003-2004.

· Associate Programme Director for Aerospace, School of MACE, 2004-2005.

B.9. Voluntary activities with students

Organised student team entries to the British Model Flying Association Heavy Lift Aircraft Competition. Students build a model aircraft based on their third year design work and fly in a national competition. Entries in 1998, 1999 and 2001.

B.10.Statement on teaching

I am passionate about engineering and I endeavour to use this enthusiasm to engage and motivate students at all levels throughout all my teaching. I maintain an up to date knowledge of the aerospace industry and aim to have a working understanding of current research topics in aerospace and the broader field of engineering in general. I aim to use this knowledge and understanding to inform my teaching such that all material can be put into the context of real world application. I also aim to use my own research to illustrate specific personal examples of how understanding of fundamental principles can lead to insight into existing problems and suggest opportunities for novel applications. Written comments by students on course unit feedback forms and feedback from staff student committee meetings confirm that my approach leads to a positive learning experience for the majority of students.

I have been involved with the development of novel teaching methods in engineering since 1998 and firmly believe in the concept of active learning whereby students learn through the process of enquiry rather than by passive absorption. The problem based learning exercises I run in the first and second year of the course are designed to be extremely challenging, however these activities are consistently voted as the most enjoyable activities by students, demonstrating that through the right approach learning can be both effective and engaging.

C. C. Research and Academic/Professional Standing

C.1. Publications

Conference Contributions, refereed

Sparks, R., Michie, S., Gill, K., Crowther, W.J., ‘Development of an Integrated Circulation Control / Fluidic Thrust Vectoring Flight Test Demonstrator’, 1^st International Conference on Innovation & Integration in Aerospace Science Queen’s University Belfast 4^th & 5^th August 2005 (CEIAT 2005-0086)

Erbsloeh, S.D., Crowther, W.J., ‘Control of boundary layer separation on a civil turbofan intake using air-jet vortex generators’, Paper 42, CEAS/KATnet Conference on Key Aerodynamic Technologies, Bremen, June 2005.

Heap, H. and Crowther, W.J., ‘A review of current leading edge device technology and options for innovation based on flow control’, RaeS conference, London, 2003.

Crowther, W.J. ‘Flocking of unmanned air vehicles’, Bristol UAV conference 2002

Mason, M and Crowther, W.J., ‘Fluidic thrust vectoring for low observable aircraft’, RaeS conference, Cambridge 2002

Potts, J. and Crowther, W.J., ‘Aerodynamics and control of a rotating disc wing’, RaeS conference, Cambridge 2002.

Crowther, W.J. ‘Perched landing and takeoff for fixed wing UAVs’, NATO AVT Symposium on Unmanned Vehicles for Aerial, Ground and Naval Military Operations 9-13 October 2000 in Ankara, Turkey.

Conference Contributions, other

Gill, K, Wilde, P., Gueroult, R. and Crowther, W.J., ‘Development of an Integrated Propulsion and Pneumatic Power Supply System for Flapless UAVs’, AIAA-2007-7726, 2nd CEIAT Int'l Conf on Innov and Integr in Aero Sciences, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sep. 18-20, 2007)

Wilde, P., Gill, K., Michie, S., Sparks, R., and Crowther, W. ‘Integrated Design of a Model-Scale Gas Turbine Powered Flapless Demonstrator Aircraft: A Case Study’ AIAA-2007-7727

2nd CEIAT Int'l Conf on Innov and Integr in Aero Sciences, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sep. 18-20, 2007)

Nagendran, A., Richardson, R.C., Crowther, W.J., 'Bell shaped impedance control to minimise jerk while capturing delicate moving objects', 4th international conference in Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics , Angers, France, May 2007

Gomes, L., Crowther, W.J., Wood, N.J., ‘Towards a Practical Synthetic Jet Actuator for Industrial Scale Flow Control Applications’, IUTAM Symposium on Flow Control and MEMS, Imperial College, London, 19-22 September 2006.

Geoghegan, P., Crowther, W.J., and Wood, N.J., ‘Measurement of Boundary Layer Velocity Profiles by Ultrasonic Tomography for the Prediction of Flow Separation’, AIAA-2006-2805

Gomes, L., Crowther, W.J., and Wood, N.J., ‘Towards a practical piezoceramic diaphragm based synthetic jet actuator for high subsonic applications – effect of chamber and orifice depth on actuator peak velocity’, AIAA-2006-2859.

Pilmoor, M., Crowther, W.J., and Wood, N.J., ‘Development of a Dynamic Wind Tunnel Model for Demonstration of Flow Control Maneuver Effectors’, AIAA-2006-3507