Current research interests:

Analytical and numerical modelling of physical systems: The aim of physics is to understanding the inner workings of the environment in which we live in. It does so by devising universal laws describing how objects will behave under specific conditions. These are then translated into mathematical expressions that can be verified through experiments. This method is commonly referred to as the scientific method.

The mathematical and grammatical expression of the laws is bidirectional, in the sense that if you have one, the other will immediately follow. Thus, historically research in physics has been broadly divided into two areas: the theoretical and experimental; with one feeding the other and vice versa.

However, at present, most of the situations of interest are represented by equations that are too complicated to solve analytically. At the same time experimental investigations tend to be very laborious and expensive to carry out. This opened the doors to the use of computational methods that make use of numerical solutions to the equations representing physical systems. Given the relative ease with which results can be obtained in this way coupled with the ever increasing speed of modern computers this branch of physics is currently experiencing a rapid expansion in its development.

The analytical and numerical modelling of physical systems thus has broad applications in different areas of physics, which might seem, at a superficial level, as distinct. In fact basically all systems can be described through governing equations that can be expressed in general as differential equations. This creates similarity in the analytical and numerical methods with which the systems can be analysed. As a result, I have been able to apply these methodologies in various areas of physics. The main ones in which I have or will be active in are listed below.

Fluid mechanics: Fluid mechanics relates to the study of matter when it is in the liquid, gaseous or plasma state. My primary research in this area concerns the evolution of thermal plumes when the ambient fluid in which they reside is moving. This has various practical applications, one of which is the study of indoor air quality.

Auxetic materials: Auxetic materials are special materials which shrink laterally when compressed and expand when stretched. The reason for this behaviour is usually found in the internal structure of the system and the way this deforms when subjected to stresses (the deformation mechanism). Any research in this field is carried out in collaboration with the Auxetics Malta Group (http://home.um.edu.mt/auxetic/).

Negative thermal expansion: Materials that have a negative thermal expansion shrink when heated rather than expand. The reason for this usually lies in a readjustment of the structure as it is heated that compacts rather than expands the structure. Any research in this field is carried out in collaboration with the Auxetics Malta Group (http://home.um.edu.mt/auxetic/).

Vector and circular statistics: Circular variables such as angular direction and time of day are variables that are periodic in nature, while vector variables such as wind are variables that have both magnitude and direction. This makes their mathematical treatment much different from the usual linear statistics such as height and age. While several formulations have been proposed for their mathematical treatment much more work still needs to be carried out. This is particularly true of vector statistics for which little work has been carried out so far.

Past research interests:

Plasma physics: Superficially, plasmas might be though to be a fluid made of charged or ionized particles. As yet plasma is much more than that. In fact plasma is considered to be the fourth state of matter, along with the more commonly known solid, liquid and gas. What is more is that most of the matter in the universe if found in plasma form. This might not be immediately obvious. However, it should become once you consider our sun where the temperature is so high that most of the atoms are ionized. As a result of its common occurrence, the study of plasmas branches into many fields including astrophysical plasmas as well as plasma fusion.

Quantum gravity and black holes: Quantum gravity is the study of the quantisation of gravity, which is meant to lead to a unified theory of all fundamental forces in physics. For a not so technical description of the subject you can visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_gravity#The_dilaton. Else you can view my publication at the url http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0611144.