Staff spotlight: Advancing engineering design from aerospace to medtech

From aerospace to medtech, lightweight design expert Professor Stefanie Feih brings more than 25 years industry expertise to Griffith, to share with students and researchers alike.

Through her international research experience Professor Feih has become an expert in the analysis, design and optimisation of lightweight structures with a special focus on additive manufacturing, composite materials and hybrid joining.

This includes the application of numerical engineering tools to predict how lightweight structures will react to real-world forces to ensure they work as designed and won’t perform below expectations or even fail.

Her diverse career has seen her work in many countries with a range of multi-national aerospace companies, such as Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, ST Engineering Aerospace and Singapore Airlines, on commercial aircraft research and development projects.

Professor Feih says through her work she has seen many advancements in material development, structural design and manufacturing processes, all of which have to be considered for the optimum engineering solution.

“Getting exposure to relevant aerospace standards, materials, processing techniques, accreditation standards, and interacting with technical teams has given me an in-depth industry perspective I am very keen to share with Griffith students,” she says. 

“Tailored lightweight and high performing structural designs are now used widely in aerospace, automotive and other industries, including emerging biomedical technologies,” Professor Feih says.

Since joining Griffith late last year Professor Feih has been applying her engineering science and numerical simulations expertise to medtech applications, through Griffith’s Advanced Design and Prototyping Technologies Institute (ADaPT), including for the design of advanced implants and prosthetics.

“Griffith’s expertise in biomedical technologies presents great future employment and research opportunities for our engineering anD industrial design students, in addition to opportunities in aerospace and elsewhere”

In addition to her ground-breaking research in composite and advanced structures coupled with additive manufacturing, Professor Feih will also be sharing her passion and expertise with students, through teaching 1702ENG: Designing with Mechanics and 6522ENG – Computational Statics and Dynamics courses.

Learn more about studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), or a Bachelor of Industrial Design, or to explore undertaking a research degree in the area of additive manufacturing, composite materials and structures, please contact Professor Feih directly to discuss further.