Dr Ifrah Mussa

As a Senior Lecturer, I teach across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Aerospace and Astronautical Engineering. My teaching approach emphasises the development of strong theoretical foundations alongside practical engineering, computational, and problem-solving skills. I adopt an active learning framework that combines lectures, tutorials, laboratory sessions, and project-based learning to enhance student engagement and applied understanding.

In recognition of my contribution to teaching excellence and student learning, I was awarded the Kingston University Provost’s Award for Learning and Teaching Excellence (2024).

I currently lead and contribute to the following modules:

• Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics (Level 4)
  Module Leader and Lecturer - responsible for delivering core thermodynamics and fluid mechanics content through lectures, tutorials, and practical laboratory sessions. The module is designed to support the transition into higher education by strengthening conceptual understanding and analytical skills using real-world engineering examples.
• Computer-Aided Aerospace Engineering Design (Level 5)
  Module Leader and Lecturer (Computational Fluid Dynamics) - delivering the CFD component, including numerical modelling, mesh generation, and simulation-based design analysis. Teaching is aligned with industry-standard software and workflows to enhance graduate employability and technical readiness.
• Aerodynamics, Propulsion and Aircraft Performance (Level 5)
  Topic Lecturer (Aerodynamics) - delivering advanced aerodynamics principles and applied performance analysis through lectures, tutorials, and laboratory-based activities that integrate theory with practical aerodynamic interpretation.
• Research Techniques, Innovation and Sustainability (Level 7)
  Module Leader - supporting postgraduate students in developing research literacy, critical evaluation skills, innovation-focused thinking, and sustainable engineering perspectives.

Across my modules, I design assessments that emphasise authentic, industry-relevant tasks such as technical reporting, numerical simulation studies, design-based projects, and group collaboration. This assessment strategy encourages independent learning, critical thinking, and professional communication skills.

In addition, I supervise undergraduate and postgraduate individual projects, mentoring students in specialised research, numerical simulation, experimental methodologies, and academic writing. I place strong emphasis on student support, inclusive teaching practices, and personalised academic guidance to enable students from diverse backgrounds to succeed.

Qualifications

• Aerodynamics
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics

Courses taught

• Aerospace Engineering MSc
• Aerospace Engineering MEng/BEng (Hons)

My research focuses on aerodynamic icing, boundary layer behaviour, bio-inspired aerodynamics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for aerospace and renewable energy applications. My PhD research investigated ice accretion modelling and the resulting impact on aerodynamic performance, combining numerical simulation and experimental validation approaches to improve understanding of icing-induced performance degradation and safety margins.

I have been awarded several competitive research and dissemination grants to support international collaboration and experimental investigation. These include a British Council Newton Fund award for a six-month PhD research placement in China focused on aerodynamic and icing wind tunnel activities, an IMechE Travel Grant to present research findings at international aerospace conferences, and funding from the Women in STEM Hub (WISH) to lead a research project on bio-inspired three-dimensional aircraft wing geometries for boundary layer transition delay. In addition, I received a Provost’s Teaching and Learning Award, part of which supported aeroacoustic research into owl-inspired wing concepts for low-noise UAV applications and enabled participation in high-impact technical conferences, including the IMechE Wind Turbine User Group Conference, ANSYS Simulation World and the IMechE Simulation and Modelling Conference, strengthening engagement with industry-led developments in simulation and applied aerodynamics.

I actively contribute to the international icing research community through my involvement with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Ice Prediction Workshop programme. I have also supervised multiple undergraduate and summer research internship projects in aerodynamic icing and CFD, supporting widening participation and providing research training opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Alongside technical research, I am committed to research communication and outreach. I have presented at international conferences including AIAA and WinterWind and was the institutional winner and national semi-finalist of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, recognising excellence in communicating complex engineering research to non-specialist audiences. I also regularly contribute to institutional research blogs and newsletters to promote engineering research and encourage student engagement.

Specialisms

• Computational aerodynamics
• Icing on aircraft, wind turbines and UAVs
• Boundary layer transition and Laminar flow control techniques