Dr Payam Khazaeinejad
- Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Department of Aerospace and Aircraft Engineering
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Robotic Engineering
- School of Engineering
- Roehampton Vale
Associate Professor & School Director of Learning and Teaching
About
I am an associate professor in solid mechanics, a chartered engineer (CEng) and chartered scientist (CSci), with a PhD in Engineering from the University of Edinburgh. I am a senior fellow of advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) and a fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). My professional affiliations include senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and membership of the Institute of Physics (IOP), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the EPSRC Peer Review College, and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). I also contribute to scholarly publishing as a reviewer of journal papers and book manuscripts, and through editorial work with leading journals in my field.
Currently, I serve as director of learning and teaching in the School of Engineering at Kingston University London. I am also the scheme owner for the University's Monitored Professional Development Scheme (MPDS), accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). In addition, I chair the IMechE's Structural Technology and Materials Group (STMG) and contribute to the IMechE's Technical Strategy Board, the IMechE Council, and the Applied Mechanics Group of the Institute of Physics (IOP) where I serve as an elected member.
My professional involvement in higher education includes serving as chief external examiner at UWE Bristol (2024 to present), and as external examiner at Manchester Metropolitan University (2024 to present) and the University of East London (2023 to present). I have also served on programme revalidation panels for engineering degrees at several universities.
My research combines computational modelling with bio-inspired design to create materials and structures with tailored, high-performance properties. I develop high-fidelity algorithms that optimise internal architectures, from the microscale to full structural systems, to improve efficiency, resilience, and adaptability. Through high-fidelity simulations, I reveal underlying mechanical mechanisms that guide safer and more reliable engineering designs.
Across all projects, I focus on the relationship between materials design and structural integrity. By combining computational analysis with targeted experiments, I uncover how geometry, hierarchy, and material distribution interact under various loading and environmental conditions. This multiscale approach provides a holistic understanding of structural performance and highlights the synergistic load-carrying mechanisms within architected systems.
A distinctive aspect of my work is the application of bio-inspired design principles. Drawing on nature's evolved strategies, I develop materials and structures that exhibit remarkable efficiency, robustness, and adaptability. Advances in simulation and optimisation enable me to explore design spaces that are difficult to access experimentally, opening new avenues for innovation. I also study failure mechanisms in structures exposed to extreme thermo-mechanical environments, ensuring that the resulting designs meet the highest standards of safety and reliability.
Qualifications
- 2024: Machine Learning for Materials Informatics - MIT Professional Education
- 2024: Chartered Scientist (CSci) – UK Science Council
- 2023: Chartered Manager Bootcamp (CMI Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership)
- 2021: Chartered Engineer (CEng) – UK Engineering Council
- 2021: Certificate in Innovation in Teaching (Laspau – Affiliated with Harvard University)
- 2016: PhD in Engineering - The University of Edinburgh
- 2015: Fire Dynamics & Fire Safety Engineering Design Certificate – The University of Edinburgh
- 2006: MSc Mechanical Engineering - Applied Mechanics
- 2004: BEng Mechanical Engineering - Solid Mechanics
Domains
Gallery of work
KU People Awards 2024
Enterprising Value Award
The SMMT Automotive Industry Careers Guide
The SMMT Automotive Industry Careers Guide
The SMMT Automotive Industry Careers Guide
The SMMT Automotive Industry Careers Guide
The SMMT Automotive Industry Careers Guide
The SMMT Automotive Industry Careers Guide
Monitored Professional Development Scheme (MPDS)
www.imeche.org
Future Skills Launch
The Kingston Approach
Videos of my work
PhD research: Sadaf Akbari
Researching how smart materials could be used to replace damaged bones within the human body
Future Skills Launch
The Kingston Approach