Professor Sam Cruchley PhD, FIMMM, SFHEA, CEng

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advanced HE), 2023
• Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3), 2021
• Chartered Engineer, 2021
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), University of Birmingham, 2019
• Ph.D. with Integrated Studies in Structural Metallic Systems for Gas Turbine Systems, University of Birmingham, 2015
• BSc in Sports and Materials Science, University of Birmingham, 2009

Sam graduated with a BSc in Sports and Materials Science from the University of Birmingham in 2009. He then went on to complete a PhD at the University of Birmingham between 2010-2015 on ‘The oxidation damage of Ni-based superalloy, RR1000, with different surface modifications and the role of oxidation in fatigue crack initiation’ with Professor Hugh Evans and Professor Paul Bowen.

Following this, he went to work in industry for a number of years spending some time working for the National Nuclear Laboratory as a metallurgist within the waste management and decommissioning team. Sam then worked for Rolls-Royce plc. as a Materials Scientist within the Materials, Corrosion and Chemistry team.

Upon leaving Rolls-Royce, he returned to the University of Birmingham in 2017 as a research fellow in the Advanced Materials and Processing laboratory in the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham. In this role, he worked on an EU funded programme to develop a European wide Master’s course in metal additive manufacturing and conducted research into additive manufacturing and hot isostatic pressing of a range of alloys. During this period, Sam also developed a number of teaching responsibilities and completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education.

Sam was appointed as a lecturer within the School of Metallurgy and Materials in 2019. He was promoted to the role of Head of Education in 2020 and Associate Professor in Materials Education in 2021. In 2023 he became the interim Deputy Director of Education of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

Teaching modules

• Design for Structural Applications
• Engineering Materials 1
• Fundamentals of Materials Science
• Group Research Projects
• Synoptic Materials Science

Sam has a distinguished track record of achievement in delivering and leading education. He received the EPS Outstanding Lecturer of the Year award in 2020, was shortlisted for HEFi Education Leadership award in 2021 and the Founders award in 2022. In 2023 his sustained strategic leadership and delivery of education was recognised as he was appointed the interim EPS Deputy Director of Education.

Sam currently teaches Year 1 Engineering Materials, and Year 1 Design for Structural Applications teaching through a wide variety of lectures, tutorials, and workshops. He also leads the Y3 Group Projects and Y4 Synoptic Materials Science modules. These two modules are student-led group project modules, which have been designed to provide students an opportunity to take on, as part of a team, real-life projects/research that addresses complex problems. 

Sam also leads the School’s strategy on employability and has dramatically increased the number of students who undertake intercalated years in industry, through putting in place a designated support programme. Sam is a strong advocate for widening participation in higher education and has led initiatives to expand outreach activities in STEM subjects. He is currently the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences Assess to Birmingham Scheme lead for the University.

External to the University, Sam is a chair of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) Accreditation and Professional formation Committee and carries out professional engineering accreditation visits of university degree programmes and company initial professional development programmes.

Professor Cruchley currently supervises 2 PhD students and is interested in supervising doctoral research students in the following areas:

• Innovative assessment methods to improve student engagement and employability.
• Mechanical property, oxidation and corrosion interactions in high performance metallic alloys.
• Optimisation of advanced manufacturing techniques.

Research themes

• Oxidation of high temperature alloys
• Fatigue and fracture of high temperature alloys
• Advanced manufacturing processes and mechanical property optimisation
• Authentic, innovative & Synoptic teaching and assessment practices.
• Improving student engagement and widening participation, through use of technology, as well as through designing effective assessment strategies.

Current research activity

• Oxidation of additively manufactured Alloy 625
• Synoptic assessment as an authentic learning approach

•  Chair of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) Accreditation and Professional formation Committee
• Professional Engineering Institute accreditation assessor for IOM3