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ENGINEERING SCIENCE

Case Studies

Our case studies showcase academic research from across the Department that has had an impact on the world or local community, and feature some of our current academics, research staff, Alumni and students.

Air source heat pumps installed on the outside of a modern house. By Nimur

Heat Pumps cut energy use but increase peak demand

Energy

A study focusing on the real-world deployment of ground source heat pumps (GSHP) in retrofitted UK social housing apartments, has quantified the impact of domestic electrification transition on the electricity grid. The research provides data that could be useful for policymakers, as the UK progresses its net-zero roadmap, demonstrating both substantial energy savings and emerging infrastructural challenges.

Natalia Ares

Enabling Semiconductor Quantum Computing by Neural Operators, Transformers, and Meta-Learning

Machine Learning

Deep learning has achieved many breakthroughs across science and engineering disciplines, ranging from autonomous driving to protein structure prediction. The impact it has on quantum technologies is no exception.

From Melodies to Machine Learning: Detecting Musical Plagiarism

Alumna

Can artificial intelligence help us identify cases where one song copies another? Asli Saner, a former student under the supervision of Professor Min Chen at the Oxford e-Research Centre, set out to answer that question — combining her knowledge and love of music with the power of machine learning and data visualisation.

A wide-angle view of an offshore wind farm at sunset, with numerous wind turbines standing in calm ocean waters. The sky is painted with soft hues of purple, pink, and orange, and birds can be seen flying in the distance. The sun is low on the horizon, creating a serene and sustainable energy scene.

How important are wind farms in achieving net zero?

Expert comment

Professor Christopher Vogel sets the record straight on the science and economics of wind turbines, and why these must be a key component of the UK’s net zero energy strategy.