Research

Our work ranges in scale from nuclear physics to interplanetary space exploration, and we have an enviable reputation for the contributions we have made towards a variety of challenges faced by our society. These challenges include improving our environment, health, communications, transport, security, information technologies, energy and water.

Research excellence

In the latest UK Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), we ranked 15th in the UK for ‘research power’ in engineering.

Overall, Surrey has risen 12 places in the rankings since 2014 to 33rd in the UK for our research quality.

* Research power is the overall quality of submissions, calculated by grade point average and multiplied by the full-time equivalent number of staff submitted.

About our research

We believe in the importance of linking fundamental scientific research to engineering applications, so many of these activities are underpinned by strong industrial links, and several successful spin-out companies have resulted from this. About half of our income comes from Research Councils UK (principally EPSRC), a third from the EU, and the rest mainly from industry (our largest clients being EADS Astrium, Rolls Royce, E.on, Toyota, AWE and QinetiQ).

Living labs

Applying current research and innovation to address real-world issues using the University campus and surrounding communities as a test-bed.

Woman in a lab using a pipette

Innovation for health

Innovation for health research in the Faculty for Engineering and Physical Sciences includes: medical engineering such as biomedical, chemical, electrical and physical sciences such as chemistry, computing, mathematics across many medical indications. Our research helps to diagnose, treat, recover from and prevent illness and disease.

Faculty Research and Innovation team

Jin Xuan profile image

Professor Jin Xuan

Associate Dean (Research and Innovation)

Research directors

Patrick Gruber profile image

Professor Patrick Gruber

Research Director of School of Mechanical Engineering Sciences

Adrian Hilton profile image

Professor Adrian Hilton

Research Director of Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing

Keith Ryden profile image

Professor Keith Ryden

Research Director of Surrey Space Centre

Jhuma Sadhukhan profile image

Professor Jhuma Sadhukhan

Research Director of Centre for Environment and Sustainability and School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Nishanth Sastry profile image

Professor Nishanth Sastry

Joint Research Director of Computer Science Research Centre

Steve Schneider profile image

Professor Steve Schneider

Joint Research Director of Computer Science Research Centre

S. Ravi P. Silva profile image

Professor Ravi Silva

Research Director of Advanced Technology Institute

Anne Skeldon profile image

Professor Anne Skeldon

Research Director of School of Mathematics and Physics

Rahim Tafazolli profile image

Professor Rahim Tafazolli

Research Director of Institute for Communication Systems

John Varcoe profile image

Professor John Varcoe

Joint Research Director of School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Charley Wu profile image

Professor Charley Wu

Joint Research Director of School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering