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Biography
Dr William Lewinger is a lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering department, leading and teaching on Mechanical, Biomedical, and Electronic Engineering modules. He received his BS in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Bioengineering from The Pennsylvania State University. MS and PhD degrees were awarded from Case Western Reserve University, also in Electrical Engineering, with a focus on biologically-inspired robotics and systems & control engineering.
Bill has taken part in several research projects, including: insect-based robotics, lunar and Mars exploration rovers, and small-scale medical robotics. Additionally, he worked several years in industry as a consulting engineer, designing automation and management systems for the pharmaceutical industry, and he also served in the U.S. Navy as an Electronic Technician and Nuclear Reactor Operator aboard a fast-attack submarine.
Currently, Dr Lewinger is the Electronic Engineering Programme Lead and the Industrial Advisory Board liaison.
Academic background
1993-98 BS Electrical Engineering, minor in Bioengineering, The Pennsylvania State University
2003-05 MS Electrical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
2005-11 PhD Electrical Engineering (Systems and Control Engineering), Case Western Reserve University
Academic appointments
2008-11 Post-Doctorate post, University of Edinburgh, NSILL project
2012-14 Post-Doctorate post, Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey, FASTER project
2014-15 Post-Doctorate post, University of Dundee, Sonopill project
2015-present Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, University of Dundee
2015-present Industrial Advisory Board chairman, University of Dundee
2017-present Electronic Engineering Department Programme Lead, University of Dundee
Industrial Appointments
1988-92 Electronic Technician / Nuclear Reactor Operator, U.S. Navy, USS Drum SSN-677
1998-01 Engineering Consultant, Laboratory Automation and MES Group Leader, Xyntec Inc.
2001-03 Engineering Consultant, MES Lead Engineer, Jacobs Engineering Group
Research
Currently, Dr Lewinger is in a teaching & scholarship position. However, his research interests are in the field of autonomous robotics and automation systems. Previous research projects have included:
- fully autonomous legged hexapod ant robot that used a walking control scheme mimicking the neurobiology of stick insects
- large-scale (19:1) autonomous legged stick insect robot using a biologically-based control scheme
- prototype rover for lunar regolith collection to be used for long-term habitation of the moon
- a team of two Mars rovers that can test the terrain for mobility safety, focusing on the terrain assessment systems that used cone penetrometer tests and rover sinkage
- small-scale capsule-style robot capable of controlled movements in the gastrointestinal track, used to transport diagnostic and treatment elements for directed medical applications (patent applied for)
- adding autonomous behaviours based on animal systems to previously human-controlled mobile robots
- test equipment for laboratory insect experiments involving antenna manipulation
- automated production and testing facilities, and integration of independent work cells for pharmaceutical company drug development