Rick Lupton

Dr Rick Lupton is interested in modelling dynamic systems under uncertainty, in particular applied to sustainability assessment, to understand the role materials and products play in driving carbon emissions and other environmental impacts, and how they can be reduced.

To do this we develop ways to understand uncertainty in tools including Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment, improving transparency and reusability of data, and open-source tools for data visualisation of material flows. Applications include understanding production and use of key materials such as steel, cement, timber, and polymers; and sectors including transport and buildings.

As well as sustainability assessment, Dr Lupton also studies the performance of physical systems under uncertainty, including solar-powered UAV flight and wind turbine structural responses and performance.

Dr Lupton joined the University of Bath in 2019. He previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher with the Use Less Group at the University of Cambridge, on the Foreseer, WholeSEM and Material Demand Reduction projects. His PhD thesis was on frequency-domain modelling of floating offshore wind turbines, developing from experience at GL Garrad Hassan on wind turbine modelling.

Dr Lupton is happy to hear from potential PhD students in these areas:

• Industrial ecology modelling — systems analysis of carbon emissions, environmental impacts and physical resources
• Life Cycle Analysis of manufacturing systems
• Wind turbine dynamics
• Uncertainty and Bayesian inference related to these areas