Adrian Thomas (zoologist) explained

Adrian Thomas
Birth Name:Adrian Leland Rees Thomas
Fields:Zoology
Insect flight
Ornithopters
Biomechanics
Workplaces:University of Oxford
Animal Dynamics Ltd.
University of Cambridge
Education:Abingdon School
Alma Mater:University of Oxford (MA)
University of Lund (PhD)
Thesis Title:On the tails of birds
Thesis Url:http://solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/OXVU1:LSCOP_OX:oxfaleph012158643
Thesis Year:1995
Doctoral Advisors:)-->
Spouse:Susan Thomas
Partners:)-->
Children:Lauren Thomas

Adrian Leland Rees Thomas (born 1963)[1] is a professor of biomechanics at the University of Oxford and Director of Studies in Biological Sciences at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford running the Animal Flight Research Group. He is co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Animal Dynamics[1] [2] and is also chairman of the flight section of the Bionis International Biomimetics Network.[3]

Education

Thomas was educated at Abingdon School and studied zoology at Oxford[4] as an undergraduate from 1981 to 1984. He completed a Doctor of Philosophy degree at Lund University in 1995 on the flight feathers of birds.[5]

Career and research

Thomas was appointed a fellow of Lady Margaret Hall in 1998 and professor of biomechanics in 2006. He founded the University of Oxford Animal Flight Research Group in 1996.[6] His mechanical analogue of dragonflies was developed by his company, Animal Dynamics Ltd, to make small unmanned aerial vehicles (aka drones or ornithopters) to outperform quadcopters.[7] [8] His work has been funded by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the research arm of the British Ministry of Defence, and the United States Air Force. The company is an Oxford University spin-off started in 2015 with co-founder Alex Caccia.[1] The company has expanded into the biomechanics of fish to develop a machine powered by the same type of flapping propulsion.[9]

His research investigates insect flight[10] [11] using dragonflies,[12] butterflies,[13] desert locusts[14] and hawkmoths.[15] Thomas has supervised several Doctor of Philosophy students including Graham Taylor,[16] Simon Walker[17] and Richard Bomphrey.[18]

Thomas was a British champion in paragliding in 2006 and 2009.[19] He is an executive board member of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.[1] He was an aerodynamics consultant with Airwave Gliders GmbH, who manufactured paragliders, hang-gliders and ultralight aircraft.[20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Adrian Leland Rees THOMAS. Companies House, Government of the United Kingdom. London. Anon. 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20171209155123/https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/z4iO3IGbKXR2emt2LPL6Q5OZNM0/appointments. 9 December 2017. 9 December 2017. live.
  2. Web site: Projects under development at Animal Dynamics Ltd.. animal-dynamics.com. 7 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171107221916/https://www.animal-dynamics.com/project-details-1/. 7 November 2017. dead.
  3. Web site: Adrian Thomas. Department of Zoology, Oxford University. 2 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171012153746/http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/people/view/thomas_alr.htm. 12 October 2017. dead.
  4. Web site: Adrian Thomas on the mechanics of flight. Jim Al-Khalili. Jim. Al-Khalili. 2017. BBC.
  5. PhD. Lund University. On the tails of birds. 36788832. 1995. Adrian Leland Rees. Thomas.
  6. Web site: Oxford Animal Flight Group. University of Oxford. 8 December 2017. Anon. 2017.
  7. Web site: Meet Animal Dynamics, the UK startup creating military drones inspired by dragonflies. techworld.com. Thomas. Macaulay. 2017.
  8. Web site: Insect inspiration: UK defence drone mimics dragonfly flight. theengineer.co.uk. Jon. Excell. 2016.
  9. News: Anon. Flapping about: Biomechanics: Replacing a propeller with a flapping fin could help a team of zoologists set a new speed record on the water. The Economist. 2015. 2 November 2017.
  10. Ellington. Charles P.. Charles Ellington. Berg. Coen van den. Willmott. Alexander P.. Thomas. Adrian L. R.. 1996. Leading-edge vortices in insect flight. Nature. 384. 6610. 626–630. 10.1038/384626a0. 1996Natur.384..626E . 4358428 . 1476-4687.
  11. Taylor. Graham K.. Nudds. Robert L.. Thomas. Adrian L. R.. 2003. Flying and swimming animals cruise at a Strouhal number tuned for high power efficiency. Nature. 425. 6959. 707–711. 10.1038/nature02000. 1476-4687. 14562101. 2003Natur.425..707T . 4431906 .
  12. Thomas. Adrian L. R.. Taylor. Graham K.. Srygley. Robert B.. Nudds. Robert L.. Bomphrey. Richard J.. 2004. Dragonfly flight: free-flight and tethered flow visualizations reveal a diverse array of unsteady lift-generating mechanisms, controlled primarily via angle of attack. Journal of Experimental Biology. 207. 24. 4299–4323. 10.1242/jeb.01262. 0022-0949. 15531651.
  13. Srygley. R. B.. Thomas. A. L. R.. 2002. Unconventional lift-generating mechanisms in free-flying butterflies. Nature. 420. 6916. 660–664. 10.1038/nature01223. 1476-4687. 12478291. 2002Natur.420..660S . 11435467 .
  14. Taylor. Graham K.. Thomas. Adrian L. R.. 2003. Dynamic flight stability in the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria. Journal of Experimental Biology. 206. 16. 2803–2829. 10.1242/jeb.00501. 0022-0949. 12847126.
  15. Willmott. A. P.. Ellington. C. P.. Charles Ellington. Thomas. A. L. R.. 1997. Flow visualization and unsteady aerodynamics in the flight of the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. Royal Society. 352. 1351. 303–316. 10.1098/rstb.1997.0022. 0962-8436. 1691930.
  16. DPhil. Animal flight dynamics : mechanics of stability and control. Graham K.. Taylor. 2002. . University of Oxford. 499340532.
  17. PhD. Insect flight : kinematics and aerodynamics. Simon M.. Walker. 2007. . University of Oxford. 234139822.
  18. PhD. The aerodynamics of insect flight. Richard J.. Bomphrey. 2004. . University of Oxford. 64587460.
  19. Web site: Gin Welcomes Adrian Thomas. flybubble.com. 2 November 2017. Carlo . Borsattino . 2011.
  20. Cross-Country Magazine. 15 September 2009. 10 December 2017.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Adrian Thomas (zoologist)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.