Dr Uchenna Diala

About

I am a Senior Lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, in the School of Engineering, at the College of Science and Engineering.

I am also an academic researcher within the Rail Research and Innovation Centre (RRIC), in the Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering (IISE), at the University, and I support local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under the Innovate for Rail (I4R) Project. One such support project includes - Improving Fault-finding in Solar PV systems (Faults in Solar PV systems).

I obtained my B.Eng. degree (2003) in Electrical/Electronic Engineering with First Class honours and an M.Eng. degree (2009) in Communication Engineering, with a distinction grade, both at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria. I also attained an MSc degree (2011) in Control Systems Engineering, at the University of Sheffield, UK, also making a distinction grade. In 2019, I was awarded a PhD in Control Systems Engineering, at the same university (University of Sheffield, UK).

My PhD research focused on the application of nonlinear system frequency analysis and design to vibration isolation and energy harvesting.

I attained a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), in 2022, at the University of Derby, with a distinction grade, and I am currently a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK.

I was a 2014 World-Bank Research Fellow, at Rutgers State University, New Jersey, USA, and was also a Commonwealth Scholar (CSC) at the University of Sheffield, UK. In 2015, I was conferred the status of CICOPS FELLOW by the Committee for International Cooperation and Development, University of Pavia, Italy, and contributed to some research works on Indoor Navigation Systems, at the University of Pavia, Italy. I was also a Scholar of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

I am a corporate member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE: #28477) and, also, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE: #90859943), Nigeria section. In addition, I am a registered Engineer of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN: #R. 26,362) and also a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET: #1100880534), in the UK.

My research interests include Nonlinear system modelling, analysis and design in the frequency domain, Renewable and smart energy systems, Machine Learning with control, Vibration isolation, and Energy harvesting.

If any of these research areas, is of interest to you, for a PhD study, please feel free to contact me, and we can discuss this further. For more information on PhD studentship and application, see our research degrees page.

Teaching responsibilities

I lead and teach the following modules:

Renewable and Smart Energy Systems
Control Systems and Electrical Machines
Electronic Communication Systems
Engineering Applications and Professional Development (MATLAB Programming)
Engineering Workshop

Professional interests

Reviewer: I am a Peer Reviewer for various conferences and journals such as:

Reviewer for International Journal of Mechatronics, Electrical and Computer Technology (IJMEC)
Reviewer for the United Kingdom Automatic Control Conference (UKACC)
Reviewer for IEEE International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM)
Reviewer for the International Congress on Sound and Vibration (ICSV24)
Reviewer for Advances in Control and Optimization of Dynamical Systems (ACODS)
Reviewer for Smart Materials and Structures
Reviewer for Computer Communications (COMCOM)

Collaborations: I currently have active collaborations with some external research groups such as:

Smart Systems and Structure Laboratory, at the University of Sheffield, UK, led by Professor Zi-Qiang Lang
Energy Harvesting and Microsystems Laboratory, at Louisiana Tech University, USA, led by Dr Hamzeh Bardaweel
Intelligent Transport Lab, at Queen Mary University of London, led by Dr Yunpeng Zhu

Research interests

My research interests include:

Nonlinear system modelling, analysis, design and control in the frequency domain
Smart Systems and Structures
Signal Processing
Vibration Isolation systems
Energy Harvesting (Vibration-based, Acoustic, Thermoelectric)
Renewable and Smart Energy Systems
Machine Learning with Control

Membership of professional bodies

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE: #90859943)
Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET: #1100880534)
Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN: #R. 26,362)
Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE: #28477)

Qualifications

BEng, Electrical/Electronic Engineering (First Class Honours), Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Nigeria [1998 - 2003]
MEng, Communication Engineering (Distinction), Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Nigeria [2007 - 2009]
MSc, Control Systems Engineering (Distinction), University of Sheffield, UK [2010 - 2011]
PhD, Control Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK [2014 - 2019]
PGCHE, Education (Distinction), University of Derby, UK [2020 - 2022]

Recent conferences

Atimati, E., Crawford, D., Stewart, R., Achumba, I., Ezema, L., and Diala, U. (2022, April). An Interference Management System for a Shared Spectrum Access Network. In 2022 IEEE Nigeria 4th International Conference on Disruptive Technologies for Sustainable Development (NIGERCON) (pp. 1-5), IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/NIGERCON54645.2022.9803165
Diala, U.H., Zhu, Y. and Lang, Z.Q., 2022, April. Analysis of the energy dissipation characteristics of a nonlinear vehicle suspension system. In 2022 UKACC 13th International Conference on Control (CONTROL) (pp. 177-182), IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/Control55989.2022.9781454
Ali, A., Diala, U. and Guo, L., 2022, April. Data-Driven Based Modelling of Pressure Dynamics in Multiphase Reservoir Model. In 2022 UKACC 13th International Conference on Control (CONTROL) (pp. 189-194), IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/Control55989.2022.9781447
DIALA, U., LU, Y. and BOUSBAINE, A., 2021, September. Analysis, Design, and Optimisation of an Electromagnetic Energy Harvester. In Advances in Manufacturing Technology XXXIV: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Manufacturing Research, Incorporating the 35th National Conference on Manufacturing Research, 7-10 September 2021, University of Derby, Derby, UK (Vol. 15, p. 247). IOS Press. 10.3233/ATDE210044
Palmer, C., Roullier, B., Aamir, M., Stella, L., Diala, U., Anjum, A., Mcquade, F., COXb, K. and Calvert, A., 2021, September. Virtual reality-based digital twin system for remote laboratories and online practical learning. In Advances in Manufacturing Technology XXXIV: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Manufacturing Research, Incorporating the 35th National Conference on Manufacturing Research, 7-10 September 2021, University of Derby, Derby, UK (Vol. 15, p. 277). IOS Press. doi:10.3233/ATDE210049
Diala, U., Gunawardena, R., Zhu, Y. and Lang, Z.Q., 2018, September. Nonlinear design and optimisation of a vibration energy harvester. In 2018 UKACC 12th International Conference on Control (CONTROL), pp. 180-185. IEEE, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1109/CONTROL.2018.8516821
Uchenna, D., Okafor, K.C. and Zi-Qiang, L., 2017, November. Geometric nonlinear damper design - A frequency-based approach. In Proc. IEEE 3rd Int. Conf. on Electro-Technology for National Development (NIGERCON 2017), Vol. 2, pp.500-503, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1109/NIGERCON.2017.8281918
Uchenna, D., Simon, P. and Lang, Z.Q., 2017, July. Analysis and design of a nonlinear vibration-based energy harvester - a frequency-based approach. In Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM 2017), Munich, pp.1550 - 1555, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1109/AIM.2017.8014239
Diala, U., Lang, Z.Q. and Pope, S., 2017, July. Analysis, design and optimization of a nonlinear energy harvester. The 24th International Congress on Sound and Vibration (ICSV24), London, 23-27 July 2017. http://toc.proceedings.com/35564webtoc.pdf

Experience in industry

I am an academic researcher for the Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering (IISE), at the University, and engage with local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under the Innovate for Rail (I4R) Project. One such project includes - Improving Fault-finding in Solar PV systems (Faults in Solar PV systems).

International experience

In 2014, I was awarded a World-Bank research fellowship to carry out research at Rutgers State University, New Jersey, USA. While there, I focused on Advanced Manufacturing, Mechatronics and Organic Electronics. This was WorldBank-funded research awarded to successful candidates in a research proposal competition
In 2015, I was conferred the status of CICOPS FELLOW by the Centre for International Cooperation and Development, Pavia, Italy. The University of Pavia, Italy, and the Institute for University Studies (EDiSU) offer ten scholarships annually, for a 10-week period at the University of Pavia, during which time Fellows carry out and present joint research works with professors in the department. (CICOPS Fellows in the world)

In the media

A presentation of the Acoustic Energy Harvester at a UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) event, held at the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley (UKRRIN Event).

Recent publications

Diala, U., Zhu, Y., & Gunawardena, R. ‘Investigative Study of the Effect of Damping and Stiffness Nonlinearities on an Electromagnetic Energy Harvester at Low-Frequency Excitations’. Machines, 12(1), 30, (2024). https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12010030
Roy-Layinde, T. O., Omoteso, K. A., Diala, U. H., Runsewe, J. A., & Laoye, J. A. (2024). Analysis of vibrational resonance in an oscillator with exponential mass variation. Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, 178, 114310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chaos.2023.114310
Obiajulu, E. F., Omame, A., Inyama, S. C., Diala, U. H., AlQahtani, S. A., Al-Rakhami, M. S., ... & Alotaibi, A. A. (2023). Analysis of a non-integer order mathematical model for double strains of dengue and COVID-19 co-circulation using an efficient finite-difference method. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 17787. (DOI - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-44825-w)
Omame A., Raezah A.A., Diala U.H., Onuoha C. The Optimal Strategies to Be Adopted in Controlling the Co-Circulation of COVID-19, Dengue and HIV: Insight from a Mathematical Model. Axioms. 2023; 12(8):773. https://doi.org/10.3390/axioms12080773
C. Palmer, B. Roullier, M. Aamir, F. McQuade, Leonardo Stella, A. Anjum and U. Diala (2022) Digital Twinning remote laboratories for online practical learning, Production and Manufacturing Research, 10:1, 519-545, DOI: 10.1080/21693277.2022.2097140
Analysis and Optimal Design of a Vibration Isolation System Combined with Electromagnetic Energy Harvester; Diala, U., Mofidian, S. M., Lang, Z.-Q., and Bardaweel, H., Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 30(16), 2382–2395, July 2019 (DOI - https://doi.org/10.1177/1045389X19862377)