Who are we?   The director of Applied Engineering Research Limited is Dr Mark Battley. Mark has extensive experience in the research and industrial aspects of composite materials and structures, particularly analysis and design, static and dynamic testing, non-destructive inspection, numerical modelling and optimisation, marine, aeronautical, sporting and industrial applications. He is also an experienced technical educator, both at tertiary level in NZ and Sweden, and has undertaken many composites related training courses for industry. Mark is on the executive committee of the Composites Association of NZ (CANZ), is a member of Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA), and has been involved in organising many international and local technical conferences.   Following his BE and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Auckland, Mark joined Industrial Research Limited in 1992 and led their composite structures research activities until 2005.  During this period he also worked at the Department of Lightweight Structures, Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm Sweden. Mark is currently also a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Advanced Composite Materials (CACM), University of Auckland.   In addition to Mark's capabilities, AERL also draws upon the facilities and expertise of Crown Research Institutes such as IRL and Scion, the University of Auckland (particularly Centre for Advanced Composite Materials, Department of Mechanical Engineering), and other specialised engineering consultancies and companies.     Mark's Professional History 1992-1994, Research Engineer, Engineering Dynamics, Industrial Research Limited 1995, Research Engineer and Lecturer, Department of Lightweight Structures, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden Feb 1996 – Dec 2005, Senior Research Engineer, Industrial Research Limited 2002 - 2005, part-time Senior Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland Feb 2006 – present, Senior Research Associate, Centre for Advanced Composite Materials (CACM), University of Auckland Jan 2006 – present, Director, Applied Engineering Research Limited   Significant Research Projects Design methodologies Material property determination Stiffness and strength prediction methods Optimisation techniques Analysis of structures subjected to dynamic loads Fatigue testing of materials and structures Design and implementation of a unique testing facility for dynamic water impact testing Development of NDI techniques for composite products Design and characterisation of novel biocomposite materials Dynamic performance of cellular materials   Key industrial R&D projects with companies Structural design of carbon fibre monocoque rowing skiff Design of yacht masts Composite domestic bath Hydroforming of copper plumbing fittings Captive reel winches Injection moulding hot runner systems Marine composites design Dynamic performance of foam core materials   Many more composites and marine related projects for industrial clients, including design of industrial and marine products, testing of materials and structures, development of design and modelling techniques, and failure investigations for composite products.