Invited Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Douglas Herbert has more than 13 years of experience at Rolls-Royce within the Electrical and Electronics department, where he specializes in the development of advanced electrical machine designs for aerospace applications. He has played a key role in pioneering and testing novel low-technology-readiness-level (TRL) projects, leading programs that drive the electrification of aerospace technologies. Notably, Herbert served as the technical lead for the E-Fan X generator, which achieved several world firsts in aerospace electrical machine technology as part of an ambitious demonstration program. Following this success, he contributed to the integration of electrical technologies into both civil and defense gas turbine programs.
Currently, Herbert is the capability lead for electromagnetics at Rolls-Royce. In this role, he leads a large team of specialists dedicated to designing the next generation of aerospace electrical machines and is responsible for establishing the rules, tools, and methods needed to model these designs effectively, helping to ensure that they are safe, effective, and well optimized at the system level.
Raju Yalagada is an industrial composite engineer at Airbus in Toulouse, France, specializing in advanced nondestructive evaluation (NDE). His core expertise encompasses method and tool development and validation across electromagnetic NDE, ultrasound inspection, and radiography. He holds an M.Tech in nondestructive testing and a B.Tech in mechanical engineering. Prior to joining Airbus, Yalagada gained diverse experience in engineering and research through roles at HCL Technologies' Engineering and R&D Services (ERS), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, India, and TechCorr Middle East Oil Field Services LLC.
James Ellis is the innovation manager at Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology (OIPT), where he is responsible for core technology and collaborations. Holding a PhD in physics, he specializes in low-pressure plasma modeling, complex plasma chemistry, and advanced diagnostics within the semiconductor sector. His work uses simulation software, including COMSOL Multiphysics®, to bridge the gap between fundamental plasma research and industrial applications. Ellis also serves on the British Vacuum Council (BVC), acts as the UK representative for the International Union for Vacuum Science Technique and Applications (IUVSTA) Thin-Film Division, and is currently completing an executive MBA at Warwick Business School, England.
Robert Mathershaw is a principal mechanical engineer at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), where he specializes in materials research in high-temperature environments. He graduated from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2019. He is also the senior user of COMSOL Multiphysics® in the organization, coordinating its use across the laboratory for a wide range of topics including materials science, acoustics, and RF modeling.
