Professor Chris Atkin is an international authority on the prediction and control of boundary layer flows, in particular for the purposes of skin friction drag reduction by means of laminar flow control. He has provided advice and modelling software to Airbus, Bombardier, QinetiQ, EADS and the UK Ministry of Defence. Chris's research interests include viscous drag reduction, laminar-turbulent transition, the application of flow control techniques on aerodynamic surfacest. He also maintains a strategic interest in commercial and technical barriers to the application of novel technologies on commercial aircraft and other high-risk engineering products.

I always welcome email enquiries from potential PhD students. Our research opportunities page allows you to search for projects and scholarships and there is further information about becoming a Postgraduate Research student at UEA here.

After studying at Cambridge, Chris started his career with British Aerospace at the Hatfield and Woodford plants. Chris joined the Defence Research Agency at Farnborough in 1994 and, following the formation of QinetiQ, was appointed Technical Manager for Aerodynamics and Aeromechanical Systems. In 2008 Chris took up the Chair in Aeronautical Engineering at City University, re-building City’s wind tunnel test and research capability and also serving variously as Department Head, Dean and latterly Head of Engineering. Chris was appointed Head of Engineering at the University of East Anglia in January 2020.