Dr. Martin Robinson MA, MSc, PhD, MIPEM

Senior Lecturer; 4th year project co-ordinator

Email: martin.robinson@york.ac.uk
Homepage: http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~mpr2/
Tel: +44 (0)1904 32 2385
Fax: +44 (0)1904 32 3224

Research Area: Communication Technologies Group » Applied electromagnetics

Areas of Expertise: Electromagnetic Compatibility, Bioelectromagnetics, Radio waves and Microwaves applied to Medicine, Shielding & Screening

Biography
Publications
Teaching
Research
External

Biography

My first degree was in Natural Sciences (University of Cambridge), specialising in Physics. After working at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, I obtained an MSc in Medical Physics from the University of Aberdeen, and then did my PhD at the University of Bristol, while employed by the National Health Service at Bristol Oncology Centre to work on hyperthermia treatment and dielectric imaging.

I joined the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology in 1993 as a Research Fellow and have stayed here ever since, apart from a short spell in the Medical Cryobiology Unit. I am currently a Senior Lecturer in the Physical Layer Research Group, doing research in Applied Electromagnetics. For details of my current teaching and research please click on the tabs to the right.

My administrative roles have included chairing the Graduate Schools Board for Electronics. I am currently Chair of the Physical Sciences Ethics Committee (PSEC), which gives advice and deals with applications for ethical approval from several schools.

Publications

Publications information is available via the York Research Database

Teaching

At undergraduate level I teach Fundamentals of Electronic Measurements (Foundation Year), Maths for Music Technology (First Year), Links Networks and Protocols (1st Year), Distributed Circuits (Third Year), EM Waves (Third Year) and Medical Electronics (Fourth Year). I also supervise a number of final-year projects each year: project students in 2013/14 are designing a fibre-optic thermometer, synthesising bird song, and investigating dielectric measurements for monitoring glucose levels in diabetes.

At postgraduate level I supervise groups in our MSc in Engineering Management. I also supervise PhD students (for current PhD opportunities in the Physical Layer Group please see this list.)
Postgraduate study
I deliver training courses on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), electromagnetic fields and related subjects for York EMC Services Ltd - topics that I regularly present include EMC Design, Conducted Interference, Transmission Lines and Shielded Enclosures.

Research

My main interest is applying microwave and radio frequency techniques to bio-medical problems; I also work with colleagues in the Physical Layer Research Group on research into electromagnetic compatibility and shielding. Some current/past research areas include

developing statistical models for electromagnetic fields inside enclosures (such as aircraft) - this has practical applications in determining effects on radio propagation as well as assessing human exposure to the fields.
electromagnetic methods of studying body composition, in particular a novel method of measuring total body water: this research was done in collaboration with John Truscott and colleagues at Leeds General Infirmary, and more recently with Karen Hind at Leeds Metropolitan University.
novel therapeutic techniques involving electromagnetic pulses applied to cell membranes: these create temporary pores that enable drugs etc. to enter the cell (electroporation);
electromagnetic heating and dielectric measurements of cryopreserved (frozen) tissues and organs, in collaboration with the Medical Cryobiology Unit at the University of York;
radio frequency interference to medical devices (e.g. from mobile phones), and spectrum management in hospitals

Sources of funding for the above research include the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Royal Society (Paul Instrument Fund), Yorkshire Forward and the European Union (EU) Framework Programmes.

External

As a member of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM), I have served on its Clinical Engineering and Ultrasound and Non-Ionising Radiation Special Interest Groups (CESIG and UNIRSIG). I chaired the working party that produced IPEM Report 98, “Guidance on the Measurement and Use of EMC and EMF.”

I am also a member of the Institute of Physics (IoP), and served on the committee of the Medical Physics Group (MPG) of the IoP. I am a member of the Society for Low-Temperature Biology (SLTB), and UK Representative for Commission K of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI).

I regularly review manuscripts for journals (including Physics in Medicine and Biology and IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility) and for conferences such as EMC Europe.

I am external examiner for the BSc in Clinical Physiology at Swansea University.