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Dr Ben Hanson
Senior Lecturer
Dept of Mechanical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering Science
- Joined UCL
- 1st Oct 2005
Research summary
Dr Hanson’s research involves biomedical applications of
engineering including system modelling and analysis. He is internationally
recognised for this work through citations for his publications (2,013 total; h-index
of 23 [Google scholar, May 2021]) in journals covering diverse disciplines such
as Dysphagia (5 papers, 567 citations),
Sensors & Actuators (64 citations), Psychological Medicine (80 citations), and
J. Food Science (69). This
work has also attracted the interest of international media (The Guardian, BBC,
Time magazine) and is funded by UK charities, international corporations, and the
National Institutes for Health (USA).
Dr Hanson is particularly interested in the biomechanics of
swallowing and the use of texture-modification of foods and drinks to manage swallowing
disorders, "dysphagia", often associated with ageing, stroke,
dementia or cancer. He provides the engineering contribution to the first
global standards for dysphagia diets: IDDSI.org.
Teaching summary
Dr Hanson is the module coordinator for 3rd year Dynamics & Control (MECH0023) and is a lecturer for MSc Applications of Biomedical Engineering (MECH0040) where he teaches Cardiovascular Engineering. He continues to supervise and examine 3rd year and MSc individual projects.
Educational videos & presentations are available on Ben Hanson’s youtube channel
Education
- University of Leeds
- Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy | 2002
- University of Leeds
- Other higher degree, Master of Engineering | 1998
Biography
Dr. Hanson joined UCL as a lecturer in October 2005. He became a Chartered Engineer through the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 2007 and upgraded to Fellow of the IMechE in 2015. After training and research in teaching methods he became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2009 and was awarded a Provost's Teaching Award in 2011. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2013 (now titled Associate Professor), and had the responsibility of being Departmental Tutor and chair of the Exam board from 2013-17.
In 2018 Dr Hanson moved with his family to Scotland and moved to a part-time (40%) role with UCL while developing his independent engineering consultancy in healthcare food science.