XClose

Mechanical Engineering

Home
Menu
Dr Ben Hanson

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. 

Publications