Dr Engy Ghoniem

Dr Engy Ghoniem is a Senior Research Fellow at Northumbria University, bringing nearly two decades of academic, research, and teaching experience in materials science, mechanical engineering, and sustainable technologies. Her expertise spans advanced and smart materials, sustainable manufacturing, eco-design, life cycle assessment and circular economy solutions, with particular applications in the automotive and energy sectors.

At Northumbria University, Dr Ghoniem combines scientific research leadership with the strategic and operational management of large-scale international research and innovation programs. She has held key leadership and coordination responsibilities across several Horizon Europe collaborative projects, including SALIENT, GIANCE, ZEvRA and BIOntier, leading research work packages and coordinating multidisciplinary activities involving universities, research organisations, SMEs and industrial partners across Europe.

Her responsibilities encompass research strategy and planning, scientific coordination, project delivery, resource and budget management, technical reporting, and stakeholder engagement. She provides scientific guidance and leadership to research fellows and multidisciplinary research teams, supporting research quality, professional development and the delivery of contractual and scientific objectives. She also helps develop collaborative research proposals and strengthen partnerships between academia and industry.

A significant aspect of her work involves industry–academia collaboration within international consortia involving major automotive manufacturers, including Volkswagen, Stellantis, Toyota, Renault, Škoda, and Nissan, alongside technology suppliers and research institutions. Her work focuses on bridging scientific research and industrial applications, particularly through sustainable materials development, design optimisation, circular engineering and technology assessment.

Dr Ghoniem's scientific contributions span graphene and carbon-based nanomaterials for energy storage, advanced hybrid composites, shape memory alloys for lightweight automotive structures and crashworthiness, and sustainable bio-based materials. Her more recent research focuses on developing circular design and sustainability assessment methodologies, integrating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) principles to support evidence-based engineering decisions.

Beyond research and project management, Dr Ghoniem actively contributes to scientific dissemination, international conferences, professional training and knowledge exchange. She serves as Program Chair of the International Conference on Circular Materials and Mobility (CIRMA) and has led activities supporting industrial training, skills development and circular economy awareness within European research programs.

Before joining Northumbria University in 2022, Dr Ghoniem held research and teaching positions at the University of Southampton, contributing to EPSRC-funded research in clean energy and sustainable transport, and previously served as a Lecturer at Alexandria University, Egypt.

She holds a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, along with an MSc and BSc in Production and Mechanical Engineering from Alexandria University.

Her professional interests center on advancing impactful interdisciplinary research, developing high-performing research teams, strengthening international academic–industrial partnerships, and translating scientific innovation into sustainable engineering solutions.