PGEM Conference

Gain valuable early career experience as a conference delegate and the opportunity to network and advance your career in a more relaxed environment

The Postgraduate Experimental Mechanics Conference (PGEM) is an annual early career conference which allows postgraduate students (MSc, MEng and PhD etc.) and postdocs to present their work in a friendly environment among fellow early career researchers.

The event is usually hosted at a UK University, but delegates from around the world are always welcome. For students new to presenting at academic conferences, this is an ideal way to get some valuable experience in a more relaxed environment.  The Keynote Lecture is typically geared up to offer some sage career advice to delegates.

As well as the serious stuff, the event is also designed as a social event to allow you to get to know colleagues at a similar career stage from other institutions. This can be very valuable at the early career stage.

2024 PGEM Conference

2-3 May 2024, National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Teddington, London, UK

The BSSM's PGEM Conference 2023 will showcase the work of postgraduate  MSc/MPhil/PhD researchers in the field of engineering measurement and experimental techniques in stress, strain and vibration analysis. Registration includes refreshments, lunches and a conference dinner.

2022 Winners

Hosted by the University of Bristol

Best presentation Winner Robert Hamill (University of Southampton)
2nd Prize Tamsin Dobson (University of Bristol)
3rd Prize Richard Brooks  (Imperial College London)

2020 Winners

2020 Online Event hosted by University of Manchester

Best presentation Winner Mateusz Kopec (Imperial College London)
2nd Prize Bemin Sheen (Imperial College London)
3rd Prize Alex Hamilton (University of Glasgow)

2020 PGEM Speakers and Keynote - presentations available to view below

Tobias Laux's Keynote 'Experimental and numerical characterisation of composite laminates subjected to multiaxial loading'.

Peter Bailey from Instron discusses why filtering or smoothing data may not be such a good thing.

Amy Johnson from GOM's tongue in cheek introduction to DIC measurement uses and limitations entitled 'Can DIC save your PhD?'

Sponsors

The PGEM is proudly sponsored by two of our Corporate Members GOM and Instron

Events in previous years have included a Postgraduate Challenge (for example building a bridging device to transport a payload across a predefined span with limited equipment such as card and rope), a Drinks Reception and, of course, the Conference Dinner! The PGEM Conference Dinner is always a lively event where early career researchers from different universities get to know each other and discuss common interests from experimental mechanics to politics! For the competitive researchers among you, there is also a Best Presentation Competition. The various events are usually sponsored by our members from industry who will typically also have a presence at the event. We promise, it’s a friendly conference, do send an abstract our way!