Dr Wenbo Duan graduated from the University of Manchester (PhD) in 2010. He worked in Brunel University London for nine years, initially as a Research Fellow, and progressed to a Senior Research Fellow and Technical Advisor. He joined University of Hertfordshire as a Senior Lecturer in 2019.

His main research interests are ultrasonic non-destructive testing, guided wave defect detection, finite/spectral element based numerical modelling and signal processing.  He has expertise in creating and combining different techniques for implementation of fast and accurate finite element models, including incorporation of spherical harmonics into finite element models for fast calculation of sound radiation from non-uniform pipe terminations, introducing exponential coordinate stretching functions into the Perfectly Matched Layer method as a new boundary condition to close an infinite modelling domain etc.

He is also working on numerical modelling of piezoelectric-structure coupled excitation problems, non-destructive testing of composite materials, surface wave non-destructive testing etc. His recent work is designing special spectral elements into finite element models for fast modelling of wave propagation in composite laminates with anisotropic material properties and arbitrary fibre orientations, with a view to facilitate defect detection and ultrasonic signal processing. He is also working on acoustic communication in pipes with a view to facilitate robot-based non-destructive testing in buried pipelines.