Harvey joined Bangor University in October 2021 to begin his PhD studies with the NFI’s Reactor Design and Thermal Hydraulics group. His research focuses on developing improved instrumentation for nuclear thermal hydraulics experiments – primarily exploring the use of fibre Bragg grating (FBG) grid sensors. This significantly under-researched instrumentation technique (in the context of fluid dynamics) shows great potential to benefit nuclear thermal hydraulics research. This is because of the resilient material properties of optical fibres, as well as the high sensitivity and reliability of FBG based sensors. During Harvey’s PhD he has designed and built an FBG grid sensor to study how an FBG grid responds to different fluid dynamic conditions which were previously uncharacterized using an FBG grid. For example, detecting bubbles rising in a stagnant column, or for measuring changes in flow velocity profile during a transition from laminar to turbulent flow.

Additionally, throughout Harvey’s PhD, he has assisted with the construction, commissioning, and operation of the NFI’s Thermal Hydraulics Open-access Research (THOR) facility. Ultimately, Harvey aims to install his FBG grid sensor within this facility to determine if an FBG grid sensor can be used to study steam-water two phase flows.

Currently, in September 2025, Harvey is in the final year of his PhD project and is in the process of writing his thesis – as well as aiming to publish his experimental results. Harvey’s PhD research is funded by the Worshipful Company of Drapers, as well as EPSRC’s Nuclear Energy Futures Centre for Doctoral Training.

This PhD is supervised by Dr Walter Villanueva, and previously by Dr Marat Margulis, and before that Dr Marcus Dahlfors.