Undergraduate Teaching 2025-26

2025-26

2025-26

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Engineering Tripos Part IA, Exposition, 2025-26

Co-ordinator in overall charge

Dr Graham McShane

Timing and Structure

2h/week Michaelmas term timetabled in laboratory sessions. Sessions may take place in Colleges as well as in all parts of the Engineering Department.

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • develop communication skills, both written and oral, in professional areas.
  • raise awareness of the appropriate use of different writing styles (e.g. essays, technical reports, academic journal articles).
  • improve confidence and ability to take a lead as an engineer.

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

  • make an oral presentation of technical material to a non-specialist audience in an accessible way.
  • critically analyse the treatment of data in technical articles in popular journals or the media.
  • write a good report on a laboratory experiment, including treatment of errors and uncertainties.
  • prepare and present balanced arguments on a controversial technical topic.

Content

During the eight weeks of Michaelmas term you will take part in three exercises:

Your exposition leader may introduce alternative forms of these exercises.

Journal Club

A “Journal Club” or similar oral presentation for 15 minutes, in which you will report on a current issue of a technical periodical or similar topic agreed by your leader followed by 5 minutes of questions.

Laboratory Report

A Laboratory report on AC and DC circuits.  There will be discussion about writing reports, following which you will produce a first draft which will be criticised by your peers.  You will then write a final draft which will be assessed by the exposition leader. The Guide to Report Writing on the Exposition website will help with this exercise.

Technical Discussion/DebateA

A discussion or debate on a technical but controversial topic agreed with your leader. You will plan with your colleagues how to split up the material and you will work as a team to present one part of the argument.

 

Further notes

ASSESSMENT

 

Standard credit. To reach the qualifying mark of 18/26 you must attend all the sessions required by the leader and complete the three exercises to a satisfactory standard.

Coursework

Labs & coursework

Booklists

Please refer to the Booklist for Part IA Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

 
Last modified: 05/06/2025 11:15

Engineering Tripos Part IA, Design Challenge, 2025-26

Lecturer and Coordinator

Prof. Nathan Crilly

Timing and Structure

Lent term. Five lectures: two per week during weeks 1 and 2, and one in week 8. There are also two lecture slots reserved for group work: one in week 7 and one in week 8.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites, but the coursework submission may additionally draw on knowledge and skills developed in IA Exposition, IA Engineer in Society, IA CAD and IA Drawing.

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • Highlight the role of design in engineering
  • Introduce a structured design process
  • Provide a real-world design challenge to work on
  • Provide an opportunity for teamwork.

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

  • Investigate a specific context to identify opportunities for design interventions
  • Formulate a problem statement and specify the requirements for a solution
  • Generate and explore diverse options for solution concepts
  • Evaluate, prioritise and refine suitable design concepts
  • Communicate the relationship between the design context and the design solution
  • Communicate the design process clearly, including aspects related to teamwork.

Content

The course introduces a four-stage design process, which student teams will work through to address challenges in a specific context (incuding social, environmental and economic factors). Additionally, the course provides guidance on how to communicate about the problems, solutions and processes that have been considered.

1. Investigating the context

Identifying and reviewing relevant information that provides insights into the factors that characterise the context in which you will intervene. 

2. Defining the problem

Formulating and reframing the problem to clearly articulate the design goals and the characteristics of a suitable solution.

3. Generating solution ideas

Developing a broad range of ideas for how the problem could be addressed, and expanding that range of concepts through the application of creative design techniques. 

4. Selecting and refining solutions

Evaluating design concepts against the requirements, and iteratively developing the selected concept(s) to improve them. 

5. Communicating about design

Establishing the audiences with which you must communicate to initiate change, and identifying their informational needs; developing media that illustrate the key features of the relevant contexts, the problems identified, the solutions developed and the processes used.  

Coursework

Full details of the coursework requirements are on Moodle.

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

UK-SPEC

This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:

Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.

Knowledge and Understanding

Design (D)

Design is the creation and development of an economically viable product, process or system to meet a defined need. It involves significant technical and intellectual challenges and can be used to integrate all engineering understanding, knowledge and skills to the solution of real problems.

Economic, social and environmental context (S)

Engineering Practice (P)

Practical application of engineering skills, combining theory and experience, and use of other relevant knowledge and skills. This must include an appropriate combination of the majority of these outcomes.

 
Last modified: 05/06/2025 11:15

Engineering Tripos Part IA, The Engineer in Society, 2025-26

Module Leader and Lecturer

Professor Tim Minshall

Timing and Structure

Eight 50-minute presentations by module leader and guest speakers.

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • Introduce students to the changing economic, social, ethical, and environmental contexts within which engineers work.
  • Provide a sense of the 'bigger picture' within which any engineering-related organisation operates, including issues of risk and security.
  • Show why an understanding of this ever-changing context is important and to raise awareness of the non-technical competences that engineers need to develop in order to be successful.

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

  • Appreciate the changing economic, social, ethical, and environmental contexts within which engineers work.
  • Understand how these changing contexts influence engineering decisions.
  • Produce a non-technical report on topics related to these contexts.

Content

1. Introduction - What do engineers actually do?

2. How is the world is changing for engineers?

3. Your world is manufactured – is that a problem?

4. Why is it so hard to change things for the better?

5. How do you make a real world impact with engineering skills?

6. How do you access the resources you need to change the world?

7. How do you make really tough decisions?

8. How you can engineer change to make the world a better place (and pass this module)

Assessment

To complete the Engineer in Society module you must write a report of approximately 1000 (+/- 10%) words over the Christmas vacation. 

You will be given the title and further instructions for this report in the final lecture of this module.

The report must be submitted BEFORE 16:00 on Friday 23rd January 2026 via the Moodle website for this module. 

Each lecture / guest speaker slot will provide you with content to help you prepare your report.

The aim of this task is to give you experience in preparing a professional response to non-technical questions – something that you will be required to do throughout your career.

 

Readings

On-line resources for this module will be provided via Moodle.

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

 
Last modified: 12/10/2025 01:00

Engineering Tripos Part IA, Dimensional Analysis, 2025-26

Lecturer

Dr S Mandre

Lab Leader (Dimensional Analysis - Fluids)

Prof R Garcia-Mayoral

Lab Leader (Dimensional Analsysis - Structures)

Prof D Liang

Timing and Structure

4 lectures: 1 lecture per week, weeks 1-4, Michaelmas term

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • Introduce and illustrate the use of Dimensional Analysis.
  • Develop an understanding of dimensional consistency and how it can be applied: to convert from one system of units to another; to check the units of an equation; to check algebra; and to aid memory.
  • Develop the techniques required to form dimensionless groups and relationships.
  • Explain how Dimensional Analysis can be used: to simplify problems by reducing the number of parameters; to correlate experimental data; to assist in the design and use of scale models for testing.

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

  • Convert between different measuring systems.
  • Produce dimensionless groups from a given set of physical quantities.
  • Understand the importance of dimensionless presentation of physical relationships.
  • Use dimensional analysis to simplify problems and to aid in planning experiments.

Content

  1. Introduction
  2. Basic and derived units of measurement
  3. Scales of units and conversion between different systems of units
  4. Dimensions and dimensional consistency of equations
  5. Dimensionless quantities, equations and relationships
  6. Buckingham's Pi Theorem
  7. Forming dimensionless relationships
  8. Writing governing equations in terms of dimensionless variables
  9. Forms of dimensionless relationships
  10. Similarity and model testing
  11. Use of Dimensional Analysis to design experiments and present experimental data.

LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS

Use of Dimensional Analysis in model testing to obtain general expressions for a number of problems.

  1. Dimensional Analysis 1: The deflection of an elastic beam under load.
  2. Dimensional Analysis 2: (a) Temperature variation in two blocks initially at different temperatures; (b) The flow over a "V" notch weir.

Booklists

Please refer to the Booklist for Part IA Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

 
Last modified: 05/06/2025 11:14

Engineering Tripos Part IA, 1P2: Structures, 2025-26

Course Leader

Prof Julian Allwood

Lecturer

Prof S Haigh

Lecturer

Prof J Allwood

Timing and Structure

Weeks 1-8 Michaelmas term and weeks 1-8 Lent term. 24 lectures. Michaelmas Term lectures will not be recorded; rather, the Moodle page will contain pre-prepared recordings of the material. Lent Term lectures will be recorded.

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • Inform students of the key role of structures in different branches of engineering
  • Illustrate the way in which structural engineers use the principles of structural mechanics to understand the behaviour of structures and so to design structures in order to meet specified requirements
  • Examine in detail certain simple structural forms, including triangulated frameworks, beams and cables; to understand how such structures carry applied loads, how they deform under load, and how slender members may buckle

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

  • Describe, qualitatively, the way in which different kinds of structure (frameworks, beams, cables, pressure vessels, etc.) support the loads that are applied to them.
  • Analyse the limiting equilibrium conditions of bodies in frictional contact.
  • Determine the axial force in any member of a statically determinate pin-jointed framework, making use of structural symmetry and of the principle of superposition when appropriate
  • Explain and determine the shape of an inextensional cable subject to concentrated and distributed loads, as well as the tension distribution and support reactions.
  • Test the stability of a simple, statically determinate arch structure
  • Determine the displacement of any point of a pin-jointed framework subject to prescribed bar extensions by using a displacement diagram
  • Understand and apply the equation of virtual work for pin-jointed frameworks and know how to choose appropriate equilibrium and compatible sets
  • Construct bending-moment and shearing-force diagrams for simple beam structures, and to explain the relationship between them.
  • Explain curvature, and how it changes in an elastic beam when the bending moment changes.
  • Explain and compute the geometry of deflection of an initially straight beam on account of curvature within it.
  • Explain and compute the detailed distribution of bending stress in the cross-section of an elastic beam having a symmetrical cross-section, and sustaining a bending moment.
  • Explain and compute the distribution of shearing stress in the cross-section of an elastic beam having a symmetrical cross-section, and sustaining a shearing force.
  • Determine the buckling load of a column, and be able to approach the design of columns accounting for the effects of yielding of the material and geometric imperfections.

Content

Introduction and Aims of the Course (1 Lecture)

1. External forces (3L)

Equilibrium of point forces, moments and couples

  • Forces as vectors
  • Moments as vectors 
  • Couples [3, Sect 1/1-1/5, 1/7-2/5]
  • Resultants [3, Sect 2/6]
  • Equilibrium [3, Sect 2/6, 3/3]
  • Accuracy in structural mechanics

Distributed loads and friction forces

  • Forms of distributed load [3, Sect 1/6, 5/1- 5/3, 5/9]
  • Contact forces (without friction)
  • Contact forces (with friction) [3, Sect 6/1-6/3, 6/8]
  • Distributed friction

Supports and free-body diagrams

  • Pin-joints
  • Roller supports
  • Built-in or ‘encastré’ supports
  • Catalogue of support options
  • Free-body diagrams [3, Sect 3/1- 3/2, 3/4]

2. Internal forces (3L)

Pin-jointed trusses

  • Method of joints [3, Sect 4/3]
  • Method of sections [3, Sect 4/4]
  • Some simplifications in analysing planar pin-jointed trusses
  • Superposition
  • Symmetry

Shear forces and bending moments

  • Beams with transverse loading
  • Free-body diagrams with shear forces and bending moments
  • Arches [4, Sect 5.1, 5.6], [7, Ch. 5]

Sress

  • Two-dimensional plane stress in thin-walled shells
  • Thin-walled shells with uniform stress

3. Deflection (5L)

Cables and compatibility

  • Cables subjected to concentrated loads
  • Cables subjected to distributed loads

Deflection of members in pin-jointed frames

  • Statically determinate frames
  • Strains, Hooke’s Law and bar extensions [5, Sect 5.2, 5.3, 5.4]
  • Internal states of stress [5, Sect 5.5]

Displacement Diagrams

  • Procedure for drawing displacement diagrams [5, Sect 2.3]
  • Displacement diagram used for analysing real structures
  • Interpreting displacement diagrams

Virtual work

  • Real work
  • Derivation of virtual work for pin-jointed frames
  • Using virtual work to find extensions or nodal displacements
  • Using virtual work to find forces or bar tensions

Structural design

  • Iterative design
  • Structural optimisation

 

4. Equilibrium of Beams (2L)

  • Introduction, hypotheses, sign conventions (5) Sect. 3.1, 3.2
  • Distortion produced by internal forces
  • Calculation of M, S, and T by analysis of free bodies (5) Sect. 3.2-3.4
  • Differential relationships between q, S, and M (5) Sect. 3.5
  • Construction of bending moment diagrams
  • Statical indeterminacy
  • Case study

5. Deflection of Straight Elastic Beams (2L)

  • Curvature and change of curvature, integration of curvature to find deflection
    (5) Sect. 8.1,8.2
  • Deflection of elastic beams by integration (5) Sect. 8.3
  • Deflection of elastic beams by superposition of deflection coefficients (5) Sect. 8.4

6. Stresses in Elastic Beams (5L)

  • Introduction, basic geometric concepts (5) Sect. 7.2
  • Bending of beams with rectangular cross-section (5) Sect. 7.5
  • Bending of beams with non-rectangular cross-section, centroid and second-moment of area
  • Use of section tables
  • Combined bending moment and axial force
  • Bending stresses in composite beams, transformed section, bending of reinforced concrete beams
  • Shear stresses in beams (5) Sect. 7.6

7. Buckling of Columns (3L)

  • Introduction, examples, hypotheses
  • Euler column, fixed-end conditions, effective length (5) Sect. 9.4 (6) Sect 5.1
  • Critical stress
  • Imperfections (6) Sect 5.2
  • Design of columns

 

REFERENCES

(1) GORDON, J.E. STRUCTURES OR WHY THINGS DON'T FALL DOWN
(2) HEYMAN, J. THE SCIENCE OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
(3) MERIAM,J.L. & KRAIGE,L.G. ENGINEERING MECHANICS.VOL.1:STATICS
(4) FRENCH, M. INVENTION AND EVOLUTION
(5) CRANDALL,S.H.DAHL,N.C. & LARDNER,T.J INTRODUCTION TO THE MECHANICS OF SOLIDS,with SI Units
(6) HEYMAN,J.BASIC STRUCTURAL THEORY
(7) HEYMAN, J. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS: A HISTORICAL APPROACH

Booklists

Please refer to the Booklist for Part IA Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

UK-SPEC

This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:

Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.

GT1

Develop transferable skills that will be of value in a wide range of situations. These are exemplified by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Higher Level Key Skills and include problem solving, communication, and working with others, as well as the effective use of general IT facilities and information retrieval skills. They also include planning self-learning and improving performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.

IA1

Apply appropriate quantitative science and engineering tools to the analysis of problems.

IA3

Comprehend the broad picture and thus work with an appropriate level of detail.

KU1

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles of their engineering discipline, and its underpinning science and mathematics.

KU2

Have an appreciation of the wider multidisciplinary engineering context and its underlying principles.

D1

Wide knowledge and comprehensive understanding of design processes and methodologies and the ability to apply and adapt them in unfamiliar situations.

D3

Identify and manage cost drivers.

D5

Ensure fitness for purpose for all aspects of the problem including production, operation, maintenance and disposal.

E1

Ability to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies.

E2

Ability to extract data pertinent to an unfamiliar problem, and apply its solution using computer based engineering tools when appropriate.

E3

Ability to apply mathematical and computer based models for solving problems in engineering, and the ability to assess the limitations of particular cases.

US1

A comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of own specialisation and related disciplines.

US2

A comprehensive knowledge and understanding of mathematical and computer models relevant to the engineering discipline, and an appreciation of their limitations.

US3

An understanding of concepts from a range of areas including some outside engineering, and the ability to apply them effectively in engineering projects.

US4

An awareness of developing technologies related to own specialisation.

 
Last modified: 05/06/2025 11:12

Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4I11: Advanced Fission and Fusion System, 2025-26

Module Leader

Dr N Read

Lecturers

Prof E Shwageraus, Dr N Read

Timing and Structure

Lent Term. 16 lectures, 1 group presentation session. Assessment: 100% coursework

Prerequisites

4I10

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • provide an understanding of advanced systems, why they are being pursued, what their advantages are and their difficulties in becoming commercially viable designs.

Content

Further aims:

  • What are the factors that are driving the development of advanced systems?
  • Overview of fast reactor development & Generation IV reactor systems
  • Introduce the principles of fusion energy physics and the current status of research;
  • Explain how the principles of fusion energy are to be applied for the design of future fusion energy systems;
  • Re-cycle fuel studies, including reprocessing and re-fabrication;
  • Status, issues and what would be needed to bring advanced reactor systems to a commercial standard with safety and economics as good as current Generation III+ designs

Fission Systems

  • Design objectives, drivers & alternatives
  • Advanced thermal systems – example high temperature gas-cooled reactor
  • Fast spectrum reactor systems – including external lecturer A Judd
  • Transmutation and advanced fuel cycles

Fusion Systems

Introduction & Physics of Fusion Systems - CCFE

  • Fusion reactions: cross-sections and reactivity
  • Magnetic and inertial approaches to fusion
  • Equilibrium, transport, instabilities and power balance

Physics & Materials - CCFE

  • Heating systems and current drive
  • Layout of a fusion power plant
  • Fusion reactor components and materials requirements

Performance Safety and Design - CCFE

  • Safety of a fusion reactor
  • Radiological hazards and waste products
  • Fusion in the market and timescale to commercial fusion plant
  • Designing a fusion power plant

Coursework

  Format

Due date

Coursework #1

Group project (3-4 students) researching into a particular advanced reactor design.

This part will be assessed by a group presentation to the rest of the class.

The presentations will be scheduled at a convenient time outside the normal lectures schedule.  

Learning objective:

  • Research in depth one of the advanced reactor systems
  • Become familiar with a broad range of advanced systems, their strengths and weaknesses

Group project (33%)

15 min presentation

non-anonymously marked

3 weeks preparation

Due date: 27 February 2024

Coursework #2

Fast reactor analysis using provided computer models.

These models will be introduced during the preceding lecture.

Learning objective:

  • Understand fundamentals of fast reactor behaviour

Computational lab. (33%)

Individual report

2 weeks preparation

Due date: 11 March 2024

Coursework #3

Problem set on advanced fission reactors, plasma physics and fusion technology.

Learning objective:

  • Understand fundamentals of fusion power systems physics and engineering

Marked examples paper (33%)

 

2 weeks preparation

Due date: 25 March 2024

 

Booklists

Please refer to the Booklist for Part IIB Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

 
Last modified: 04/06/2025 13:31

Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4I10: Nuclear Reactor Engineering, 2025-26

Leader

Dr E Shwageraus

Lecturers

Mr T Roulstone, Dr E Shwageraus

Timing and Structure

Michaelmas term. 16 lectures, 1 examples class & 5 examples papers; Assessment: 100% exam

Prerequisites

4M16

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • provide understanding of the principles of reactor systems, their engineering, and related thermo-hydraulics

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

  • understand the design and safe operation of nuclear reactors
  • perform approximate calculations of component & system parameters
  • understand how more precise and detailed analyses are performed

Content

The course will cover:

  • Overview – compare and contrast the fundamental engineering principles of current types of reactor system: PWR, BWR, HWR, AGR;
  • Coolant types, heat transfer regimes, multi-phase flow, burn-out and thermal cycles;
  • Core analysis – flow networks, heat & mass transfer calculations, fuel element design, thermal limits – models and codes;
  • Whole reactor circuit, steam generator, pressuriser, pumps & whole circuit design and modelling;
  • Operating modes: normal, warm-up and cool down, operating envelopes, load following;
  • Main fault conditions accident types and limits – design issues and modelling;
  • Principles of loss of cooling accident modelling – description of TMI – design aims for avoidance and mitigation – active and passive protection;
  • Design optimisation – system architecture, pressure and temperature, vessel design and sizing, effect on equipment cost – small and medium-sized reactors.

LECTURE SYLLABUS

  • Introduction to nuclear energy, reactor power cycles (2l)
  • Core configurations choices (4l)
  • Reactivity control (2l)
  • Reactor plant design & modelling (2l).
  • Safety & design – classes of accidents – reactivity, LOCA, etc. (4l)
  • Reactor control & operations (1l)
  • Severe Accidents (1l)

Booklists

Please refer to the Booklist for Part IIB Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

 
Last modified: 04/06/2025 13:31

Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4I8: Medical Physics, 2025-26

Module Leader (CUED Coordinator)

Prof G Treece

Lecturer

Dr A Robinson

Timing and Structure

Lent Term. Assessment: 100% exam. Lectures will be recorded.

Prerequisites

3G4 useful

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • Describe the importance of physics in medicine
  • Understand the general principles of medical image reconstruction and registration
  • Compare and contrast the medical imaging techniques that are available in a hospital setting and explain their relative merits
  • Explain the difference between imaging with ionising and non-ionising radiation in the context of radiation dosimetry and risk
  • Describe sensing and therapeutic applications of physics in medicine

Content

The material should be accessible to all Part IIA Bioengineering and Part III Physics students. The course was revised for the 2017-2018 academic year, including more extensive handouts and more in depth coverage of the core underlying material. The lectures include some guest lecturers who are medical physicists invited from Addenbrooke's to give a flavour of the clinical career options in the discipline.

Introduction

Historical background; radiation interactions; general imaging concepts; and contrast mechanisms.

Medical Imaging Methodology

For all clinically applicable imaging techniques, a detailed description of contrast mechanisms, data acquisition hardware and image reconstruction will be provided. This will cover: imaging with ionising radiation, including X-ray, CT, nuclear medicine, SPECT and PET; imaging with non-ionising radiation, including MRI and ultrasound; and general principles of image reconstruction and registration of images over time and between modalities.

Clinical Applications of Physics

Clinical examples of the utility of medical imaging in diagnosis and treatment of disease. Sensing applications of physics in hospitals, including patient monitoring. Therapeutic applications of physics, particularly radiotherapy in cancer patients.

Booklists

Please refer to the Booklist for Part IIB Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

UK-SPEC

This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:

Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.

GT1

Develop transferable skills that will be of value in a wide range of situations. These are exemplified by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Higher Level Key Skills and include problem solving, communication, and working with others, as well as the effective use of general IT facilities and information retrieval skills. They also include planning self-learning and improving performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.

IA1

Apply appropriate quantitative science and engineering tools to the analysis of problems.

IA2

Demonstrate creative and innovative ability in the synthesis of solutions and in formulating designs.

KU1

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles of their engineering discipline, and its underpinning science and mathematics.

KU2

Have an appreciation of the wider multidisciplinary engineering context and its underlying principles.

S4

Awareness of the framework of relevant legal requirements governing engineering activities, including personnel, health, safety, and risk (including environmental risk) issues.

E1

Ability to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies.

E2

Ability to extract data pertinent to an unfamiliar problem, and apply its solution using computer based engineering tools when appropriate.

P1

A thorough understanding of current practice and its limitations and some appreciation of likely new developments.

P3

Understanding of contexts in which engineering knowledge can be applied (e.g. operations and management, technology, development, etc).

US1

A comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of own specialisation and related disciplines.

US3

An understanding of concepts from a range of areas including some outside engineering, and the ability to apply them effectively in engineering projects.

US4

An awareness of developing technologies related to own specialisation.

 
Last modified: 04/06/2025 13:31

Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4M23: Electricity and Environment, 2025-26

Module Leader

Prof M Pollitt

Lecturer

Professor M Pollitt

Lecturer

Prof T Long

Timing and Structure

Lent term. 2 hour sessions delivered in person. Assessment: 100% coursework.

Prerequisites

A basic engineering knowledge of electricity (first year undergraduate) and a familiarity with the units and notation associated with energy science and engineering is an advantage, but not essential. Assessment will be structured so as to be accessible to students from a range of backgrounds.

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • provide students with a firm foundation in modern electricity policy with an emphasis on the UK.
  • introduce students to a wide a variety of mature and emergent electricity generation and demand side technologies.
  • expose students to the local, regional and global environmental effects of energy use.
  • introduce the key considerations of energy policy and develop frameworks by which progress against policy goals may be achieved.
  • discuss issues with electrification of heating and transport.

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

  • critique scenarios for the future UK electricity system out to 2050
  • evaluate and compare the efficacy of different electricity generation technologies
  • understand current and future electricity policy options
  • appreciate how economics and engineering interact in a sustainable electricity system

Content

This module is a postgraduate module of Cambridge Judge Business School. It has its origins as an elective course of the MPhil in Technology Policy and the MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development. The module is of the standard size adopted in the Engineering Department and the Judge Business School, i.e. a nominal 16 hours. The course is delivered via one two-hour lecture each week for eight weeks.

We take the Great Britain electricity system as a working example which we will refer to throughout the course.

Overview - Class Introduction (Michael Pollitt)

Lecture 1

  • History of Electrical Power and Energy Policy
  • Fundamentals of the UK and USA Electricity System
  • The nature of the current UK electricity bill and electricity market
  • UK Energy Policy and Politics
  • Principles of good energy policy

Environmental Effects of Fossil Fuel Use and what to do about them (Michael Pollitt)

Lecture 2

  • Local Emissions and Impacts
  • Putting a Price on Damages?
  • Economic approaches to externalities
  • Pricing carbon
  • Experiences of the EU Emissions Trading System and carbon pricing in Australia

Electricity Demand (Michael Pollitt)

Lecture 3

  • Economics of Electricity Demand
  • The economics of smart energy services
  • Technological aspects of electricity demand
  • Social aspects of electricity demand
  • Demand side policy

Fossil fuel generation, storage and future electricity markets (Michael Pollitt)

Lecture 4

  • Current status of fossil-fuel power generation
  • Economics of Carbon Capture and Storage
  • The economics of electricity storage
  • Business models for the internet of energy
  • Future electricity market design

Renewables and the Electricity System (Michael Pollitt)

Lecture 5

  • Renewables context
  • Potential for renewables in the UK
  • Place of renewables in electricity system
  • How to subsidise renewables
  • Lessons from around the world

Electrification of heating and transport? Electricity in Net Zero (Michael Pollitt)

Lecture 6

  • Electrification of everything?
  • Decarbonising heating with electricity
  • Decarbonising transport with electricity
  • ​​Sector coupling and modelling Net Zero
  • Policy recommendations for Net Zero
 

Electricity Networks for Net Zero (Teng Long)

Lecture 7

  • Conventional and modern electric power systems
  • Power electronics – enabling technology in power conversion
  • Transport electrification
  • Datacentre power supply

Nuclear Power, Electricity Security and EU Policy (Michael Pollitt)

Lecture 8

  • Nuclear Power Technology
  • History and Economics of Nuclear Power
  • EU and UK energy security
  • National security of electricity supply
  • Meeting UK targets by Electricity Market Reform
  • Good electricity policy?

Coursework

Coursework Format

Due date

& marks

Essay on the decarbonisation challenge facing the UK electricity system.

Learning objectives:

  • To discuss the challenge of decarbonising the UK electricity system.
  • To cover both the economic and engineering challenges facing the UK electricity system.

Individual Report

2000 words

anonymously marked

27 March 2026

[100/100]

 

Booklists

Expected reading:

Glachant, J-M., Joskow, P. and Pollitt, M. (eds.) (2021) Handbook on Electricity Markets. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Online on iDiscover.

Ozawa, M., Chaplin, J., Pollitt, M., Reiner, D. and Warde, P. (eds.) (2019) In Search of Good Energy Policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Online on iDiscover.

Recommended reading:

Taylor, S. (2016) The Fall and Rise of Nuclear Power in Britain Cambridge: UIT Printed book at: JBS: HD9698.G72 T39 F3 2016 UL: C212.c.2239

Jamasb, T. and Pollitt, M. (eds.) (2011) The Future of Electricity Demand Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Printed book at: JBS: HD9685.G72 J35 2011 Engineering: DE.190 UL: 235.c.201.356 (South Front 6)

MacKay, D.J.C. (2009) Sustainable energy without the hot air. Cambridge: UIT E-book via withouthotair http://www.withouthotair.com/download.html Printed book at: Engineering: DE.164

 

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

UK-SPEC

This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:

Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.

GT1

Develop transferable skills that will be of value in a wide range of situations. These are exemplified by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Higher Level Key Skills and include problem solving, communication, and working with others, as well as the effective use of general IT facilities and information retrieval skills. They also include planning self-learning and improving performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.

IA1

Apply appropriate quantitative science and engineering tools to the analysis of problems.

IA2

Demonstrate creative and innovative ability in the synthesis of solutions and in formulating designs.

KU1

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles of their engineering discipline, and its underpinning science and mathematics.

KU2

Have an appreciation of the wider multidisciplinary engineering context and its underlying principles.

S1

The ability to make general evaluations of commercial risks through some understanding of the basis of such risks.

S3

Understanding of the requirement for engineering activities to promote sustainable development.

S4

Awareness of the framework of relevant legal requirements governing engineering activities, including personnel, health, safety, and risk (including environmental risk) issues.

E1

Ability to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies.

E4

Understanding of and ability to apply a systems approach to engineering problems.

P1

A thorough understanding of current practice and its limitations and some appreciation of likely new developments.

P3

Understanding of contexts in which engineering knowledge can be applied (e.g. operations and management, technology, development, etc).

US1

A comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of own specialisation and related disciplines.

US3

An understanding of concepts from a range of areas including some outside engineering, and the ability to apply them effectively in engineering projects.

US4

An awareness of developing technologies related to own specialisation.

 
Last modified: 01/10/2025 16:47

Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4I1: Strategic Valuation, 2025-26

Module Leader

Prof. H Jiang

Lecturer

Prof. H Jiang

Lab Leader

Prof. H Jiang

Timing and Structure

Christmas vacation - dates below; Assessment: Coursework 100% in project combining spreadsheet modelling, written analysis and a management-style report - details TBA. You may conduct some Excel modelling with fellow students. Michaelmas/Lent Term break.

Prerequisites

All participants are expected to be familiar with probability and statistics at the level of a final year high school or introductory undergraduate course. See the prerequisites document on the course website for details. Participants are also expected to be familiar with basic Excel spreadsheet modelling (see e.g., http://best-excel-tutorial.com/54-basics for a tutorial). The basic Excel functions and tasks that you must know how to use competently are: MAX, AVERAGE, COUNT, IF, SUMPRODUCT; mathematical formulas based on relative and absolute references; creating simple tables; and plotting pie, bar, column and line charts.

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

  • See below.

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

  • See below.

Content

There will be an introduction session for the course in October 2025. If you have any question, please contact techpol-enquiries@jbs.cam.ac.uk.

  • Module Time: 3 full days (9.00am – 5.30pm) on 8th, 10th, and 12th December 2025.
  • Reserve 8th – 15th December 2025 for TPE25 ONLY.
  • Reserve 13th and 14th December 2025 to conduct part I of the course assessment.
  • Reserve a compulsory Q&A session for the course assessment on 15th December 2025.
  • It is necessary for you to have a Window-based or MacOS laptop for Excel modelling. There is a possibility that students use computers in the computer lab. If you do not have a laptop, be prepared to stay in Cambridge for a few more days after 15th December 2025, so that you can conduct Excel modelling in relation to your course assessment in the CJBS Computer Lab – subject to the availability of the lab.
  • The level of mathematical theory may be below the expectations of some CUED students.
This module introduces students to two essential and complementary ways of dealing with future uncertainties. On one hand, we have diversification, the notion that you should "not put all your eggs in one basket", is both intuitive and ubiquitous in modern management. This exemplifies passive risk management. On the other, we have the real options paradigm. This emphasises that future value depends both on unfolding uncertainties, which you cannot control, and the flexibility of your future responses. By investing in research and development projects, for example, companies buy the option to launch a product, which they may or may not exercise, depending on the level of success of the R and D effort and on market conditions at the time of launch. However, flexibility also costs money: R and D expenditure, for example in the biotech industry, can be huge. So how much flexibility shall we build into the system? This is the realm of project design for active risk management. System designers and project managers need tools that help them decide if added flexibility is worth the money. This course provides the students with a mindset and a suite of tools to tackle such problems.
 
The emphasis is on management and design of technological projects. Examples and case studies will illustrate how theory can be adapted to actual conditions.
 
Please note that the number of places available to Part IIB Engineers is limited.  A ballot will be held if the module looks likely to be oversubscribed.  The ballot will take place on the first day of lectures, after which the Teaching Office will be in touch with any unsuccessful applicants to ask them to select another module.

Day 1: Foundations

  • Course aims and objectives
  • Review of traditional project valuation
  • System value is a shape, not a number
  • Monte Carlo Simulation
  • (Valuing flexibility)

Preparatory reading:

  • de Neufville, R. and Scholtes, S. (2011), Ch 2: "Recognition of Uncertainty".
  • If you have not seen Net Present Value (NPV) or Discounted Cash Flows before, read Brealey and Meyers, Ch. 2: ‘Present values’.

 

Day 2: Portfolio Thinking

  • Diversification
  • Hedging
  • Trading off risk against return

Preparatory reading:

Day 3: Real Options Analysis

  • Flexibility: Intuition behind real options
  • Lattice valuations

Preparatory reading:

  • Brealey and Meyers, Ch. 10: ‘Project Analysis’, Ch. 20: ‘Understanding Options’ [For the 9th edition, use Ch. 11, Ch. 21]
  • de Neufville and Scholtes (2011), Ch. I: ‘High Level Overview’ (pp. 1-39)

Further notes

Required software

The basic modelling tool will be Microsoft Excel. Essential add-ins include Analysis ToolPak and Solver, both of which come with Excel but may require the Excel installation disks, and @Risk, which will be distributed to you.

Coursework

Coursework Format

Due date

& marks

100% individual project combining spreadsheet modelling, written analysis and a management-style report. The coursework consists of two parts: Task I (65%-70%) and Task II (30%-35%).

Task I contains a number of subtasks, in which students are asked to conduct intensive Excel modelling, to answer questions, to provide analysis, and to give intuitive business interpretations. 

Task II is a short presentation and is assessed by a set of criteria: intuition (business implication), prioritising information (structure), clarity and use of visual aids such as charts and graphs, and language.

Individually Assessed

Answer Sheet, Presentation Document and Excel Files

Anonymously marked

The coursework will be carried out during Michaelmas/Lent term break and will be submitted right before the beginning of the Lent term in January 2026.

Marks will be available in three-four weeks after the submission date.

 

Booklists

Please refer to the Booklist for Part IIB Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.

Module Webpage

To be advised: https://www.vle.cam.ac.uk

TPE25 Strategic Valuation

Reference Books

The following are available in multiple copies in the Judge Business School Information Centre:

 

de Neufville, R. and Scholtes, S. (2011)

Flexibility in Engineering Design. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press

E-book: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/CAM/detail.action?pq-origsite=prim... 

 

Printed book at:

TA174.D46 2011

Brealey, R. A, Myers, S. C. and Allen, F. (2019)

 

or

Brealey, R. A, Myers, S. C. and Allen, F. (2008)

Principles of Corporate Finance. 13th ed. Boston, Mass.: Irwin McGraw Hill

 

 

 

9th ed.

 

 

N.B. For Brealey and Myers, any edition from 6th ed. onwards is fine.

 

Printed books at:

HG4026.B73 P7 2011

E-book: https://www.vlebooks.com/Vleweb/Product/Index/1993343?page=0 

 

 

 

HG4026.B73 P7 2008

 

 

Savage, S. L. (2003)

Decision Making with Insight. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole

Printed book at:

HF5548.4.S38 2003

 

Luenberger, D. G. (1998)

Investment Science. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Printed book at:

HG4515.2.L83

 

Examination Guidelines

Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.

UK-SPEC

This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:

Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.

GT1

Develop transferable skills that will be of value in a wide range of situations. These are exemplified by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Higher Level Key Skills and include problem solving, communication, and working with others, as well as the effective use of general IT facilities and information retrieval skills. They also include planning self-learning and improving performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.

IA1

Apply appropriate quantitative science and engineering tools to the analysis of problems.

IA2

Demonstrate creative and innovative ability in the synthesis of solutions and in formulating designs.

KU1

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles of their engineering discipline, and its underpinning science and mathematics.

KU2

Have an appreciation of the wider multidisciplinary engineering context and its underlying principles.

S1

The ability to make general evaluations of commercial risks through some understanding of the basis of such risks.

S2

Extensive knowledge and understanding of management and business practices, and their limitations, and how these may be applied appropriately to strategic and tactical issues.

E1

Ability to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies.

E3

Ability to apply mathematical and computer based models for solving problems in engineering, and the ability to assess the limitations of particular cases.

P3

Understanding of contexts in which engineering knowledge can be applied (e.g. operations and management, technology, development, etc).

P8

Ability to apply engineering techniques taking account of a range of commercial and industrial constraints.

US1

A comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of own specialisation and related disciplines.

US3

An understanding of concepts from a range of areas including some outside engineering, and the ability to apply them effectively in engineering projects.

 
Last modified: 19/06/2025 21:32

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