Dr Steven Matthews is a Senior Affiliate Investigator with SEAM. He is currently a Senior Lecturer within the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, since 2015. From 2016–2019 this incorporated the directorship of the Research Centre for Surface and Materials Science, overseeing the University’s SEM and XPS analytical facilities, in addition to the Engineering faculty’s metallography and optical microscopy laboratories.
Steven received his PhD in 2004 from the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, on the topic of high temperature erosion-corrosion mechanisms of Cr3C2-NiCr high velocity thermal sprayed coatings. From 2004–2007 he was employed as a R&D Manager for Bekaert Advanced Coatings, Belgium. His focus was on the development of sputtering targets for the large area glass and electronics industries. This incorporated projects on materials as diverse as Zn, Si, TiO2 and a novel electronics materials that spanned from powder feedstock preparation, industrial thermal spray production, and failure analysis. From 2008–2014 he lectured in materials engineering within the School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, New Zealand. During this period he gained prestigious Marsden Fast Start funding for the development of a novel high temperature carbide composite coatings for improved oxidation resistance. In addition to his academic and applied research in thermal spray coating, he commissioned the metallography and analysis laboratory for the Titanium Industry Development Association, with a principal focus on Ti 3-D printing.
His current research focuses on novel coating functionalities through manipulation of carbide/oxide microstructures, and use of thermal spraying to promote environmental remediation and biodiversity in marine environments.
