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Management and Administration of MEEM Laboratories
MEEM Lab is managed and operated by the Laboratory Office on a daily basis which is headed by the Laboratory Manager, with a total of 25 technical and supporting staff members. The entire Laboratory is supervised by the Laboratory Management Committee (LMC) which oversees the long term planning and development of MEEM Laboratories towards achieving the Department mission and vision.
1. Management of MEEM Laboratories
For the management purpose, the laboratory is divided into 3 functional groups. They are:-
(Group 1) Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering:
- Advanced Machining Laboratory,
- Materials Processing Laboratory,
- Mechanics and Tribology Laboratory,
- Basic Training Workshop and Fabrication Laboratory,
- Ergonomic and Work Design Laboratory(Group 2) Design, Testing and Measurement:
- Product Testing and Inspection Laboratory,
- Product Safety and Hazard Analysis Laboratory,
- Metrology Laboratory,
- Computer Aided Design (CAD) Laboratory,
- Integrated Design & Prototyping Laboratory(Group 3) Control, Instrumentation and Mechatronics:
- Mechatronics and Automation Laboratory,
- Precision Control and Instrumentation Laboratory,
- Smart Engineering Asset Management (SEAM) Laboratory,
- Croucher Optical Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Laboratory,
- Service Robotics LaboratoryResearch Group
- Advanced Coatings Applied Research Laboratory (ACARL),
- Smart Engineering Asset Management (SEAM) Research Laboratory,
- Robotics, Control and Biotechnology Research Laboratory,
- System Modelling and Control Laboratory,
- System Informatics and Quality Engineering Research Laboratory,
- Nano-Materials and Mechanics Research Laboratory.
2. Laboratory Management Committee (LMC)
- Member List as at 14/9/2010 (PDF - 16KB)
The role of LMC is to contribute to :-
- Planning and development of MEEM Laboratories towards achieving the Departmental mission and vision,
- Planning of laboratory space utilization to support various academic and professional activities of the department,
- Coordinate the planning and use of equipment and consumable budgets,
- Oversee the general safety, environmental and hygiene standards in laboratories,
- Oversee the allocation and utilization of resources in the laboratories,
- Oversee the quality level of various services provided by the laboratories.
The composition of LMC consists of a Chairman, who is appointed by the Head of Department, the Laboratory Manager, and 3 members nominated amongst all faculty members, who represent each of the technical functional group as depicted above. In addition, starting from year 2009, Academic Mentors Scheme is adopted. One academic mentor is appointed for each of the laboratory area by LMC from those faculty members who show interests in the development of the respective laboratory. The academic mentors serve to provide expert advice for the long term development of the corresponding lab areas. They also provide a closer link and working relationship between academic staff and technical staff and therefore help to develop and maintain competence of the technical staff in the respective laboratory areas.
3. Operation of MEEM Lab
The daily operation of MEEM Lab fall under the responsibility of the Laboratory Office and a team of 25 technical staff members. In general, one to two technicians are assigned to look after the daily operation of one individual laboratory area.
The role of the technical staff are mainly to :-
- assist the planning and develop laboratory exercises,
- support the running of laboratory exercises which cover :-
- prepare necessary equipment and accessories for the running of exercises,
- demonstrate the operation of equipment/software systems to students,
- ensure the students' safety in operating the equipment, etc.
- support students in working on final year projects which cover :-
- demonstrate the operation of equipment and use of software systems to students,
- provide adequate technical guidance where appropriate,
- assist students on the sourcing and purchase of necessary equipment/accessories, etc.
- ensure the students' safety when working in the laboratory.
support Departmental research and industrial services,
- support the Laboratory office to :-
- maintain the individual laboratory area clean, tidy and safe,
- maintain the equipment and facilities in good condition,
- maintain records of various laboratory activities for efficient management,
- achieve and fulfill the MEEM LAB's mission to its greatest extent.
In general, most of the equipment in MEEM LAB are purchased and setup to support laboratory exercises, student projects, research work and sometime industrial consultancy work. When there are more than one user who want to use a particular equipment at one time, priority will then be given based on the above order. Final year project students will usually be given a fixed workplace to work with at the start of their project. They are allowed to enter MEEM LAB during daytime and operate the computer or equipment as long as they have informed and agreed by the technical staff and those equipment are not occupied by any laboratory exercises. However, for those potentially dangerous equipment such as industrial robots, machine tools, chemical analysis apparatus and high power equipment, students need to be accompanied by their supervisors or technical staff.
To smooth the daily operation and management of MEEM LAB, the technicians are divided into three groups, roughly according to their similar technical expertise. Each group is supervised by a group leader who is a senior technician. Another four cross functional committees are formed to look after operational issues of "Safety and Security", "Fixed Asset Control", Time-tabling, Roster and general administration" as well as "Consumable and Chemical Control" respectively. Each of this committee is headed by a coordinator who is also a senior technician. The overall smooth operation of MEEM LAB and its continuous growth is under the supervision and management of the Laboratory Operational Management Team which is headed by the Laboratory Manager and assisted by the three group leaders and coordinators of the four committees. The laboratory manager is also responsible for the development of supporting infra-structure including the Quality Enhancement Programme, the Safety Enhancement Programme, liaison with the Business Office for the purchase of teaching equipment, and with the FMO/CPO for the maintenance of basic services in MEEM LAB.
Last modified on 30 December, 2010