Dr Alan Holloway BEng (Hons), PhD, MIET, FHEA
Deputy Head of School
- School of Engineering and Built Environment
- Materials and Engineering Research Institute
- Industry and Innovation Research Institute
Summary
Dr Holloway is part of the School Engineering & Built Environment and undertakes research within the area of electronic sensors and robotic systems. He completed his PhD in Electronic Sensors in 2005 and after a 2-year period in industry joined the University in 2007 as a researcher. Dr Holloway is currently Deputy Head for the School of Engineering & Built Environment with oversight of teaching and learning, student experience, student success and outcomes for the school.
Since returning to academia he has worked on several large-scale EU funded projects was co-investigator for the EPSRC funded project REINS. The main area of work has been focused on the bespoke development of electronics and sensor systems for robotics and other electronic control applications. Additionally, Dr Holloway is extensively involved with industrial consultancy, academic collaborations, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) and supervision of PhD students in the sensors systems and robotics area.
About
Dr Holloway is Deputy Head for the School of Engineering & Built Environment with oversight of teaching and learning, student experience, student success and outcomes for the school.
He is also an active researcher in the area of electronics and sensor systems for robotics/control applications. A specific interest is the development sensors for machine olfaction (electronic-nose) applications.
Education:
- PhD in Advanced Quartz Crystal Microbalance Techniques Applied to Calixarene Sensing Membranes (SHU 2005);
- BEng (Hons) Electronic Systems & Information Engineering (SHU 2001).
Professional institutions:
- Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (MIET).
- Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Specialist areas of interest:
- Embedded/microprocessor Systems;
- Robotics/Control Systems;
- Sensors for machine olfaction (electronic-nose);
- Sensor coatings and their applications.
Teaching
School of Engineering and Built Environment
College of Business, Technology and Engineering
Subject Area/Group:
School of Engineering & Built Environment
College of Business, Technology and Engineering
Modules taught:
Dr Holloway teaches on a number of modules in the area electronics and microprocessor systems at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Research
Current Projects:
- Embedded/microprocessor Systems.
- Robotics/Control Systems.
- Sensors for machine olfaction (electronic-nose).
- Sensor coatings and their applications.
Selected Projects:
- 2020 - Digital Innovation for Growth https://www.shu.ac.uk/business/support/start-ups-smes/digital-innovation-for-growth
- 2011-14: Reins (EPSRC); https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/specialisms/materials-and-engineering-research-institute/what-we-do/projects/automation-and-robotics/the-reins-project
- 2006-10: Guardians (European Union ICT FP6); https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/specialisms/materials-and-engineering-research-institute/what-we-do/projects/automation-and-robotics/guardians-project
Publications
Journal articles
Daw, W., Kingshott, R.N., Saatchi, R., Burke, D., Evans, R., Holloway, A.F., ... Elphick, H.E. (2020). A Novel, Contactless, Portable “Spot-Check” Device Accurately Measures Respiratory Rate. Journal of Medical Devices. http://doi.org/10.1115/1.4046923
Al-Jawdah, A., Nabok, A., Jarrah, R., Holloway, A., Tsargorodska, A., Takacs, E., & Szekacs, A. (2018). Mycotoxin biosensor based on optical planar waveguide. Toxins, 10 (7), 272. http://doi.org/10.3390/toxins10070272
Daw, W., Kingshott, R., Saatchi, R., Burke, D., Holloway, A., Travis, J., ... Elphick, H. (2016). Medical Devices for Measuring Respiratory Rate in Children: a Review. Journal of Advances in Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 3, 21-27. http://doi.org/10.15379/2409-3394.2016.03.01.04
Holloway, A.F., Nabok, A., Hashim, J., & Penders, J. (2010). The use of calixarene thin films in the sensor array for VOCs detection and olefactory navigation. Sensors and transducers, 113 (2), 71-81. http://www.sensorsportal.com/HTML/DIGEST/Editorial_board.htm
Nabok, A.V., Tsargorodskaya, A., Holloway, A., Starodub, N.F., & Demchenko, A. (2007). Specific binding of large aggregates of amphiphilic molecules to the respective antibodies. Langmuir, 23 (16), 8485-8490. http://doi.org/10.1021/la700414z
Nabok, A.V., Tsargorodskaya, A., Holloway, A., Starodub, N.F., & Gojster, O. (2007). Registration of T-2 mycotoxin with total internal reflection ellipsometry and QCM impedance methods. Biochemical and Biomolecular Sensing, 22 (6), 885-890. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2006.03.010
Holloway, A.R., Nabok, A.V., Thompson, M., Ray, A.K., & Wilkop, T. (2004). Impedance analysis of the thickness shear mode resonator for organic vapour sensing. Sensors and Actuators B Chemical, 99 (2-3), 355-360. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2003.12.002
Holloway, A., Nabok, A.V., Thompson, M., Ray, A.K., Crowther, D., & Siddiqi, J. (2003). New method of vapour discrimination using the thickness shear mode (TSM) resonator. Sensors, 3 (6), 187-191. http://www.mdpi.org/sensors/papers/s30600187.pdf
Conference papers
Kalashnikov, A., Holloway, A., & Elyounsi, A. (2020). Student sensor lab at home: safe repurposing of your gadgets. Engineering proceedings. http://doi.org/10.3390/ecsa-7-08268
Hamid, A., Holloway, A., Hassan, A., & Nabok, A. (2017). Investigation and analysis of zinc phthalocyanine films for resonant gas sensor applications. Procedia engineering, 168, 259-263. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.183
Elyounnss, M., Holloway, A., Penders, J., & Alboul, L. (2016). Development of an intelligent robotic rein for haptic control and interaction with mobile machines. In Alboul, L., Damian, D., & Aitken, J.M. (Eds.) Towards autonomous robotic systems, 17th Annual Conference, TAROS 2016, Sheffield, UK, June 26--July 1, 2016, Proceedings, (pp. 111-115). Springer International Publishing: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40379-3_11
Hamid, A., Holloway, A., Hassan, A., & Nabok, A. (2016). Investigation of Zinc phthalocyanine films for QCM sensing applications. SENSORS, 2015 IEEE. http://doi.org/10.1109/ICSENS.2015.7370405
Holloway, A., Nabok, A.V., Thompson, M., Siddiqi, J., Ray, A.K., & Bliznyuk, V. (2004). Discriminative sensing of volatile organic solvents. Comparative analysis using different QCM techniques. In IEEE Sensors 2004 Conference, Vienna, Austria, 24 October 2004 - 27 October 2004.
Nabok, A.V., Tsargorodskaya, A., Holloway, A., Starodub, N.F., Demchenko, A., & Gojster, O. (2004). Registration of low molecular weight environmental toxins with total internal reflection ellipsometry. In IEEE Sensors 2004 Conference, Vienna, Austria, 24 October 2004 - 27 October 2004.
Theses / Dissertations
Tristano, M. (2024). Framework for reproduciblevalidation of a real-time capablevehicle lateral stability controller. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Lenzo, B., Holloway, A., Agha, S., Risaliti, E., & Wilhelm, E. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00644
Elyounnss, M. (2019). Development of an Intelligent Robotic Rein for HapticInteraction with Mobile Machines. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Holloway, A. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00219
Elyounnss, M. (2019). Development of an Intelligent Robotic Rein for HapticInteraction with Mobile Machines. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Holloway, A. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00219
Hamid, A.S.S. (2017). Investigation of sensing membranes for QCM devices in gas sensing applications. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Holloway, A. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00161
Exhibitions
Holloway, A., & Salama, A. (2022). Towards Industry 4.0: IoT & Automation. Sheffield Hallam University.
Presentations
Gray, J., Mellon, V., & Holloway, A. (2025). 'Embedding ‘Professional from Day One’ ethos: leading the move from exams to applied Project Based Learning assessment to improve engagement'. Presented at: Assessment in Higher Education Annual Conference, Manchester, UK
Mellon, V., Holloway, A., & Gray, J. (2024). ENGINEERING EDUCATION, PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, ASSESSMENT IN ENGINEERING. Presented at: Practical Engineering Education Conference, UoS
Holloway, A. (2022). Lab in a box - Remote electrical and electronics laboratories using low-cost development tools and platforms. Presented at: Practical Engineering Education Conference (PEEC22)
Other activities
External Examiner in the area of Electrical/Electronic/Mechatronic Engineering