Mark Kok Yew Ng

Mark Kok Yew Ng

Reader (Professor), Ulster University.

Brief Biography

I received the BEng (Hons) in Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering and the Ph.D. in Fault Diagnosis and Control Systems from Monash University in 2006 and 2009, respectively. I am currently a Reader (Professor) in Mechatronics Engineering and Control at the School of Engineering, Ulster University, UK, and I am attached to the Engineering Research Institute.

My research interests include fault diagnosis, mathematical modelling, digital twin, and data analytics for anomaly detection and classification.

In 2014–2015, I was a postdoctoral researcher at the Division of Vehicular Systems, Linköping University, Sweden, where I worked with Volvo Car Corporation (VCC) on advanced fault diagnosis schemes in vehicular engines using model-based and data-driven methods. For this research, I was instrumental in developing a Digital Twin/Simulation Testbed on the MATLAB/Simulink platform for realistic simulation and testing of residuals generation and fault diagnosis methods for the following:

  • Realistic modelling and control of the engine Injection and simulation of a variety of actuator, sensor, and variable faults in the engine
  • In-house designed algorithm for additional residuals selection
  • In-house designed algorithm for alarm generations, residuals monitoring, as well as Fault Isolation (FI)
  • Simulation and FI of system with intermittent residuals

This research work was published in the IEEE Control Systems Magazine and the Digital Twin/Simulation Testbed can be downloaded via the main hosting site or its mirror at Linköping University.

Throughout my career, I have secured more than £6.5 million in research grants from various funders such as the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), and the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy in the UK; the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS), and EScienceFund from the Ministry of Higher Education in Malaysia; and industries such as Volvo Car Corporation in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Overall, I have successfully supervised no less than 2 postdoctorals, 8 PhD, and 3 Master’s by Research candidates.

I am also currently attached to the Digital Catapult as an awardee of the EPSRC Innovation Launchpad Network+ (ILN+) Researcher in Residence Scheme. This research project aims to develop an energy mapping Digital Twin technology that contributes towards net zero in wind turbine energy. This technology encompasses the entire energy lifecycle, from mining through storage to utilisation in Northern Ireland (NI). This project also involves collaboration with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.

Other highlights include being a co-investigator in SAFEWATER, a £5 million project funded by UKRI-GCRF, where I led the development and the optimisation of embedded algorithms to control low-cost water disinfection technologies used in the rural areas in South America.

In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I led the Modelling and Forecast Task Force at Ulster where we worked with the Southern Health and Social Care Trust to provide analysis to the Government Specialist Modelling Response Expert Group (SMREG) in Northern Ireland. The main purpose of the project was to validate and inform the SMREG as well as help governing bodies in Northern Ireland to better plan for intervention measures and ultimately flatten the curve. I was also a member of the COVID-19 Task Force set up by the IEEE Region 8 community. In addition, I led a team of researchers and data scientists from Ulster and Queen’s University Belfast to work with the Incident Controller for the State Health Incident Control Centre and Deputy Chief Health Officer of the Department of Health in Western Australia to model the outbreak of COVID-19 on commercial cargo vessels.

I am a Senior Member of the IEEE and I am currently the Vice-Chair of the IEEE Control Systems Society (CSS), UK and Ireland Chapter.

I am the Moderator for the IEEE TechRxiv, the Associate Editor for IEEE Access, Editor for PeerJ Computer Science, and Section Editor for Sage Science Progress.

I am also an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow with Monash University Malaysia where I served as a Lecturer from 2009, and subsequently as Senior Lecturer till 2017.

Current Employment and Affiliations

Ulster University, Northern Ireland, U.K.
Reader (Professor) in Mechatronics Engineering and Control
2025–Present

Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Mechatronics Engineering and Control
2021–2025

Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Mechatronics Engineering and Control
2017–2021
I am responsible for Control Engineering related modules taught to undergraduate students. I coordinate and teach the following modules:

  • EEE316 Control Theory and Applications
  • EEE526 Mechatronics 1
  • MEC150 Electrical Science

Research wise, I am attached to the Engineering Research Institute at the Belfast Campus, where I work mainly on fault diagnosis, digital twin, and data analytics for anomaly detection and classification.

Monash University, Malaysia
Adjunct Senior Research Fellow
2017–Present

Past Employments and Affiliations

Monash University, Malaysia
Senior Lecturer
2016–2017
Lecturer
2009–2015

Linköping University and Volvo Car Corporation, Sweden
Visiting Researcher
Jan, 2016–Mar, 2016
Collaborators: Prof. Erik Frisk, Assoc. Prof. Mattias Krysander, and Dr Daniel Jung

I continued to work on the project described under my position as a Postdoctoral with the same institution. Besides further developing the FI scheme on paper and via simulations, the project also progressed to the testing of the designed FI schemes onto the actual engine in the Engine Lab via the dSPACE control system.

Linköping University and Volvo Car Corporation, Sweden
Postdoctoral
2014–2015
Supervisor: Prof. Erik Frisk

I was based in the Division of Vehicular Systems (FS) at Linköping University, Sweden where I worked on Fault Diagnosis of Vehicular Engine Systems with Volvo Car Corporation (VCC).

Honours and Awards

  • Learning and Teaching Award, Ulster University Students’ Union, 2020
  • Fellow of Higher Education Academy, UK (FHEA), 2018
  • Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Program to Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany, 2018
  • Monash University Malaysia PVC’s Award for Excellence in Research, 2012
  • Letter of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching from the Associate-Dean (Education), Faculty of Engineering, Monash University Australia, 2012
  • Top 50 Best Units Offered by Faculty of Engineering (ranked #22) Across All Campuses of Monash University, 2010
  • Monash University Malaysia PVC’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, total of 5 awards from 2009 till 2011
  • Higher Degree by Research Scholarship for Ph.D. in Engineering, 2007
  • Postgraduate Research Scholarship for Master of Engineering Science by Research, 2006
  • Monash University Malaysia Entrance Scholarship, 2002