Dr Eral Bele received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto, and subsequently worked as a research associate at Cambridge University. He is fascinated by how phenomena across length scales influence the properties of materials, and his teaching is informed by this passion and curiosity.

His research is on the mechanics of lightweight materials, which include composite, natural, and cellular materials. This involves the use of experimental techniques in applied mechanics, and computational analyses (mainly the finite element method). The purpose of this research is to solve a very current challenge: to manufacture and use materials which are lighter, stronger, and more energy efficient.