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About SEAM
SEAM (South Eastern Applied Materials) is an ISO 9001:2015 accredited industry-focused Applied Research and Development facility based at South East Technological University in Waterford. It provides innovative materials engineering solutions for research and industrial partners seeking assistance on materials related issues that cannot be solved by utilising their on-site resources.
SEAM, which celebrated its 10th Anniversary in 2019, has also become a leading Technology Gateway Centre, currently assisting over 235 Irish based industries from wide-ranging sectors such as Medical, Pharmaceuticals, Micro-electronics, Precision Engineering, Food and Energy. Notable SEAM repeat clients include Teva, Bausch and Lomb, Boston Scientific, Schivo Medical, Garrett Motion, Stryker, Pfizer, Sanofi, West Pharma, BD Components, Integer, Valeo, EDPAC and Glanbia.
SEAM holds an impeccable track record of executing over 3500 direct funded industry projects since its launch in 2009. SEAM’s unique strength lies in its ability to anticipate, understand, respond quickly and professionally to industry needs by providing competitive customised solutions and, more importantly, act as a one-stop-shop for getting the job done.
The Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway Programme is co-financed by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27 and the Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021-27.
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Meet Our Team
Dr. Ramesh Raghavendra
SEAM Centre Director & Principal Investigator of I-Form
Dr. Ramesh Raghavendra
SEAM Centre Director & Principal Investigator of I-Form
Dr Ramesh Raghavendra, SEAM Centre Director holds a Ph.D from University of Twente, The Netherlands. His research background is in the areas of functional ceramics, glass and glass-ceramics, sintering of powder materials and more recently his research interests are directed towards Metal Additive Manufacturing. He has been a Principal Investigator on numerous AM related industrial projects including two large Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership projects to the valve of €1.1m and €400,000 with MNC, SME and LEO companies based in Ireland. Ramesh has also successfully co-ordinated €2m prestigious Disruptive Technology Innovation fund project pertaining to ‘Enhanced Biocompatibility of AM manufactured Bio-Medical implants for improved clinical outcomes’. Furthermore, he has also successfully Coordinated an EU funded FP7-SME project. Ramesh is also Principal investigator in Research Ireland funded Advanced Manufacturing Centre (I-Form) and more recently established partnership with Irish Manufacturing Research in delivering ESA Phi-Lab programme.
In his present role as SEAM Director, Ramesh is responsible for overall operational aspects and is instrumental in relaunching the centre in 2009. Ramesh to date has established collaborations with over 375 Irish based industries, successfully managed to deliver over 4000 directly funded Industrial projects and brought in funding of over €80m to SETU. For the contribution to Industrial services, Ramesh & SEAM has received several awards including prestigious Knowledge Transfer Ireland Award (2015), Irish Manufacturing Research Award (2020), Irish Laboratory Award (2020), etc. He has authored/co-authored in more than 90 refereed journal publications and has two patents to his credit.
In his present role as SEAM Director, Ramesh is responsible for overall operational aspects and is instrumental in relaunching the centre in 2009. Within ten years of launching of SEAM, Ramesh has established collaborations with over 235 Irish based industries and successfully managed to deliver over 3000 directly funded Industrial projects. For the contribution to Industrial services, Ramesh & SEAM has received several awards including prestigious KTI Award (2015), Irish Manufacturing Research Award (2020), Irish Laboratory Award (2020), etc. He has authored/co-authored in more than 80 refereed journal publications and has two patents to his credit.
Mr. Eoghan O’Donoghue
Gateway Operations Manager
Mr. Eoghan O’Donoghue
Gateway Operations Manager
Eoghan joined SEAM in 2009 as a Development Engineer. Prior to that, he had been working overseas in a variety of areas of computer modelling, FEA analysis, product development, design, component engineering, failure analysis and project management.
His area of speciality is in Computer-Aided Engineering and Finite Element Analysis. He holds a Research Masters and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the Cork Institute of Technology. He has worked on cooperative research projects with Analogue devices Limerick and the National Microelectronic Research Centre in Cork in the field of Microelectronics. During his career, he has worked for companies such as Eaton Aerospace, Jakaar industries and IGG Component Technology. He has published the following research papers: – “Copper/Tin Intermetallics and Lead (Pb) Free Components”, “Analytical and FEA Analysis of a Silicon Micro-machined Capacitive Pressure Sensor.”, “Development of Behavioural Models of Packaged Microsystems Sensor Elements”.
Mr. Patrick Donnellan
FEA and CFD Technology Leader
Mr. Patrick Donnellan
FEA and CFD Technology Leader
Patrick is a chartered engineer and a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He graduated with a BEng in Civil Engineering from NUI Galway, and an MSc in Computer Modelling and Finite Elements in Engineering Mechanics from Swansea University.
Patrick joined SEAM in 2016 and has been focusing on providing solutions to clients across a wide variety of industries, primarily through the use of engineering analysis involving FEA and CFD. These include medical device, heavy and precision engineering, civil engineering, and HVAC.
Prior to joining SEAM Patrick worked as a consulting engineer primarily within the oil and gas industry. His main responsibility was to design and analyse piping, pressurised components, and vessels used in subsea, offshore, and onshore environments. His experience is in design as well as in the analysis of assets in service and has involved the application of Finite Element Analysis simulation to problems relating to stress analysis, buckling, vibration, fatigue and fracture mechanics.
Dr. Colin Reidy
Snr Business Development Engineer
Dr. Colin Reidy
Snr Business Development Engineer
Dr Colin Reidy holds a PhD from the University of Limerick, Ireland. He has recently joined the SEAM Research Centre as a Biomaterials Engineer. Colin’s PhD focused on developing novel, bioactive, all-ceramic filler materials, based on reinforced hydroxyapatite (HA) which can be tailored to a range of complex shapes for use in load-bearing skeletal applications.
Prior to this Colin completed an MSc. in Biomedical Engineering jointly taught by the University of Limerick, Trinity College, Dublin and University College Dublin, with Medical Science input from the RCSI. Colin has a broad understanding of advanced principles in medical device technology and a range of skills including; spectroscopy, mechanical testing, polymer analysis, microscopy & a variety of software packages.
At SEAM Colin works on a variety of projects for industrial clients. This includes the identification of failure processes in polymeric medical devices, through the use of microscopy and thermal analysis techniques to identify compositional and/or process variations in the materials. Colin also investigates the surface morphology of various biomedical materials using white light interferometry and/or microscopy techniques.
Robert Poole
Business Development Engineer
Robert Poole
Business Development Engineer
Robert joined SEAM in 2023 as a Business Development Engineer. He holds a B.Eng (Hons) in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering from Waterford Institute of Technology.
Robert joined SEAM with 12 years’ experience from working in industry. Prior to joining SEAM, Robert worked in multinational manufacturers in Ireland. Most recently, as a Senior Process Engineer in West Pharmaceutical Services, managing the installation, commissioning and validation of high speed inspection systems for pharmaceutical packaging. Prior to that, as a Senior Technical Engineer on process development and automation of combined CNC micro-machining and metrology systems for Alcon in Cork. In Bausch and Lomb, he worked as a Process Development Engineer on novel thermal curing of polymers for the contact lens industry. In this time he managed capital projects up to €2.5m. He worked closely with Enterprise Irelands Innovative Partnership funding, to complete demanding novel projects in industry, by utilising the skillsets and knowledge of research institutes like SEAM.
Mr. Tommy Kelly
Operations Engineer
Mr. Tommy Kelly
Operations Engineer
Tommy joined SEAM in June 2013 as a Research Engineer. Tommy holds a level 9 Post Grad Cert in Advanced Materials Characterisation and a B.Eng (Hons) in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering from Waterford Institute of Technology.
Tommy’s primary role at SEAM is failure analysis projects utilising micro-sectioning and various analytical techniques including SEM, White Light Interferometry, Tensile Testing and Micro Hardness Testing. Tommy is also involved in the thermal analysis of polymeric materials and Rheology. Prior to this, Tommy was involved in CNC sheet metal fabrication (Kel-Tech Engineering Waterford) & CNC manufacturing of automotive components (Honeywell Turbo Technologies Waterford).
Dr. Sara Karam
Business Development Engineer | Metrology
Dr. Sara Karam
Business Development Engineer | Metrology
Sara holds a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and a PhD which focused on advanced sensor monitoring of manufacturing processes from the University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
Prior to SEAM, as a post-doctorate fellow at the University of Naples Federico II, she worked on two EU FP7 Projects focusing on advanced sensor monitoring of manufacturing processes for process optimisation. She joined SEAM in 2016 as an NDT Engineer. Her work focused on utilising non-destructive techniques, basically X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography, to analyse product components. Her work also includes failure analysis, macro and microscopic measurements, and mechanical evaluation of components.
She recently completed an Innovation Partnership Project with Viecura Medical Ltd. on the development of innovative hip protector technology for the elderly population. Currently, she is working with the FEA team in SEAM on providing solutions primarily through the use of engineering analysis involving FEA and CFD.
Ms. Agnieszka Furman
XMT Technology Leader
Ms. Agnieszka Furman
XMT Technology Leader
Agnieszka Furman is a Technology Leader and Business Development specialist at the SEAM Research Centre, part of the South East Technological University (SETU). Joining SEAM in 2017 as a Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Engineer, she has become a leading expert in X-ray Micro Computed Tomography (XMT), specialising in the 3D internal analysis of complex materials for the medical device and precision engineering sectors.
Her academic foundations include a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Rzeszow University of Technology and a B.Eng (Hons) in Manufacturing Engineering from Waterford Institute of Technology.
Dedicated to continuous professional growth, Agnieszka has completed specialised training in Additive Manufacturing to support SEAM’s advanced CT capabilities. Furthermore, she is actively progressing through the Aurora Women’s Leadership Development Programme, a prestigious initiative by Advance HE designed to empower women in higher education and research to reach senior leadership roles. This follows her 2023 certification in Women in Leadership from DCM Learning.
Ms. Guru Vidhya
Material/Failure Analysis Engineer
Ms. Guru Vidhya
Material/Failure Analysis Engineer
Guru joined SEAM in 2018 as a Material/Failure Analysis Engineer. She holds a master’s degree in Polymer Science from Anna University and a bachelor’s in Polymer Technology from Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology in India.
Prior to SEAM, she worked as a Research Associate for a recruiting company in India. Her work in SEAM mainly focuses on Direct Funded Industrial projects. She has completed over 360 industrial projects. Her work encompasses analysing medical devices, medicines, material identification, failure analysis, contamination analysis, thermal analysis of polymers and mechanical testing.
Arun Antony
Senior Development Engineer
Arun Antony
Senior Development Engineer
Arun Antony is a Chartered Engineer (CEng MIEI) and Senior Development Engineer at the South Eastern Applied Materials (SEAM) Research Centre, South East Technological University (SETU). He leads advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) projects, supporting industry partners in solving complex design, manufacturing, and process challenges. His current work includes high-fidelity multiphase CFD modelling of nasal spray atomisation, precision metrology, and reverse engineering using industrial CT scanning and 3D surface data integration.
In addition to his technical role, Arun oversees SEAM’s systems operations, including high-performance computing (HPC), software licensing, and IT infrastructure, ensuring seamless integration between research and digital systems. He also drives Lean and digital transformation initiatives, notably the development of a Lean-based CRM/ERP framework to streamline SEAM’s general management processes.
Arun has successfully led multiple Innovation Partnership Programmes and direct-funded industrial projects, contributing to SEAM’s mission of translating research into real-world impact. He holds a master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a bachelor’s degree in Aircraft and Rocket Construction and Design.
Mr. Eamonn Shields
Research Engineer Dr. Gayathri Selvakumar
Mr. Eamonn Shields
Research Engineer
Eamonn joined SEAM in 2020 as a research engineer. Eamonn holds a B.Eng (Hons) in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering from Waterford Institute of Technology.
Eamonn’s main role at SEAM is failure analysis projects utilising micro-sectioning and various analytical techniques including SEM, Micro Hardness Testing, Tensile Testing and White Light Interferometry.
Dr. Gayathri Selvakumar
Materials Scientist
Dr. Gayathri Selvakumar
Materials Scientist
Gayathri Selvakumar joined SEAM in September 2021 as a Materials Scientist. She holds a Ph.D from SASTRA University, India. Her research background involves the study of Mechanical and Tribological properties of Diamond -like carbon thin film coatings.
Her work in SEAM mainly focuses on Direct Funded Industrial projects. Her work encompasses analysing material identification, failure analysis, contamination analysis, thermal analysis of polymers
Dr. Raja Das
Materials Scientist & Scientific Coordinator
Dr. Raja Das
Materials Scientist & Scientific Coordinator
Raja joined SEAM in November 2021 as a Materials Scientist. He holds a PhD in Chemical Sciences from CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, India. He has 12 years of Research experience in Materials Science. His research background is in the area of design, synthesis and applications of functional nanomaterials for thermoelectric, spintronic and biomedical applications, including magnetic hyperthermia therapy and drug delivery.
Prior to SEAM, Raja worked as a group leader at Nanomaterials for Electronics and Renewable Energy Laboratory, Phenikaa University, Hanoi, Vietnam from 2019 to 2021. He was a postdoctoral fellow at University of South Florida, USA and National Institute for Materials Science, Japan from 2014 to 2018.
At SEAM, Raja work on Projects relating to Failure Analysis & Materials Characterization.
Dr. Emilio Galindo
Senior Research Assistant Engineer
Dr. Emilio Galindo
Senior Research Assistant Engineer
Dr. Emilio Galindo is a researcher specializing in powder surface properties for additive manufacturing at SEAM. He completed his PhD in Materials Engineering at McGill University, Canada, in 2025. His doctoral research focused on the study of surface characteristics of metallic powders at different stages of binder-based additive manufacturing processes, funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada.
Dr. Galindo also holds a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, with a specialization in Mechanical Design (2020), and a bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering (2018), both from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
During his PhD, Dr. Galindo gained industrial experience at AON3D in Canada and is a member of the Aluminum Research Center – REGAL. His collaborations with industrial partners have resulted in high-impact, peer-reviewed publications presented at international conferences in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
At SEAM, Dr. Galindo works on improving 3D-printed components by studying the surface characteristics of metallic powders during additive manufacturing processes, including storage and recycling. His contributions are helping to advance product quality, particularly in the medical industry.
Mr Stuart Murphy
Technical Officer
Mr Stuart Murphy
Technical Officer
I am a Technical and Energy Management professional with a multidisciplinary background spanning engineering technology, sustainable energy, and construction. Currently, I serve as a Technical Officer at South East Technological University and SEAM, supporting teaching, research, and industry collaboration across laboratories in automation, electrical systems, high voltage, pneumatics, and additive manufacturing. My role ensures that workshops and labs operate efficiently, safely, and effectively for students, staff, and visiting industry partners.
Previously, I worked in energy management at SETU, delivering campus-wide energy audits, managing smart metering and Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS), implementing ISO 50001 standards, and leading energy efficiency initiatives. I have also managed SEAI-supported retrofit projects, consulted on Part L compliance, and supported DEEP energy upgrade programmes.
I hold a First-Class Honours BEng in Sustainable Energy Engineering from Waterford Institute of Technology, am a Certified Energy Manager (CEM), registered Domestic BER Assessor, and PSCS certified. I am currently further developing my technical expertise through a BSc in Additive Manufacturing at SETU.
With a combination of practical construction experience as a qualified bricklayer and stonemason, academic knowledge, and energy management expertise, I bring a unique perspective to sustainable building performance, technical operations, and applied engineering research.
Ms Sinead Dunphy
SEAM Administrator
Ms Sinead Dunphy
SEAM Administrator
Mr. Austen Ahern
Fractional Marketing and Business Development Support
Mr. Austen Ahern
Fractional Marketing and Business Development Support
Austen is a hands on commercial and marketing professional with over 20 years’ experience across global innovative organizations as well as small medium Start-ups. Austen has held the roles of Digital marketing Director, Head of Marketing , Change Management lead , Sales and Marketing Director with P&L responsibilities across EMEA and NA. His experience includes the role of Director on a Go-to-Market project where he managed the successful sales and marketing launch of a new and innovative product.
He also works as a fractional CMO and CSO and CRO with a number of organizations where he shares his knowledge and experience to help them navigate challenges across the sales and marketing landscape.
Dr Chethan Savandaiah
Research Engineer
Dr Chethan Savandaiah
Research Engineer
Dr. Chethan Savandaiah is a researcher in polymer engineering, specialising in thermoplastics, thermosets, and associated processes such as injection moulding, extrusion, and additive manufacturing. With over a decade of experience, he has built extensive expertise in polymer processing and characterisation, progressing from trainee to early-stage researcher, and later serving as a project manager in both research universities and industry.
He holds a Doctorate in Polymer Engineering from Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria, a Master’s degree in Engineering from Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia, with a specialisation in wood-plastic technology, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Polymer Science and Technology from S.J.C.E., Mysuru, India.
Dr. Savandaiah began his research career during an ERASMUS+ research traineeship at Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria. This opportunity laid the foundation for his doctoral research at Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH and Johannes Kepler University, Linz.
Before joining SETU-SEAM, he worked as a Project Manager, leading EU- and Interreg-funded projects on bio-based and recyclable materials for additive manufacturing and composite industries. His research has placed strong emphasis on sustainable innovation, natural fibre composites, and the technical empowerment of SMEs through knowledge transfer and training.
In addition, Dr. Savandaiah served as a Junior Researcher at Competence Center CHASE, where he contributed to the development of high-performance carbon fibre-reinforced composite tapes, process optimisation, and advancements in the recyclability of composite materials.
Mr Manish Basyal
Mr Manish Basyal
Manish joined SEAM with practical experience across start-ups, early-stage product development and also established industrial manufacturing environments, bringing experience in prototyping, design validation, and manufacturing process improvement. He holds an MEng in Mechatronics from Lancaster University, UK, and applies a multidisciplinary approach to engineering analysis and problem-solving.
Dr. Abhijit Cholkar
Dr. Abhijit Cholkar
Dr. Abhijit Cholkar is a Researcher in Additive Manufacturing Group at SEAM. He completed his PhD in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from Dublin City University, Ireland in 2024. His doctoral research was focused on multimodal laser processing of aluminum alloys which was funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Newskin project. He also holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (Biomedical Engineering majors) from Dublin City University (2020) and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University, India (2019). Dr. Abhijit has published his research in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and has presented it at several international conferences. Prior to his PhD, he also gained an industry experience at Renishaw, Ireland. Additionally, he is a associate member of IMechE, Engineers Ireland, and ASME.
At SEAM he is working on improving Ti6Al4V part quality through laser re-melting within L-PBF and optimizing the piezoelectric-pneumatic jetting process. His research contributes to advancements in the medical and engineering industry and supports companies integrating additive manufacturing solutions to enhance their products.
Mr Shane Walsh
Materials Research Assistant
Mr Shane Walsh
Materials Research Assistant
Shane holds an honours degree in Applied chemistry and a Masters in innovative technology engineering both from WIT, as well as a level 8 certificate in analytical techniques and GMP. Shane has also undertaken various courses in higher mathematics with TU Dublin. At SEAM Shane works as a Materials Research Assistant and as part of the materials team where he performs testing using the following:
Karl Costello
Industrial CT Engineer
Karl Costello
Industrial CT Engineer
After completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering from SETU, Karl joined SEAM as a research assistant engineer working in both Additive Manufacturing and X-Ray Microtomography. In conjunction with working at SEAM, Karl is also completing a PhD part-time working on additive manufacturing of Nitino
Ms. Malgorzata Markowska
Development Engineer
Ms. Malgorzata Markowska
Development Engineer
Malgorzata joined SEAM as a development engineer in 2024.
She holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Physics for Modern Technology from South East Technological University. Her B.Sc. thesis was entitled “Spectroscopic Fingerprinting of Biomolecules using Quantitative Sessile Drop Analysis”, in which she developed a model for the path length of light through a sessile droplet.
Prior to SEAM, Malgorzata has worked as a manufacturing engineer in the medical device industry.
Her work in SEAM mainly focuses on directly funded industrial projects, which encompasses analysing medical devices, material identification, failure analysis and contamination analysis using microscopy and thermal analysis techniques.
Dr. Sasui
Senior Research Assistant Engineer
Dr. Sasui
Senior Research Assistant Engineer
Dr Sasui works as a Senior Research Assistant Engineer at SEAM, South East Technological University. Her research focuses on the development of low-carbon cementitious and alkali-activated materials derived from widely available resources, with particular emphasis on durability and long-term performance.
At SEAM, Dr Sasui is involved in industrial research in low-carbon concrete development, including in-situ CO₂ mineralisation of cemented tailings to support carbon capture and storage in mining environments. Her work contributes to the development of sustainable construction materials and practical pathways for emissions reduction.
Dr Sasui holds a PhD in Architectural Engineering (2019–2022), specialising in architectural structures, from Chungnam National University, South Korea. She also holds a Master of Architecture (M.Arch) from Naresuan University, Thailand (2016–2018), and a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) from Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan (2010–2015).
Mr. Carlos Pando
Research Scholars
Precious Onyeji
Precious Onyeji
Precious holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from The University of Ibadan, Nigeria and is currently pursuing a PhD, which began in January 2025, with SEAM. His PhD research focuses on optimizing the build properties of Niobium produced via Additive Manufacturing (Laser Powder Bed Fusion) for use in medical devices, aerospace, particle accelerators, automobiles and Oil and Gas.
Ms. Blanaid Fogarty
Ms. Blanaid Fogarty
Blánaid holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics for Modern Technology from SETU Waterford and is currently pursuing a PhD, which began in September 2024, with SEAM. The PhD research focuses on the inkjet printing of nanoparticle-based inks for creating flexible, printable electronics, emphasizing process optimization, post-print treatment, and in-depth post-printing characterization and analysis
Sadixa Baral
Sadixa Baral
Sadixa Baral is pursuing her PhD on nano-engineered graphene-based cementitious composites for sustainable infrastructure. She holds an MSc in Civil Engineering from Durham University, UK. She has over four years of professional experience in civil and structural engineering across industrial, commercial, and public infrastructure projects, with contributions to environmental monitoring and sustainability-focused solutions. Her doctoral research aims to optimise graphene oxide dispersion within the cement matrix to enhance mechanical, microstructural, and durability performance while reducing overall cement usage, supporting the development of high-performance, low-carbon concrete.