Dr Adrian Bowyer MBE

I did a first degree in mechanical engineering at Imperial College in 1973, and then did a PhD in tribology there.

In 1977 I moved to Bath University's Department of Mathematical Sciences to do research in stochastic computational geometry.

I then spent several years as the head of Bath's Microprocessor Unit in what is now Bath University Computing Services.

In 1984 I took up a lectureship in manufacturing in Bath's Department of Mechanical Engineering and was subsequently promoted to senior lecturer. I retired in 2012 to concentrate on the RepRap Project and my company RepRap Ltd (see below).

My main areas of research are geometric modelling and geometric computing in general (I am one of the creators of the Bowyer-Watson algorithm for Voronoi diagrams), the application of computers to manufacturing, the creation of smart hydrophilic-polymer gels using affinity interactions, and the engineering use of biology, called Biomimetics.  In Biomimetics I work on self-copying and self-assembly in engineering.

I am the originator of the worldwide RepRap Project - a project that has created humanity's first general purpose self-replicating manufacturing machine. It works using 3D printing and is widely credited with starting the low-cost 3D-printer revolution.  I am also a founder and director of RepRap Ltd - a company formed to do research and development in self-replicating open-source 3D Printing.

In May 2017 I received the 3D Printing Industry Outstanding Contribution to 3D Printing Award.

In September 2017 I was inducted into the 3D Printing Hall of Fame.

In the New Year's Honours List for 2019 Her Majesty the Queen kindly awarded me an MBE for services to 3D printing.

I was born in London in 1952.  I am married and have one daughter.