Dr Matthew Healy

Lecturer - CBRN and Security Technology
Location: Shrivenham campus
E: m.j.f.healy@cranfield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1793 785736
Department of Engineering and Applied Science


Current activities

Dr Matthew Healy leads courses in Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Defence (CBRN), Security Technology and Nuclear Weapons Policy. He works with MoD and Defence contractors on education and training in the UK’s nuclear weapons and naval nuclear propulsion programmes. His course design for the Counter Terrorism and Security Technology MSc has been widely adopted as a template for other courses.

Matthew leads a team of four professional PhD candidates working across the fields of CBRN threat analysis, proportionate preparedness and response, and the technical frontiers of radiological and nuclear search and detection.  

Consultancy activities

  • Security assessments of real estate (UK and abroad)
  • Subject Matter Expert for CBRN capability procurements
  • Advisor on recent nuclear accident consequences and decision making
  • Characterising materials with accelerated ion beams

  Notable research activities

  • Quantifying and optimising the capacity for radiological source alert and search
  • Stand-off radiation detection
  • Threat estimation and response methodologies across CBRN
  • Ion Beam Analysis
  • Neutron radiography and inspection

Clients

NATO, HMG, Lockheed Martin UK, AWE, Police National CBRN Centre, J CBRN regiment, BP, Intel,  AEA Technology, JET, CERN.

Background

Matthew was formerly the chairman of the materials and characterisation group of the Institute of Physics, and he has a very broad knowledge across science, technology and security with insight into operational requirements. A particular interest is bridging technical capability, operational procedures and constraints, paying close attention to strategic aims and end user requirement. 

Matthew has taught a very wide range of technical subjects and has also contributed in fields of management and strategy; a NATO study utilising all of these skills lead to Matthew being the profiled physicist in Physics World magazine.

Selected publications

M J F Healy, K.Weston, K. Arbuthnot and M Romilly, A model to support CBRN defence. Recently submitted to Journal of Defense and Security Analysis. Vol 25 ed 2 (2009)

Stand-Off Detection Technologies For Radiological Threats. NATO report NIAG SG112 – PFP(NIAG)D(2008)0002

S E Bloomer & M J F Healy. Invisible and Lethal,  NBC International. Spring 2008 p 64-65

Further publications

M J F Healy, M Torres and J D Painter. A software tool enabling the analysis of small lateral features without the use of a micro-beam. Nucl. Instr. & Meth. B. 289(2006) 789-791

M.J.F.Healy  Energy calibration by silicon resonance; completing system calibration with one reference material. Nucl. Instr. & Meth. B. 249(2006)918-920

M J F Healy. DiRDDY bomb. NBC International. Summer 2005, p24-25.

T. C. May-Smith, C. Grivas, D. P. Shepherd, R. W. Eason, M. J. F. Healy. Thick Film Growth of High Optical Quality Low Loss (0.1dBcm-1) Nd:Gd3Ga5O12 on Y3Al5O12 by Pulsed Laser Deposition. Applied Surface Science 223(2004)361-371

M J F Healy, A J Pidduck, G Dollinger, L Gorgens and A Bergmaier. Ion beam analysis of aluminium in thin layers. Nucl. Instr. & Meth. B. 190 (2002) 630-635. Also presented at the 15th International conference on Ion Beam Analysis, Cairns, Australia.

D C Sayle, R A Catlow, N Dulamita, M J F Healy, S A Maicaneanu, B Slater and G W Watson.  Modelling Oxide Thin Films. Molecular Simulation, 28 (6-7), pp 683-725, (2002).

M.J.F.Healy and A.Gurbich. New data on the proton elastic scattering cross section of silicon. Nucl. Instr. & Meth. B. 161-163(2000) 136-140

D C Sayle, C Richard, A Catlow, J H Harding, M J F Healy, S A Maicaneanu, S C Parker, B Slater, G W Watson. Atomistic simulation methodologies for modeling the nucleation, growth and structure of interfaces. . Journal of Materials Chemistry 10 (2000) 1315-1324

K D Rogers, J D Painter, D W Lane and M Healy. The structural changes in CdS-CdTe thin films due to annealing. Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol 28, No2, 1999.

K D Rogers, J D Painter, M J F Healy, D W Lane and M E Ozsan. The crystal structure of CdS-CdTe thin film heterojunction solar cells. Thin solid films 339 (1999) 299-304.

I Alexandrou, I Zergioti, G A J Amaratunga, M J F Healy, C J Kiely, P Hatto, M Velegrakis and C Fotakis. A new reactive pulsed laser ablation technique for the deposition of hard carbon-nitride thin films. Materials Letters 39 (1999) 97-102

I Alexandrou, I Zergioti, M J F Healy, G Amaratunga, C J Kiely, H Davcock, A Papworth and C Fotakis. Enhancement of the properties of pulsed laser-deposited carbon nitride by the synchronisation of laser and N2 gas jet pulses. Surface and Coatings Technology 110(1998) 147-152.

M J F Healy and D W Lane. Revised cross sections of the 32S(d,p)33S reactions.  Nucl. Instr. & Meth. B. 136-138 (1998) 66-71.

D W Lane, G J Conibeer, S Romani, M J F Healy and K D Rogers. Depth Profiling Sulphur in Bulk CdTe and CdTe/CdS Thin Film Solar Cells.  Nucl. Instr. & Meth. B.136-138(1998) 225-230.

M J F Healy. Minimising carbon contamination during Nuclear Reaction Analysis. Nucl. Instr. & Meth. B. 129 (1997) 130-136, similar work also presented at the European Carbon Conference, 1996.

M J F Healy. An electrostatic filter for high resolution Nuclear Reaction Analysis. Nucl. Instr. & Meth. B. 118 (1996) 196-200.