Rate My Professor Tim Sercombe

Professor Tim Sercombe serves as Dean and Head of School of Engineering at the University of Western Australia (UWA), where he is also a Professor in Mechanical Engineering. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering (BE), PhD in Materials Engineering in 1998, and Graduate Certificate in Education (GradCertEd) from the University of Queensland. After completing his doctorate, Sercombe was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Birmingham in the UK from 1998 to 2000, collaborating with Professor Michael Loretto. He subsequently held a research position at the University of Queensland from 2001 to 2006, during which he pioneered a novel manufacturing method for aluminium components utilizing additive manufacturing technologies. Sercombe joined UWA in 2006 and has since risen to his current leadership position.

His research interests center on additive manufacturing, with a particular emphasis on selective laser melting. Key areas include the processing of titanium and aluminium powders, development of customised implants, mechanical testing of materials, design of highly efficient structures, low modulus titanium alloys for orthopedic applications, aluminium and aluminium matrix composites, metallic glasses, antibacterial materials, and 3D bioprinting. Having worked in the field since 1996, Sercombe has witnessed and contributed to significant advancements in the industry. He has authored or co-authored 76 research outputs, comprising 66 journal articles, 3 conference papers, 3 review articles, and 2 book chapters. Prominent publications include "Isotropic energy absorption of topology optimized lattice structure" (Alkhatib et al., 2023, Thin-Walled Structures), "Rate-dependent behaviour of additively manufactured topology optimised lattice structures" (Alkhatib et al., 2024, Thin-Walled Structures), "Dynamic constitutive behavior of LPBFed metal alloys" (Alkhatib et al., 2023, Journal of Materials Research and Technology), "Cracking behaviour in 3D concrete printed fibre-reinforced cementitious composites: A review" (Delavar et al., 2025, Journal of Building Engineering), and "On the importance of nano-oxide control in laser powder bed fusion manufactured Ni-based alloys to enhance fracture properties" (Peters et al., 2023, Materialia). Sercombe is affiliated with the UWA Defence and Security Institute.