Shara Kamal is a full-time lecturer at the Petroleum technology department in Erbil Polytechnic University. She has a PhD in Gas and oil flow from the Chemical and Environmental Engineering department at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, in 2017. She is interested in research in gas and oil flow and she has several publications in this field. Her publications focused on gas flow in high viscosity oils and large-diameter columns. Shara also worked in the renewable energy field. She got MSc in mechanical engineering\ thermal power from the College of Engineering, Salahaddin University, Erbil. Her research was about generating energy from Photovoltaic system.

Shara has joined Erbil Technology Institute as an engineer in 2004 then she went further in higher education to get a PhD. She has taught Oil and gas technology, Heat transfer, Fluid mechanics in Petroleum Technology and Cooling and Refrigerating Equipment Departments.  

Research experience

Shara’s PhD research was on studying the characteristics of gas flow through large-diameter columns with very high viscosity oils. She has used two large scale columns of 240 and 290 mm diameter and about 10 m height and compared the results. She has applied high spatial and temporal resolution tomography techniques including Electrical capacitance tomography and high-speed imaging. Her PhD resulted in very impactful findings to the Multiphase flow, especially high viscosity flows. She has introduced the presence of Churn flow in viscous liquids for the first time in literature. She has published a new finding in the international journal of multiphase flow in 2018. The paper explains the characteristics of the hydrodynamics of churn flow in high viscosity oil and large diameter columns. She has published more papers in the same filed in 2019-2021 and planning to do more work in research. Besides her project on high viscosity oils, she has commissioned a new sensor that has been manufactured by HZDR for the University of Nottingham. She has calibrated the (Multiple Probe Film Sensor, MPFS) and designed a rig (falling film rig) for the new sensor. The new sensor aims to measure the characteristics of falling film in large diameter columns. Besides, Shara is a member of the Fluid and Thermal Engineering Research Group/ University of Nottingham. Shara has also experience in designing Photovoltaic systems to generate electricity from solar power. This was her master’s project at the College of Engineering, Salahaddin University.

Teaching experience

Shara has started teaching since she received her undergraduate degree, BSc in Fuel and energy engineering in 2002. She taught Mechanical engineering and Mechanical and engineering drawing. Then she decided to advance her career in teaching in high education by pursuing graduate-level teaching qualifications for higher education. After getting a master’s degree in Mechanical engineering\thermal power (2009), she continued working as an assistant lecturer. She taught Fluid mechanics and Heat transfer modules for the second-year undergraduate students. The teaching included both theoretical classes and laboratory practical. She has also supervised undergraduate students in their final year graduation projects along with teaching. Later, she started a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Nottingham. While studying, she continued teaching as a demonstrator for the third-year chemical engineering laboratory, supporting a wide range of experiments and unit operations. She also has participated in showcasing large scale experimental facilities for the chemical engineering department during outreach and open days. Upon graduation, she continued teaching as a Lecturer at Erbil Polytechnic University. Teaching final year undergraduate students Oil and Gas technology module. Shara has achieved the status of Associate Fellow in the Higher Education Academy in the UK in recognition of attainment against the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education in 13/11/2020. Then in July 2022 she has became a fellow in the Advanced Higher Education academy on the basis that her submission demonstrates practice that aligns with Descriptor 2 of the UK Professional Standards Framework.