Byron Mason

Senior Lecturer in Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering at RMIT Vietnam, working on data-driven modelling, system identification, sensing, and control of complex engineering systems, with applications in energy systems, electrified transport, and controlled environment agriculture.

Conceived, secured and led a £9.7m portfolio of research projects (£7.5m as principal investigator) through industry and government partnerships including Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, Caterpillar, and EPSRC. This work developed applied modelling and control methods for real-world systems, including powertrain system identification techniques developed with Ford that resulted in multi-million-dollar annual global savings.

Led the technical development of a £40m institutional research infrastructure bid, coordinating stakeholders across industry, EPSRC, and university leadership to establish collaborative research and training programmes in digital engineering and complex systems.

Current research focuses on low-cost sensing, system identification, and plant-in-the-loop approaches for controlled environment agriculture in Southeast Asia, applying methods developed in energy and transport systems to biological systems.

Experience includes supervision of doctoral researchers to completion and leadership of postdoctoral, research and academic staff across large-scale funded programmes, with publications in peer-reviewed journals and international industry collaboration.