B.Eng. Memorial, M.Sc. (Eng.) Queen's, PhD Michigan

Head, Mechanical Engineering

Contact Information

Ph: 709-864-3746
Em: g.rideout[at]mun.ca
Office: EN3017

Expertise

• Information Theory and Coding
• Materials and Mechanics
• Optical Communications
• Signal Processing
• Underwater Communications
• Wireless Communications

Research Interests

System dynamics, modeling and simulation, vehicle dynamics, modal testing, vibrations

Personal Profile

I am a native of St. John’s and a graduate of Memorial University’s mechanical engineering class of 1993. After graduation, I worked at Northern Telecom as a manufacturing process engineer in Ottawa, at MCW Consultants in Toronto as a building systems designer and at DY4 Systems in Ottawa as a research engineer.

I then completed a Master’s in Applied Science at Queen’s University in 1998. My research area was experimental testing and mathematical modeling of automobile suspension components. Doctoral work followed at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, in the area of modeling and simulation of dynamic systems with applications to military vehicle systems.

After completing my PhD, I worked as a post-doctoral fellow and lecturer at the University of Michigan’s Automated Modeling Laboratory. Finally, I taught in the Mechanical Engineering Technology program at Humber College in Toronto before joining Memorial’s faculty. Since joining Memorial, I have established a research program in vehicle dynamics, modeling and simulation of vibrations in oilwell drilling, and non-destructive testing using modal analysis.

Honours/Awards/Accreditation

President's Award for Outstanding Teaching, Memorial University, 2014

Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University, 2013

Best Paper Award co-author, International Conference on Bond Graph Modeling, 2010

Research Highlights

Method for systematically determining when simulation models can be partitioned into smaller submodels to decrease computation time.

Suite of models of varying complexity to predict axial, torsional, and/or lateral vibrations in oilwell drillstrings.

Emerging method for controlling vehicle suspensions using motion of vehicles ahead, to improve ride quality and safety.

Non-destructive test method for wood poles based on modal impact testing.