Dr Tahmina Ajmal is an Associate Professor of Engineering and Engineering Cluster Lead at the University of Bedfordshire, UK. She is an internationally recognised researcher with over two decades of academic and industry-facing experience spanning optical sensing, intelligent systems, digital innovation, and sustainable engineering.

Her research sits at the intersection of precision aquaculture, water quality monitoring, and AI-enabled IoT systems, with a strong emphasis on real-world impact in food, water, and environmental sustainability. She has led and contributed to major UK, EU and international projects funded by UKRI, Innovate UK, Interreg, GCRF, Newton Fund, and industry partners, including work on digital resilience in aquaculture, low-cost water quality testing technologies, and resource-efficient food systems. Her portfolio includes over 70 peer-reviewed publications, a book on reducing food waste in agribusiness supply chains, and an international patent.

Dr Ajmal has extensive experience in multidisciplinary and multinational research consortia and has supervised doctoral research in water quality sensing, fluorescence-based monitoring, intelligent prediction models, and biomedical antennas. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Senior Member of IEEE, and serves on the Editorial Board of Scientific Reports. Alongside her research, she provides strategic academic leadership and is actively engaged in outreach, policy-relevant research, and capacity building in sustainable engineering and digital technologies.

Administration Experience 

• Engineering Portfolio and Strategic Lead (2024–Present)
• Postgraduate Research Lead, Institute for Research in Engineering & Sustainable Environment (IRESE) (2023-Present)
• Acting Co-Director, Research Institute of Smart Cities (2022–2023)
• Course Leader, BEng Electronic Engineering (2015–Present)
• IET Accreditation Lead – 6 programmes accredited (2010–2014)

Patent

• PCT/GB2010/050728: Apparatus for testing the quality of a fluid sample MkII patent, Stephen Gundry, Tahmina Ajmal, Robert Bain, Craig Whitman and Phil Walsh, international patent granted 2010.
• GB1116273.2 "Method and Apparatus for Powering Electronic Devices", B Allen, T Ajmal, D Jazani, patent filed 2011.

• REAMIT - Improving Resource Efficiency of Agribusiness supply chains by Minimising waste using Big Data and Internet of Things sensors Interreg North-West Europe (2019- 2023) Role Co- I (PI in Business School)
• Aquaculture 4.0 -- Advancing Digital Precision Aquaculture in China (ADPAC) (March 2019 – February 2022) in collaboration withChelsea Technology Group, Perceptive Engineering Limited and University of Surrey. Role PI at University of Bedfordshire. Collaborating Investigators in Business School.
• RIVER- Non-Carbon River Boat Powered by Combustion Engines, Interreg North West Europe (Sept 2017- Sept 2020) Role- Co-I
  Implementing technology solution for sustainable development of artisanal fisheries in Santa Catarina - TAF; 100K; 18 months from April 2018 incollaboration with Business School Role: Co-I (PI in Business School)
• TECO Project Travel Grant (Nov 2018)- to work on low-cost portable water testing device in India.1 month;
  Nanofluor($ 100k) ABB research grant (June 2013-May 2016) -Feasibility Study for A Nanoantenna Array Enhanced Fluorescence Sensor For Water Monitoring – in collaboration with University of Bristol. Role PI
• Selex project (5K - 2015) – Feasibility study into design of an Optical Microphone.
• Luton Hoo water project – in collaboration with Science Department, Luton Airport, Luton Borough Council, Environment Agency and Luton Hoo (Elite Hotels group).