Sam Akehurst received the B.Eng. degree in mechanical engineering and the Ph.D. degree with a focus on the parasitic losses associated with a pushing metal V-belt continuously variable transmission from the University of Bath, Bath, U.K., in 1996 and 2001, respectively. He was appointed as a Lecturer with the University of Bath in 2010, where he became a Reader in 2014 and full professor in 2017. He is now Deputy Academic Director of the Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS), where he leads research on advanced engine concepts and future powertrain systems, often in collaboration with major OEMs including Jaguar Land Rover, Ford Motor Company and McLaren Automotive. Dr. Akehurst is a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers.