Dave Dorrell has a proven research record in the area of electrical machine design and analysis, in particular induction machines, permanent magnet machines and switched reluctance machines as well as novel generators for renewable energy. He obtained a PhD from The University of Cambridge in 1993; he has over 100 technical papers and was a co-author of a book on bearingless electrical machines. He has collaborated with many international companies and universities in this area. He has given several seminars on the design of electrical machines to international audiences. He won the IEE Crompton Premium in 1996 for work based on his PhD work (in conjunction with his supervisor Prof Sandy Smith, now with Manchester University). Studies into electrical machines is a very industry-focused subject and he has carried out several consultancies for various international companies and has received direct industrial support for many student projects through his network of international contacts.

He has also developed a keen interest in renewable energy and already has several projects already running in this area and has already produced several papers on sea wave energy generation. He has already supervised a successful PhD project in the area of wave prediction using Fourier and other methods (finished 2006) as well as three in the area of electrical machines. He has an ongoing project into the development of novel brushless doubly-fed reluctance generators for wind turbines and he has now expanding into the connection of wind turbines. He has several international collaborations and has also been appointed as an Adjunct Associate Professor to the National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan through his work on renewable energy and electrical machines.