Sam Gnaniah

Sam Gnaniah joined the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in 1997 and is a Principal Scientist in the Advanced Engineering Materials Group. The group supports industry across a wide range of sectors by developing measurement capability, building confidence in data and establishing best practice. This work enables innovation, economic growth, improved quality of life and international trade.

Sam specialises in measuring thermal and thermophysical properties, supporting the understanding of material behaviour from sub-ambient to high temperatures. His work underpins applications across both established and emerging material systems. It provides the measurement capability needed to support research, product development, manufacturing and quality assurance. He established NPL's core thermal characterisation capability, which now supports programmes across multiple research divisions that address national priority challenges.

He has a strong track record of working with industry and has led the development of several NPL Industrial Advisory Groups to ensure measurement capabilities remain aligned with current and emerging needs. In 2024, he established the Advanced Materials Thermal Characterisation Industrial Advisory Group. The group brings together representatives from industry, academia, government and international organisations to identify measurement challenges, address gaps in standardisation, and support the development of reference materials and best practice guidance.

Sam is an active contributor to the international metrology and standardisation community. He represents the UK on the Steering Committee of VAMAS, the international pre-normative organisation for advanced materials, and has served three terms as International General Secretary. He also chairs VAMAS Technical Work Area 43 on Thermal Properties, leading international intercomparison programmes, supporting reference material development and contributing to future standards.

In addition, he represents the UK on the Technical Committee for Materials Metrology (TCMM) of the Asia Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP). He has led international collaborative projects to establish SI traceability for temperature calibration in dynamic mechanical analysis.

Prior to joining NPL, Sam spent nine years in the thermal analysis and fire testing instrumentation sector, working in production and systems test environments. He serves on the committee of the Royal Society of Chemistry Thermal Methods Group and is a Chartered Engineer.