Dr Nicolás O. Larrosa is a Reader in Structural Integrity at the University of Bristol. He obtained his Mechanical Engineering degree in Argentina (2005) before completing an MSc and PhD in Microstructural Fracture Mechanics at the University of Seville (2012) under the supervision of Professor Alfredo Navarro, a leading authority in fatigue and fracture mechanics. His doctoral research focused on understanding and modelling the influence of microstructure, component size and geometry on the propagation of small fatigue cracks.

Following completion of his PhD, he joined the University of Manchester as a Senior Research Associate in Structural Integrity (2013–2016), working under the supervision of Professor Bob Ainsworth. 

In 2016, he was awarded a competitive postdoctoral fellowship by the University of Málaga to investigate the integration of advanced ultrasonic inspection data into structural integrity assessments. This work was conducted in close collaboration with the University of Manchester and further strengthened his expertise in linking non-destructive evaluation with fitness-for-service assessment methodologies.

Dr Larrosa joined the University of Bristol in 2017 as Lecturer in Structural Integrity and was subsequently promoted to Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor (Reader). He has held several academic leadership roles, including Programme Director of the MSc in Nuclear Science and Engineering and Unit Director for Nuclear Reactor Engineering and Materials. He has also led accreditation activities and curriculum development within the Faculty of Engineering.

His research focuses on the structural integrity of materials and components operating in extreme environments, including hydrogen transport and storage systems, nuclear power plants, offshore infrastructure and aerospace structures. His work combines fracture mechanics, fatigue, corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement, irradiation damage and structural health monitoring with advanced modelling and experimental techniques to develop predictive methodologies for life assessment and fitness-for-service evaluations.

Dr Larrosa has secured and led research programmes funded by UKRI, TWI, Rolls-Royce, EDF, National Gas, TECNALIA, and other industrial partners. His work has contributed to extending the life of nuclear power plant components, supporting the deployment of hydrogen infrastructure and developing damage-tolerant approaches for safety-critical engineering systems.

A key theme of his research is the development of mechanics-based approaches that bridge design, inspection and structural integrity assessment. This includes the development of the Universal Failure Curve (UFC) methodology, which seeks to integrate defect tolerance considerations directly into engineering design and assessment frameworks. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) and serves on the Editorial Board of Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics.

His research philosophy is centred on identifying the fundamental mechanisms governing material degradation and structural failure, combining rigorous scientific understanding with practical engineering application. He strongly believes that impactful research is achieved through close collaboration with industry, standards bodies and the wider international structural integrity community.

Dr Larrosa is an active contributor to the structural integrity community through standards development, professional societies and international collaborations. He serves on several national and international committees, including:

• BS 7910 Fracture Assessment Panel Member.
• BS 7910 Material Properties Panel Member.
• R6 Assessment Procedure contributor and working group participant.
• Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM).
• Editorial Board Member, Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics.
• "Mind the GAP" in Fitness-for-Service Assessment Procedures – Organising Committee and Facilitator (2014–Present).
• Structural Integrity Course (SIC) – Organising Committee Member and Lecturer (2016–Present).
• External Examiner, Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering Programme, University of Strathclyde.