A very warm welcome to you wherever you’ll be joining us for our inaugural Awardee Excellence Community event - in Belfast, Sheffield, Glasgow, London, or online.
This is the first time the Academy has hosted an event of this nature - held simultaneously in different locations as well as online. And it is fitting that we are doing so to launch our Awardee Excellence Community, created to bring together all the exceptional and talented individuals from across the UK and internationally who are current and former awardees and alumni of our different programmes, prizes and medals.
Our aim is for this to become a powerful, vibrant, connected and diverse community of engineering leaders. I hope the day's events give you a flavour of what is possible through connecting and working with others within the community.
From everyone at the Academy, we look forward to welcoming you on the day.
Keynote speaker
Billy Boyle MBE FREng
Billy Boyle MBE FREng has a vision to change the way we currently diagnose and monitor serious disease. He is the co-founder and CEO of Owlstone Inc., whose mission is to become the global leader in the non-invasive detection of cancer, infectious diseases and inflammatory diseases – in the process saving 100,000 lives and $1.5 billion in healthcare costs. Billy received the Royal Academy of Engineering Silver Medal and was a winner of the 2018 MacRobert Award; he was then made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2020 and an MBE in 2021. Billy sits on the CRUK Early Detection and Diagnosis Research Committee and was previously a judge for the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Pioneer award and a trustee of the Linacre Institute. He likes to combine a love of running with raising money for charities such as CRUK.
Attendees
Find out about some of the other attendees you can meet at the event or pre-connect through their profile below.
Attendees A- F
Professor Matthew Angling
Chief Technical Officer, In-Space Missions Ltd
Research Chair, 2014
Prof Matthew Angling is the Chief Technology Officer at In-Space Missions Ltd and a visiting professor at the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey. He has been active in space technology, space weather and space situational awareness research and development for over 25 years.
Before joining In-Space, Matthew was the Director of space weather for Spire Global and, prior to that, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Professor in the Space Environment at the University of Birmingham. In that role he led the development of next generation space weather models and built capability in other space topics related to the vulnerability of satellite systems such as space traffic control and satellite drag.
Matthew has also held the role of QinetiQ Fellow. During that time, he led the QinetiQ space weather team that specialised in the detection, mitigation and exploitation of space weather effects.
Kelena Mafina Assan Kojo
Engineering student, Lancaster University
Amazon Future Engineer Bursary, 2022
I am currently a first year engineering student at Lancaster University, with aspirations to become a patent attorney.
Dr Kourosh Behzadian
Associate Professor, University of West London
Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship, 2021
Dr Kourosh Behzadian is highly experienced in water, energy, waste and environmental modelling focused on hydro-environmental systems engineering and management mainly in Civil Engineering fields.
His research track record mainly covers the use of the following mathematical and computational methods in the relevant fields:
- multi-criteria decision analysis, decision support systems
- artificial intelligence, data driven modelling, data mining and real-time control and operation
- evolutionary optimisation algorithms and fuzzy set theory
- planning and management of integrated urban water and wastewater systems, urban flood management and environmental protection and waste management.
Dr Sebastian Bonilla
Associate Professor of Materials, Department of Materials, University of Oxford
Research Fellowship, 2019
Sebastian received a Bachelor's in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Universidad de los Andes, Colombia, 2008. He later interned for the CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, 2008, and for Asylum Research, 2009. He completed an MPhil in Micro and Nanotechnology at the University of Cambridge, UK in 2010.
He was a lecturer in Electronics at Universidad de los Andes in 2010-2011. He later completed a Doctorate in Materials in the Semiconductors Group funded by a Clarendon Scholarship, 2015, researching novel methods to maximise surface passivation for silicon solar cells.
After, he was awarded an EPSRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to deepen the understanding and advance industrial deployment of new methods of silicon surface passivation which he held 2015-2018. At the same time he became Junior Research Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford, holding his JRF until 2021. From 2019 he is a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow in the Oxford Materials Department.
Since 2021 he is an Associate Professor of Materials at the Materials Department, and a Stipendiary Lecturer in Materials Science at St Anne's College, Oxford. From 2022 he is a Hugh Price Research Fellow at Jesus College Oxford.
He has made major contributions to the field of functional thin films and silicon photovoltaics including the first report of stable and controllable K ion-charged SiO2 nanolayers which he patented and exploited in solar cell architectures. He also investigated mechanisms of surface losses in solar cells and demonstrated world record processing to minimise loss.
He contributed to the fundamental understanding of Si-SiO2 and Si-TiOx interfaces, and demonstrated world record passivation in SiO2-Si, SiNx/SiO2-Si, and amorphous(α)-Si/Si interfaces. These interfaces are crucial to the operation of solar and electrochemical devices and have set out the basis for multiple grant proposals and collaborations with leading international institutes. He has also been involved in the discovery a new way of incorporating hydrogen into silicon. Overall, his team's work has greatly benefitted the global solar energy community both academic and industrial, including passivation nanolayers, benchmarks for charged thin films, cell processing advances, and understanding of degradation in commercial solar cells.
He leads the Interface and Electronic Materials Laboratory hosting more than 15 scientists and researching a variety of electronic interface materials crucial to the operation of solar photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices.
He has been involved in raising over £3.6m in funding, out of which more than £2m has been as PI. The excellence and international leadership of his research is shown by a sustained and well-regarded publication record, including some of the highest calibre and most respected journals in solar energy materials. His team's work has twice been featured in PV-Magazine.com demonstrating its industrial relevance. The achievement and exceptional promise of my research has been recognised with a 2022 Philip Leverhulme Prize in Engineering.
He is also a Europe Fellow at the International Strategy Forum by Schmidt Futures – a philanthropic initiative aimed at creating a network of rising leaders to strengthen progress and security amid technological innovation.
Dr Alistair Bounds
Senior research scientist/UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, Occuity
Research Fellowship, 2022
Scientist designing and building ophthalmic optical imaging systems to detect chronic and systemic diseases from retinal biomarkers.
Particular interest in fluorescence, speckle and blood flow.
PhD (2013-2017) in atomic and optical physics, postdocs at Durham (2017-2021) and St Andrews (2021-2022) in bio-photonics, now on a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship at Reading-based start-up Occuity.
Also a RAEng Associate Research Fellow and studying for a Warwick Business School Executive MBA on a Change Makers Scholarship.
David Boyd
Chief Commercial Officer, Carbon Re
Engineering Leadership Award, 1997
Varied career that's taken me around the world, and working in steel production, construction, digital advertising, software, pharmacovigilance and now the intersection of cement & artificial intelligence for decarbonisation.
Hannah Cartwright
Hardware Integration Manager, Ford Motor Company
Engineering Leadership Award, 2006
I am an automotive engineer, I have experience both with high end and mass production passenger vehicles and now work on the next generation Ford Transit van.
I started out in powertrain cooling and have spent time delivering cost and quality improvements as well as advanced planning.
My current role allows me to manage a large cross functional team for body, chassis, powertrain and electrical distribution systems.
Professor Arup Charaborty
Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India
Distinguished International Associate, 2021; Transforming Systems Through Partnerships, 2020
Arup Lal Chakraborty is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India.
He leads the Photonic Sensors Lab that focuses on mid-infrared tunable diode laser spectroscopy and photoacoustic spectroscopy for trace gas sensing, which is used for monitoring of industrial emissions and air quality. The lab also works on microbial growth studies, fiber Bragg grating-based biomedical diagnostics, and bio-sensing using functionalized gold nanorods.
He earned his PhD from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK in 2010 and BTech (Electronics & Communications) from University of Kalyani, India in 2000.
He worked on distributed optical fiber sensors during his time as a Scientific Officer at Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), India during the period 2000-2007. He is a Senior Member of Optica and holds the Distinguished International Associate award of the RAEng.
Professor Carlos Cifuentes
Associate Professor in Human-Robot Interaction, Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol
Engineering X Pandemic Preparedness programme, 2020 - Robotic Strategies for Monitoring and Disinfection of COVID-19 environments
Carlos Cifuentes is Associate Professor in Human-Robot Interaction at Bristol Robotics Laboratory. He has led several projects on participatory design, development, testing and deployment of wearable, mobile and social robots for rehabilitation, assistance and empowerment.
His multidisciplinary research with healthcare experts has studied robotic tools' short- and long-term effects in rehabilitating cardiac diseases, post-stroke, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, ageing, prevention of musculoskeletal disorders and treatment of ASD.
William Crawford
Director, Concrete Canvas Ltd
Princess Royal Silver Medal, 2014
Will is Director and co-founder of Concrete Canvas Ltd, set up in 2005 to develop and commercialise Concrete Canvas technology. The company has seen rapid growth and was listed as the second fastest growing UK manufacturing business in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100.
Will is also currently a mentor for the Africa Prize and works with schools as part of the Welsh Valleys Engineering Project.
Will has previously worked for GKN, QinetiQ, and for the UK Ministry of Defence and studied Mechanical Engineering at Bristol and also at Berkeley in the US. Will also has a joint Masters from Imperial College and the Royal College of Art where he co-invented the Concrete Canvas products. During this time, he also invented several other award-winning designs including an innovative lo-tech fridge for developing countries. Will was awarded the Academy's Princess Royal Silver medal in 2014.
Fatou Juka Darboe
Director, Make3D Company Limited
Africa Prize, 2021
Fatou Juka Darboe is an entrepreneur with over three years of experience in 3D printing. Currently, she is the Managing Director of Make3D Company Ltd., the first and only 3D printing company in The Gambia focusing on 3D printing in healthcare, education, and general manufacturing.
For her innovations in this sector, Fatou Juka was awarded the most outstanding woman in STEM in The Gambia by SheAwards Gambia in March 2022. She is also a 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow and was a finalist for the Royal Academy of Engineering's Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2021.
She holds a Technician Diploma in Applied Mechanical, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and previously worked as a maintenance technician at the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation for four years.
Fatou Juka is focused on providing access to 3D printing technology to Gambian youth, experts, and entrepreneurs to develop local solutions for local problems.
Patrick Davies
Reservoir Engineer, BP
I am a Reservoir Engineer currently working on further development of the West Nile Delta gas fields in Egypt.
I have a broad experience across the energy industry on a range of assets in different stages of development, including refining and upstream.
Attendees G-M
Dr Cat Gardner
Combustion Aerothermal Technologist, Rolls-Royce Plc
Industrial Fellowship, 2021
Dr Cat Gardner is a Combustion Aerothermal Technologist at Rolls-Royce Plc.
With her partners at Loughborough University, she will develop novel and ambitious concepts for future aero gas turbine combustors, while maintaining today's high standards of operability and reliability. This project supports the decarbonisation of air travel as part of the aviation industry’s commitment to reducing emissions and achieving net zero carbon by 2050.
Professor Ben Glocker
Professor in Machine Learning for Imaging & Kheiron/RAEng Research Chair in Safe Deployment of Medical Imaging AI, Imperial College London
Research Chair, 2023
My research is at the intersection of medical imaging and artificial intelligence aiming to build safe and ethical computational tools for improving image-based detection and diagnosis of disease.
Ian Goodman
Director, Vision Innovated Ltd
Regional Talent Engines, 2023
I am a seasoned entrepreneur with 38 years experience in start ups that have longevity and profitability in these enterprises for my co-partners.
I am passionate about innovation and industry disruptive businesses and environmentally sympathetic projects are of great interest to me.
Dr Charlotte Hagen
Principal Research Fellow (Associate Professor), University College London
Research Fellowship, 2017
I am working in the development of methods and imaging systems for performing x-ray micro-tomography scans of biomedical and industrial samples. My research combines hardware design with operational aspects and software to maximise the information that can be inferred from an image at minimal cost (e.g., in terms of radiation dose, scan time, scan complexity). I am leading a team at UCL and also teach around 100 UG and MSc students each year. Previously I was a postdoc, and even before that, a PhD student, also at UCL.
Professor Jason Hallett
Professor of Sustainable Chemical Technology, Imperial College London
Chair in Emerging Technologies, 2023
I am a researcher interested in sustainability, circular economy and biorefining. I specialise in the development of new processes with low envirnomental impact. I am a chemical engineer with expertise in solvent design, process development and technology translation.
Professor David Howey
Professor of Engineering Science, University of Oxford
Transforming Systems through Partnership, 2020
David Howey is Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. His research team's main focus is on modelling and management of energy storage components for automotive, grid, and off-grid power systems.
He leads current projects focused on battery lifetime modelling and degradation diagnostics; machine learning approaches for energy data analysis battery health estimation, model parameterisation and optimisation for deisgn, novel non-invasive thermal and electrical characterisation techniques, and control and performance of grid energy storage systems.
Professor Julian Jones
Professor of Biomaterials, Imperial College London
Research Fellowship, 2004
Associate Head of Department for Research in the Department of Materials with a research group in advanced materials for regenerative medicine; from 3D printed scaffolds for bone and cartilage repair to wound healing and nanoparticle therapeutics. Also working on biomass derived materials for the circular economy.
Dr Sandy Knowles
RAEng ARF, UKRI FLF, Associate Professor, University of Birmingham
Research Fellowship, 2019
Sandy Knowles is an Associate Professor in Nuclear Materials, Royal Academy of Engineering Associate Research Fellow & UKRI Future Leaders Fellow in the School of Metallurgy & Materials, University of Birmingham. He leads the Materials for Extremes research group with ~15 members (https://more.bham.ac.uk/M4X/).
Sandy is an experimental metallurgist focussed on the design & development of advanced alloys for the extreme environments of nuclear fusion & fission, aerospace gas turbines and concentrated solar power.
Sandy is actively involved in science policy. He was selected as a Foundation for Science and Technology 2020-21 Foundation Future Leader, a policy action network between academia, industry and policy, and continues on the FST-FFL alumni network. He is on the UK Fusion Materials national steering group, and Fusion Skills Council.
Professor Satheesh Krishnamurthy
Professor of Energy Technology, The Open University
Industry Academia Partnership Programme, 2018
My research is socially oriented, technologically transformational and has a direct impact on society. Our laboratory is involved in the research of advanced nanomaterials with these specific application areas:
- alternative energy
- multifunctional nanocomposites
- additive manufacturing
- wastewater treatment
Our research focuses on materials science and engineering of technologies that will impact our society in the future, including:
- energy generation
- energy storage
- recycling of lithium ion batteries
Alastair Lai
Student, University of Cambridge
Engineering Leaders Scholarship, 2022
I am a final year Engineering (MEng) student at Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge specialising in Aerospace and Aerothermal Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Energy, Sustainability and the Environment.
At Cambridge, I am currently finishing off my master’s project on ‘Zero Contrail Hydrogen Aircraft Design’ within the Whittle Laboratory.
Areas of engineering that I am particularly passionate about include sustainable development (especially within transportation) and defence engineering.
Beyond this I am keenly interested in working with and developing the next generation of engineers through involvement past and present with various University of Cambridge outreach events, access mentoring with Zero Gravity and Academy events. My professional experiences thus far include internships at Dr. Stetter ITQ, Cummins Turbo Technologies and MBDA.
Ben Lakey
Co-Founder and CEO, Syndi Health
Enterprise Fellowship, 2019
Ben Lakey has spent his career at the intersection between technology and healthcare, founding two IP-rich medical device companies in both hardware and software. Ben’s previous start-up provided long-overdue innovation to an old-fashioned and inefficient healthcare pathway by launching the world’s first medically approved (FDA and CE Mark) direct-to-consumer prosthetic hand - which became the best-selling prosthetic in the UK.
Ben holds a Master of Research Degree in Medical Device Design and Entrepreneurship from Imperial College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta, Canada. He was previously awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering 1851 Enterprise Fellowship and ‘Disruptor of the Year’ at the 2020 London Business Awards.
Lottie Macnair
Senior Sustainability & Innovation Consultant, Useful Simple Trust
Engineering Leaders Scholarship, 2015
I'm a consultant via future cities catapult, via engineering. I'm now working in sustainability and innovative practice in the built environment.
I'm particularly interested in the relationship between the built environment and health, the circular economy, and casting a critical eye on digital technology!
Dr Francisco Malaret
CEO, Nanomox Ltd
Enterprise Fellowship, 2023
Francisco Malaret is the CEO and co-founder at Nanomox Ltd. He has a strong career interest in sustainable engineering and the development of advanced materials and processes.
With a background in chemical engineering and chemistry, his research has focused on areas such as the industrial applications of ionic liquids, complex separations, and the synthesis of inorganic materials. He is passionate about finding innovative and cost-effective solutions for sustainable industrial processes.
Francisco has also gained valuable industry experience as a senior process engineer in the oil and gas sector, specializing in onshore and offshore LNG projects. His diverse expertise and academic achievements highlight his commitment to advancing sustainable technologies and addressing environmental challenges.
Dr Mark McBride-Wright
Founder & Managing Director, EqualEngineers
Rooke Award, 2022
I spent my technical career working in industry as a Technical Safety Engineer in oil and gas, defence and facilities management. I am passionate about diversity, equity and inclusivity within STEM, and enjoy channelling this passion through my business EqualEngineers.
We run careers fairs, conferences and the annual Engineering Talent Awards. I established our Pathways Programme which offers mentoring to engineering students from professional engineers. We also offer recruitment services as well as training and consulting.
My research interests are around masculinity and mental health in engineering and how we can use psychological safety to fast track the culture change which is much needed in STEM.
Dr Abid Mehmood
Lecturer, Cardiff University
Frontiers Champions, 2023
My broader expertise is in social innovation, sustainable development and environmental governance.
I have research experience in climate change, renewable energy transitions, and social cohesion for local and regional development planning, policy and practice.
Dr Alireza Moghayedi
Lecturer, University of West of England
Transforming Systems through Partnership, 2020; Frontiers Champion, 2020; Distinguished International Associates, 2021
I am the founder and co-director of the sustainability-oriented +Cyber Unit for Built Environment (S+CUBE) at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. I am a professional construction manager and lecturer in construction project management at the University of West of England, Bristol. My research focuses on developing inclusive, sustainable, intelligent solutions for engineering and built environment infrastructure projects using socio-technical innovations.
I hold a PhD in Construction Economics and Management, MSc in Civil Engineering, major in Transportation, MSc in Construction Management and BSc in Civil Engineering. I have held various positions in a government agency, engineering consultancy, contracting and developing firms across the globe.
Alex Mulroy
Infrastructure Engineer, Buro Happold
Engineering Leaders Scholarship, 2017
I am a graduate of Engineering Design at Bristol University, and now work for Buro Happold in the Cities Infrastructure team. I work on buildings and masterplanning projects in the UK and overseas, and have interests in sustainable built environment design (including embodied carbon accounting) and green/blue infrastructure.
Chetan Kotur
Head of Technology and Innovation, Laing O'Rourke
Young Engineer of the Year, 2018
Chetan joined Laing O’Rourke in November 2022 from Polestar. He was instrumental in starting up and launching the brand as the CEO's right-hand man and most recently was the company’s Head of Products for Asia-Pacific, based in Shanghai. Prior to this Chetan was a Studio Engineer in Volvo Cars' Design team, that designed and launched an entire new portfolio of cars for the brand over 4 years.
At Laing O Rourke, as Head of Technology and Innovation, he leads the team developing transformative innovations focused on improving productivity, safety and sustainability on the complex buildings and infrastructure projects Laing O’Rourke delivers for its clients.
Chetan has a first-class degree in automotive engineering from Loughborough University and was named Young Engineer of the Year in 2018 by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Dr Sam Krevor
Reader, Imperial College London
Research Fellowship, 2009
I am a Reader in the Department of Earth Science & Engineering at Imperial College London. My research investigates the subsurface engineering and potential and limitations to scaleup for carbon dioxide storage underground.
Dr James Kusena
Infrastructure Engineer, Buro Happold
Shott Scale Up Accelerator, 2022
James is the Vice President of Operations at MicrofluidX, where they are developing the Cyto Engine, a cell therapy bioprocessing and manufacturing platform.
James has experience in cell and gene therapy process development and process translation for manufacturing. His work has focused on understanding the translational requirements for robust product realisation, considering aspects such as process development, manufacturability and ultimately the clinical adoption and health economic implications.
James also has strong entrepreneurial background and experience having started and been involved in a ventures ranging from biotech, health & fitness, food retail, e-commerce to real estate.
He holds a Ph.D. in regenerative medicine from the Centre of Biological Engineering at Loughborough University, UK and is an awardee of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Shott Scale Up Accelerator Award.
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Professor Anna Peacock
Professor of Photonics, University of Southampton
Research Fellowship, 2007
Following the award of my fellowship, I started the Nonlinear Semiconductor Photonics group within the Optoelectronics Research Centre.
The focus of our research is on the development of novel semiconductor waveguide platforms; from their design and characterisation, through to the demonstration of practical all-optical nonlinear devices. The ultimate goal is to produce photonics components that offer higher capacities, faster speeds, and better energy efficiency.
I am a fellow of Optica (FOSA), the Institute of Physics (FInstP), and the IEEE Photonics Society (IEEE). I also contribute to my community through my roles as the VP of Professional and Technical Development within the IEEE Photonics Society and Editor-in-Chief for the journal Optics Communications.
Rhys Phillips
Risk Engineer, nPlan
Engineering Leaders Scholarship, 2020
I am a Risk Engineer at nPlan, a ConstructionTech startup working to de-risk large construction projects using deep learning and the world's largest dataset of construction project data. I enjoy working in a fast-paced environment with autonomy and ownership of client engagements, working at a high level to deliver significant impact to projects of national and international importance.
I am passionate about the role infrastructure professionals play in developing a sustainable and resilient world and aim to forge a career in high impact technology driven startups developing solutions to some of the most challenging problems faced by the modern world.
Ben Pritchard
Chief Technologist (Autonomy), Thales
Industrial Fellowship, 2020
Ben Pritchard graduated from Imperial College with a 1st in Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 2004, specialising in biologically inspired robotics.
Since then, in Thales, he has been a researcher, systems engineer, innovation lead, R&D investment manager, Chief Technologist and now a recognised Expert in Autonomous Systems research.
During 2020-2022, Ben was an RAEng Industrial Fellow, seconded from Thales into the University of Southampton where he led research on supervising squads of diverse autonomous systems and industry engagement with the UKRI Trustworthy Autonomous Systems Hub based there.
Ben’s team of researchers address various aspects of autonomy that apply right across the full range of Thales capabilities and ambitions across its space, aerospace, defence, security and transport business activities.
Since Nov 2022, Ben has changed roles in Thales to be Research & Concepts Lead in the Integrated Airspace-Protection Systems part of the business. He is also part of the EPSRC Strategic Advisory Team for the ICT Theme.
Dr Jonathan Quinn
Technical Director, Aardman
SME Leaders, 2022
Jonathan is currently the Technical Director of Aardman's recently founded internal games studio, building PC, console, and mobile titles, as well as guiding various internal R&D projects.
He has successfully shipped titles across multiple platforms, holding senior, lead, head of department, and technical director roles, managing teams of more than 30 people.
He helped found a robotics gaming start-up, raising over $12m, growing the company to 70 people, and selling robots in Apple stores globally.
Jonathan holds a BSc in Computer Science, a PhD in Visual Computing, completed two post-doc positions, and held a lectureship. He is an industry speaker and mentor, and a contributor to national STEM projects.
Jonathan Riley
Deputy Technical Manager, Bouygues Energies & Services
Engineering Leadership Advanced Award, 2009
I am a mechanical engineer within the civil nuclear new build industry, currently working with Bouygues Energies & Services leading the delivery of the Emergency Diesel Generators for Hinkley Point C. With over a decade of experience in nuclear project development, with EDF and Hitachi, I have particular expertise in equipment qualification for accident conditions (seismic and electrical transients) of mechanical, electrical and control systems.
I am currently undertaking a part-time MBA at Warwick Business School. Energy is my primary area of interest, particularly low carbon energy and the developments required to establish safe and secure supplies and networks to support net zero goals.
Dr Andrew Robertson
Music Technology Researcher and Software Engineer, Ableton
Research Fellowship, 2009
Dr Frank Roche
Head of R&D, Nanomox Ltd
A research programme manager with experience in the charity, government and start-up/industry space.
Professor Silvia Schievano
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, UCL
Research Fellowship, 2008
I am Professor of Biomedical Engineering at UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, GOS Institute of Child Health & Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.
After my Masters degree at Politecnico di Milano, I joined the Cardiorespiratory Unit of Great Ormond Street Hospital for a PhD programme sponsored by the British Heart Foundation. Since 2011, I have been the lead for the Centre for Clinical Cardiovascular Engineering at the Institute of Cardiovascular Science, and since 2013 I have established with two clinical colleagues the Craniofacial Research Unit at GOS Institute of Child Health, both based at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
My research interests are in the application of engineering methodologies to study patho/physiological conditions in the human body; modelling of biomedical devices, in particular toward the development of patient specific models to study disease and treatments; development of computational methods to accelerate the biomedical product development process and enhance safety in first-in-human procedures.
Dr Susan Scurlock MBE
CEO & Founder, Primary Engineer
Rooke Award, 2020
Susan Scurlock MBE is a British educator and entrepreneur. She is an Honorary Doctor at The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian University, and Kingston University, an Honorary Fellow of The University of Central Lancashire, The Institution of Engineers in Scotland, the Institution of Structural Engineers, and a recipient of the Rooke Award 2020.
She is the founder and CEO of Primary Engineer whose vision is that girls and boys from a very early age will aspire to becoming designers and makers - the engineers of the future. Primary Engineer provides schools with engineering-themed, project-based learning opportunities nationally.
Dr Paul Shepherd
Reader in Computational Design, University of Bath
Industry Academia Partnership, 2017; Transforming Systems Through Partnerships, 2020
Paul is a Chartered Mathematician, Scientist and Engineer with over 20 years’ experience in the construction industry. He initially worked for international consultancy BuroHappold, where he set-up and led their software group, working with high-profile architects on iconic buildings.
Now Reader in Computational Design at the University of Bath, his research is multi-disciplinary, and always in close collaboration with industry. Using techniques like AI & Digital Twins, he finds new ways to reduce the carbon footprint of our built environment, during its whole life cycle.
Paul is Deputy Director of his Faculty’s Digital, Manufacturing & Design (dMaDe) Research Centre, sits on the Institution of Structural Engineers’ Digital Workflows and Computational Design panel, and is a passionate advocate for Public Engagement in Research, in which context he regularly presents to audiences of 1,000 school pupils at a time, sharing insights into how maths is used by engineers to solve real world challenges.
Professor Stephen Skinner
Ceres/RAEng Research Chair in Electrochemical Devices, Imperial College London
Research Chair, 2021
Based at the Department of Materials, my interests lie in the field of low carbon energy technologies. My group develop new materials for hydrogen production and use, and combine this with detailed understanding of the atomic transport processes in these materials. We work closely with industry partners to advance our knowledge of solid state electrochemical devices, as well as working with a wide range of international partners. I am also a visiting professor at the Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research at Kyushu University, Japan.
Dr Larissa Suzuki
Technical Director/Visiting Scientist, Google/NASA JPL
Rooke Award, 2021
I am EUR ING Prof Dr Larissa B. Suzuki (BSc MPhil PhD CEng CRAeS FRSA FIET AFHEA IntPE), a proud technical woman, award-winning and passionate computer scientist, angel investor, founder, inventor, author, and Professor.
I am a member of the Office of the CTO at Google, AI Principle Ethics Fellow at Google, and a Visiting Scientist at NASA JPL. My continuing academic work is at UCL where I serve as an Honorary Associate Professor of Computer Science. I am also a guest Lecturer at University of Oxford, Harvard University, and elected Council Member of the IET.
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Professor Konstantinos Tsavdaridis
Professor of Structural Engineering, City University of London
Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship, 2019
I am a professor of structural engineering who is looking for ways to develop novel structural products and systems that embrace resilience and sustainability.
My research spans from 3D printing, to structural and earthquake engineering, optimisation, and AI-based solutions.
I am also active in the consultancy and practising engineering sectors, and I am looking forward to collaborations for exciting projects and start-ups.
Sadia Wahid
Amazon Future Engineer Bursary, 2021
I’m a second year computing undergraduate at Imperial College London. This summer I’ll be a software engineering intern at JP Morgan Chase! I look forward to specialising in specific fields in computing in the next two years of my degree.