RAEng News Autumn 2009 News Autumn 2009
President’s Column 2 Annual General Meeting 3 International 5 Awards 6 Events 7 Pestival 7 Policy and Public Affairs 8 Autonomous systems 8 Education 10 News of Fellows 11 Obituaries 12 Academy fronts engineering push at political conferences
The next general election must be held on or before Thursday 3 June 2010. So Liberal Democrats this year will be the last political party conference season before the next general election and, many commentators believe, possibly the most significant in more Speakers: Professor Dame than a decade. Wendy Hall FREng, University of Southampton; Dr Vincent Cable At the next election, the Labour Party will be looking to secure a fourth consecutive MP, Shadow Chancellor of the term in office and to restore lost support. The Conservative Party will seek to regain its dominant position in politics and replace Labour as the governing party. The Exchequer; Liza Brooks, co-founder, Liberal Democrats will hope to make gains from both sides, ideally wishing to form True Snowboards a government, but with a more realistic ambition to hold the balance of power in a Date: Tuesday 22 September, hung Parliament. 1.00pm For the party hierarchy and leadership, party conferences are a platform to outline Labour their vision, test out policy initiatives and to promote their individual standing within the party. For organisations wishing to make their mark in policy debate, the Speakers: The Rt Hon Lord conference fringe programmes provide an opportunity to engage with political Drayson, Minister for Science and heavyweights and conference delegates alike. Innovation; Jonathan Flint, CEO Oxford Instruments; Dr Hanna Under the banner of Engineering the future, the professional engineering community has been working together to raise the profile of engineering and Sykulska, IET Young Woman promote the contribution of engineering to the UK’s economic recovery. Working Engineer of Year Award alongside Reform, an independent think tank, a lineup of fringe events at all three Date: Wednesday 30 September, conferences has been organised on the theme Picking Winners: can engineering 1.00pm-2.00pm succeed where finance failed?”
Each event will include a front-bench spokesperson and an engineering leader. In Conservatives debate with Dr Vince Cable MP at the Liberal Democrats will be Professor Dame Speakers: David Waboso FREng, Wendy Hall FREng of University of Southampton; Science and Innovation Minister Director of Line Upgrades, London Lord Drayson will debate with Jonathan Flint, CEO of Oxford Instruments at the Labour Conference and Kenneth Clarke QC MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Underground; Rt Hon Kenneth Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform will be joined by David Waboso FREng, Clarke QC MP, Shadow Secretary Director of Line Upgrades at London Underground. Young women engineers will of State for Business, Enterprise also speak at each event. and Regulatory Reform; Dr Rachel The engineering community’s representation at the party conferences aims Cooke, Process Development to ensure that engineering has a strong presence throughout the conference Manager Cadbury season and that the profession’s messages are communicated in a coherent and Date: Wednesday 7 October, compelling way. 11.00am-12.00pm
Dame Wendy Hall FREng, David Waboso FREng, and Jonathan Flint will all be giving talks on engineering at each of the main political parties’ conferences.
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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
itself. The location and the space have meant we can bring together and work with engineers from across the UK and the world. The Academy is an ambitious organisation, underpinned by good governance and sound business practices. We are committed to planning, evaluating and reviewing our work programme so that we work efficiently as well as effectively. None of our successes would, however, be possible without three groups of important people. Firstly, our Fellows, who give so selflessly of their time and world-class expertise to lead our work. Secondly, our supporters and sponsors, whose generosity allows us to do so much excellent work. And, last but not least, our staff, whose dedication and professionalism are a credit to us. The President answers questions at the Academy’s 2009 Annual General Meeting Thank you all for your contribution to the life of our Academy. The following is an extract from the focus and coordinate the contribution of President’s address to the Academy’s the professional engineering community. Annual General Meeting in July 2009 The Committee’s view chimed with work This year sees the 40th anniversary that the Academy had already begun of the first astronauts landing on the with partners across the professional moon. Without engineering, the Apollo engineering community. We have been programme would never have happened seeking to improve the engagement and our world today would be very of engineering with key areas of different. It is engineering that creates and policymaking. This is starting to bear fruit. maintains our modern lifestyle. And it is We are now formalising and developing engineering that must solve today’s most this role, working with the Government important challenges: to make our way of Chief Scientist and the network of Chief life sustainable and spread the benefits of Scientific Advisers and with Government progress fairly for all of humanity to enjoy. departments. Tackling these great challenges calls for The global downturn has focused on the bold political decision-making. We need need to retool the UK economy into a policy that enables workable solutions to science-based, high-value set of industries. come forward in an achievable timeframe. The Academy, together with Government, Meetings and visitors In other words, national policy must be has devised Engineering the future as a The President recently met: designed alongside a roadmap for its banner under which we are addressing key delivery. This is why engineers – and their national challenges. Together, we are also The Rt Hon the Lord Drayson of approach to problem-solving and complex promoting public dialogue and debate project delivery – need to be at the heart about the engineering contribution to the Kensington Minister for Science and of policymaking. economy and society at large. Innovation, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills This was very much the view of the House It has been a busy and successful – yet of Commons Innovation, Universities, challenging – year. In October 2008, we Dr John Holdren Assistant to the Science and Skills (IUSS) Select Committee, celebrated our first anniversary in this President for Science and Technology which published a major report on splendid building at Carlton House Terrace. and Director of the Office of Science and engineering in March 2009. Engineering: Our move here was made possible by the Technology Policy (Executive Office of the turning ideas into reality called on the generosity of our Fellows and I wish to President of the United States) Government to strengthen policy by offer them my sincere thanks. employing more engineers in the civil Lord Rees of Ludlow OM Kt PRS service and enlisting the right level of Relocating here has made possible so President, The Royal Society external engineering expertise. The many good, new developments. But the report recommended that Government most remarkable progress has been the Phil Willis MP Chair, House of Commons should secure that expertise through the impact of our new building on our role Select Committee on Innovation, Academy. The Academy’s role should be to as a leadership body within engineering Universities, Science and Skills
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DEVELOPMENT Shell backs Academy programmes Annual General The Academy has announced a new partnership with Shell that will help support Meeting 2009 two key programmes. As part of the Academy’s Making Things Better campaign, Shell will support the Engineering Leadership Advanced Awards and the Visiting Teaching The 33rd Annual General Meeting Fellowships. (AGM) of the Academy was held in Shell’s support of the Engineering Leadership Advanced Awards will enable these July 2009 at Carlton House Terrace. The highly regarded awards to be expanded and for the first time be open to the very best meeting was chaired by the President, international engineering undergraduates studying in the UK, as well as UK nationals. Lord Browne, and 74 Fellows were In addition, Shell will be helping to enhance the engineering undergraduate curriculum present. through the advancement of the Visiting Teaching Fellowships. The 10 young industrial The President gave a review of the year engineers to be funded by Shell over a two-year period will share their cutting-edge, which covered the main developments, industrial knowledge as well as offering inspiration as role models and practical careers focusing in particular on policy, advice. international, and education initiatives. It is through the support of leading companies such as Shell that the Academy can fulfill The President also explained the its crucial aim of increasing the number of engineering graduates pursuing careers in Academy’s ambition to make industry. 3 Carlton House Terrace the forum for UK engineering and a showcase for the Academy announces Petrofac Fellowships brightest and best engineering talents.
Three International Fellows, 38 Fellows and four Honorary Fellows were elected and the Annual Review and the Financial Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2009 were adopted.
The AGM elected the following new Officers to Council: Professor Sir William Wakeham (Vice President and Chair, International Committee), Professor Martin Earwicker (Vice President and Chair, External Affairs Committee), and Dr Michael Howse (Honorary September 2009: Petrofac Group CEO Ayman Asfari (centre right) and Eur Ing Bob Siddall Treasurer and Chair, Finance and Audit FREng (centre left) presented the first four awards in a prestigious £250,000 programme Committee). of Fellowships with the Academy. Each of the new Petrofac/Academy Fellows (from left to right: Fidelis Mugabe, Liesel Detemple, Lizzy Motshowene, and Elaine Donegan) received a The AGM noted that the following five £6,000 award, with a further £3,000 to be awarded on completion of the Fellowships. Fellows had been elected to Council by postal ballot: Richard Parker, Paul Westbury, Professor David Delpy, Fellows visit to leading research facility Professor Brian Cantor and Ian Ritchie. Academy Fellows visited one of the UK’s The NPL’s research covers dozens of Following the formal business of leading science and research facilities, the different engineering and scientific fields, the AGM, Fellows were able to hear from acoustics to quantum mechanics National Physical Laboratory (NPL), in June technical presentations from three and biochemicals. Fellows were given 2009. participants in Academy schemes. tours of several NPL laboratories to see The NPL is the UK’s National Measurement the institution’s cutting-edge research in They were: John Armstrong (former Institute, maintaining and developing the action. Engineering Leadership Award holder), nation’s primary measurement standards. Dr Mark Ryan of the University of This included a look at the Nanoscale Birmingham (a participant in the It is also a world-leading centre of Dimensional Measurements lab, where Industrial Secondment Scheme), and Dr excellence, established over a century ago the NPL is improving on technology Karla Miller of the University of Oxford to research and apply scientific discoveries it previously developed to measure (RAEng/EPSRC Research Fellow). for the benefit of the nation. dimensions below a single nanometre.
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RESEARCH Chair in future rail research Liquid steel processing The first jointly sponsored Senior Research Professor John Andrews has been appointed Research Chair in Infrastructure Asset Fellowship between the Academy and Management, jointly sponsored by the Academy and Network Rail, within the steel manufacturer Corus has been University of Nottingham’s Transportation Engineering Centre. awarded to Dr Rongshan Qin in the field Infrastructure asset management is a new and rapidly developing engineering of liquid steel processing and chemical discipline that provides a framework for optimising and implementing major metallurgy at Imperial College London. decisions on the operation, maintenance, renewal and enhancement of physical The Senior Research Fellowship will see assets for the delivery of safe and economic infrastructure. Dr Qin become a member of the The focus of the Research Chair will be to improve this framework an ultimately will Department of Materials to bring expertise affect decisions which drive tens of billions of pounds of engineering expenditure in the development of novel processes each year in the UK and have a significant impact on outputs of national significance. for the production and casting of ferrous alloys. His research will focus on process Professor Andrews has considerable expertise in system reliability, involving the development via experimentation modelling of complex systems with multiple components to predict performance, with state of the art high performance maintenance modelling, fault diagnostics and system optimisation. computing and visualisation techniques. The initial investment from Network Rail and the Academy is in excess of £1.4 million, Dr Qin previously held a Professorship with the University of Nottingham committing itself to extra academic staff to in computational metallurgy at Pohang complement the new professorial post. University’s Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology in South Korea. The fully funded five-year Senior Research Fellowship will allow Dr Qin to build a world-class research team that will address key challenges such as sustainable metal manufacture and maintaining steel quality. Chemring award The Academy is pleased to announce the launch of a new Industrial Secondment as a result of the generosity of Chemring Group Plc. Chemring is a global group of companies providing unique solutions Network Rail is a co-sponsor of the new Research Chair in Infrastructure Asset Management to the defence, security and safety markets. The Chemring Industrial Secondment award provides an Research towards virtual engine modelling opportunity for an outstanding A new Academy-backed Senior Research methods, the design of large computing engineering academic to work at Fellowship in Computational Engineering systems and an understanding of Chemring Defence UK Ltd for six months on a full-time or for longer on a has been awarded to Dr Nicholas Hills at turbomachinery. part-time basis. They will take part in a the University of Surrey. The Senior Research Fellowship will be project to review and improve the way The Royal Academy of Engineering/Rolls- held within the Fluid Research Centre powders and granulated compositions Royce Senior Research Fellowship is fully at the University of Surrey, which was are processed and handled. funded for five years, with the programme established in 2000 as a hub for research Funding will be provided to the focused on the full simulation of a gas in mechanics, dynamics and physics of secondee’s university for the turbine engine using massively parallel fluids. Dr Hills will expand the centre’s employment of a temporary computation and high fidelity fluid flow research into massively parallel computer replacement. The secondee’s travel modelling in turbomachinery and and subsistence expenses will also modelling. strengthen important links between be met. The deadline for applications Dr Hills brings a unique set of skills Rolls-Royce and Surrey through their is 30 September 2009. For further to the research programme with his Thermo-Fluid Systems University information visit www.raeng.org.uk/research/univ/ extensive experience in computational Technology Centre under the direction of secondment/chemring fluid dynamics, computing and numerical Professor John Chew.
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INTERNATIONAL Former oil chief gives ERA Lecture CAETS in Calgary The Academy played a prominent role in The 2009 ERA International Lecture was industry over five decades, Abdallah the 18th convocation of the Council of delivered by Abdallah S Jum’ah, former Jum’ah gave his opinions on the future Academies of Engineering and Technical CEO and President of Saudi Aramco, the of oil production, placed in the context Sciences (CAETS), which was held in Saudi Arabian national oil company, in of concerns over the environmental July 2009 in Calgary, Canada. The theme June 2009 in London. impact of fossil fuels, and highlighted the for this year’s convocation was Global increasing importance of engineering to The lecture, Technology: the key to the Natural Resources. meet these challenges. future of sustainable energy, provided John Baxter FREng co-chaired the opening an opportunity to hear a top-level oil During the Q&A session, chaired by session and delivered a keynote address industry representative talk about the President Lord Browne, Abdallah entitled Energy for Life: what can national global energy challenge. Jum’ah spoke of the lead which Saudi academies do? Professor Howard Wheater Arabia was taking to educate the next With his unique perspective of the oil FREng co-chaired the Water Management generation of engineers vital for the session and gave an address on Water continuing prosperity of the country and Management for a Changing Climate: the increased investment being made challenges and opportunities. in alternative energy sources. Jum’ah was appointed by King Abdullah in International Secretary Peter Saraga December 2007 to serve on the supreme CBE FREng signed a Memorandum of committee of the King Abdulaziz City Understanding with Dr P S Goel, President for Science and Technology, which of the Indian National Academy of oversees promoting and supporting Engineering, which will provide a structure applied scientific research to foster the for future cooperation between both Kingdom’s ongoing economic and social Academies. advancement. The International Lecture was created following a generous donation from the ERA Foundation to enable a UK audience to hear an international perspective from an eminent person with broad engineering interests. A video and full transcript of the lecture Abdallah Jum’ah gives the 2009 ERA lecture are available at www.raeng.tv Peter Saraga (left) and Dr P S Goel New set of 2009 Newton International Fellowships announced
A new group of researchers from around Madhlopa from Malawi. He will be of energy. This work will ensure that the the world have been chosen to work with spending two years at the University of technology is accessible in rural areas and top UK institutions in the second round Strathclyde developing a computational by those with no access to conventional of Newton International Fellowships. model of solar distribution in a double energy access. The solar still requires slope solar still for water desalination. The Newton International Fellowships, simple skills and materials to fabricate. administered by The Royal Academy Access to clean water is limited, The technology should be easy to exploit of Engineering, the Royal Society and especially in remote areas of Malawi. The among communities in rural areas of the British Academy, aim to encourage major source of fuel is wood, which is Malawi and other developing countries potential research high-fliers of the contributing to deforestation and other to increase the supply of clean water. future from around the world to build environmental problems. The sustainable The full list of Fellowships awarded is new global research collaborations with provision of clean water based on a UK groups. Further follow-on funding renewable energy source is an essential available at is available to enable the Fellows to problem to solve. www.raeng.org.uk/international maintain their links with the UK. It is expected that the developed solar The next round of the scheme will One of the second wave of 13 engineers still will be exploited in remote areas. At open on 14 December 2009. Further to be awarded a prestigious Newton present, desalination is only attempted in information is available at International Fellowship is Amos urban areas using conventional sources www.newtonfellowships.org
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AWARDS Awards nominations President’s Medal for ERA chairman The following Awards are now open for nominations: The 2009 President’s Medal, awarded to an engineer of considerable distinction, was presented by Lord Browne of Madingley to Sir Alan Rudge CBE FREng, founding Prince Philip Medal chairman of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and current Awarded biennially to an engineer of any nationality who has made an exceptional chairman of the ERA Foundation. contribution to engineering through As founding Chairman of the EPSRC from 1994 until 1999, Sir Alan Rudge put in practice, management or education. place fundamental changes in the way www.raeng.org.uk/prizes/philip a research council operates that are Sir Frank Whittle Medal still in place today. He has consistently Awarded to an engineer, normally resident championed creative partnerships in the UK, for outstanding and sustained between academic researchers and achievement which has contributed to the industrial researchers, believing that any well-being of the nation. This year’s theme research problem identified by industry is Engineering Innovations in International can be as intellectually rewarding and Development. challenging as any ‘blue skies’ research. ww.raeng.org.uk/prizes/whittle Sir Alan’s vision also brought about the Silver Medals creation of the ERA Foundation as it Recognise individuals who have is known today. The Foundation seeks demonstrated an outstanding contribution to contribute to the UK economy by to British engineering, which has resulted successful commercial exploitation of in market success. research and has provided substantial www.raeng.org.uk/prizes/silver support for the aims and work of the Closing date: Friday 6 November 2009 Academy. In 2004 it gifted £8 million to the Academy to fund new initiatives to For more information, including how to apply online, please email inspire young engineers at formative [email protected] stages in their careers. Sir Alan Rudge and President Lord Browne
Mountain bike innovator wins top ERA prize International Medal Dr Abdul Kalam, former President of India, Dr David Batterbee has received the Academy’s was awarded the Academy’s International ERA Foundation Entrepreneurs Award 2009, Medal by Lord Browne at the Academy for an innovative device which can detect Awards dinner held at the Imperial War differences in terrain for mountain bikes. Museum in June 2009. Most mountain bikes have a shock absorber From his role in the creation of the Indian system in place to absorb the impact of bumps space industry to his term of office as and keep the rider in control, which has to be President of India (from 2002 to 2007) manually adapted to suit the terrain. Dr Kalam has achieved distinction as both Dr Batterbee, from the University of Sheffield’s an engineering pioneer and a public Department of Mechanical Engineering, advocate of science and engineering. has developed a rear shock absorber that His achievements include the launch of electronically monitors the severity of India’s first satellite and the successful the terrain and then optimises the bike’s management of India’s missile programme. Dr Batterbee and his innovative bike performance automatically. His lectures and bestselling books The ERA Foundation Entrepreneurs Award looks to recognise the collaboration of promote the potential of technology to research with entrepreneurial promise in the field of electrotechnology. bring development and prosperity to the population of India. The award and £40,000 cash prize is made possible by the support of the ERA Foundation. The International Medal is awarded occasionally to an individual resident The call for submissions for the 2010 awards is now open. The deadline for outside the European Union for submissions is 23 October 2009. For more information visit outstanding and sustained achievement in www.raeng.org.uk/prizes/era the broad field of engineering.
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EVENTS Awards round-up Autumn 2009 Venue: 3 Carlton House Terrace, Several other awards were recently London SW1Y 5DG 30 September 2009, 10.00am presented by the Academy. Contact: [email protected] Engineering Research Forum The Public Promotion of Engineering Annual showcase of Academy 9 November 2009 Award was presented to the Cardiff- sponsored research New Fellows’ Briefing (Invitation only) based project Engineering Explained. The Chair: Professor John Perkins CBE FREng project takes shows on tour to inspire Venue: 3 Carlton House Terrace, Venue: The Royal College of Physicians, young people about engineering as a London SW1Y 5DG 11 St Andrews Place, Regent’s Park, career choice and highlight the impact Contact: [email protected] engineering has on our daily lives. London NW1 Contact: [email protected] The project was spun-out of the 9 November 2009, 7.00pm New Fellows’ Dinner award-winning Science Made Simple, an 19 October 2009, 5.00pm organisation founded by physicist Wendy Hinton Lecture and Dinner (In the presence of the Senior Fellow, Sadler to inspire young people aged seven Speaker: The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson HRH The Duke of Edinburgh) to 16 about science and engineering. Chair: Academy President, Venue: Drapers’ Hall, London EC2 The Engineering Explained shows have Lord Browne of Madingley Contact: [email protected] reached over 17,500 people in the UK and Venue: Royal Society of Medicine, recently toured Libya at the invitiation of 1 Wimpole St, London W14 The events and dates listed are accurate the British Council. Contact: [email protected] at the time of printing. Other events The Sir George Macfarlane Award was 20 October 2009, 1.45pm may be sometimes be announced at presented to biomedical engineer Dr Silvia UK Focus for Biomedical Engineering short notice. Please check the Academy Schievano for her pioneering development website for the most up to date of patient-specific heart valves that do not Regenerative Medicine: the engineering require surgery to implant. interface (briefing seminar) information: www.raeng.org.uk/events Dr Schievano is part of a team led by Professor Philipp Bonhoeffer, who first Festivals showcase engineering devised the technique in 2000. She has The Academy sponsored an unusual used engineering techniques such as rapid international event on London’s prototyping to allow the manufacture of Southbank from 4 to 6 September 2009: heart valves for individual patients. ‘Pestival’ is an inter-disciplinary festival Dr Schievano is the Academy/EPSRC that celebrates how insects and humans Research Fellow at the UCL Institute of shape the world, in both science and the Child Health. The Sir George Macfarlane arts. Award is given to an indvididual who has demonstrated engineering excellence at The Academy supported Pestival’s an early stage of their career. Termite Pavilion and a series of live events, which brought civil engineering Other awards include the Academy Silver Medals (covered in the September and construction to new public 2009 issue of Ingenia magazine) and the audiences in a creative and engaging way. The Termite Pavilion was a Independent-Bosch Technology Horizons The inside of the Prestival Termite Pavillion Award (see page 10). spectacular walk-in structure inspired by the organic forms surrounding the construction methods by using what central chimney of a Namibian termite they have learned from creatures like mound. termites. The structure was designed to give a The British Science Festival also took direct insight into the extraordinary place in September 2009 at the architectural and engineering skills of University of Surrey. The Academy some of Earth’s oldest master builders, supported a number of events, including termites, which are able to regulate the Isambard Kingdom Brunel Lecture, ventilation and temperature without which will be given this year by Dr Kerry mechanical services. Kirwan from the University of Warwick. There were also talks and debates where For more information visit the public could discover how engineers www.britishscienceassociation.org Award winner Dr Silvia Schievano and architects are changing modern and www.pestival.org
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POLICY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS Autonomous systems in the UK Engineering Values in IT IT systems form the foundation of many What would happen if an unmanned, driverless truck killed a pedestrian? Who would products, services and systems that be to blame and how would the case fit into the UK legal system? Would there be are crucial to our lives. In July 2009, the public outcry? The Academy published a discussion document, Autonomous Systems: Academy produced a report, Engineering social, legal and ethical issues, to explore these kinds of questions. The document was Values in IT, which set out how engineering the outcome of a roundtable discussion with experts from a number of relevant skills and methods are essential to ensure fields, including road and rail transport, surgery, care of the elderly, financial systems, that IT systems are robust and reliable. defence, aerospace, and computer science. From the financial systems that process the The report looked at two areas where autonomous systems are likely to become payment of salaries into bank accounts, part of daily life. One such area was transport, with the participants estimating to the communications infrastructure that driverless HGVs are likely to be on the roads in 10 years’ time. The view of and the technologies used in health participants was that such vehicles would be a lot safer than those with human care, IT systems underpin critical systems drivers and would likely be more fuel-efficient. However, as accidents can never be that cannot be allowed to fail. However, ruled out, there is a need to establish how such vehicles would fit into current legal failures of large and complex IT systems do frameworks. occur. The report argues that the rigorous Another significant area is the care of older people and the housebound, with systems approach of an engineer is key ‘smart homes’ that monitor peoples’ to developing critical IT systems and that movements. Such specially developers of such systems must ensure equipped homes could tell when they have a good grounding in the science an inhabitant was unwell and underpinning their discipline as well as the call for aid, as well as monitoring latest developments in the technologies their intake of food and medicine. they work with. Although such homes can give The report calls for IT professionals to people independence and become Chartered Engineers or Chartered autonomy, they could lead to IT Professionals to demonstrate and isolation if friends and neighbours develop their commitment to professional no longer checked on their and ethical standards and to their inhabitants. technical competency. It also argues that These issues are explored in the further qualifications may need to be report which was discussed in developed for those working on the most articles published by the Daily Mail, critical IT systems. The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The issues in the report caught the BBC online, The Engineer and several attention of a number of specialist IT newspapers around the world. The publications and technology journalists, report can be read online www. gaining a good deal of media coverage. Driverless transport is being used at Heathrow raeng.org.uk/autonomoussystems The report is available at www.raeng.org.uk/engineeringIT Policy responses The policy team responded to a number of Government and Parliamentary Committee consultations over the summer. These included a response to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), South West RDA and the Welsh Assembly Government on the first phase of the Severn Tidal Power consultation and a submission on the definition of the term ‘carbon neutral’ and recommendations for good practice. There has also been an increasing number of responses submitted jointly with other engineering institutions such as the recent response to the DECC framework for the development of clean coal. This involved the Energy Institute, the Institution of Chemical Engineers, Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. It is hoped this trend will continue and provide a stronger voice for engineering within Government. For a full list of responses, visit www.raeng.org.uk/societygov/policy/responses
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Electric vehicles study Exhibition launched in Westminster The Academy has begun a short study In July 2009, the Academy helped mount an exhibition in the Palace of Westminster. on electric vehicles with a scoping Sponsored by Linda Gilroy, MP for Plymouth Sutton, the week-long exhibition workshop held on 29 July 2009, under the celebrated the quality of UK engineering innovation and highlighted the chairmanship of Professor Roger Kemp contribution of engineering to society. FREng. The exhibition was opened by Mr Phil Willis MP, Chairman of the Science and While there have been many studies on Technology Select Committee, and Sir Anthony Cleaver, Chairman of the Engineering electric vehicles, very few have taken a and Technology Board. Both speakers underlined the need for the engineering holistic view of what would be required community to work more closely with Government to help strengthen national for the UK economy to support a fleet policy and promote the contribution of engineering to the UK’s economic recovery of electric vehicles the same size as the and beyond. The Rt Hon Lord Drayson, Minister of State for Science and Innovation, current fleet of internal combustion also attended the exhibition. vehicles. Parallel work within the Academy has pointed to the fact that an A number of young engineers were present throughout the week to help promote 80% reduction in CO₂ emissions, under the messages of the exhibition to MPs, Peers and their visitors. Among the items on scenarios currently being developed, display were the world’s first commercially available bionic hand which introduced requires a radical reappraisal of transport a step change in prosthetic engineering; images of Arup’s Water Cube in Beijing, energy provision. These are likely to be a described as one of the most visionary buildings ever constructed, and action serious option moving forward to 2050. footage from the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-emission motorcycle race. Ideally, electric vehicles should be run The exhibition was produced under the banner Engineering the future, a collaboration on supplies of low-carbon electricity but of organisations from the professional engineering community. it is unlikely the UK will have adequate provision of renewable energy for many years to come. The study needs to identify the conditions under which electric vehicles would make a significant contribution to the UK’s carbon reduction targets. If you have an interest or expertise in electric vehicles and would like to contribute to the study, please contact Richard Ploszek, Senior Policy Advisor.
Media coverage Phil Willis MP introduces the Engineering the future exhibition at the Palace of Westminster The Financial Times featured an interview with the President based on his address to the AGM. Focusing on his comments Academy Fellows consulted on defence review about Government intervention being At a time of ever-increasing demands understanding the issues, an invitation- required to force the pace on meeting UK being placed on limited Ministry of only workshop was held at the Academy emissions targets, it was also picked up by Defence (MoD) resources, the Defence on 31 July 2009. Even though the notice The Daily Telegraph. R&D Board, chaired by Professor Mark given was unavoidably short, nine Welland FREng, has commissioned an Fellows participated. They provided In May 2009, the Academy published its independent review of the coherence what the MoD internal team described technical report on synthetic biology. In of its R&D. As part of the task, the review as invaluable and incisive input. Others June, the Academy published the world’s team have also been asked to consult unable to attend also offered to help first public engagement study on this widely and, accordingly, evidence has and their evidence will be captured area, which received widespread media been taken from both inside and outside either through one-to-one meetings, or interest. The study of the lead group, of MoD. through written submissions. led by Professor Richard Kitney FREng, featured in a BBC Radio 4 documentary in Two of the three independent members The output from this review will be the Frontiers series, including a discussion of the review team are Academy Fellows. taken by the MoD later this year. The recorded at the Academy. Professor Paul Recognising that The Royal Academy contribution from the Academy through Freemont took part in The Guardian’s of Engineering Fellowship possesses its Fellows has been a valued input to weekly science podcast to explain ‘the rise unique insight into dealing with and this important review. of the biological machines’.
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EDUCATION Technology Horizons Award 2009 Academy award scheme expanded For the first time ever the Academy has been able to extend its Engineering Leadership Award Scheme to include non- UK students, thanks to the generosity of Shell. The scheme was created to help undergraduate engineering students maximise their potential and achieve their goals and comprises two types of award: the Standard Award and the Advanced Award. The 19-24 age group winner, runners-up, and judges at the 2009 Independent-Bosch awards The Standard Award enables students The winners of the Independent-Bosch Technology Horizons Award 2009 were to take short courses to enhance their announced in July 2009. The competition, which the Academy has sponsored and engineering knowledge and personal co-organised for five years, challenged participants to write an essay to answer the skills, and the Advanced Award enables question: How can technology and engineering provide innovative solutions to today’s them to carry out a personal development global challenges? plan over three years under the guidance of a mentor. It attracted a record number of entries and the 14 finalists were present at the event, which took place at Carlton House Terrace, along with teachers and parents. Some of This year, non-UK students may apply the judges were also present, including well-known personalities from the world of for the Advanced Award as well as UK engineering and technology, such as TV presenters Johnny Ball and Kate Bellingham, students. and The Independent’s science correspondent, Steve Connor. Participants of the scheme are those Winner of the top prize of £700 in the 14-18 year category was Leon Zhang (15) of undergraduates who expect to fast-track Urmston Grammar School, Manchester. Gavin Harper from the University of Cardiff their career to reach a position of project scooped the £1,000 top prize in the 19-24 age group. Both winning essays were or team leadership within five years of published in The Independent newspaper. graduating and be a role model for future As well as receiving their prizes, the students and their guests were given a generations of engineers and applicants presentation by Andy Green, pilot for the Bloodhound Super Sonic Car project. The undergo a rigorous selection process. project, which is led by former land speed record holder Richard Noble, aims to For more information visit inspire young engineers by creating a car capable of travelling at 1,000 mph. www.raeng.org.uk/education/undergrad Academy and E4E aim to improve engineering education Education for Engineering (E4E), the the DCSF-DIUS STEM Board, there has outlined suggestions for improved Academy-hosted body that was set up are currently 6,700 FE teachers monitoring of the situation. to offer coordinated and clear advice of engineering, technology and The Academy is also liaising with the LSIS on engineering education to the UK manufacturing compared to 7,500 in STEM Programme to deliver continuing Government and devolved national 2003 – a drop of more than 10%. In professional development (CPD) to assemblies, has expressed concern at addition, a much-needed programme teachers of the Level 3 Diploma in the current state of engineering further to regenerate FE college campuses education (FE) in the UK. collapsed in 2008, leaving many Engineering. The programme, which is colleges still in need of upgrade work led by the Academy in close association Many engineering employees come to modernise buildings and make them with Middlesex University Teaching from the FE sector and are employed fit for purpose. A Learning and Skills Resources and the National STEM Centre, at technician level but, while the Improvement Service (LSIS) programme will deliver high-quality Technology Government is addressing the shortfall of to support the ongoing development of Enhancement Project resources to ensure engineering graduates, the supporting engineering teachers has had its funding that Diploma teachers have state of the technical workforce is being overlooked. cut by half in 2009. art teaching and learning technologies at According to figures supplied by In response, the E4E operational group their disposal. It will run until 2012.
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Students discover a world underground News of Fellows Professor Dinos Arcoumanis FREng, awarded an honorary doctorate by St Petersburg State Polytechnic University.
Professor Paul Cannon FREng, appointed editor of the American Geophysical Union journal Radio Science.
Sir John Chisholm FREng, appointed Chair of the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts.
Sir Graeme Davies FREng, appointed Chair of Higher Education Strategy for Northern Ireland. Participants in the Tube Lines-LEP engineering event at London South Bank University Professor Kel Fidler FREng received Science, technology, engineering and points. Cross-team communication was an an honorary degree from the mathematics (STEM) ambassadors from essential part of the exercise as all three University of York. Tube Lines attended an event for London teams needed to ensure that their designs Professor Sir Richard Friend FREng Engineering Project (LEP) students in June were compatible with the infrastructure for FRS won the Institute of Physics’ 2009 at London South Bank University which the other teams were responsible. Business and Innovation Medal. to help promote engineering as a career The train had to run on the track and fit choice for young people. into the station, while the station had to Professor George W Irwin FREng, have enough space for the track and train elected a Fellow of the International The event was coordinated by the LEP in to run through it. Federation of Automatic Control. partnership with Tube Lines, and focused on an activity in which teams of three Tube Lines has over 60 STEM ambassadors Professor Nick McKeown FREng, or four students, aged between 12 and from different areas across the business. awarded the 2009 IEEE Koji Kobayashi Computers and Communications 15, are given a brief to design and build Their aim is to try and break down the Award. either a station, a train or a section of track perceived barriers and stereotypes that and tunnel. They are given the project surround STEM careers. Dr Raymond Oliver FREng accepted specifications and a budget, and are up the role of Senior Research Fellow at against the clock to deliver. the Royal College of Art. Like the engineers at Tube Lines, the An LEP partner school, Lilian Baylis Dick Olver FREng, invited to join the students had to carefully factor in station Technology School, saw its best-ever GCSE Government’s Business Council. accessibility issues and think about where results this summer, with a 15% increase Sir John Parker FREng, appointed best to position assets such as seating, in students gaining five GCSEs at A*-C. Chairman of Anglo-American. lighting and ticket offices as well as Overall, there was a 33% improvement in security features such as CCTV and help results compared to 2008. Sir Robin Saxby FREng, awarded honorary degree by University of York.
STEM Ambassadors in Barrow Professor Christofer Toumazou The Academy helped develop, and delivered in September 2009, booster training for FREng FRS won the 2009 World 16 STEM Ambassadors based at the BAE Systems site in Barrow-in-Furness. The Technology Award in the Health and training, part of the BAE Systems Engagement Project, looked at issues such as Medicine category. getting the engineering message across, how to get more girls into engineering, what makes a good and bad engineering ambassador and engineering activities that Professor Christopher Snowden can take place in schools. FREng, appointed President of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. The 16 ambassadors are now working together to develop their own outreach activity with help from the Academy, the Cumbria STEM Centre and the Barrow Professor Joseph Hun-wei Lee Engineering Project. Based on submarine technology from the Barrow site, the FREng, elected Vice-President of the activity will be rolled out to the local primary and secondary schools and delivered International Association of Hydraulic by the Ambassadors themselves. Engineering and Research
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Obituaries Academy says farewell to Ashley Thomas Dr Alec Atkin CBE FREng died catering departments. During his tenure, aged 86 on 2 July 2009. Prior to his the value of the Academy’s activities has retirement, Dr Atkin was Managing risen twelve-fold from £4.4 million to £52 Director (Military), Aircraft Group, million. British Aerospace plc. Ashlley’s ability to ‘balance the books’ fairly Allan Ross Cameron FREng died and very effectively has become the stuff aged 89 on 9 July 2009. Prior to of legend among his colleagues. his retirement, Allan Cameron was A fellow director at the Academy said: Manager, Systems Engineering Group, “Ashley’s ability to keep all the plates Associated Nuclear Services. spinning, with no breakages – and also Professor Peter Dunnill OBE FREng with good humour – has been greatly died aged 71 on 10 August 2009. valued.” At the time of his death, Professor Leaving the Academy: Ashley Thomas The Academy wishes Ashley the best of Dunnill was Professor of Biochemical luck for the future and thanks him for his Engineering, University College The Academy is bidding farewell to superb commitment and outstanding London. Ashley Thomas, Director of Finance and Administration for some 15 years, as he professionalism. Dr Waheeb Rizk CBE FREng died prepares for his retirement on aged 88 in August 2009. At the time 22 September 2009. of his death, Dr Rizk was a consultant Charity cycle ride for WR Associates. Ashley joined the Academy in 1992 and quickly moved into his current Lord Gregson of Stockport AMCT role, with responsibility for running the CBIM DL HonFREng died aged administration, IT, human resources, and 85 on 12 August 2009. Prior to his retirement Lord Gregson was director of: Fairey Group plc, British Steel plc, Staff news OSC Process Engineering Ltd, and the Three of the Academy’s staff, Cuong National Rivers Authority. Howard Beeston has joined as Dang (pictured, middle), Helen Finance Director of the Academy, Professor Geoffrey B Warburton Berrington (right) and Éva Culleton- replacing Ashley Thomas. Prior to his Oltay (left), are taking part in a charity FREng FRSE died aged 85 on appointment, Howard was Director cycle challenge to raise money for 1 August 2009. Prior to his retirement, of Finance and Administration for the Professor Warburton was Hives British Olympic Association. Engineers Against Poverty in early 2010. Professor of Mechanical Engineering, The team would again like to thank all Dr Rhys Morgan has joined the University of Nottingham. the Fellows who have donated so far to Academy as Head of Secretariat for this worthy cause, for their generosity the Education for Engineering (E4E) and support. The cycle challenge Contact initiative. Previously, he was a lecturer requires participants to ride 525 km for the School of Engineering and If you would like to find out more about Design at Brunel University. from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to any of the articles in this newsletter, Angkor Wat in Cambodia over eight or would like to contribute to a future days. If you would like to make a newsletter, please contact: donation or find out more about the Chris Atkinson (Newsletter Editor) Publications received challenge, please visit www.raeng.org.uk/cyclechallenge or Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7766 0645 Engineering: A Beginner’s Guide, by telephone 020 766 0649. Email: [email protected] Dr Natasha McCarthy; donated by author.
News Autumn 2009 – printed on 100% recycled paper
Published by The Royal Academy of Engineering The Royal Academy of Engineering 3 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5DG promotes excellence in the science, Tel: 020 7766 0600 Fax: 020 7930 1549 www.raeng.org.uk art and practice of engineering. Edited and designed by Chris Atkinson Registered charity number 293074
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