I m p e r i a l ENGINEER

MOTHER NATURE NEEDS HER DAUGHTERS STUDENT RECRUITMENT & OUTREACH SMALLER GLACIERS, BIGGER CARS RED PROJECT BORNEO, 2018 MATERIALS IN SPARTA PROJECT PENGUINS

For members of City & Guilds College Association and The Royal School of Mines Association ISSUE 31 AUTUMN 2019 ISSUE THIRTY-ONE Autumn 2019

In this issue… 7 20 30 ASSOCIATION NEWS & REVIEWS ALUMNI NEWS & VIEWS 3 Presidents Report 30 BBOXX gains $50M investment from Mitsubishi; 4-5 RSMA AGM and Final Year BBQ Engineering and a second language ... the economic 6 CGCA Younger Members – A fountain of youth? argument; Alumni Weekend 2019 7 Student Recruitment and Outreach: How alumni 31 Diary can help OBITUARIES FACULTY NEWS 32-33 Sir John Michael Leal Uren (Mech Eng 1940-43) 8 Birthday Honours; Awards; Fellowships; Prizes 33 Mark Wellesley-Wood (Mining 1969-72) 9 Green tech innovators; Science key to global 34 John Trevor Chase (Civil Eng 1951-54) Britain; 2019 Blast Injury Conference Peter R Simpson 10 Carbon taxes; sustainable dyes; Climate-change Paul Tremain Pearce (Civil Eng 1952-55) strategies 35 Prof Henricus (Hans) Michels (Chem Eng 1963-67) 11 Equality, diversity and inclusion H.E.K. (Hugh) Allen (Mining Eng 1957-59)

FEATURES 12-15 Learning and Teaching Strategy – Responses 16-18 Smaller glaciers, bigger cars, reduced-sulphur ship fuel, Nigel Fitzpatrick 19 Project Penguins, Dominik Sznajder Front and back cover 20-21 Why are there not more women leaders in photo: STEMM? Madeleine Hann The Margerie Glacier in 22-23 Investigating Materials used in the Ancient Alaska. (See pp 16-18) World, Kutsi Akcicek Photo by Joan Fitzpatrick 24-25 Climatic impacts of the SW Indian Ocean Blob, Wyss Yim 26-29 RED Project Borneo, 2018 CORRESPONDENCE and ENQUIRIES Imperial ENGINEER Eilidh Campbell EDITORIAL BOARD Alumni Relations Ofce Peter Buck (Editor) Level 1 Faculty Building, Imperial College London, David Bishop, Eilidh Campbell, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road Tim Cotton, Paul Holmes, London SW7 2AZ Bill McAuley (Emeritus Editor) Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 9238 Email: [email protected] for RSMA queries PRODUCTION AND DESIGN Email: [email protected] for CGCA queries Alison Buck Website: www.imperial.ac.uk/engineering/alumni/ CGCA website: www.cgca.org.uk PRINTING RSMA website: www.rsm-association.org Bishops Printers, Portsmouth URLs at the end of items indicate more details online. Where appropriate we use bit.ly short-links for readability and useability. ISSN 2398-1237 (Print) Faculty news items that are derived from Imperial News have a short- ISSN 2398-1245 (Online) link to the original item where full attribution details can be found. STORY IDEAS FOR THE NEXT ISSUE BY FEBRUARY 17 2020 FINAL COPY DEADLINE: MARCH 16 2020 Te opinions expressed in Imperial ENGINEER are those of the contributor and not necessarily those of Imperial College London, City and Guilds College Association, the Royal School of Mines Association, or the Editorial Board. Te Editorial Board of Imperial ENGINEER reserves the right to edit copy for style and length. Imperial ENGINEER is printed on Forest Stewardship Council registered paper.

2 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 Starting with the AGM in June, on behalf of the Association I would again like to ofer our thanks to Dame Judith Hackitt (immediate Past President) for giving a splendid address in relation to her conduct of an independent review of building regulations and fre safety, following the Grenfell fre, with a focus on their application to high-rise residential buildings. She was instructed to undertake the review by the then Home Secretary, Teresa May. We continue to wish her well in this important task. I would like to mention two careers events. Te frst was held in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (organised by Charles Parry) and was another example of what is now developing into an annual event of careers advice. Te second event was the Careers/Alumni evening held jointly by the CGCA and the Department of Bioengineering. Te event was a sell-out, with over 60 of the students of the department attending, together with alumni and members of the CGCA. Te evening began with refections on their careers by four of the Department’s alumni. Anil Bharath, who is now a Professor in the Department, Founder and Director of Cortexica Vision Systems – the company provides visual search services to eBay, John Lewis, Macys and others. He was followed by Ben Reeve, CTO of CustoMem – an advanced water fltration company, based on synthetic biology techniques. Te third alumnus to speak was Stefan Claesen, CEO and one of the Principal Founders of Visbion Ltd – a world leader in secure medical image transfer, storage and display. Te fnal speaker was Vanela Bushi. Vanela is a Director in the Richard Portfolio and Transactions Strategy Team at Syneos Health – a life sciences-focused organisation with over 24,000 employees globally. All the speakers stressed how their time in the Department had been a highly valuable experience, Kitney helping to develop their subsequent careers. Te presentations were followed by a Q and A session. Now for a brief update on the Union Honour Shields. We have been able to make a replica of the 1901-1902, shield, which looks very good. Peter Chase has checked all the detail on the shields and we are now pretty close to getting the shields rehung. Tere has been a somewhat protracted discussion with the College about the positioning of the shields, due to concerns about fre risk. However, with the support of the Faculty of Engineering, it now looks as if the shields can be hung in the foyer next to the exit of the main lecture theatre of the City and Guilds Building. Tis is a good location because the shields will be viewed by those attending the many Inaugural and public lectures, and their associated receptions. Once again, I would like to thank Peter Chase and Nigel Creswell and other members of the committee for their administrative support – for example in relation to GDPR alignment; Peter and Alison Buck for their splendid work in producing another two, excellent, editions of the Imperial ENGINEER; and Colin Kerr and his colleagues for organising yet another splendid CGCA annual dinner earlier this year. Work has already begun on next year’s dinner, which will be held at the Stationers’ Hall on Friday, 28th February 2020. Finally, I would like to thank Chris Lumb and the other board members of OC Trust for their fne work in supporting students and student activity. PRESIDENTS REPORT

Rather embarrassingly, I fnd myself once again writing to you all in the capacity of RSMA President entering a fourth year in ofce. I recognise that this is not how it should be and will be looking to fnd a successor in the coming months. However we have seen, and continue to see, a turnover in Committee members and as such the Committee and I felt that for consistency I should stay another year. Tis motion was taken to the AGM in June this year and approved by the members present. Whilst the Committee has a good level of membership, time commitments of the members mean that flling the Executive roles in the Committee is becoming harder. If you do have time please do consider joining the RSMA Committee, it is truly worth it as you can see frst hand the tremendous impact that giving back has on the current student body. As a volunteer organisation, we will always do our best to respond as quickly as we can to your requests and comments so please do bear with us if we are a bit slow at getting back to you. We rely heavily on the College Alumni Relations team in managing the communication channels with members as they have the systems and people to do this type of work. Te Committee has a good working relationship with these departments, and they are a great help in running the administration side of the Association and getting any feedback from Members out to the Committee. Tim I am very happy to report that due to the success in 2019, the RSMA once again launched the RSMA Final Year Student Bursary Prize in June 2018. Tis award is open to students who are beginning their fnal year in September 2019. As last year, the Committee is planning to award up to three prizes across ESE and Materials. Te scheme Cotton was created to reward students who show the true RSM Spirit and act as an ambassador for the RSM. Successful candidates must be able to show commitment, achievement and excellence above that of their peers in areas such as academic excellence, community & RSM Union involvement, sporting prowess, or contribution to a sport or club within the RSM. Financial hardship will also be considered as a criterion. Working with Department Directors of Undergraduate Studies at ESE, Materials and the Faculty of Engineering, we have had eleven applicants and will be shortlisting and awarding the bursaries shortly. Remember the funds have been raised by YOU through your kind generosity at events and specifcally by those members who have supported the 100 Club. Tis is an amazing achievement and is concrete example of former students of the RSM who want to give back to the current student body. Lastly, the 100 Club continues to slowly grow and I would encourage you, if you are able, to sign up and support the RSMA via the 100 Club or by a one-of donation. If you are already signed up then a huge thank you and please double check your banking details so that you are continuing to pay yearly. Your support is truly appreciated! Te 2019 Annual General Meeting of the Association was held on the 27th June at the Union Bar, followed by the fnal year Bar-B-Q, which was again well attended by the students plus a number of alumni. See the AGM report inside this issue for a full update and a few photographs. Te 135th annual dinner will be held on Friday 22nd November at the Rembrandt Hotel in Knightsbridge. Last year was a tremendous event with just over 100 members and guests and it is hoped that as many members as possible will attend this year. Last year’s dinner was one of the frst that had an almost equal number of student guests as members. Te dinner remains the most signifcant event in the Association’s calendar. With this issue of IE there is a fyer that contains the booking form and a group e-mail will also be sent out to all members telling them how to book. Te committee continues to maintain a very active relationship with the RSMU and for the 2019/20 academic year the new RSMU representatives are Chris Carter and Megan Facey, respectively President and Honorary Secretary. Between, us we are looking to continue to engage with students on careers evenings and are looking at trialing an RSMA Mentoring scheme – if you are interested in fnding our more please do get in touch at [email protected]. I hope you fnd this issue informative and I look forward to seeing some of you in the RSM and /or at an RSMA event in the near future.

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 3 NEWS & REVIEWS 2019 RSMA AGM and Final Year BBQ A dozen or so RSMA members trustees: Professors Rees Rawlings congregated in the Imperial College and John Monhemius, Fiona Cassidy, The Royal School of Mines Association and Trust Student Union Bar in Beit Quad for Coen Louwarts, John O’Reilly and Treasurer’s Report 2018-2019 the Annual AGM of the RSMA. Glynne Lloyd-Davis and were duly The members heard various voted in. The Association and the Trust accounts both show their respective reports from the President, In other Trust matters the accounting years closing in acceptable fnancial health. Note that fgures Treasurer and Chair of the RSMA following awards were made and presented below are un-reviewed and un-audited. Trust and salient points are noted presentations will be made at the ROYAL SCHOOL OF MINES ASSOCIATION below. The President, Tim Cotton, 2019 Annual Dinner: In fnancial terms, the Association’s activities were in line with previous years. highlighted that technically this Peter Harding Memorial Award went Income from subscriptions was equal to 2016-17 at a little over £6000. should have been his last meeting to John O’Reilly Efforts have been made to contact members who still pay considerably less but due to signifcant turnover of Rees Rawlings Young Member Award than the £15 rate. Some 12% of this income is paid through the PayPal Committee members it was felt went to Hannah Bungey account, as in recent past years. This incurs a small charge, which the best that Tim continue as President Association committee believe is worthwhile given the convenience and for another year to provide some Finally after an informed debate member traceability it affords. consistency, all members present on the topics presented, the group Of the Association’s two social functions in 2018, income for the Final concurred. At the meeting, no new adjourned downstairs to the Union Year Barbecue, the frst to be held in the Beit Quadrangle, was up on 2017’s, Committee members were elected Bar where the 2019 Final Year BBQ and the event returned a modest proft of £247. The Annual Dinner was and the existing members and was being held. This was the second well attended, and prices were held at 2017 levels. The function broke even. offcers as listed below were voted time the event was held in the An award of £1500 was made direct to the RSMU, and £250 each paid in. Union Bar and the Imperial College to De La Beche and the Geophysical Society. As usual RSMA contributed The Treasurer reported that Union Bar and Catering team did its share of costs of the Autumn and Spring Imperial ENGINEER editions. the RSMA and Trust are in good a fne job in feeding and watering At the year-end £3097 was left owing to CGCA for Imperial ENGINEER health and have the necessary funds the 60-odd members and guests. printing and distribution costs including the previous year’s unpaid debt of available to continue to support During the evening, the draw for £1167. The fnancial year cashfow defcit of £3591 does not refect the the RSM, such as the Final Year the 100 Club was won by Martin Association’s fnancial health as debtors totalling £12,410 (principally for £1000 bursary prizes. These will be Levy who has since re-donated Eventbrite functions) heavily outweighed liabilities of £6,076. awarded in the Autumn 2019 Term the prize back to the RSMA. The Association funds at the year-end (31/03/2019) stood at: to fnal year students who show the added beneft was that the Union Account name Type Balance true RSM spirit and act as an RSM Bar is now air-conditioned and Royal School of Mines Association HSBC current £7,183 ambassador. There have been eleven this, combined with good food and Royal School of Mines Association PayPal £4,423 applicants and names are currently drink and a bit of singing, made for 0.0.859114 Imperial College Loan £30,194 being shortlisted. a very enjoyable evening. Once Petty cash £66 The Chair of the Trust reported again, great thanks are due to Assets less liabilities £6,409 that in terms of the Trust’s Trust alumnus Eddie Gadd who donated TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE £48,275 Deed, the President, Honorary two pins of his fnest Ramsgate Treasurer and Honorary Secretary Brewery Ale for the function. Go to ROYAL SCHOOL OF MINES ASSOCIATION TRUST of the Association and the President http://www.ramsgatebrewery.co.uk The RSMA Trust’s general activities through 2018 were generally much in of the RSMU are appointed as and I guarantee you will not be line with previous years but marked by the award of three bursaries, each trustees ex-offcio. The following disappointed with the products. of £1000. These are the frst to come from the Hundred Club initiative, and offered themselves for election as demonstrate a signifcant step forward in the work of the RSMA Trust. Hundred Club income dropped back slightly to £4750 from the 2017 level. Those generous enough to invest in students by contributing to this scheme Election of offcers and committee for 2019/20 are urged to ensure that their donations are repeated annually. The Trust has yet to be set up with HMRC to claim GiftAid, and this will be pursued next year. President: Tim Cotton Generous unsolicited donations were received (outside of the Hundred Senior Vice-President: Vacant Club) totalling £1125. No new loans were issued. One outstanding loan of Junior Vice-President: Vacant £1000 was repaid. Five grants were made, totalling £1125. Past-President: John O’Reilly Whilst the Trust’s capital investments are considered safe in CCLA, the Hon. Secretary: Hannah Bungey investment income totalled only £179 in 2018. This is a poor return from Hon. Treasurer: David Bishop an investment of nearly £40,000, albeit better than the £91 received in 2017. VP International: Vacant Alternative investment opportunities continue to be discussed by the Trust. Membership Secretary: Vacant Trust funds at the year-end (31/12/2018) were as follows: Account name Type Balance Members: Lorraine Craig RSMA Trust Main and Second accounts HSBC current accounts £16,659 John Monhemius RSMA Trust 55918 CCLA COIF £39,488 Rees Rawlings Assets less liabilities £6,644 Daniel Hill TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE £62,791 Sam Argyle Eleanor Jay David Bishop, Hon Treasurer, June 2019 Ben Moorhouse Seb Turner Richard Griffths Chris Carter (President RSMU) Megan Facey (Hon Sec RSMU) Kaja Sillett (DLB President) Schan Perera (MatSoc President) Isabel Wapenhams (GeoPhys President)

Overseas: Giles Baynham (Canada) Celia Hayes (Australia) Photos: Georgios Chatzitheoklitos RSMU Photos: Harry Fisher (Australia) The AGM adjourned to the Final Year BBQ in the Union Bar

4 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 NEWS & REVIEWS RSMA President’s Report to the Annual General Meeting, 2019 The RSMA has been busy in this the creation of the RSMA 100 Club. all these students signed up! At the friendship. The rapport between the past year supporting the students The response from many alumni has dinner, we were able to award in RSMA and the students is as strong and staff of the RSM both within been steady for which the RSMA person the Peter Harding Memorial as ever and it is a real pleasure to the student body, the Faculty and sincerely thanks you. However, we Award to Professor Rees Rawlings be part of it. On the sporting front, the wider College. The Committee are still signifcantly short of our and the Professor Rees Rawlings Award in the contests against Camborne, has been working closely with target of 100 members. As of today’s to Dr Eleanor Jay. In addition, we some ten matches were played the College’s Development team AGM, we are over a third of the way drew the third winner of the 100 across 9 sports, and the RSM Rugby for the Faculty of Engineering and there (40 active members) but have Club Draw and this went to Bernie Team won the Bottle (15-5), lost the the Alumni Relations team. The been able to start giving back to the Pryor; Bernie has very graciously Sharpley cup in men’s hockey (0-1), Committee will continue to engage RSM by once again launching the re-donated the prize back to the but won the football (1-0). in a collaborative and transparent 2019 RSMA Bursary Prize. The RSMA Association. Our speaker for the The RSMA will likely not be at manner whilst ensuring the values Final Year Student Bursary Prizes are evening was Dr Eleanor Jay on her the Alumni Day in 2019, it is end and heritage of the RSMA are to reward those students who show career journey since leaving the of June just after this AGM, as the maintained. the true RSM Spirit and act as an RSM. Once again, the members of Committee feels that there has been We continue to engage with our ambassador for the RSM. Students the RSMA were extremely generous little support from RSM Alumni at members as best we can under must be able to show commitment, and sponsored the vast majority this event which makes it hard for the new privacy laws, in order to achievement and excellence above of students attending. This level of the RSMA to justify attendance. manage subscriptions amounts and that of their peers in an area such support is very much appreciated Of course, if our members feel we validity of members. We are seeing as Academic excellence, Community by the students and I would like to should attend, we shall reconsider a slight drop in subscription revenue & RSM Union involvement, Sporting personally thank all those members our position in 2020. and will continue our efforts in prowess and/or contribution to who supported the students. Tonight we entertain the students getting all members fully paid up to a sport or club within the RSM. Following the success of the last for the traditional fnal year Bar-B-Q the current £15 a year membership There are three awards available to four years’ events, in February the and even with exam results due in price. If you are paying less than £15 students currently enrolled in either committee again gave a presentation the morning it was felt that this was I would ask, if you are able, to change the ESE or Materials Departments to the students on the history, aims the most appropriate date and venue your banking arrangements to raise and entering the fnal year of their and membership of the RSMA. to celebrate them leaving the RSM. your annual membership up to £15 Bachelors or Master’s Degree This was combined with a careers Once again, great thanks are due to so that the Association can continue course in September 2019. The evening where a dozen Alumni gave alumnus Eddie Gadd who donated to support the students of the RSM. Association awarded three of the some insight to approximately 40 two pins of his fnest Ramsgate The RSM profle on LinkedIn Bursaries in 2018, each for £1000 students into how the RSM had Brewery Ale for the function. Go to and Facebook is an important and the students who received were helped shape their careers. A key http://www.ramsgatebrewery.co.uk channel of communication with truly worthy of the award. This is a theme that emerged from this event and I guarantee you will not be 2216 members on LinkedIn and 600 signifcant example of how you are was the students’ desire to connect disappointed with the products. followers on Facebook and Twitter. directly supporting students at the with Alumni on a more professional In conclusion, I would like to In addition, we are launching a RSM. Remember ALL the funds for basis. The Committee has taken thank all the Committee for their complete refresh of our web page, this Bursary have been raised by this on board and is in the process support and guidance. We have an LinkedIn and Facebook pages to YOU through your kind generosity of planning an RSMA mentoring excellent span of Royal School of make it easier to engage and to at events and specifcally by those programme by which RSMA Mines involvement and experience update the content. It is recognised members who have supported the members can use their experience on the Committee and we embrace that social media provides an 100 Club. to help (under)graduates in the early many generations of alumni. A excellent communication media for The highlight of the year was stages of their careers through a special mention goes to Coen alumni, especially for the younger of course the 134th annual dinner, mentoring scheme. The Committee Louwarts and John Skyes who are generations, and that many may which was held on Friday 23rd feels this will provide an effective stepping down from the position thus not see the need to also join November at the Rembrandt Hotel engagement between its members of Membership Secretary and VP the RSMA – however we will in Knightsbridge and saw 107 guests and the current/recent students at International respectively. They have continue in our efforts to encourage join the Committee and I, of those the RSM. Additionally, it will likely served the Committee for over 10 membership. 50 were current RSMU students. provide a pathway for more student years and we thank them for all As mentioned previously, the A great night was had by all with memberships. their help and support. For those RSMA issued a funds appeal in June students almost outnumbering The involvement with ESE Committee members who have full of 2016, a key feature of which was members; the trick now is to get remains strong and the Committee time employment, many in high- has furthered the links in ESE and pressure jobs, their commitment is Materials by engaging with the key especially appreciated. I am looking societies within them such as De La forward to the next year and believe Beche, MatSoc and GeoPhysicsSoc. the Association, with the support of The Committee now has more the College and student body, will student representation on the thrive. Technically, I should be giving Committee with each of the up my role at this AGM as I will have Presidents of the respective societies served three years. Unfortunately, attending the meetings. Accordingly, our succession planning for the the RSMA has also increased the Committee has taken a few knocks level of funding to these societies to and the Committee felt it prudent help raise the profle and hopefully to extend my tenure for another get more student membership. The year to allow a period of stability for Committee has had a very active the new Committee. I am happy to relationship with Marta Wolinska do this but I do feel that I should and Sam Casement, respectively rotate out this year. Therefore, I will Past and present RSMA Committee members President and Hon Sec of the RSMU. end my report with a plea. We need (L to R): Both have strongly contributed some new Committee Members: Chris Carter, Incoming RSMU President; to the RSMA activities within the so if anyone wants to become a Megan Facey, Incoming RSMU HonSec; college, and have encouraged student Committee member then please do Tim Cotton, RSMA President; participation in RSMA events. I let one of us know. Marta Wolinska, Outgoing RSMU President; extend the thanks of the Committee Tim Cotton June 2019 Sam Casement, Outgoing RSMU HonSec to both for their support and

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 5 NEWS & REVIEWS CGCA Younger Members – A fountain of youth?

At the June AGM, something shared experience of College that as either student or full members by Engineers. And if nothing else when almost miraculous happened. bonds us through the generations the end of the evening. I now attend CGCA meetings I face Unprecedented in recent times we and across disciplines. I’m very grateful to the members good natured mocking; at 26 I am had a signifcant number of new and We then considered the of the working group for their hard apparently old. Younger Member no recent graduates put themselves challenges to achieving this. Some work so far. And I am confdent that more? forward to become Offcers. Several are external and out of our control; this opportunity marks a change Tim Munday (Civils 15) have come direct from the CGCU the changing student experience, for the CGCA that will help to CGCA Younger Members and since then this core has been the creation of the Faculty at the secure its future and purpose for Honorary Secretary joined by others. It may not seem cost of the constituent colleges, the the next generation of Imperial that extraordinary, but for at least increasing internationalism of our the fve years I’ve been involved with graduate body. But there were other the CGCA we have been struggling items small and large were we could to recruit full members, let alone make a difference. These fell into the new offcers (with a few notable following themes: exceptions). For a while I seemed to hold my position by virtue of being 1. Membership Journey – the process the only younger member. by which student and graduates The reasons behind us not become members. attracting new members are 2. Membership Offering – the reasons complex and something our that anyone would join. Committee has been grappling 3. The Way We Work – how the with for several years, making many association functions. valiant attempts to both understand and rectify the situation. This Each of these was reviewed in detail new crop of Offcers presents an and solutions proposed. Looking opportunity to tackle the issue with into automation so that welcome

a group better able to understand emails are sent immediately as CGCU Photo: the target audience and with members join; attending graduation contacts amongst recent graduates. to sign up new members at peak The frst CGCA Engineering Alumni Bar Night in the Union Bar The Operations Committee asked interest; holding more events aimed on 20th September us to form a working group to specifcally at younger members; investigate and begin taking steps storing jointly held documents on aimed at increasing recruitment. ‘the cloud’ to enable easier access; I do not condone three-hour long greater use of social media; forming meetings. Usually. But as the chair a Young Graduates Division; and of our new working group that’s many more besides. We have since how I made my debut. Eight of us held another (thankfully shorter) in the Alumni Visitor Centre’s small meeting and expanded further on meeting room, very much taking how these can be implemented. advantage of the free refreshments. These proposals are being taken We approached the problem in a to the Operations Committee in broad sense, frst considering what October, we are hopeful it will our hopes and dreams were for the receive their support. Already CGCA. It was heartening to note though, to monopolise on our the similarity between the vision current momentum, the working expressed there and the current group has begun to put into motion objectives of the association. An some of these ideas. Its frst event, independent and international a successful bar night was held on network founded on a community the 20th September, the majority of of engineers from Imperial. It is the those who attended were signed up CGCU Photo: Photo: CGCU Photo: Photo: Claudia Caravello Photo: The Working Group in their marathon frst meeting. What’s the collective noun for CGCU Presidents? A Calculus (L to R) Milia Hasbani, Tim Munday, Owen Heaney, Tom Cross, maybe? Although in this case it’s more like a barfull. Current Andrew Hill, Andrei Pogan, Haroon Chughtai, Claudia Caravello. and Past CGCU Presidents bearing Spanner and Bolt at the CGCA Bar Night.

6 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 NEWS & REVIEWS Student Recruitment and Outreach: How alumni can help Imperial’s Student Recruitment and Outreach (SRO) team are responsible for discovering the College’s future talent whatever their background. Working with schools, colleges and other universities, they advise and inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists, attracting the most able students from the UK and across the globe to study at Imperial. Always keen for alumni to get involved, Amanda Cerny, Head of International Student Recruitment Strategy, and Annalisa Alexander, Head of Outreach and Widening Participation, welcomed the opportunity to tell Imperial ENGINEER’s readers more about what SRO do and how alumni can help. Who we are At South Kensington, the Wohl We’re a dedicated mix of trained Reach Out Lab, championed by scientists and expert advisors on Professor Lord Robert Winston, is a higher education. Our diversity state-of-the-art STEM lab dedicated of experience is refected in the to hands-on activities. Pupils, at wide variety of ways we work with primary and secondary level, schools and colleges, from providing experience science and engineering tutors to support their science in a university setting where we activities, to delivering workshops to help them to develop crucial advise and prepare students to apply experimental skills which they can and study with us. take back to the classroom. Our long-term focussed STEM Outreach – widening participation activities include a mixture of Our Outreach team help and residential and non-residential support students from backgrounds cohort programmes and summer less represented in Higher Education schools for high achieving young

to nurture their interest in science people from disadvantaged Imperial College London Weill, Dan Photo: and fulfl their potential from backgrounds. These programmes primary school through to Year 13. work with individuals to improve students wherever they may be. parents on Campus to visit our their attainment in STEM subjects, We provide students with departments and fnd the course supporting them to gain the support about applying to university, that’s right for them. Those unable requirements needed to study at including advice on writing a to come to an Open Day can meet Imperial and ultimately fulfl their personal statement and making sure one of our President’s Ambassadors dreams whether that be to become they are aware of the application and join one of our weekly Campus a doctor, engineer or scientist. process and deadlines, which is tours where we showcase our Further afeld, we use the particularly important for overseas South Kensington Campus. Outreach van to deliver activities students who may be unfamiliar with We provide students with all the

Photo: Thomas Angus, Imperial College London Angus, Thomas Photo: to schools across the country. the UK system. information they need to make an The team are dedicated to widening We bring space travel and STEM On Campus we run three Open informed decision, both in print and participation at a local and national activities to the school halls, with Days a year bringing over 12,000 on the website and of course via level in the UK. Our new Makerspace our planetarium and other pop-up prospective students and their social media. in White City provides students STEM activities. in the local community with the tools, resources, support and skills Student Recruitment and Marketing How you can help to innovate and create. Students The Student Recruitment team who have taken part have developed advises thousands of students, Our prospective students love talking to and hearing from our alumni exciting ideas and prototypes for across the UK and internationally, whether it be at our recruitment fairs or visits to schools, webinars or improving environmental issues: about study at Imperial. simply reading an alumni profle in one of our publications or on the designing and building technology Our recruitment offcers attend website. to help with their everyday lives. recruitment fairs and visit schools All of you, as alumni, have a story to tell about how your experience of Examples include PlantBox – a fully and universities all around the studying at Imperial has helped you. So, wherever you are in the world, sustainable and modular vertical wall world, promoting Imperial and if you’re a recent graduate or even more established as a successful that aims to tackle climate change all that we offer. Where it’s not entrepreneur or career engineer and would like to be part of shaping and SnorZZZ – a cradle that uses possible to visit in person, we run the future of our young engineers, please get in touch by emailing us at: [email protected] sensors to deduce when a baby a variety of information sessions via needs rocking to sleep. our webinars to be inclusive of all Photo: Imperial College London Photo: Photo: Fergus Burnett, Imperial College London Burnett, Fergus Photo:

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 7 NEWS DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE ENGINEERING FACULTY Birthday Honours List 2019 Kabiller Young Investigator Award in Roger Needham Award Nanoscience and Nanomedicine Professor Molly Stevens, of Imperial’s Departments of Materials and Bioengineering, has won the 2019 Kabiller Young Investigator Award in Nanoscience and Nanomedicine. This $10,000 award, given by Northwestern University in the US, recognises her recent work in developing connected diagnostics technologies. A number of Photo: Dave Guttridge, Imperial College London Guttridge, Dave Photo: Imperial physicist Dr Jess Wade was technologies have been designed and awarded a British Empire Medal applied, including using smartphone for services to gender diversity in technology to track outbreaks of science. She has led a series of public Ebola in low income countries. engagement initiatives to promote The award selection committee Imperial College London Sean Conner, Photo: women in STEM. This includes said: “These mobile health connected Dr Cristian Cadar, of Imperial’s schools outreach work in physics, platforms (could) transform the way Imperial College London Colin Smith, Photo: Department of Computing, has won coordinating international women in we respond to epidemics by enabling talented multidisciplinary postdocs the British Computing Society’s physics academic conferences, and rapid, accurate and cheap testing, and students in our group, and Roger Needham Award for 2019, writing hundreds of Wikipedia pages data sharing, and geographical indebted to our collaborators within to recognise his pioneering work in to improve recognition of women tagging.” the Regenerative Medicine Platform dynamic symbolic execution (DSE), a scientists. Professor Stevens will offcially Hub and the i-sense consortium. program analysis technique used by Planetary scientist Professor receive her award at a celebratory “Together, we hope to make a companies such as Fujitsu, IBM, and David Southwood has been awarded banquet in Chicago on 13 November. difference in the engineering of Microsoft to fnd errors and security a CBE for services to Space She said: “I am delighted that my nanomaterials to detect diseases vulnerabilities in complex software Science and Industry in Britain team’s work has been recognised by earlier and regenerate organs.” systems. and Europe. He founded the Space this award and am very proud of the http://bit.ly/IE31-Awards He said: “I’m delighted to have and Atmospheric Physics group at my work recognised in this way. I Imperial and later became head of am grateful to my research team, the Department of Physics. New Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering mentors and collaborators for Molecular pathologist Professor Four eminent Imperial academics elected this year in recognition of making this research possible. I also Gerry Thomas has been awarded have been elected as Fellows of the their outstanding and continuing fnd it heartening that software an OBE for services to Science Royal Academy of Engineering. contributions to the profession. reliability techniques are receiving so and Public Health. She has advised The new Fellows include The announcement brings the much attention, as these techniques on the risks of radiation from Imperial’s President, Professor Alice total number of Imperial Fellows at can help create safer and more both Chernobyl and Fukushima. At Gast; Founding Head of the Dyson the Academy to 91. secure software systems.” Imperial, she established the West School of Design Engineering, Professor Dame Ann Dowling, Dr Cadar will give this year’s London Genome Medicine Centre Professor Peter Childs; Professor President of the Royal Academy of Needham Lecture at The Royal as part of the UK’s 100,000 genomes Martin Blunt, Chair in Petroleum Engineering, said: “Our Fellows are Society this autumn. project and is Director of the Engineering in the Department of at the heart of all Academy activities http://bit.ly/IE31-Awards Imperial College Healthcare Tissue Earth Science and Engineering; and and I am delighted to welcome Bank and the Chernobyl Tissue Bank. human-robotic interaction expert these highly successful, creative and UKRI Fellowships Alumnus Anthony Meggs (MSc Professor Maja Pantic, Professor inspiring engineering leaders to the The Future Leader Fellowships, Chemical Engineering & Chemical of Affective and Behavioural Fellowship. funded by UKRI (the national body Technology 1979) has been made a Computing, Department of “There has never been a more which brings together the seven CB for public service. Alumna Valerie Computing. important time for the Academy to Research Councils, Innovate UK and Cain (MBA 1998) has been awarded Becoming a Fellow of the Royal advance and promote excellence in Research England) were established a CBE, also for public service. Academy of Engineering is one engineering so that the engineering to provide early career academics Four alumni were awarded of the highest honours that an profession can continue to with the fexibility and time they OBEs: Dr Christopher Dorman engineer can receive in the UK. The contribute to societal wellbeing and need to make progress on pressing (PhD Physics 1997), for services Imperial Fellows join 54 engineers economic growth.” global challenges. Imperial was one to laser and photonic technology from around the world who were http://bit.ly/IE31-Fellows of the most successful universities and exports; Professor Lee Major in this round, with eight fellowships (MSc Science Communication British Geophysical Association Bullerwell Prize awarded out of nine interviewees. 1994), for services to social Dr. Rebecca Bell, a lecturer in the One fellowship was awarded mobility; Dr June Chatfeld (Botany Department of Earth Sciences and to Dr Yuval Elani, Department of and Plant Technology 1965), for Engineering, has been awarded the Chemical Engineering. His aim is to services to conservation and British Geophysical Association devise an engineering rulebook to natural history education; and (BGA) Bullerwell Lecturer Prize for enable the manufacture of synthetic Geoffrey Forder (MBA 1996), for 2020. As the prize winner, she will cells from scratch, out of the building services to naval logistic support. give the keynote Bullerwell Lecture blocks of biology like DNA, lipids Two alumni were honoured with at EGU 2020. The prize is given to and enzymes, but engineered from MBEs: Jessica Baker (MSc Mechanical “An outstanding early career British the bottom up. Engineering 2011), for services Geophysicist” and is one of the The fellowship is entirely unique to global supply chains; and Dr principal events in the BGA calendar, in the UK funding landscape – Navnit Chana (Charing Cross and which has been presented every seven years of generous funding, Westminster Medical School 1986), year since 1981. Rebecca studies supporting highly multidisciplinary for services to clinical education and tectonic evolution in a variety of research, and allowing fexible primary and community care. settings using advanced controlled partnerships with industry. http://bit.ly/IE31-Honours source methods and drilling data. http://bit.ly/IE31-UKRI Photo: Thomas Angus, Imperial College London Angus, Thomas Photo:

8 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 NEWS DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE ENGINEERING FACULTY Imperial working to encourage green 2019 Blast Injury Conference brings tech innovators with Vodafone together Engineering, Science and Medicine Imperial is supporting Vodafone’s Jacqueline Field, Global Head of Future Changers, a worldwide Resourcing at Vodafone said: “Young competition for young adults to people can make an enormous fnd tech solutions to environmental difference to the future, and our challenges. Future Changers competition is a Running until October, entrants real opportunity for Vodafone to were invited to submit ideas through fnd and nurture the best ideas from the Vodafone Future Changers online digital pioneers that can help the hub. The competition was open environment through technology.” to entrants from 14 participating Ben Mumby-Croft said: “At markets, including Imperial students Imperial we’re passionate about and researchers from any discipline nurturing entrepreneurial talent and Professor Molly Stevens giving her Plenary on using cell-material or level of study. supporting the next generation of interactions to help heal injuries A panel of expert judges, gamechangers and pioneers to think including Imperial’s Director of big, be bold and make a difference. As Imperial’s Centre for Blast Injury Entrepreneurship, Ben Mumby- part of this mission, we’re delighted Studies hosted engaging research, Croft, will select a winner, who will to be supporting Future Changers lively debate, and a Royal visit at the be offered support to develop their and look forward to working with Blast Injury Conference 2019. technology idea. the winning idea.” The event at Imperial welcomed The programme will make use Dr Simon Hepworth, Imperial’s 220 delegates from ten countries, as of the College’s vibrant ecosystem Director of Enterprise, said: “At well as His Royal Highness Prince of programmes and services that Imperial, we have a strong track Harry the Duke of Sussex, who support technology development record of bringing together industry visited as a friend of the Centre after Prince Harry was greeted by and entrepreneurship, offering the partners with a new generation offcially opening it in 2013. Centre Director Professor winner the opportunity to join of researchers, entrepreneurs Blast injuries are often associated Anthony Bull, Imperial Imperial’s Techcelerate business and innovators. Our work with with military personnel in war zones, President Professor Alice accelerator, which helps participants Vodafone for the Future Changers but in today’s style of indiscriminate Gast, Provost Professor Ian to test the market potential of their competition is a great example warfare they increasingly affect Walmsley, and Admiral of the technology ideas. Vodafone will of how we facilitate connections civilians and children by way of Fleet, The Lord Boyce. further support the winner with and collaborations to create real land mines, terrorist attacks, and each November, but these were mentoring and a £5,000 green tech benefts for society.” abandoned unexploded devices. upgraded to full conferences in fund to assist in the development of http://bit.ly/IE31-Vodafone Thanks to advances in both November 2018. their idea. military and civilian medicine, more The 2019 conference was the people are surviving blasts, but often frst international one of its kind, and with life-altering injuries. the frst to be held over two days Science key to global Britain, says Imperial That’s where the Centre – and instead of one. It touched on blast- its annual gathering of world-leading related brain and musculoskeletal Vice-President at Labour party conference blast injury experts – comes in. injuries, as well as the changing face Funded by The Royal British of war and life beyond blast injuries. the media. She set out that a global Legion, the Centre addresses the The four Plenary speakers were: Britain needs investment in science disabling injuries of confict with a Professor Molly Stevens from and an open environment that clinically-led approach. The Centre Imperial’s Departments of attracts global talent, saying that EU enables civilian engineers and Materials and Bioengineeing and international researchers and scientists to work alongside military Dr David Brody from the students are the “bedrock of any medical personnel, all of whom Uniformed Services University of university.” are dedicated to investigating the the Health Sciences She added that the political research issues surrounding blast Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah from the

Photo: Imperial College London Photo: distinction between alignment with injury, to deliver change through new American University of Beirut either Europe or the US did not technology, equipment and policies. Medical Centre Professor Maggie Dallman joined work for science which needs to Professor Anthony Bull, Director Alistair Spearing, former British a panel to discuss ‘global Britain’ be universally open to collaboration of the Centre and Head of the Army lieutenant at the Labour Party conference in and that if EU partnerships were Department of Bioengineering, The next International Blast Injury Brighton. The event was initiated by diminished, this would affect the said: “The Centre focuses on Conference will be held on 8th and Imperial in partnership with think quality and standard of UK research. improving treatments and recovery 9th July 2021 at the Royal Institution, tank the Institute for Government Barry Gardiner MP highlighted through medicine, prosthetics and with a smaller, national meeting in and the Wellcome Trust. It set out that the net zero target and climate rehabilitation, and develops better 2020. to explore what Labour party policy change are a huge area where, ways of protecting those serving in http://bit.ly/IE31-BIC2019 on the UK’s role in the world once like in science, the UK punches current and future conficts. outside the EU should be, how the above its weight: “We are seen as “The research discussed at this UK would have an opportunity to a leader, always pressing for greater year’s Blast Injury Conference is a redefne this role and how science ambition.” shining example of how bringing needs to be central to this. Professor Dallman added that together scientists, engineers, Professor Dallman, Imperial’s here too UK scientists need to be medical professionals and military Vice-President (International) able to work with anyone across the personnel, for preventing and and Associate Provost (Academic globe to solve global challenges like treating blast injuries, can really Partnerships), was joined on the climate change. change lives.” panel by Barry Gardiner MP, MP for Imperial co-hosted a similar The Centre, which is housed Brent North and Shadow Secretary event at the Conservative party within Imperial’s Department of Photos: Imperial College London Photos: of State for International Trade, and conference in Manchester. Bioengineering, previously held Dr Spyros Masouros chaired commentators from think tanks and http://bit.ly/IE31-global networking and research events the Conference

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 9 NEWS DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE ENGINEERING FACULTY Carbon taxes alone cannot reduce emissions Shifting the focus of climate-change strategies enough to reach the Paris Agreement targets required in order to beneft younger generations The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, has been touted as a way of allowing Strategies to limit climate change intergenerational value judgments requires nations to collectively limit market forces to produce a low- that focus on warming in the next explicit when designing climate global warming to 2°C by 2100, carbon economy, in which using low- couple of decades would leave less change strategies. and to pursue efforts to limit the carbon forms of energy is seen as an of a burden for future generations. Lead researcher Dr Joeri Rogelj, temperature increase even further advantage. Research led by Imperial College from the Grantham Institute at to 1.5°C. Using the UK as an example, London and the International Imperial and the IIASA, said: “When This goal requires human-caused Daggash and Dr Niall Mac Dowell, Institute for Applied Systems climate-change strategies were frst carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to her colleague from the CEP, Analysis (IIASA), Austria, suggests proposed, more than 20 years ago, reach zero by 2070 and become modelled the future UK energy a new underpinning logic for the planet had only warmed about negative afterwards, using strategies system based on several scenarios strategies that seek to limit climate 0.5°C, so there was time for a that remove CO2 from the air, such concerning levels of carbon taxation change. long, smooth transition to energy as carbon capture technologies or and incentives for carbon removal. Most strategies seek to limit systems and economies that kept planting trees. Their analysis shows that much climate change by the year 2100. The warming below 2°C by 2100. However, a new study by Imperial higher carbon taxes than current strategies may include tactics such “Now, however, we are at around researchers shows that carbon levels are enough to create a push for as deployment of new renewable 1°C warming and science of the last taxes, which are the currently low-carbon technologies that satisfy technologies, removing carbon from decade has shown that 2°C cannot favoured system for reaching this emissions goals in the short term. the atmosphere (through planting be considered a safe limit. The need target, will not be enough to avoid However, higher carbon taxes trees or new technologies), or to stabilise warming more quickly catastrophic climate change. are not enough to incentivise the mandating energy effciency targets. is paramount, and therefore we Study lead author Habiba Daggash, development and deployment of However, by focusing on suggest a focus on reaching net zero from the Centre for Environmental carbon removal strategies, which are the year 2100, these strategies carbon emissions as a key milestone Policy (CEP) at Imperial, said: necessary to reach long-term goals. are inconsistent with the Paris of any climate strategy. “The current system of penalising If, instead, governments Agreement climate goal – to keep “Turning the focus from the far greenhouse gas emissions through incentivised carbon removal warming below 2°C, and ideally future to the next decades, where carbon taxes is not suffcient to strategies much earlier, then carbon below 1.5°C, at any time in the push will come to shove in terms avoid catastrophic climate change, taxes could remain lower while still future. of adequate climate action, will help even if very high taxes are enforced. encouraging removal strategies to Strategies that focus on the us reach the Paris Agreement goals Therefore, using this strategy alone, be developed and deployed on a year 2100 could allow potentially without placing undue burden on the Paris Agreement that most large scale. dangerous warming to happen in the future generations.” countries have committed to could Habiba said: “Early incentives short term – in the next couple of The research team suggests net not be delivered. could both reduce the cost of decades – and then rely on removing zero carbon emissions should be “The system needs to be adapted delivering the Paris Agreement carbon dioxide from the atmosphere the focus of climate change efforts to recognise that not only do and satisfy our long-term need for in later decades to reach the overall in the short term, to limit warming emissions need to be penalised, but negative emissions.” targets by 2100. that occurs in the next couple of actions that result in permanent The team say that the UK case These strategies place a burden decades and until it is stabilised. removal of greenhouse gases from study could apply to other regions, of both higher climate risk and From net zero carbon, countries the atmosphere must also be and are now investigating the necessary investment on later could then decide their strategy credited.” situation in developing economies, generations, and also rely on carbon based on how much they need to Placing a price on carbon, usually using Nigeria as a case study. removal technologies being widely further reduce their global warming in the form of taxes on emissions, http://bit.ly/IE31-emissions available, which is in no way certain contributions through added carbon and thus a risky approach. removal. Imperial student uses plant waste to create Instead, the team suggests climate Dr Rogelj said: “Shifting the focus change strategies should consider to more short-term warming will sustainable alternative to petrochemical dyes when maximum warming will underpin the next assessments by Nicole Stjernswärd, a student on converts plant dyes into paintable occur, what that level of warming the Intergovernmental Panel on the Innovation Design Engineering pigments, allowing the user to should be, and whether warming is Climate Change (IPCC), and we Master’s course, offered jointly by create custom colours and have stabilised afterwards, or efforts are hope it will also help policymakers Imperial and the Royal College of total control over the source of the made to slowly reverse it. formulate realistic strategies. Art, is using plant waste to create colours. Plant dyes, added to the The researchers suggest it is “Policymakers want to know natural powder pigments that can machine’s reservoirs, are vaporised more sensible, and fairer, to limit how and when we can reach net be used for paints, inks or textiles as into dry powders. This process takes warming faster before 2050 and zero carbon, and our new logic an alternative to colours made from minutes and results in pigments that rely less on unproven technologies for strategies could make these petroleum. can be used for traditional artists’ and investment by future questions answerable.” Historically, colour came from paints, inks and textiles. generations – or at least make these http://bit.ly/IE31-strategy plants and minerals, but with the Depending on how it is cared for, onset of industrialisation, cheap, natural plant colour can fade in just petrochemical colours became the a few months, making it perfect for system is easier to use and has a norm, at huge environmental cost. items used for a short time. Items better shelf life. Nicole thinks that pigments are due needed for a longer time can be re- She said: “The project uses for change as we start to scrutinise dyed or re-coloured as needed. existing, old knowledge that everything for its sustainability. Nicole’s inspiration for the people might have forgotten about, Many plants and fruits eaten project began with oil paints, which incorporating new technologies.” every day, such as avocados, onions used to be made more naturally, Studying at both Imperial and and pomegranates, have valuable but are now mostly made from the RCA allowed Nicole to “access colours within their skins and peels. synthetically-derived materials and specialists in the feld and experts Normally these are left to rot in chemicals. She then met textile on both sides. I really liked working landflls, but Nicole’s KAIKU Living designers, who spoke about wanting with different disciplines, and I’m Photo: Nicole Stjernswärd, Royal College of Art College of Royal Nicole Stjernswärd, Photo: Colour project transforms this to use more natural dyes, but found exploring how I can continue to do To see KAIKU in action watch the waste into a high value resource. that these must be used quickly as this after graduation.” video on Nicole’s website at: Her colour-making machine they go mouldy. Nicole says her http://bit.ly/IE31-KAIKU

10 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 NEWS DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE ENGINEERING FACULTY European universities collaborate to encourage sector leadership on equality, diversity and inclusion

Imperial has collaborated with governments and funders in Europe the League of European Research and beyond.” Universities (LERU) to investigate Imperial’s inclusive community approaches to advancing equality, From an education, research, staff diversity and inclusion. and student experience, perspective, On 19 September, LERU Imperial is hard at work ensuring presented its policy paper on that equality, diversity and inclusion equality, diversity and inclusion, is implemented in full across the at an event in Brussels chaired by College. Imperial’s Vice-Provost (Education), The Equality, Diversity and Professor Simone Buitendijk, the Inclusion Strategy builds on existing lead author on the paper. Professor initiatives and projects across the Stephen Curry, Assistant-Provost College. The most visible parts EDI (Equality, Diversity and of this work are schemes that Inclusion), co-authored the paper benchmark the College against and also spoke at the event. other institutions, such as the LERU’s 23 members, including Athena SWAN awards, the Race Imperial, assert that a new approach Equality Charter, the Disability is required if signifcant progress is Confdent employer scheme and the to be made with EDI in universities. Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. The paper argues that by taking A number of actions in the comprehensive, joined-up approach strategy apply specifcally to Photo: Thomas Angus, Imperial College London Angus, Thomas Photo: encompassing all aspects of Imperial’s Vice-Provost (Education), Professor Simone Buitendijk students, and support the work university life, universities can better on learning, teaching and student promote EDI. According to the paper, highlights the importance of business, funders, publishers and experience that is already underway. although strategies targeting specifc making universities’ research others, we can make a signifcant Developing an inclusive curriculum under-represented groups can be and curriculum content more contribution to making the world a that will attract, engage and support useful, a more effective approach is diverse and inclusive. Embedding better place.” students of all backgrounds and to create an environment which is inclusivity across research-intensive Taking a lead identities is also an integral part of inclusive for all. institutions is found to encourage LERU is a prominent advocate for the College’s Learning and Teaching Taking the form of a series of practice that benefts all members the promotion of basic research at Strategy. Interactive teaching based best practice case studies from of the university community as well European research universities that on inclusive research allows students LERU members, the paper also as the population at large. believe that frontier research plays to bring their gender experiences, emphasises the importance of Widespread implicit bias within an essential role in the innovation their cultural background, their university leadership to prioritise the higher education sector has process and signifcantly contributes experiences based on disability and EDI. Leaders are encouraged to been identifed as an underlying to the progress of society. sexual orientation, and their unique familiarise themselves with research challenge to delivering much needed Alongside members such as identity into the classroom as part on bias and discrimination, and change. All authors and member Imperial, the League aims to further of their learning experience. take responsibility familiarising institutions agreed that the sector politicians’, policy makers’ and Professor Stephen Curry, themselves with the context of is past the point of debating the opinion leaders’ understanding of Assistant Provost (Equality, their own institution. Leaders who existence of bias, and that it is critical the important role and activities Diversity and Inclusion), said: “I take the time to engage with this that universities learn lessons from of research-intensive universities. was very pleased to be part of the evidence are found to be better the large body of research that now The 23 members bring together group that has produced this new equipped to identify solutions that exists. representatives to work on LERU LERU position paper on the role work. Crucially, leaders are called Professor Buitendijk outlined policy development and engage in and responsibilities of research- on to empathically listen to under- these fndings to an audience of mutual learning in many areas. intensive universities in promoting represented minority members higher education policy experts and As part of this mission the League equality, diversity and inclusion. of the university community to politicians: “It is time for universities continually commissions its members There is something a little ironic in understand their lived experiences. to act to ensure we are using the vast to ‘think big’ and explore issues such an exclusive group of universities The LERU report also talent in our institutions, improving as equality, diversity and inclusion speaking out about inclusivity, but staff and student satisfaction, and across institutions. However, what it is vital that we commit to this enhancing our societal and global the paper does not do is provide agenda. impact. a simplistic blueprint applicable “As we have laid out in Imperial’s “We know that issues around to all universities. Professor Kurt own strategy, published last year, equality, diversity and inclusion are Deketelaere, Secretary-General of integrating considerations of already well documented elsewhere. LERU, said: “Universities work in equality, diversity and inclusion into This paper serves as a manifesto different national and local contexts, everything that we do will help to setting out specifc and identifable and with different strategies for ensure that we thrive in a world challenges that can be tackled by education, research, innovation that has never been more diverse. university leadership right now.” and societal engagement. We are It will help us and other research- After Professor Buitendijk’s confdent in our hope that the intensive institutions to harness presentation a panel of speakers leadership of LERU members will the creative vigour that comes including Mina Stareva, Head continue to develop and refne their from diverse perspectives, and to of Gender at the European strategies for comprehensive, long- build a culture that considers the Commission, and Tomas Brage, term strategic change in their own interests and well-being of staff and Professor of Physics at Lund institutions. students. Success in this endeavour University, discussed EDI from a “As an organisation, LERU will will require action across many policy perspective, with examples encourage further collaboration fronts but we will progress faster by sharing best practice with our

Photo: Dave Guttridge, Imperial College London Guttridge, Dave Photo: of actions from LERU universities’ among its members on these Professor Stephen Curry, senior management. “By joining issues and will engage with partners in LERU.” Assistant-Provost EDI together with policy makers, other universities, policy makers, http://bit.ly/IE31-LERU

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 11 FEATURES Learning and Teaching

In November 2016, the College embarked upon a widespread consultation process to assess the views of staff and students about the future of learning and teaching within Imperial, which led to the development of a learning and teaching strategy, launched in October 2017. In Imperial ENGINEER Issue 30, spring 2019, our frst article set out the aims and objectives of the strategy, based around 4 key themes, namely a review of the curriculum, the need to make teaching more interactive, the importance of an inclusive and diverse community and fnally, the development of online and digital learning. This article describes the responses that the Faculty of Engineering (FoE) has undertaken so far and includes some thoughts about how the strategy is being implemented elsewhere in the College, in the Faculties of Natural Science and Medicine.

CURRICULUM REVIEW Whether or not the College wishes to organise of data to support teaching. Objectives of the strategy included innovation, its work in this way, it is now a requirement of multidisciplinarity, modularisation, deepening the Ofce for Students (OfS – a national body Passivity understanding, mastery, breadth and and regulator) that all universities do this, so Te modern idea is that lectures are a bit old- assessment; all the key buzz-words and all very there is no getting away from it. Much of the fashioned, stufy and didactic, and do not worthy. FoE had been moving in this direction for involve students sufciently in active and some time, so the basic change did not have engaged learning. Tere is some truth in this, General such a big impact. However, OfS will also in but it is far from the whole story. Although Within Engineering, there is a regular future require universities to gather a lot of educational research has shown that diferent requirement to review and develop the detailed information, such as the numbers of and more active learning strategies can be very curriculum as part of the accreditation process students studying each module, the numbers benefcial to students, it is also the case that for engineering degrees. For this reason, there of teachers and teaching assistants providing staf employing traditional lecturing methods was no resistance in principle to the idea of and supporting each module, etc., which can can be amongst the best and most efective curriculum change; after all, curricula in be quite a big data collection exercise. teachers and some of the most popular and Engineering are based on the need to prepare One new aspect of the curriculum structure highly regarded by students. students for the professional world and for the College, which is common practice Te climate has changed recently, given the therefore always have to be maintained and in most universities, was the introduction of increasing role of the ‘student voice’ and the updated. However, some staf were concerned a standard set of exit awards for each degree National Student Survey (NSS), a national about timing, believing that the requirement programme. Tese awards allow a student opinion survey of all students graduating to start the new curriculum in October 2019, to gain a qualifcation for the work they from UK universities, which has become very meant that the process was unduly stressful have successfully completed if they leave infuential in how students perceive their and rushed. their intended degree part way through. All studies and how prospective students choose Reviews within individual Departments departments agreed that introducing these their courses. Te NSS is also a factor in for undergraduate degrees have now taken exit awards across the Faculty was a positive the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) place and have considered the need to ensure approach, and would provide a recognition another national scheme, which assesses mastery of the discipline, the breadth of route for students who would have otherwise teaching quality in universities. Within the the choices available to students and the left the College with nothing. FoE, many Departments already have good contexts in which engineers will operate Generally, a curriculum review is considered NSS results. However, while we should in the wider world. Tis has involved the a ‘good thing’, and can be benefcial in terms not be complacent about this, we should consideration of the role of project work, non- of lightening the load on students and staf and not jettison existing good practice in a rush engineering topics such as business, fnance, meeting the course outcomes more efciently. towards innovatory gimmicks. We should entrepreneurship, etc, and the need to apply Many courses within FoE were in good shape embrace change but only when the need can diferent assessment methods and pass criteria anyway, but the requirement for a curriculum be demonstrated and there is a clear beneft to reinforce learning and understanding, all of review has reinforced the need to keep up to to students. which has been set out in documents called date, tidy up course structures and make aims, programme specifcations. Tis has been a objectives, progression rules and pass criteria New Teaching Methods large and thought-provoking task for busy more transparent. Te job is now largely New methods have been introduced academic staf, but it is generally recognised done for undergraduate programmes, but the where appropriate, such as online tools for that doing this, and doing it well, is a vital part next thing is to maintain the momentum and assessment, demonstrations within lectures, of the learning and teaching process. move on to the review of taught postgraduate the use of portfolios in engineering design, degrees over the next few years. Perhaps the flming of lectures, etc. Many staf within Modularisation and the requirement to undergo regular accreditation the FoE have been open to these ideas all Structure of Courses will underpin this. along, and by providing access to funding, the Essentially, this means structuring components strategy has enabled Departments to employ of degree programmes into blocks of fxed Strategic Teaching Fellows to undertake amounts of student efort, to make them INTERACTIVITY the not inconsiderable task of design and comparable, interchangeable and measureable Here, the strategy sets a direction for teaching development of these new methods. Teir by a common standard. Te system is known to go beyond students sitting passively in approach has been to advise and help, not to as ECTS (European Credit Transfer System), lectures, soaking up and trying to retain enforce, and this has generally worked very with one standard module generally equivalent information. Instead, there would be new well. to 5 or 7.5 ECTS or a multiple thereof. teaching methods, new spaces and better use Tere are some genuine concerns about

12 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 FEATURES Strategy - Responses some new methodologies. For example, using Panopto, a procedure for flming all lectures so that students can play them back in their own time raises concerns that students will not bother to turn up for lectures. Happily, thus far this has not proved to be a big problem. Another approach, known as fipping the class, involves asking the students to do a signifcant amount of preparation and pre- reading before a lecture, which then becomes part-lecture, part tutorial and problem-solving class. Tis approach has a place, but is perhaps not suitable for all subjects e.g. mathematics, where students probably cannot absorb much of the theory by reading it on their own. New spaces Given that student numbers at Imperial have increased massively over the past 30 years, there is always the need to develop, improve and extend space, making it fexible for teaching and suitable for student learning and social interaction. Tere has been some progress in Engineering, particularly during the period 2008-2015, when there was considerable investment in the south east part of the campus, but progress is uneven and the needs vary widely across the College.

INCLUSIVITY Te idea here is that the College, a global institution, should recognise and cherish diferent cultures, genders and learning styles. Tis means the research-teaching balance as well as the diferent backgrounds of our diverse student population. Inclusivity would be promoted by better staf training and provision of more and better student services. Cherishing diferent cultures Who can object, but what does this actually mean? Taking a broad perspective on cultural diference usually means ethnicity and gender. Imperial is already a multicultural place with a massive ethnic mix within the staf and student London Imperial College, Angus, Thomas Photo: communities. While stressing the need to avoid complacency, members of the Faculty, for this via the Athena/Swan Programme, to these diferences and take them into account both staf and students, cope with this pretty a national scheme established in 2005 to when designing a course. Dealing with such well; indeed, they welcome it. Although we promote good practice in gender equality in diversity is clearly a sensible thing to do. Staf must keep the situation under constant review, UK higher education, and women now hold are increasingly aware of this and are taking there are no particular or insurmountable major academic and management positions such issues into account in their teaching. problems to be overcome as a result of our across the College. However, although there ethnic mix. However, there are some issues has been some progress in this regard, there is Resilience which need ongoing attention, such as the still work to be done. Increasingly, students nowadays are much wish of students in certain ethnic groups to Tere are also other important matters which more likely to report their concerns about want to stick together in project teams; this is require attention. If we go beyond gender and anxiety, pressure and stress and we hear of relatively easy to manage and it is commonly ethnicity and look at diferent student types, many more incidents of self-harming and found that diverse project teams are usually we fnd those who are introverted, outgoing, attempted suicide. Mental health, particularly more dynamic and innovative anyway. meticulous, broad-brush, theoretical, practical, amongst young people, in now high on the Engineering is traditionally seen as a male conceptual, detailed and so on. Tese people agenda. Being a student these days seems to environment, but all Departments have been may well require diferent approaches from be much more difcult than in the past and making signifcant eforts to break down the teacher to stimulate their learning and the College is rightly obliged to respond. this stereotype. Many now have recognition understanding. Te teacher should be attuned Te FoE is taking this matter very seriously

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 13 FEATURES and will be appointing up to 6 Wellbeing Tutors, with the specifc role of handling these growing problems, for the start of term in October 2019. It is encouraging to note that, in the process of flling these posts, there were more than 400 very well qualifed applicants, which augurs well for the way the Faculty will be able to deal with this in the future. In addition to these new posts, a number of existing academic staf across FoE departments have taken on additional responsibilities dealing with matters such as harassment, bullying, and the general wellbeing of students, in recognition that these are important matters which need to be addressed. Parity of Teaching and Research Tis has always been an issue at Imperial, with many people believing that the sure route to promotion is to develop a strong research profle rather than focus on teaching. In the past, there has certainly been some truth in this, but now progress is being made in achieving parity. At senior management level, there have been continuing eforts to introduce changes in the promotion procedures to allow progression for excellent teachers who are perhaps not at the forefront of research and even, it is said, to hold back excellent researchers who may have paid insufcient attention to their teaching duties. Tere are now new promotion routes for Teaching Fellows and the possibility of being promoted to the position of Professor of Higher Education, which recognises the individual’s teaching quality and research in education theory and practice. Some traditionalists might still be sceptical, feeling that research should be the main criterion for a professorial post at Imperial, but the culture of the place is slowly changing. Staf training Tis is becoming more prominent and is about awareness and changing the culture. For example, there are now well-supported programmes for staf in active bystander and unconscious bias training, which equip staf to recognise and deal with incidents where bad behaviour turns into abuse and bullying, or to ensure that students, colleagues and job applicants all receive fair and just consideration. Students as partners Te notion of the lecturer handing down knowledge and wisdom to the grateful student is now increasingly a thing of the past. Although some traditionalists may still be somewhat sceptical, student involvement is now taken much more seriously. For many years, Departments have held feedback sessions in which students give their views about the course, the teaching quality and the learning environment. Tese are now more formalised and more prominent and students are now much more likely to be consulted about planned changes as well as current practice. Increasingly, some senior students, usually Photo: Thomas Angus, Imperial College, London Imperial College, Angus, Thomas Photo:

14 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 FEATURES in their fnal year, are now involved in tutorial Sciences, secured signifcant funding to for its own sake and less focussed on classes, giving practical help to their younger provide additional digital learning expertise transferable skills. Teaching methods which compatriots with their studies and also acting embedded in the Faculty teams, charged with suit one type might be anathema to the as a ‘buddy’ or role model; this can work well assisting academic staf and teaching fellows other. Interactive teaching, studio work, when used as a supplement but can, if used with transformation of their teaching. team projects and so on may all have a role unwisely, be seen as a ‘cheap option’, taking Developing and managing these digital to play, but they should be introduced only the place of high quality tutorial support. At developments is a complex exercise, involving where appropriate, taking into account the a time when students are paying high tuition non-academic parts of the College such as motivation and needs of individual students fees, this is an approach which should be used ICT and Facilities Management, and tricky as well as the overall need for progress and with care. discussions about budgets and responsibilities, development in pedagogy. Tere were also but the actual and potential benefts can be some reservations about the idea of students considerable. as partners. As indicated above, anything that DIGITAL could be seen as a replacement of experienced Te strategy made clear that a key part teaching staf with a ‘cheap option’ could be would be the enhancement of digital work, VIEWS FROM OTHER very problematic. the development of a Digital Learning FACULTIES Hub, transformation of pedagogy and the Within the Faculties of Medicine and Natural development of students as global citizens. Sciences, some take the view that the need for CONCLUSION Te Digital Learning Hub (DLH) is now change is perhaps stronger than in Engineering; As indicated previously, the general view in place, having been established in 2017, and for example, the National Student Survey within the FoE is that the learning and provides support for Departments in setting suggests that there is less student satisfaction in teaching strategy sets a pathway to a number up new programmes, by giving advice on some Departments in these Faculties than in of important changes in the College, building platforms, technologies and data analysis. It Engineering, which generally does quite well on those that have already been identifed and has new space, facilities and staf on the South in the survey. However, there was certainly acted upon. Tere is also a strong view that Kensington and Charing Cross campuses. some resistance to the top-down nature of change should be introduced where and when Tis is something much welcomed by FoE, the project and it took some time to get staf appropriate not just for the sake of change, which has been active in campaigning for interested, willing and engaged. as well as reservations about the signifcant something like this since 2009 and which Certain specifc reservations were identifed additional administrative and management had already taken steps in this direction by in other Faculties, particularly the notion burden that these activities place on academic devoting resources to staf and equipment for that a one-size-fts-all approach would staf. However, Engineers are pragmatic this purpose. However, the aim in the FoE has not necessarily work. Students and their people and, in general, staf have set out to always been that digital developments should motivations are diferent. Medical students are meet the requirements of the strategy, usually complement, but not replace, existing teaching perhaps more likely to work in groups, to be willingly enough, though sometimes not styles, many of which are good, efective and empathetic and holistic; students of the hard without justifed reservations. highly regarded by students. Alongside the sciences are perhaps more likely to be single- DLH, the Faculty, in a joint bid with Natural mindedly concerned with deep understanding Photo: Thomas Angus, Imperial College, London Imperial College, Angus, Thomas Photo:

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 15 FEATURES Smaller glaciers, bigger cars, Back from a cruise to Alaska where they saw at frst hand the dwindling glaciers, our regular, peripatetic, correspondent from Canada, Nigel Fitzpatrick (Metallurgy 1962-65, 65-68), refects once again on damage to the environment, in particular from the upward trend in domestic vehicle size in North America. On a more positive note, Nigel and Joan have provided us with some beautiful photographs!

Te Port of Vancouver is the base of an Alaskan cruise feet [1]. Joan and I lived 20 minutes from the cruise terminal for a quarter century before trying Holland America’s vintage MS Volendam. In a week we saw Skagway, Juneau, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan. We saw glaciers in splendid weather, meeting ardent naturalists and park rangers almost in tears over climate change. Tere were sightings of humpback and killer whales, seals, otters and eagles, sometimes distant. Dinners aplenty brought us into social contact with occasional climate change skeptics. Perhaps their skepticism weakened but it was at the expense of the ground level and GHG emissions from the 479 metric tonnes of fuel that brought us back home, less Photos by Joan and Nigel Fitzpatrick Joan Photos by (for example) the 20,000 eggs consumed on GHG by Mode (Mt of CO e) 1990 2005 Total Growth % in 2005 board. Tat fuel leaves a visible trail. 2 In IE 29 we noted that cruise ships and 1990–2005 ferries are more under the public eye than Small Cars 25.1 22.4 -10.9% 16.2% commercial vessels. Heavy fuel oil is still used Large Cars 27.1 23.0 -15.0% 16.7% of the west coast. [2] Passenger Light Trucks 14.9 29.0 94.6% 21.1% At long last, the International Marine Organization is in gear on low sulphur fuel, in Freight Light Trucks 6.7 11.5 71.2% 8.3% common use ashore. “Te year 2020 marks a Medium Trucks 9.4 11.0 17.1% 8.0% major turning point in international shipping: Heavy Trucks 14.9 37.0 147.5% 26.8% On January 1, a lower global limit for the sulphur content of ship fuels will enter into Motorcycles 0.2 0.3 54.9% 0.2% force. Instead of 3.5 per cent, the allowable School Buses 1.0 1.1 8.6% 0.8% maximum will be 0.5 per cent.” [3] And the Urban Transit 2.1 1.9 -9.9% 1.4% IMO is targeting halving GHG emissions by 2050. New ships will mean newer equipment, Inter-City Buses 0.7 0.6 -8.9% 0.5% new fuels, and shore power while docked; and 102.1 137.8 34.9% 100.0% there will be retrofts. Table 1: Greenhouse Gas Contribution by On-Road Vehicles in Canada Hopefully there is no maritime equivalent Extracted from Government of Canada data [4] to a surprise found on land and presented at a 2009 climate change technology conference in Hamilton, Ontario (see Table 1). SUVs, (termed then by government ‘passenger light trucks’) were taking over from passenger vehicles in Canada. US feets did likewise and the trend continues: “American consumers have moved en masse from small cars to crossovers, SUVs and trucks in the last half decade” [5]. Tough fuel economies were improving, savings were lost as families migrated to larger heavier vehicles. Vehicle size may impact building construction. Te condominium hotel we stay at in Whistler opened in 2001. Te underground car park spaces are a mixture of sizes. We can park our 2006 Subaru Forester with bikes on the back in any space. However most present day ‘suburban utility vehicle’ SUVs have trouble. A similar hotel adjacent opened in 2008 with larger parking spots. First stop. Our 2015 visit to Skagway on the White Pass and Yukon train (see IE 24) Jevon’s paradox, or economic rebound, is helped us grasp the struggles to survive.

16 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 FEATURES reduced-sulphur ship fuel invoked to explain the tendency of energy efciency to lead to greater rather than less use of fuel. We can be less academic and perhaps more direct with an anecdote. In 1990, Hal Sperlich explained the coming enthusiasm for SUVs over dinner at the London Chop House in Detroit [6]. Hal had moved from Ford to Chrysler and risen to President on the success of the front wheel drive Chrysler Caravan that he developed with Lee Iacocca, who rose higher. Tat evening, Hal was an ardent supporter of combining electric drive with an Alcan’s lightweight structure that now takes >700 lb of (for example) the weight of Ford’s F150 [7]. Hal spoke with passion about the lack of efort to At Juneau, Alaska’s capital, most passengers on board were driven 20 km to frmly lighten vehicles to make electric drive easier. retreating Mendenhall Glacier where U.S. Forest Service Visitor Center staff sadly Saying, “you do not need a 2000 pound car to explain the changes. move a lawyer and a briefcase”, Hal hit his wine glass. Te front wheel drive Chrysler Caravan aka Minivan introduced a wider group to the benefts of a higher sitting position. Drivers had felt more secure and the SUV or passenger light truck sitting position introduced families to the larger vehicles in Table 1. A ‘war footing’ is said to be required to tackle climate change [8]. ‘War footing’ proponents will be aware that it took time to get from prototype to the products that fought in 1939, as for example the frst prototype Hurricane few in November 1935 and the frst Spitfre four months later. It takes time “you do not need a 2000 pound car to move a lawyer and a briefcase” The stop after Juneau. Margerie Glacier at the end of Glacier Bay National Park. The Volendam was silent and poised for an hour or more, allowing us to hear almost Hal Sperlich explosions as ice calved off.

Joan’s picture of Margerie – not too hard to get through the crowd when you have an hour in calm weather and the nest view the crew has had all season! Reminds us, we saw the backs and spouts of Humpback Whales as we went down Glacier Bay (for some pictures see http://bit.ly/IE31-Humpback). The ship had a naturalist on deck (Ross) with us and US Parks folk came on board also. Ross told us that the whales we saw, with binoculars provided in all cabins (but too far for pictures, so we just listened), bred off the coast of Maui in Hawaii and came to Glacier Bay to feed. Joan and I went to Maui last January and saw humpback mother and calf, learned that they didn’t feed there and wondered! It seems the cycle needs the nutrients that the glacier brings down to the Ocean.

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 17 FEATURES

Last stop! Ketchikan. Salmon that frst brought the Tlingit still teem in Ketchikan Creek Although we got away from wif we within a walk. Currently 500 annual cruise stops bring a million passengers a year and couldn’t escape the BBC and the give 8000 residents a busy summer. continuing UK gloom.

Sunset view from our starboard cabin on the last evening shows our effect on quiet air to implement evolving technologies to mass President limited vehicle speed to 55 mph production. And we may barely succeed if to reduce fuel use. Such a rule could be a market tide overcomes efciency changes more efective if aided by communications (lean burn engines, hybrid and electric companies and the smart, semi-autonomous vehicles, continuously variable transmissions). vehicles with us now. Technology can help but, to be sure, rules of Watch out for the vehicles that start when use must be added to our quivers. We may you have paid the carbon fee for your weight need to ration fuel and limit speed and even and all you are carrying except one briefcase travel. per person. Could we change? During the oil crisis Te young ones need us, also, to never say which began in October 1973, a Republican never. Notes 1. http://bit.ly/IE31-Vancouver 2. http://bit.ly/IE31-NABU 3. SMM 2020 Publishes Maritime Industry Report http://bit.ly/IE31-SMM 4. Fitzpatrick. N., Electric Drive Choices For Light, Medium, And Heavy Duty Vehicles To Reduce Teir Climate Change Impact In Canada 2nd Climate Change Technology Conference May 12-15 2009, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada 5. Sam Abuelsamid, New Vehicles Keep Getting Heavier – Or Are Tey?, Forbes Jan 3, 2019, http://bit.ly/IE31-Forbes 6. http://bit.ly/IE31-Detroit We have no trouble parking in Whistler, But many newer cars can’t ft in the 7. Te technology stems from British Leyland via Alcan even with bikes on the back. parking spaces (even without bikes). 8. http://bit.ly/IE31-IPPR

18 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 FEATURES Project Penguins

Having graduated from the Civil Engineering Department in 2015, Dominik Sznajder joined Shell and moved to The Hague, Netherlands, to start his career at one of Shell’s Engineering Hubs. Since then, he has been involved in many projects around the world that have helped him grow and develop as an engineer. In a recent article for CGCU’s Guildsheet he wrote about one of the most exciting opportunities he’s had so far – the chance to work on the Penguins Redevelopment Project in the UK North Sea. This is based on Dominik’s article.

T e Penguins f eld is located around 160 km deploying a 10-tonne Cone Penetration Test from the Shetland Islands and is adjacent to the equipment, will be used during the design in a UK/Norway border. It is currently producing couple of months. oil and gas through one of the iconic Brent Following the of shore campaign, I have Platforms. However, the Brent f eld is being been working hand in hand with both decommissioned and, there is now a need for Geotechnical and Structural Design houses something to replace it. to deliver a design of twelve 2.4m diameter T e selected concept is a brand new and 30m long mooring piles that will keep Floating, Production, Storage, Of oading the FPSO in place. Later on, Shell will of er (FPSO) unit, that is currently being built me an opportunity to see the construction and in Qingdao, China. Its peak production is of shore installation of the vessel, which I am expected to reach 35,000 barrels of oil per day already excited about! In summary, since I’ve and the storage capacity will be 400,000 barrels joined Shell, I have been of ered opportunities of oil. T e project targets delivery of f rst oil to develop professionally as a Civil Engineer from the new host in the early 2020s. I have and work in multidisciplinary teams. been working on the project for over a year. I have also been exposed to both technical One of the main tasks for me last year was to and commercial parts of projects and managed prepare and attend an of shore campaign with to travel quite a bit, including remote places a purpose of collecting soil data in 165m water such as the middle of the sea. Shell provides depth at the location of the future FPSO. T e We had to adapt to the ship’s you with a lot of responsibility, yet there is preparations for the campaign involved a support out there, if you need it. If I were to close collaboration between other members deck constantly rocking and choose whether I would want to work for Shell of the project team, vessel contractor and the moving beneath us. Safety again, I would def nitely say yes! government to obtain relevant permits. As part of the job, I went of shore last year and was a number one concern. acted as a junior Client Representative with a responsibility for overseeing the Geotechnical activities. T e crew mobilised from Aberdeen at the beginning of October and travelled 290 nautical miles, passing various of shore installations, up to the Penguins Field. Even though the f rst few days onboard were slightly rough in terms of adjusting to the ground constantly moving, the whole crew quickly adopted the can-do attitude and we were ready to start the work. As a Client Rep, my role was to set an example as a safety leader. T is included working together with the contractor on risk assessments, and specif cally the work procedures, attending toolbox talks, and stopping the work if the activity was unsafe. When you are of shore, the most important thing is safety. You really do start understanding why the handrails are so important! My time of shore was a great learning opportunity to see all the safety guidelines and standards being used and lived by at the work site. Closely following the Geotechnical Investigation helped me understand the importance of the in-situ testing, as explained during my Geotechnical classes with Prof. O’Sullivan. It is a truly amazing experience to see that the data you are collecting, by Ducth Shell plc Image courtesy Royal The Penguins f eld FPSO

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 19 FEATURES Why are there not more

Last Christmas, Madeleine Hann travelled to Antarctica on a ship with 80 other women as part of the Homeward Bound leadership training program. Why? Because we need a radical new model of leadership

Q. What’s the easiest way to change leadership? A. Include more women.

Women are 70% of the world’s poor and are to each other, Homeward Bound is changing happens when, as a woman, being the most afected by climate change. Women the faces of our leaders. competent makes you less likeable to leaders are legacy-minded, collaborative Part of the work of Homeward Bound in men? and competent, but are chronically under- the past 3 years has been to compile a modest People judge women to be less competent represented in every part of global decision- 200 studies of the walls built in front of than men in ‘male’ jobs unless they are making. So why are there so few women in women in STEMM – walls that isolate and clearly successful. When a woman is charge? impede progress. clearly competent in a ‘masculine’ job, Intersectionality, infuence on interest, Here are 5, perhaps surprising, facts… she is considered to be less likeable. competition, the ‘leaky pipeline’, poverty, Because both likability and competence bias in peer review, bias in workplace, risky Te Cold Hard Facts are needed for success in the workplace, appointments, token advancement, world 1. Intersectionality builds higher barriers women in STEMM felds can fnd not designed for you, family, pay-gap, micro- Non-white or non-Asian women are even themselves in a double bind. aggressions, unconscious bias, invisible labour, more signifcantly marginalised. Te pay 4. Generations of conditioning gives lack of mentoring… gap also increases with age and even more women a tough internal critic …and the list goes on. dramatically for people with a disability. Girls assess their mathematical ability Tere are so many answers to the question When we consider equality, it needs to as lower than boys with equivalent ‘Why are there not more women leaders?’ be cross-cultural and across all societal past mathematical achievement. Girls some are specifc to science subjects but many sectors. hold themselves to a higher standard more are universal. 2. Men and women think John is more in subjects like maths, where boys are competent than Jennifer considered to excel. Because of this, Bound for Better Leadership Yale researchers used diferent genders on girls are less likely to believe that they Homeward Bound is an unprecedented two identical job applications. Regardless will succeed in a STEMM feld and are, initiative, facilitating women in STEMM of selectors’ gender, most evaluated John therefore, less likely to express interest in (science, technology, engineering, as signifcantly more competent, more a STEMM career. mathematics and medicine) to take on hireable and ofered Jennifer a 12% lower 5. Most women experience sexual global leadership and decision-making roles. salary and less mentorship. harassment – it’s a shared reality Trough teaching collaborative, constructive, 3. Likeability and competency are needed 55% of women in senior leadership, 48% courageous practices and connecting women for success in the workplace. What of lesbian women, and 45% of women

20 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 FEATURES women leaders in STEMM?

in technical felds report they’ve been sexually harassed. A common thread connects these groups: research has found that women who do not conform to traditional feminine expectations – in this case, by holding authority, not being heterosexual or working in felds dominated by men – are more often the targets of sexual harassment.

Look Below the Tip of the Iceberg Creating equality is not just a nice thing to do, or a box to tick. It is integral to creating a sustainable world in which everyone can prosper. Knowing the key facts is the frst step needed. Only by knowing the detail of the inequality can you begin to target specifc structural, conscious or unconscious bias.

Women in STEMM: It’s not in your head. You are not alone. But women cannot change the system alone. Expecting only women to solve these problems means taking away time that they need to do their job, care for others and care for themselves, which only exaggerates the inequality. We need everyone to step up, to improve leadership in science. Look around you. What kind of leadership do you want to see?

You can see the full Homeward Bound Gender in STEMM Fact Sheet at: doi.org/10.26183/5d22d5fbe2349 Find out more about Homeward Bound Projects for women in STEMM at: homewardboundprojects.com.au Photo: Kylie Lewis Kylie Photo: Photo: Kylie Lewis Kylie Photo:

Madeleine Hann is a geologist, geographer and advocate for women in STEMM. She is an alumna of Homeward Bound. During her 4 years studying at the Royal School of Mines (2013-17), Madeleine was heavily involved in sports and Student Union activities. She played 3 Bottle Matches, as keeper for the RSMU Hockey team, and acted as Vice President for Clubs and Societies. Madeleine is now a Doctoral Researcher in Physical Geography, at the University of Manchester, UK. Her current research examines the impact of past climate change on river systems in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 21 FEATURES Investigating Materials used

Kutsi Akcicek was a recipent of an award from RSMA to support a summer project that was relevant to his Materials Science degree. He went to the Ure Museum at the University of Reading, learning more about ancient civilisations by looking at how the use, extraction and trading of materials in the ancient world was infuenced by scientifc limitations, political tension and economic fuctuations. In this article, Kutsi describes the investigations he undertook on a previously little-studied collection of Spartan votive vases.

I am a keen materials historian, with a passion tensions and economic fuctuations. category. Not wishing to neglect my interests, for looking at how the use, extraction and It is rare to fnd a degree course which I thoroughly researched potential internships trading of materials in the ancient world was has modules in ancient materials and and discovered the Ure Museum of Greek infuenced by scientifc limitations, political unfortunately my own one falls into that Archaeology at the University of Reading. It was founded in 1922 by Percy Ure whose collection of Greek vases has grown to become the 4th largest collection in the UK. After speaking to the curator, Professor Amy Smith, I was ofered a 5 week internship straight after my exams. My internship began with general reading to fll the gap in my knowledge about the Classical world. Regular trips to the library and reading books on the history of Ancient Greece and the theory and signifcance of Greek vases set me on the course to be fully prepared for my internship. My supervisor had found a collection of seven Spartan votives which had never been studied in detail. Tese small vases were miniature replicas of the far more expensive and fnely decorated Greek vases which we might think of when considering the artefacts. Votives or miniatures were used by the ancient Spartans to give an ofering to the Gods of the time. A small amount of wine, perfume or oil would be placed in the votive and later placed in the sanctuary of the chosen God to honour them. Te small vases measure no more than 4 cms in diameter for the largest one and hence were perfect for chemical analysis. As with any artefact, the desire to carry out non- destructive analysis is strong and there were a number of characterisation methods available at our disposal which would ensure no damage was caused to the vases. By the second week of my internship, a lab session with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) had been booked to carry out both SEM and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. All 7 samples were analysed to determine the chemical compositions of both the glaze and the main clay of the vases. Te results presented us with a consistent ~50 weight% SiO2 content and ~20 weight% Al2O3 content in the Spartan vases however there was some variation in the MgO, Na2O P2O5 and CaO contents. Determining the reason for this required looking at statistical variation in soil composition both laterally and vertically, and considering the attitudes and practices of the potters, who have been

Photos: Kutsi Akcicek Kutsi Photos: known to reuse and mix unsatisfactory batches

22 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 FEATURES in the Ancient World

of these artefacts is simply not an option for the museum and hence a dif erent approach was required. A non-destructive technique such as IR or Raman spectroscopy could give us a qualitative result but our desire for quantitative results was still not met. By the f nal week, the portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) machine had been booked for further compositional analysis. One of the main aims of this project was to compare EDX to pXRF, which is a common characterisation method used by archaeologists due to the relative ease of travelling with a Collection of Spartan votive vases portable characterisation method to your of clay. Another problem was that the vases had a variety of colours, suggesting that either dif erent f ring techniques had been used, or that the varying composition was responsible. Via SEM, it was determined that all the vases were produced at 800 °C in a reducing atmosphere and hence the variation in minor oxides is considered responsible for the variation in colour. T e f nal problem we faced after analysis was that EDX could determine how much iron was in the samples but could not determine whether this was in the form of FeO, Fe2O3 or any other common oxide. T ere are of course methods such as X-ray Dif raction (XRD) which could easily do this, but all require a powder. Destructive analysis

chosen f eldwork destination. By comparing the two, one was able to see that both techniques do give the same trends and proportions of oxides, however the results from pXRF have a much larger variance which may be down to the larger probe size or due to the use of a portable XRF device which will be less accurate than the full size version. Very little work has been done on Spartan miniatures in scholarship which has given us the rare opportunity of writing a cross discipline Materials Science and Classics article which we hope to publish soon. Overall, my time in Reading allowed me to discover a world of Materials Science about which I had only read in books up until now and, following this internship, I hope to pursue ancient Materials Science through further education or another internship this coming summer.

Kutsi Akcicek is a third year Materials with Nuclear Engineering student. His course allows him to view science from a political, economic and environmental perspective while still retaining the strong theoretical aspect which will, one day, make him an engineer. When not in the library writing up lecture notes, he enjoys gaming, cartoons and has recently started getting into polaroid photography, which is a great way to model and document his perpetually expanding collection of colourful vintage shirts.

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 23 FEATURES Climatic impacts of the

Climate has always changed throughout Earth’s geological history. The present study is another investigation of a submarine volcanic eruption causing regional ocean warming as a cause of climate change over and above anthropogenic carbon dioxide, in true scientifc tradition. Source: MODIS image captured by NASA’s Aqua satellite NASA’s by MODIS image captured Source: Map showing the location of Mayotte. The submarine Tropical cyclone Idai volcano is located to the southeast of the island.

Patches of abnormally hot seawater beneath Australia. of magma had erupted onto the seafoor. the ocean surface, referred to as Blobs, are Marc Chaussidon, director of the Institute Based on the Volcanic Explosivity Index naturally generated by submarine volcanic of Geophysics, in Paris, was responsible for measurement scale for terrestrial eruption, the eruptions. A recent example is the North the discovery of the new as yet unnamed scale is 5, which is moderately strong. Te Pacifc Blob1 which caused weird weather submarine volcano of the southeast coast of sonar was able to detect plumes of gas-rich conditions accompanied by major ecological Mayotte7. Trough looking at seafoor maps water rising from the fanks and central part changes in the Pacifc northeast including two and a recently concluded mission, Chaussidon of the volcano. years without winters in 2013 and 20142. Tis identifed a new submarine volcano 800 meters An examination of NOAA satellite sea- was featured as a ‘heat wave’ in the September high and 5 kilometers across, rising above the surface anomalies map archives has revealed 2016 issue of National Geographic and was ocean foor in 6 months since November 2018 that this Blob was already well developed used to support the anthropogenic global between Africa and Madagascar. in early December 2018, the beginning of warming alarm. However, based on the study Multibeam sonar mapping of the sea foor the southern hemisphere summer. Tis hot of available information including satellite indicated as much as 5 cubic kilometers seawater was responsible for setting the new and ARGO data buoy records, the release of geothermal heat from the Nishinoshima volcanic eruption 940 km south of Tokyo3 from March 2013 to August 2015 was identifed by the present author instead to be the likely culprit4,5. Tis study examines the climatic impacts of another Blob, created by a new submarine volcanic eruption on the foor of southwest Indian Ocean, of Mayotte in the Comoros. Subsequent ocean circulation changes led to the development of an exceptionally strong positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)6. Regional climatic impacts in the southwest Indian Ocean included torrential rainfall and the establishment of a new record of 10 intense tropical cyclones during the 2018-2019 season. In the east of the Indian Ocean, the corresponding cooling of sea- de Paris/Ifremer/brgm) (CNRS/IPGP-Université Team MAYOBS Source: surface waters gave rise to severe drought Multibeam sonar waves, refecting off the sea foor southeast Mayotte, showing an conditions in the land areas of Indonesia and 800-m-tall volcane (red profle), with a 5 km diameter and a rising gas-rich plume

24 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 FEATURES SW Indian Ocean Blob

record of 10 intense tropical cyclones during bodies not having been recovered. Storm water restrictions throughout the greater the 2018-2019 season. Of the 10 cyclones, surge f ooding was the worst on record with Sydney area. As of May 29, 2019, Greater the most severe was intense tropical cyclone the destruction of numerous homes. Sydney water supply levels are 53.4%, which Idai. T e total cost of damage caused by Idai In late May, 2019, as a result of an is signif cantly lower than in May 2018, was estimated to exceed US$2 billion and the extremely dry summer, Sydney Water, during which supply levels were 73% in major minimum death toll given as 1007, many Australia announced the enforcement of catchments. T ese water restrictions began on June 1, 2019. In conclusion, severe weather events including tropical cyclones, droughts and f oods may be caused by blobs formed by the natural release of geothermal heat through submarine volcanic eruptions acting, in combination with the sun, to warm the surface waters of regional oceans. T e warming in the west Indian Ocean was responsible for the development of an exceptionally strong positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole. T e warm sea-surface water was responsible for oceanic and atmospheric circulation changes regionally which cannot be accounted for by carbon dioxide variations. T e release of geothermal heat into oceans is currently underestimated by the scientif c community and may represent a signif cant proportion of the missing heat in oceans Summary table of the 10 intense tropical cyclones during the record breaking 2018-19 proposed to explain the post-1998 pause in season in southwest Indian Ocean8 global temperature rise.

References

1. http://bit.ly/IE31-Blob 2. Welch, C. 2016. Heat wave. National Geographic, September 2016, 54-75. 3. http://bit.ly/IE31-Nishinoshima 4. Yim, W. 2016. Explanation for the northern Pacif c Blob. Imperial ENGINEER, Autumn 2016, 15. 5. Yim, W. 2017. Geothermal heat: an episodic heat source in oceans. Imperial ENGINEER Spring 2017, 14-15. 6. http://bit.ly/IE31-IOD 7. http://bit.ly/IE31-MAYOBS 8. http://bit.ly/IE31-Cyclones Source: NOAA/NESDIS/OSPO Source:

Sea surface temperature anomalies showing the development of a hot Blob southeast of Madagascar, on 3 December, 2018

Professor Wyss Yim DSc PhD DIC FGS was at Imperial College, in the Department of Geology, from 1971-1974. After that, he spent thirty-f ve years, until retirement, at the University of Hong Kong where he taught civil engineering, geosciences and environmental management students, and helped found the Department of Earth Sciences. He was awarded the DSc by the University of London in 1997. Wyss served as the deputy Chairman of the Climate Change Science Implementation Team of UNESCO’s International Year of Planet Earth 2007-2009.

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 25 FEATURES RED Project The RED (Rural Education Development) Summer Expedition is an annual summer construction project organised by members of Imperial’s RED Project Borneo. The OC Trust is one of the sponsors of the project. 2018’s summer expedition was held in Sabah, Malaysia for 5 weeks, where volunteers built an education centre for the villagers of Kampung Kuala Punteh, Keningau. The volunteers had a great experience learning construction methods and contributing to a marginalised community in Borneo, and the villagers were grateful for the volunteers’ contribution towards the village. This article is derived from the report by the student volunteers.

Background knowledge acquired at Imperial as well as Ensure Sustainability RED Project Borneo is a student-led project hone their transferable skills and problem- Strategies are devised to ensure all started in 2015, with the aim of establishing solving techniques. Living in the villages projects embody the three pillars sustainable rural education development during the course of the projects also allows of sustainability: Social, Economic, within marginalised communities of Borneo. volunteers to explore the local culture when Environmental. Founded in the Department of Civil and interacting with the local communities. Social Environmental Engineering at Imperial, Tis enriches their volunteering experience RED’s partnership with LEB ensures that RED’s primary focus is to develop educational and promotes global citizenship within the the members’ eforts are able to impact infrastructure for the rural communities. With university. the lives of the local communities in a strong aspiration to integrate engineering meaningful ways. LEB identify suitable and education into projects, RED collaborate project benefciaries, provide us with closely with a local project partner, Life technical support and assist in logistics Empowerment Berhad (LEB), to realise Milestones and procurement. Additionally, LEB educational development in Borneo. assure the longevity of the project by RED’s programme provides a platform 2015 Feasibility Study providing support to the educators to for Imperial students to develop transferable Kampung Indrasan, Kudat receive proper training to teach at the skills and gain practical experience. During RED’s founders, Edrea, Chloe and villages post project completion. the academic term, students participate in Jack, conducted a 3-week feasibility Working together with the villagers college-wide fundraising and devise strategies study at Kampung Indrasan, Sabah. promotes educational equity that is for project development. Over the summer, Te study was done by assessing integral to sustainable development. students volunteer in Borneo to build an the region’s climate, geological Te local villagers employed in each education centre for the underprivileged. conditions and availability of of RED’s projects are heavily involved locally- and sustainably- sourced in the project both before and during Our mission construction materials. construction, giving them ownership From initiation to completion of the project, of the project, and ensuring that all activities were established to align with the buildings are well used and well RED’s mission to: 2016 Pilot Project maintained after handover. Focus on Educational Infrastructure Kampung Gaur, Ranau Economic RED members design and construct RED launched its pilot project with A large efort is made to guarantee schools, community centres and other fourteen Imperial students who an efcient, afordable and replicable educational facilities to develop skills completed a 6 m x 9 m education design. Construction material and within marginalised communities in centre equipped with a rainwater equipment are sourced locally to ensure Borneo. harvesting tank within 6 weeks. the project contributes to the local Promote Exchange of Knowledge economy. Tis also shortens the supply Projects are carried out with the assistance chain, reduces delivery times and saves of local builders in the village to bring 2017 Project logistical costs. about an exchange of knowledge. Trough Kampung Palipikan, Kota Environmental this, the locals will learn safer and more Marudu Green technologies such as solar energy efcient construction techniques. Teir Following the success of the pilot systems and rainwater harvesting experience in construction, knowledge project, the 2017 team replicated systems are incorporated into the design of buildability and practical construction the design of the frst building and to educate the locals on harnessing techniques will also allow us to improve incorporated a simple of-grid solar resources that are afordable and our design for future projects and allow panel system for electricity supply. abundant in Borneo. volunteers to gain technical skills. Apart Improve Safety from participating in construction, student Structures in rural villages of Borneo are volunteers assume teaching roles in bi- 2018 Project typically traditional timber structures weekly tutoring sessions for the villagers Kampung Kuala Punteh, built following no fxed guidelines. during our summer expedition. Keningau RED aims to introduce safe building Enhance the Student Experience Drawing from two valuable practices, implementing building Students are provided with the opportunity experiences, the 2018 team had designs compliant with the Eurocode to apply their engineering skills and gain the chance to explore and improve standards. Tis ensures that the structure hands-on experience during the design, on the building design and functions throughout its design life planning and construction process. Tis construction efciency. within a serviceable state. Structures allows them to consolidate their engineering are designed to suit the tropical

26 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 FEATURES Borneo, 2018

climate. Building processes are simplif ed to minimise inherent construction hazards, thus creating a safer environment for volunteers and local builders to learn and apply their engineering skills. 2018 Project Preparation During term-time, the RED team focused on organising college-wide events and meetings to raise funds and gain publicity. T is year, RED members dedicated their time and ef ort to prepare Christmas crafts for sale during the Christmas fundraising event. On top of overseeing publicity and fundraising, the expedition organising committee invested time to plan for the 2018 summer expedition. T e organising committee liaised with LEB to identify a suitable benef ciary for this summer’s project. LEB also assisted in making logistical arrangements for the expedition. Time was also devoted to f nancial planning and to T is year, method statements were prepared sub-region of Sook, approximately 30 minutes making improvements on several aspects of beforehand and improved upon during the drive through palm oil estates from the town the summer expedition programme, based on expedition. T ese documents would serve centre, Keningau. According to the villagers, past experiences and feedback collected from as vital supporting material for incoming the main road leading to the Kampung from previous volunteers. committees who will be organising and the town centre was built in 2013, which T orough feasibility studies were also coordinating future expeditions. signif cantly improved the travel conditions; conducted on green technologies and other Prior to the expedition, a pre-departure from 1 hour through cobble-mud roads to possible areas that can be incorporated into brief ng was held to communicate crucial 30 minutes through asphalt roads. With the summer expedition programme. T is information, and impart basic knowledge the recent development of infrastructure, included studies on of -grid water f ltration on construction and handling tools to the education became more accessible to the systems and solar panels. volunteers. younger demographic of the village. Despite Design improvements were made to further this opportunity, the school dropout rate in increase the constructability and ef ciency of Summer project the village was high due to the lack of early the building process. T is included replacing T is year, a total of twenty-one volunteers childhood education and proper guidance. methods which required welding to reduce the travelled to Sabah, Malaysia for f ve weeks to Recognising the severity of the problem, the risk of arc-eye amongst onlookers. T is was construct a kindergarten in Kampung Kuala Head of Kampung Kuala Punteh appointed especially important as the site was located Punteh. T e village consists of a peaceful a committee of local leaders to improve the next to a kindergarten. community of 400 people of the Lundayeh education standards within the community. In Method statements were prepared for tribe. T e majority of the villagers are farmers, July 2015, the committee set up a community all critical construction activities. Previous oil palm estate workers and rubber tappers kindergarten to provide early childhood committees communicated construction whose monthly household incomes are well education to their preschool children, before methods verbally, which proved problematic below the regional mean (Department of entering Primary school at another village in as project managers were forced to innovate Statistics Malaysia, 2014). Kampung Membulu. Kindergarten classes methods on-the-f y whilst they were on site. T e Kampung (village) is located in the were conducted in the community church Photos: RED Borneo project Photos: Phase 1 volunteers Phase 2 volunteers

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 27 FEATURES positions of the columns and footings on the boundary planks using nails. A grid was then formed by tying strings to the nails.

Erection of Columns & Casting of Footings Drawing on their vast experience, the local foremen suggested an innovative temporary works design for the steel column erection. T is involved using recycled wooden planks to form supporting props for the columns before concreting the footings. T e columns were positioned according to the grid formed during the setting out phase. T e tops of the columns were aligned by adjusting the amount View of the initial site, during the reconnaissance and walkover survey of gravel in the footing holes. Once the columns were positioned, the building and an expansion was now needed to be incorporated into the design. footing holes were concreted to f x the meet the growing number of students in the columns in place. Each footing was only f lled village. With the help of LEB, RED stepped Site Reconnaissance & Walkover up to three quarters of the footing volume to in to construct an education centre which A few days before the project commenced, a ensure that shear keys would form when the provides a conducive learning environment site recce was conducted by Sher Lynn, Xinjin main slab was cast. for the children in the community. and Yan Kai to survey the ground conditions and to decide on the building orientation. T is Casting of Concrete & Floor Slab T e Structure was a crucial step in identifying the required From the footing excavations, the condition of T e education centre is a 6 m x 9 m single- design and construction adaptations specif c the existing f oor slab was examined. T rough storey building. It is a steel structure to this project. An unforeseen circumstance inspection, it was concluded that additional supported by concrete footings. T e walls are was encountered as the site sits on an existing reinforcement would be required to cast a new framed partitions, constructed from stainless concrete slab of unknown thickness and f oor slab as the BRC in the existing slab was steel frames, clad with cement f bre boards condition. To overcome the problem, a not positioned within the thickness of the slab. externally and gypsum boards internally. thorough visual inspection was carried out to To ensure the new slab bonded well, A standard steel roof truss system, with ensure that there were no visible cracks or signs the existing slab was roughened before corrugated zinc roof ng sheets and f breglass of settlement within the boundaries of the site. reinforcement was laid. T e BRC was tied to insulation, sits on the steel tie beams which are A discussion was also held with the builders concrete nails hammered to the existing slab. supported by the steel columns. in the village to understand the make up of Recycled timber and wooden planks T e education centre consists of three the existing concrete slab and to decide on were used to assemble the temporary works rooms: a classroom, an of ce for the teachers, the ideal building orientation. According to required for the casting of the slab. Polythene and a kitchen. T e design of this structure has the local builders, the existing concrete slab sheets were used at the edges of the new slab been replicated from previous projects with a is approximately 30 mm thick with BRC for water-proof ng. After the concrete was few minor adjustments. It was designed by reinforcement. poured and left to cure, a layer of mortar was Imperial College students with the help of a added to ensure a smooth and level f nish. local contractor. Amendments to Design & Construction Planning Fastening of Tie Beams & Roof Construction Solar Panels for Electricity Supply Following the site reconnaissance and T e process of fastening the tie beams to the Last year’s ef ort to promote the use of solar walkover survey, a local contractor from LEB columns and the process of roof construction panels for electricity supply proved successful was consulted to make several adaptations to were severely hindered as welding was required. in Kampung Palipikan. After conducting the design to suit the site conditions. Following a risk assessment, welding the tie further research with the help of a local As the existing concrete slab was not beams to the columns was deemed unsuitable contractor, improvements were made to the exceedingly thick, extensive plant was not because of the danger associated with welding original design. required for footing excavation. Reinforcement at height, without appropriate Personal Firstly, a full sine-wave inverter has been was placed at the bottom of the newly cast slab Protective Equipment (PPE) and next to a incorporated into the design to convert direct to account for the uncertainty surrounding the children’s facility. Drill bits, bolts and nuts of current (DC) electricity into alternating position of the reinforcement in the existing the appropriate sizes were then purchased to current (AC). T is ensures that the electrical slab. Additionally, the thickness of the new fasten the tie beams to the columns, in place system installed is more feasible as conventional slab was reduced. T e building orientation of welding. AC appliances can be used in this system. was also decided based on the potential for Subsequently, the roof trusses, which were A distribution board (DB) equipped with building expansion and for the teachers to assembled as the columns were erected, were circuit breakers which comply with the local conduct outdoor activities as part of the installed onto the tie beams. Purlins were then safety standards has also been introduced into kindergarten curriculum. T e location of the fastened onto the roof trusses. Following that, the design. of ce and kitchen within the building was also corrugated zinc roof ng sheets were installed f nalised based on the available space for the with f bre-glass insulation and aluminium Rainwater Harvesting Tank rainwater harvesting tank. ref ectors. T e fascia and gutters were then T roughout term-time, the RED committee put in place, completing the roof. looked into incorporating a drinking water Setting Out & Foundation Excavation T is entire process was originally scheduled f ltration system to the current design. T is is Prior to the volunteers’ arrival, the local builders to be completed within three weeks. However, because rural villages in Sabah are typically not marked the site boundaries with wooden planks severe delays were caused by unprecedented connected to a water distribution network. and excavated the foundations accordingly. power cuts, which often lasted between an Villagers usually boil unf ltered rainwater for T e wooden planks were recycled planks used hour and a full day, during which the corded drinking. However, due to lack of resources from past builds in the village. T is eliminated electric drill, which was critical for all activities, and lack of contacts with the appropriate the need to purchase wooden formwork. could not be used. suppliers, a water f ltration system could not Setting out was carried out by marking the T is posed a signif cant challenge. However,

28 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 FEATURES with hard work and efcient planning, the concrete slab which was cast at the corner of was to cultivate the interest of the local children roof construction was completed by the end the building according to the diameter of the and teenagers in the English language. of Week 4. tank. Student experience Casting of Outer Slab Working with Local Workers Engineering Development As the building was built on an existing Two skilled workers from the village were Te nature of the works undertaken in concrete slab, casting an outer skirting slab was hired to assist with the construction of the this project enabled students to apply not necessary. However, a 500 mm wide outer education centre. Rores, who is the head of their engineering knowledge gained slab was added to the front of the building to the education committee, also assisted in from university. It was also the perfect add an aesthetic fnish. Tis was cast shortly planning and managing logistics as well as opportunity for them to learn various after the main foor slab was cast. tools and material procurement. local construction methods to carry out Troughout the construction process, the precise work with traditional equipment. Installation of Wall Frames & Wall Panels foremen and RED members engaged in a Student volunteers have also learnt Once the fnishing mortar layer hardened, continuous and open exchange of knowledge. construction management for small-scale wall frames were assembled and installed using Te foremen, having worked in a village projects from this experience. concrete nails and rivets. Cement fbre boards setting with limited access to power tools Soft Skills were secured externally and in the kitchen. and plant, have traditional construction Volunteers were also able to enhance Gypsum boards were then fastened using techniques suited for small scale construction. various soft skills such as team work, screws. Teir insight into these techniques have, in communication and problem-solving Once again, this process was delayed due to particular, facilitated the smooth progress of skills. On top of that, volunteers the power cuts. To ensure the wall panels were setting out, column erection and concreting. experienced working and making decisions completed according to schedule, additional Te unexpected presence of an existing slab under pressure. From the opportunity to work hours were added on days with stable on site required the project coordinators to lead tutoring sessions to construction sub- electricity supply. adjust methods used during previous RED groups, volunteers also developed their expeditions – input from the foremen was leadership skills. Finishings vital in ensuring that the proposed solutions Cultural Exchange Upon securing the wall panels, the walls were were viable. Troughout the weekdays, volunteers plastered to ensure a smooth and seamless From this experience, the foremen have lived in a traditional wooden house in fnish. Te joints between wall panels, as well picked up knowledge on simple Eurocode the village. Tis allowed students to be as imperfections, were covered. A layer of compliant designs. Tey have also learnt new immersed in the community’s way of life. paint primer was then applied followed by two construction techniques which are safer and Tis also greatly encouraged interactions layers of paint. Mural pieces were also painted more efcient using lightweight and modular between the villagers and the student onto the external walls. construction materials. volunteers. Although the villagers only spoke Malay or the local ‘Lundayeh’ Installation of Ceiling Panels Tutoring sessions dialect, the non-Malaysian students were Te ceiling panels were installed as the Tutoring sessions for children and teenagers still able to communicate with both the plastering and painting processes were were held twice a week in the village church. children and adults through games or ongoing. Metal frames which house the ceiling A trial session was run during the second with the help of the Malaysian student panels were suspended from the battens using week of the expedition to assess the English volunteers. Interactions with the local tie wires and also secured to the walls. language competency of the students. In the villagers were also hugely encouraged by weeks following, classes were conducted by the tutoring sessions run twice a week by Electricity Supply grouping the students according to their ages. the RED volunteers. Once the ceiling panels were in place, wiring RED volunteers were assigned, in pairs or Te villagers were very happy to show and electrical appliances were installed. In light threes, to conduct lessons for each group. us the surroundings of Kampung Kuala of the unreliable power supply, all electrical Pre-schoolers and kindergarteners were Punteh. Tey organised afternoon trips to appliances and sockets in the building will be taught basic spelling and common words the river to experience the natural beauty powered by the solar energy system. using games and fashcards. Younger students of the Interior Division of Sabah. were taught based on existing school material Weekend travels to Kota Kinabalu (the Water Supply using interactive quizzes, games and Q&A State Capital of Sabah), Kundasang and A rainwater harvesting system – fed by sessions. Older students preparing for public Keningau were also organised, to give rainwater channelled from the roof – was examinations were given extra guidance on volunteers the opportunity to discover installed. Te standard rainwater harvesting chosen subjects by the Malaysian volunteers. and learn about the wonders of Northern tank, available locally, was placed on a Te main goal from these tutoring lessons Borneo.

Side view of fnished building Front view of fnished building

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 29 ALUMNI NEWS & VIEWS BBOXX gains $50M investment from Mitsubishi Alumni Weekend 2019 In Imperial ENGINEER, we have systems have been installed, mostly previously featured BBOXX, the in Nigeria, Rwanda and Togo. company founded in 2010 by three They recently announced a alumni from the Electrical and $50M investment from Mitsubishi Electronic Engineering department, which will help BBOXX to reach as a result of a student charity more people lacking reliable access they set up while at Imperial which to modern utilities and expand its identifed the need for off-grid solar global footprint. Chief executive power solutions in the developing and co-founder Mansoor Hamayun world. said: “The funding is further evidence Their solution is to provide a of Japanese interest in Africa and in battery box which connects to a pay-as-you-go solar energy globally. mini solar panel, providing power to We look forward to this next an ultra-effcient lighting strip and phase of growth that will help us power socket. Users pay a small fee to transform more lives, unlock over two years, to cover the cost potential and grow our already of the equipment, after which it is global footprint by opening up new theirs to keep, providing them with markets, and develop our product electricity for free. Almost 300,000 range.” Photos: Peter Buck Peter Photos: Engineering and a second language This year’s Alumni Weekend was around Imperial that were being held at the end of June alongside demonstrated in the Festival, before … the economic argument. the Imperial Festival, which was the public were allowed in. Many itself part of a wider event The Great departments were hosting their Another snippet of advice wrapped up in a story from his career, by the Exhibition Road Festival involving own events to welcome back alumni RSMA’s very own correspondent under the pseudonym John Simpson, many of the institutions based in to visit and meet their professors to Engineers are rarely linguists. economy, but it is very diffcult to Exhibition Road. reminisce. Language is outside the learn for those of us from Europe. As usual, Alumni were welcomed There were various information specifcation of most university Will there be many jobs or contract in the SCR with refreshments and stands in the SCR, including an engineering and science courses, opportunities for those who learn space to relax, meet up and chat. Engineering Alumni stand manned but this must change, for economic Mandarin? We shall see! Alumni were able to sign-up for throughout Saturday by students reasons. English is the lingua franca The BBC published a paperback alumni-specifc events (such as and alumni from CGCU and CGCA of international engineering and book in 1991 on languages called tunnel tours and a guided walk up including the guest appearance of science but a working competence “Lingo: How to Learn a Language” the Queen’s Tower). We also had Spanner. We had many interesting in a major second language looks by Terry Doyle and Paul Meara. the opportunity to preview the conversations with alumni of all ages. good on a CV. For anybody who is considering various research projects from I am a native English speaker. learning a foreign language it is a At school I learned French to O ‘must read’. It is out of print but level; later in life I gained a working can be bought second-hand via knowledge of Spanish (Catalan/Latin Amazon and all the usual places. It American style). My frst Spanish lists all the main foreign languages teacher was a Catalan, from whom and rates them via a number of I rented a fat for several months on criteria, including ease of learning. the Costa Brava. I was employed Spanish is rated one of the easiest; in South America by the UNDP in there is a theme here… the late 1960s and worked in and There are very strong career around Central and Latin America arguments for promoting another for a decade in between 1976 and language, since our medium/long 1986. For a few years after this I term economic (and engineering/ kept my Spanish alive by teaching science) interests are drifting away adults. French I have barely used from traditional, English-speaking Volunteers such as Alumni Charles Parry and Peter Lynch manned except on occasional trips to countries. Our future clients and the Engineering Alumni stand on the Saturday Belgium and France. employers are more likely to be The number of primary global in nature and a combination Spanish speakers in the world far of English and a second language outnumbers the native speakers becomes a very real asset. of French, German or Italian. It is For those of us in the UK the the second language of the USA teaching of languages has been a bit and so makes a strong argument hit and miss; and all too often we for a good second language. For start the learning of a new language historical reasons, there is a large far too late in a child’s education. oversupply in the UK of teachers of This means we need to get on with the three main European languages it when we are older which also as mentioned above. This distorts has its own pitfalls. None the less, the national language capability. there is a strong case to do it, so Mandarin is currently being heavily give it a go. It has worked for me. promoted in view of the growing John Simpson importance of the Chinese Alumni We want your news We were even entrusted with Spanner (modelled here by current (see page 2 for contact details) CGCU President Thomas Cross and Past President Milia Hasbani)

30 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 ALUMNI NEWS & VIEWS DIARY Fri, 25 Oct, 12:00 Wed, 20 Nov, 12:30 – 14:30 Fri, 6 Mar, 17:30 – 21:30 RSMA Toronto, Canada Imperial Engineering Alumni RSMA Perth, Australia Informal RSM meeting, noon, Last Friday of every month. Quarterly Johannesburg Lunch Monthly Sundowner Jason George Pub, 100 Front Street East, Toronto Baron & Quail, Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa The Celtic Club, 48 Ord St, West Perth, WA, 6005 Contact Richard Gundersen – [email protected] Alan Dickson – [email protected] Tue, 29 Oct, 19:00 John Sykes – [email protected] Friends of Imperial Wed, 20 Nov Drugs, booze and politics: fnding a balance Ringing of the Alexandra Peal of bells in Fri, 27 Mar, 12:00 A talk by Professor David Nutt Queen’s Tower RSMA Toronto, Canada Sir Alexander Fleming building, South Ken. Campus Alexandra Peal of bells in Queen’s Tower rung to Informal RSM meeting, noon, Last Friday of every month. Tickets from http://bit.ly/IE31-FOI-Drugs celebrate the wedding anniversary of HM Queen Jason George Pub, 100 Front Street East, Toronto Elizabeth II and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Wed, 30 Oct, 17:30-20:00 Fri, 3 Apr, 17:30 – 21:30 Energy Futures Lab SGI Annual Lecture Wed, 20 Nov, 17:30-18:30 RSMA Perth, Australia Department of Computing Practical Action for a lower carbon footprint Monthly Sundowner Dr Pratima Rangarajan, CEO of Oil and Gas Climate Can knowledge-based AI aid human-machine collaboration? The Celtic Club, 48 Ord St, West Perth, WA, 6005 Initiative Climate Investments Professor Alessandra Russo Inaugural Lecture Alan Dickson – [email protected] Clore Lecture Theatre, South Ken. Campus G16, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Ken. John Sykes – [email protected] Register at http://bit.ly/IE31-SGI-Rangarajan Campus Register at http://bit.ly/IE31-Russo Tue, 21 Apr Wed, 30 Oct, 17:30-18:30 Ringing of the Alexandra Peal of bells in Data Science Institute Distinguished Lecture Fri, 22 Nov, 12:00 Queen’s Tower RSMA Toronto, Canada Socially Responsible AI Alexandra Peal of bells in Queen’s Tower rung to Dame Wendy Hall DBE, FRS, FREng Informal RSM meeting, noon, Last Friday of every month. celebrate the birthday of HM Queen Elizabeth II Jason George Pub, 100 Front Street East, Toronto G34 Sir Alexander Fleming building, South Ken. Campus Fri, 24 Apr, 12:00 Register at http://bit.ly/IE31-DSI-Hall Fri, 22 Nov RSMA Toronto, Canada th Thu, 31 Oct, 18:00-20:30 RSMA 135 Annual Dinner Informal RSM meeting, noon, Last Friday of every month. Alumni social in Rotterdam Rembrandt Hotel, Knightsbridge Jason George Pub, 100 Front Street East, Toronto Pillars Bar & Kitchen, Marriott Rotterdam Weena 686, See booking form included with this issue, for details. Fri, 1 May, 17:30 – 21:30 3012 Rotterdam, Netherlands Sat, 30 Nov, 12:30 for 13:00 RSMA Perth, Australia Tickets from http://bit.ly/IE31-Rotterdam CGCA ‘5&10’ Reunion Luncheon Monthly Sundowner Fri, 1 Nov, 17:30 – 21:30 Polish Hearth Club, 55 Princes Gate, Exhibition Road, The Celtic Club, 48 Ord St, West Perth, WA, 6005 RSMA Perth, Australia South Kensington SW7 2PN Alan Dickson – [email protected] Monthly Sundowner Tickets from https://www.cgca.org.uk/reunion John Sykes – [email protected] The Celtic Club, 48 Ord St, West Perth, WA, 6005 Thu, 5 Dec, 19:00 Wed, 20 May, 12:30 – 14:30 Alan Dickson – [email protected] Friends of Imperial Imperial Engineering Alumni John Sykes – [email protected] Plastic fantastic: solving plastic waste Quarterly Johannesburg Lunch Mon, 4 Nov, 18:00-19:00 Adrian Griffths, CEO of Recycling Technologies Baron & Quail, Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa Consort Club lecture Sir Alexander Fleming building, South Ken. Campus Contact Richard [email protected] What can we learn from fake news?: Existential Tickets from http://bit.ly/IE31-FOI-Plastic Fri, 22 May, 12:00 Imperatives for Engaging the Differently Informed Fri, 6 Dec, 17:30 – 21:30 RSMA Toronto, Canada Mark Kennedy, Associate Professor, Strategy & RSMA Perth, Australia Informal RSM meeting, noon, Last Friday of every month. Organisations, Business School Monthly Sundowner Jason George Pub, 100 Front Street East, Toronto Read Lecture Theatre, Level 5 Sherfeld Building, South The Celtic Club, 48 Ord St, West Perth, WA, 6005 Ken. Campus Alan Dickson – [email protected] Tue, 2 Jun Register at http://bit.ly/IE31-FakeNews John Sykes – [email protected] Ringing of the Alexandra Peal of bells in Queen’s Tower Wed, 6 Nov, 18:00-20:30 Fri, 27 Dec, 12:00 Alexandra Peal of bells in Queen’s Tower rung to Imperial Enterprise Lab RSMA Toronto, Canada celebrate Coronation Day WE Innovate Future Forecast Informal RSM meeting, noon, Last Friday of every month. Discover the latest tech trends with leading tech Jason George Pub, 100 Front Street East, Toronto Fri, 5 Jun, 17:30 – 21:30 journalist Gemma Milne, and hear from Imperial RSMA Perth, Australia women at the forefront of innovation: Fri, 3 Jan, 17:30 – 21:30 Monthly Sundowner Letizia Gionfrida, Founder of Arthronica, and Zainab RSMA Perth, Australia The Celtic Club, 48 Ord St, West Perth, WA, 6005 Ahmed and Pashiini Supramaniam, Co-Founders of Monthly Sundowner Alan Dickson – [email protected] QuickCount. The Celtic Club, 48 Ord St, West Perth, WA, 6005 John Sykes – [email protected] Great Hall, Sherfeld Building, South Ken. Campus Alan Dickson – [email protected] Register at http://bit.ly/IE31-WE-Future John Sykes – [email protected] Mon, 8 Jun CGCA AGM & President’s Evening Wed, 6 Nov, 18:30 - 21:30 Fri, 24 Jan, 12:00 Details TBD Imperial College Business School RSMA Toronto, Canada Marketing Professional Interest Network Informal RSM meeting, noon, Last Friday of every month. Wed, 10 Jun A conversation about the importance of Marketing Jason George Pub, 100 Front Street East, Toronto Ringing of the Alexandra Peal of bells in Queen’s Tower Personalisation, its challenges and applications Alexandra Peal of bells in Queen’s Tower rung to Andreas Eisingerich will chair the panel and he will be Thu, 6 Feb celebrate the birthday of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh joined by Sille Opstrup - Head of Digital, Connections Ringing of the Alexandra Peal of bells in Queen’s Tower and Content, Pernod Ricard UK, Carlo Frem, Fri, 26 Jun, 12:00 Marketing Lead, Prime Video (Amazon) Alexandra Peal of bells in Queen’s Tower rung to celebrate the accession of HM Queen Elizabeth II RSMA Toronto, Canada Imperial College Business School, South Ken. Campus Informal RSM meeting, noon, Last Friday of every month. Tickets from http://bit.ly/IE31-ICBS-Marketing Fri, 7 Feb, 17:30 – 21:30 Jason George Pub, 100 Front Street East, Toronto Wed, 13 Nov, 17:30-18:30 RSMA Perth, Australia Monthly Sundowner Fri, 3 Jul, 17:30 – 21:30 ISST, 10th Vincent Briscoe Security Lecture RSMA Perth, Australia Computers and spies: the rise of technology and death of The Celtic Club, 48 Ord St, West Perth, WA, 6005 Alan Dickson – [email protected] Monthly Sundowner secrets John Sykes – [email protected] The Celtic Club, 48 Ord St, West Perth, WA, 6005 Gordon Corera, BBC Security Correspondent Alan Dickson – [email protected] G16, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Ken. Wed, 19 Feb, 12:30 – 14:30 John Sykes – [email protected] Campus Imperial Engineering Alumni Register at http://bit.ly/IE31-Spies Quarterly Johannesburg Lunch Baron & Quail, Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa An up-to-date calendar of events of interest to CGCA Thu, 14 Nov and RSMA members is always available on the CGCA Ringing of the Alexandra Peal of bells in Contact Richard Gundersen – [email protected] Queen’s Tower and RSMA websites. Imperial College maintains a Fri, 28 Feb, 12:00 calendar of college events at bit.ly/IE-ImperialEvents Alexandra Peal of bells in Queen’s Tower rung to RSMA Toronto, Canada celebrate the birthday of HRH The Prince of Wales and the Friends of Imperial College regularly organise Informal RSM meeting, noon, Last Friday of every month. events of interest to alumni (see bit.ly/IE-FOI) Tue, 19 Nov, 19:00 Jason George Pub, 100 Front Street East, Toronto Friends of Imperial Fri, 28 Feb, 18:30-23:00 Chirality and the future of electronics CGCA Annual Dinner Please note that while many of these events are Dr Jess Wade BEM, Imperial physicist Stationers’ Hall open to all and often free, they usually require Sir Alexander Fleming building, South Ken. Campus See booking form included with this issue registration in advance. Please follow the links in Tickets from http://bit.ly/IE31-FOI-Chirality the entry to get more information including if and how to register and whether there is any cost.

For more information follow links, or see page 2 for contact details

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 31 OBITUARIES Proud alumnus, engineering entrepreneur and generous philanthropist Sir JOHN MICHAEL LEAL UREN (Mech Eng 1940-43) John Michael Leal Uren, known as Michael, was born at Hendon, Middlesex, on 1 September, 1923, the son of Arthur Uren and his wife Doris, née Leal. His father had started his working life as a bank clerk in Cornwall, and rose to be a director of United Dominions Trust, a City hire-purchase business. Michael attended Shebourne school, in Dorset, before reading engineering at Imperial College. In 1943, he took a frst in engineering after three years rather than the normal four, while also serving in the Home Guard. On graduation, he was conscripted into the RNVR, training at the Royal Navy Engineering College for combined Marine and Air Operations. He was commissioned as an Air Engineer Offcer in the Fleet Air Arm, passing out top of his intake and serving in various squadrons until he was demobbed in1946. He then joined the civil engineering frm of Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners and spent fve years

based in Tehran, developing hydro London Imperial College, LIz Swift, Photo: power and projects in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Jordan. of agricultural land per year from He frst sold a majority interest in technologies. They will combine Returning to Britain, he moved to being dug up for the extraction of Civil & Marine in 1990, but remained the latest medical research and the Cementation Company to work onshore aggregates. involved and bought back most of engineering to improve the on the 12-mile Bowland Forest Meanwhile, in their own research the group in a management buy- treatment and diagnosis of diverse tunnel, carrying Lake District water laboratory, they discovered that out two years later. He continued medical conditions, from fnding to Manchester and, later, on a hydro high-quality cement could be to run the company until, in 2006, ways to cure dementia to creating scheme on Loch Tay. He changed manufactured from blast-furnace Hanson paid £245 million for the bionic limbs. frms again to work in New Zealand, slag (a waste product of the steel business. Speaking in 2014, he said: “It is an building a dam on the Clutha river to industry) using only one-ffth The proceeds of the sale made honour for me to be able to help this provide power for the South Island. of the energy required to make little difference to Michael’s personal great university. Medical teaching Back in England in 1955, Michael conventional Portland cement – and lifestyle. He continued to live in a and research didn’t exist at Imperial partnered with John Hobbins, with much lower carbon emissions modest Kent farmhouse and did not in my day, but it has evolved into an with whom he had worked in than traditional methods. even buy a new car, though he did institution where the work between Iran, forming Civil and Marine Ltd, A frst factory was opened at relocate and restore a fne medieval engineering and medicine is today shipping sand and gravel in and out Purfeet in 1981; others followed barn. one of its outstanding strengths. of North Sea ports, using a seagoing adjacent to steelworks at Llanwern, However, the sale enabled him, at Imperial has always applied academic barge that had been built for the Scunthorpe, Port Talbot and Redcar the age of 84, to turn his attention excellence for the greater good, and Gallipoli landings. and later in Slovakia and Florida. It to charitable causes. He described I am thrilled by the prospect of this While Hobbins and his wife took was a lucrative business model, since the situation: “A large pile landed Biomedical Engineering Hub doing the vessel to sea as master and they were paid once by the steel on the table, for which Janis [his exactly that. mate, Michael took another job “to industry, to take the waste material partner] and I had no need, so we “What I fnd so exciting about earn money to pay the wages on away, and again, by the construction started to use the money for major this project is that here is Imperial Friday” as a director of Dowsett industry, for the cement they charitable projects”. building one of the biggest research Engineering, which worked on the produced from it. Civil and Marine The catalogue of his donations centres in the world within a few construction of the M1 motorway. became one of the UK’s foremost during the last 13 years of his life miles of the City of London, which The success of the barge business innovators in cement manufacture, amounts to a remarkable legacy. itself has become the biggest fnancial allowed Michael to leave Dowsett and was enormously successful – The biggest benefciary was Imperial centre in the world today. By putting in 1964. He and Hobbins designed eventually taking 17% of the UK College; he gave £40 million for the two together, what is quite clear and built a self-loading dredger to cement market. the foundation of a Bio-Medical is that the investment world will be suck sand and gravel from the bed Michael was an engineer- Engineering Research Centre at the watching for, and waiting for, the of the North Sea and discharge it entrepreneur whose irrepressible college’s western campus in White research and inventions which will at a concrete works in the Thames energy and curiosity were directed City. create tomorrow’s great companies. Estuary. towards practical achievement The Sir Michael Uren Biomedical “It seems to me that, in effect, Their feet expanded to fve rather than proft but, as he put it, Engineering Research Hub, which what we are creating here is a dredgers servicing numerous “If those achievements are properly is due to open in 2020, will bring new Silicon Valley London, which concrete plants on both coasts of structured in the frst place, then together over 500 engineers, is bound to succeed. Imperial was the North Sea – and, to Michael’s money will automatically follow”. clinicians and scientists to develop inspirational when I frst joined it as satisfaction, saving some 600 acres And follow, it did. new and affordable medical a young engineering student in 1940,

32 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 OBITUARIES when London was under attack every night, and it is inspirational A gentleman of the highest integrity and today. May it continue to be so forever.” [See IE 29] discipline The “thrilling thing” about philanthropy on such a scale, he was going to be his it was a glorif ed pyramid scheme. recorded, was that it made possible “patsy, somebody you can He said their operations could be entire projects which could not have push aside, or bribe, or summed up in two words: asset happened without his help: “one whatever, you’ve got the stripping. He predicted there’d be a can’t ask for a bigger reward.” wrong man”. Kebble said “tipping point” and, of course, there His previous support for Imperial afterwards, “The organ was. had included the College’s MSk Lab grinder had appointed its The Kebbles tried to block the under the leadership of Professor monkey.” investigations with an army of Justin Cobb, whose focus is joint It didn’t take Mark lawyers and “ex-BOSS [the former disease and the surgery needed to long to uncover a “truly Bureau for State Security] agents,” restore function. malodorous” situation at according to Mark, who employed A second strand of Michael’s DRD. With no more than his own intelligence outf t to spy on philanthropy favoured ex-services a 5% shareholding and a them. charities and the Gurkha Welfare ‘crony’ board, the Kebbles His house was bugged, his wife Trust in Nepal, for which he funded had been running it like ‘a interviewed by “phony journalists”, the construction of residential care family company’ for their and his company books and bank homes for former soldiers, which own enrichment. Mark records scrutinised. It emerged he liked to compare to the Royal reported that DRD was later that he was on a Kebble hit list. Hospital, Chelsea. technically insolvent. In 2005, Mark began proceedings A long personal commitment to He then forced Roger to liquidate Brett Kebble’s mining Photo: Martin Rhodes Photo: charity work for blind children led Kebble to step down as house, JCI, for ignoring a court him to Moorf elds Eye Hospital, MARK WELLESLEY-WOOD chair, but agreed to keep him on as order to pay a R26m debt. This where he gave more than £3 million (Mining 1969-72) deputy. precipitated a plunge in JCI’s share for research into treatments for Mark Wellesley-Wood, who Mark became non-executive price. macular degeneration. The private passed away at the age of 67, was chairman and CEO after suspending Meanwhile, Mark was accused of King Edward VII’s Hospital Sister the quintessential minesman. He the incumbent while he investigated pursuing a vendetta against the Keb- Agnes in Marylebone received was born in England on 2 November, “certain f nancial irregularities”. bles, but he said he believed in good more than £15 million to maintain 1951 and spent 10 years moving When he went home to England corporate governance — whatever its independence and modernise its around the world with his father, to sort out his papers, Kebble it took. facilities. who was in the Royal Air Force, retaliated by getting his contacts “Corporate governance is Michael was a long-serving before attending St George’s in the home affairs department to not about having King codes and trustee, chairman and benefactor College in Weybridge. withdraw his work permit, declare subcommittees,” he said. “What you of the Royal London Society for Mark was President of RSMU him a prohibited immigrant and deny actually need is directors with balls the Blind (now the Royal Society in 1971-72 and a formidable prop him re-entry. The director-general who exercise their f duciary duties.” for Blind Children), and was forward. He continued playing announced that Mark was “the kind Kebble’s friends in the ANC instrumental in the development rugby and f nished his rugby career of executive SA can do without”. Youth League and National Union of new education facilities, and a with Guildford ‘heavies’. After While he fought to return, the of Mineworkers accused Mark of working farm, at its Dorton House college, he was awarded an Anglo Kebbles used their considerable being anti-South African for laying estate in Sevenoaks. He was also American bursary and spent time in inf uence to spread malicious off 7,000 workers, and agitated for a past Master of the Cordwainers Zambia before returning to London rumours about him. Brett referred his licence to be revoked. Company. to do an MBA, “to know the f nancial to him as “the pin-striped bandit “I am here to run safe, prof table Michael loved animals and was a side of mining”. from London”. mines,” he responded. “We run a benefactor of International Animal His main claim to fame was that The Kebbles tried to call a board business, not a charity.” Rescue for the preservation of he subsequently brought about the meeting to expel Mark from the Months after Mark began his orang-utans and other endangered downfall of two of South Africa’s company. He promptly issued an liquidation action against JCI, Brett species. Closer to his Kent home, (SA) most notorious corporate order from London, prohibiting Kebble was killed in an alleged he was a regular benefactor of his crooks, Brett Kebble and his father, Roger Kebble from carrying out assisted suicide. local church, St Mary’s Kenardington; Roger. any executive functions on behalf of Restructuring saw DRDGold and his last gift, in June of this year, This big, straight-talking former DRD, banning him from the premises enjoy a brief resurgence. During was £1 million to his old school, prop forward with an ‘RSM and from contacting any employees one lucrative quarter, Mark played Sherborne, in Dorset. caulif ower ear’ to show for it, was or contractors. the Pink Floyd song ‘Money’ in the He was appointed OBE for his sent to South Africa (SA) in 2000 After f ve days working round the auditorium as analysts and media work for the blind in 1999 and was by London-listed majority share- clock, he got home affairs minister, took their seats. But the resurgence knighted in 2016, for philanthropic holder Mercury Asset Management Mangosuthu Buthelezi, to overturn couldn’t be sustained. services. (MAM) to sort out the Durban the banning order. He said it was At the time of his sudden death Well into his nineties, he was still Roodepoort Deep (DRD) gold mine the worst time in his life. he was chairman of UK-listed Kef vigorously engaged with the causes in Johannesburg, which had become “If I’d lost, I would have just been Minerals. he supported and exploring new a mess under executive chairman a nonentity, some silly little Pommy Kef stated, “He was a gentleman projects of his own – including the Roger Kebble’s leadership. director who came in and tried of the highest integrity and discipline, idea (thwarted by the wrong kind of DRD was part of Brett Kebble’s to **** around in SA. That would a true mining professional who made soil) of turning his farmland into a mining ‘empire’, and Kebble called probably have f nished my integrity, a great contribution to the industry vineyard. the shots. MAM told him they my reputation, and my career in one over decades and to our company in In 1955, he had married Serena wanted Wellesley-Wood on the stroke.” recent years.” Anne (“Jane”) Peal. They separated board and they met in London to When Mark got back to SA, he Mark was a strong supporter in 1996, but remained good friends. discuss it. laid charges against Roger Kebble, of the RSMA and Chaps Club and Michael died on 9 August, at the Kebble seemed surprisingly who in 2002 was arrested at OR regularly attended dinners when in age of 95. He is survived by his amenable. Mark suspected Kebble Tambo International Airport, London. He will be sadly missed by partner of later years, Janis, by Jane thought he’d be able to manipulate charged with 62 counts of fraud, and the RSM community. and their two sons, David and Mark. him, like he did everyone else. He jailed for the night. He is survived by his wife, Shona, told Kebble: “Brett, I don’t blink, Mark’s investigations into the and four children. you know”. If Kebble thought he Kebble mining empire revealed that

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 33 OBITUARIES A raconteur and stickler for doing things right used for each silo tower, where His network of contacts was successive segments are cast at extensive, and this gradually turned ground level and the entire structure to more leisurely pursuits in the jacked up as it’s built. Such was the 1990s as he retired from business. novelty of this at the time, my father He spent many happy weeks was asked to oversee time-lapse walking with business fellows (they photography of the process, itself called themselves “Thwaites”) in quite a novelty. beautiful areas such as north Wales, In 1972, my father left Bristol to the Derbyshire peaks and the join a consulting f rm in Worcester Yorkshire Dales. called John Dossor and partners. In his will, he asked that his Over the next twenty years, he ashes be scattered at the top of helped build the practice and its Ingleborough, an indication of the reputation, with sister off ces in love he had of that peak. York and Norwich. I remember He also designed and had built the long trips he’d do to Pontefract, not one, but two, canal narrowboats, Manchester and Elstree, to name and used them to navigate most of just a few – and it became apparent England’s waterways with his wife to me that quite a lot of his work Rosemary. was advising on the reasons for, Always a lover of driving, John and sometimes the rectif cation of, bought a classic MG TF, and later a mistakes made by others. Jaguar XK150S, both of which saw The Elstree job related to an the couple enjoy many leisurely entire housing estate built on a tours of our green and pleasant land. previously wooded area of clay soil, A life lived to the full, John which resulted in terrible ‘heave’ leaves his wife, Rosemary, of 58 occurring to many homes, some of years, me and my sister, Catherine, which were underpinned and others four grandchildren and two great- demolished. grandchildren. He also famously worked out Ever a raconteur, and a stickler that a glancing blow from a crane for doing things right, he will be on a low loader passing under an sorely missed. iron railway bridge in Wales had caused a massive brittle fracture in the bridge’s structure. Key to this was the supposition that the IN BRIEF temperature must have been at or PETER R. SIMPSON around four degrees centigrade on Peter, a friend of the Department the morning in question. My father of Earth Science and Engineering, went to the trouble of contacting passed away on 24 April 2019 at the the Met Off ce to f nd out the age of 82. The following is from an temperature on the date in question, obituary by Dennis Buchanan, the and back came the answer: exactly Department’s Emeritus Professor of four degrees centigrade. Mining Geology. I can only say that the one time In the early 2000s, Peter JOHN TREVOR CHASE my sister arriving in ’63 and ’64 our two disciplines (mine being contributed to both the (Civil Eng 1951-54) respectively, the family moved to computing) coincided was when undergraduate and postgraduate John was born on 18 October, Clevedon in Somerset. he asked me to help monitor teaching of exploration and 1932 and died, aged 86, on 18 April. The Laing Bristol off ce was concrete cancer in a building in environmental geochemistry in His son, CGCA Treasurer, Peter involved in several notable sixties Worcester. Gaps were forming in the Department, a course which Chase (Computing, 1979-82), writes: projects during his tenure, including concrete pillars, and from three generated very favourable reviews My dad was a traditional engineer, pioneering work to reduce ceiling measurements taken in the form of from students. He subsequently and having studied Civil Engineering thickness, enabling more f oors in a triangle across a crack, I was asked became a Visiting Professor. at Imperial, he went on to do three tower blocks for a given overall to do some decent trigonometry He was a vividly eccentric and years’ national service with the RAF. height. on my Commodore VIC-20 (what entertaining man, welcomed at social There, of particular note, he helped The Bristol and West Building a museum piece that now is!) to gatherings and scientif c conferences with the challenge of constructing Society head off ce in Bristol still calculate a given crack’s width. alike. He sadly lost his wife, Jane, a runways and run-up areas for the stands to this day as a testament to Obviously, the intention was to see companion through so much of his V-wing jet bombers of the f fties, this innovation. Its architecture may if the cracks were widening – and personal and professional life, in using pre-stressed concrete in large not have been much loved, but it has they were. 2016. slabs. Like so much of his work, now been made over with blue glass The seventies were a time of He died, following a short illness, some still survives today, at Robin cladding and is the “Radisson Blu” continued innovation, and some and is survived by his daughter Hood airport near Doncaster hotel. fellows bravely toyed with building Emma, an advertising executive, his (or RAF Finningley, as it was then Nearby, at Avonmouth docks, is concrete domes by inf ating them son Tom, an NHS doctor, and his known). another notable (if ugly!) building as they were built. Sceptical of this grandchildren. After National Service, he worked my father was involved in. When himself, John nevertheless helped He is also survived by his infamous in Mill Hill, for Oscar Faber, and then travelling (eastwards particularly) advise on some aspects of those green and white Land Rover. for Laing Construction in St Albans. on the M5 over the Avonmouth trying out this newfangled idea in Here, his management potential was bridge, you can very clearly see a Malvern, Worcestershire, where the PAUL TREMAIN PEARCE spotted, and he was offered the large, church-like structure which is, “Edinburgh Dome” (named after the (Civil Eng 1952-55) position of opening a design off ce in in fact, a grain silo. This was a very Duke of Edinburgh, who opened it) Paul, who was born in August, Bristol, in 1966. early example of the jacking method is the only UK example ever tried, 1935, died on 7 April, at the age of Married in 1961, with me and of concrete tower construction, and is now a listed building. 83.

34 Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 OBITUARIES A true gentleman and a world leader in his fi eld sports and met his future wife Josée energy and enthusiasm for his work He was indeed someone totally Nooij through the hockey club. and generating ideas for ways to committed to the department and They married in 1963 and spent 55 improve the department. particularly our students. He will be happy years together, raising four Stephen Richardson, Imperial’s sadly missed.” children: Hans Jr., Nicolette, Patricia Emeritus Professor of Chemical Alongside teaching, Hans worked and Bart. Josée sadly passed away in Engineering, who worked closely closely with industry, and in 1982 September. with Hans, said: “The memory that co-founded the UK Explosion Hans completed his Masters in his many people have of Hans is a true Liaison Group (UKELG). He had father’s laboratory, where he worked gentleman with the best interests of roles as consultant and expert as his assistant and accompanied him Chem Eng, and the College more witness in combustion and post- on regular consultancy visits to the widely, at heart. This is absolutely industrial disaster cases. In 2017, Prof HENRICUS (HANS) MICHELS Dutch State Mines. It was here that the man I knew: he was scrupulously he was recognised with the IChemE (Chem Eng 1963-67) he f rst became involved in industrial fair and generous. I will always Franklin Medal for “signif cant Hans, who was an IChemE Fellow, problem-solving. remember him with great pleasure. I contribution to safety and loss was a world leader in the f eld of In 1963, Hans began his PhD was privileged to know him.” prevention over f ve decades of safety and detonations, and a great studies in Chemical Engineering Professor Nilay Shah, Head of research at the heart of industrial presence in the Department of at Imperial under the supervision Chemical Engineering at Imperial, applications”. Chemical Engineering at Imperial of Professor Ubbelohde, the Head said: “He was a great presence in Hans also engaged with the College for more than 50 years. of Department at the time. His the Department and a world leader local community and spent 10 Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, thesis, ‘Marginal detonation in in the f eld of safety and detonations. years as a governor at St Mary’s on 13 January, 1934, he was the hydrocarbon-oxygen mixtures’, He was also a champion for University. Former Principal and third child of Antonius Michels was completed in 1967 and won new ideas in education and in Vice-Chancellor, Arthur Naylor, said and Christina Veraart. His parents the prize for best in year. He was improvements in the Department’s of Hans: “His professional expertise, were both physicists, who together immediately hired as a Lecturer at infrastructure and operations. He immense energy, positivity and founded several modern schools the institution, becoming Senior will be greatly missed.” personal charm made a huge in Amsterdam. Hans was inspired Lecturer in 1985 and Professor of Professor Dame Julia Higgins, contribution to the development of by his father, a professor of Safety Engineering in 1999. Hans President of the Institute of Physics St Mary’s and a lasting impression on experimental and technical physics, taught the undergraduate safety and Emeritus Professor of Chemical all who worked with him”. to join academia and pursue a course for many years, a subject Engineering at Imperial, said: “When Hans passed away peacefully subject which would connect him to about which he was truly passionate. I arrived in the department in 1976, on 8 March at the age of 85 and is the industrial world. He will be remembered for his Hans was one of my neighbours on survived by his four children, and ten Hans studied physics and kindness and his dedication to level 5 ACE. He has been a constant grandchildren. chemistry at the University of his family, the department and his colleague and someone I have loved With thanks to Prof Nilay Shah, Amsterdam. He was active in students. He was always full of to meet and chat with ever since. and Nicolette Michels A globe-trotting life in the mining industry H.E.K. (HUGH) ALLEN in a posting to Minerals Resources the role of Director of the Rio Tinto (Mining Eng 1957-59) Australia in 1971, Engineering, Technical Services in Bristol. Hugh was born in 1934. where Hugh and as the Course In 1991/2, Hugh was elected Prior to entering the Royal School his family spent Director of the President of the Institution of Mining of Mines in 1957, to study mining two years based MSc programme in and Metallurgy, in the Institution’s engineering, Hugh had already done in Melbourne, Mineral Production Centenary year and following in his two years’ National Service with the while Hugh toured Management. father’s footsteps, who had been Royal Engineers, which had included that vast country Hugh’s wide President of the IMM some 40 years a year in Malaya with a Gurkha assessing mining experience of the earlier. regiment, followed by three years opportunities for his mining industry On retirement from RTZ, Hugh at Cambridge University, where company. on several set up his own mining consultancy, he took an MA degree in Natural In 1973, the Allen continents was an where he was involved in various Sciences at Corpus Christi College. family returned to ideal background mining projects around the world, Thus he began his RSM career Africa, when Hugh for teaching this including in Brazil, Australia and as a relatively mature student and was transferred to the De Beers postgraduate course, which Liberia. gained his BSc(Eng) degree in mining subsiduary of Anglo American to attracted students from all parts of Hugh lived his life to the full. engineering after only two years of become manager of the famous the world. Students would often be Despite being a strongly focussed study, graduating in 1959. Orapa and Letlhakane diamond invited to Hugh’s home at Harrow professional engineer, he took every During his student days in mines in Botswana. One of his tasks on the Hill, to share a meal with Ann opportunity to further his many London, he married, Ann, at Pinner as manager involved monthly trips and his lively family. other interests, using his knowledge in Middlesex. This was the beginning to Johannesburg in light aircraft, Eventually, after nearly a decade of geology, natural sciences and of a life-long partnership, which accompanying a briefcase full of the of teaching and living in London, in particular, his love of birdlife, resulted in f ve children and, in due mine’s monthly output of diamonds, Hugh began to get itchy feet again to explore and get to know the course, 13 grandchildren. to deliver it securely to Anglo’s head and, in 1987, he left academic life to regions of the world to which his Like many RSM graduates, Hugh off ce for safe-keeping. return to the mining industry as a varied career took him. He had a began his professional mining career After 18 years of globe-trotting mining advisor for RTZ. large and loving family and he was in the South African gold industry; in the mining industry, with his long- Although the new job was a committed Christian; when he he was recruited in 1959 by the suffering and ever-expanding family based in London, at the company’s was at home, he was very involved Anglo American Corporation and in tow, Hugh decided it was time head off ce in St James Square, it in church affairs in his local parish was posted as a shift boss to the to return to the UK to settle down. involved plenty of travel, visiting RTZ church, St Mary’s at Harrow on the newly-opened President Brand Doing this involved Hugh in a career operations around the world. Hill where, after his death this year, mine at Welkom in the Orange change from industry to academia After a couple of years of this, the he was f nally laid to rest. Free State. He rose rapidly through and, in 1979, he returned to his alma company decided that Hugh’s vast Hugh will be much missed by his the management ranks at Anglo mater, the Royal School of Mines, experience of the industry could be friends and colleagues and his many American, with assignments in to take up a Readership in Minerals better employed elsewhere in the former students from the RSM. Tanzania and the USA, culminating Industry in the Department of organisation by promoting him to

Imperial ENGINEER Autumn 2019 35 I m p e r i a l ENGINEER

MOTHER NATURE NEEDS HER DAUGHTERS STUDENT RECRUITMENT & OUTREACH SMALLER GLACIERS, BIGGER CARS RED PROJECT BORNEO, 2018 MATERIALS IN SPARTA PROJECT PENGUINS

For members of City & Guilds College Association and The Royal School of Mines Association ISSUE 31 AUTUMN 2019