News Spring 2011 President’s column 2 Council news 3 Policy and public affairs 4 Events 6 Public engagement 7 News of Fellows 7 International 8 Research 9 Development 10 Education 10 Obituaries 12 A big year ahead The arrival of 2011 signalled a year of major development, movement and change for the Academy. On 11 June, the Academy will celebrate its 35th anniversary with a programme that will include two talks for young people by Lord Browne as well as events showcasing engineering to the general public. On 11 July, Lord Browne will step down after five years as President and, subject to the vote of the AGM, Sir John Parker will assume the role in the expectation that he will serve a three-year term. Professor Robert Mair will complete his term as Senior Vice President and Professor Sir William Wakeham will take up that role. Under Lord Browne’s leadership, the Academy has made measurable, significant progress “to position engineering at the heart of society”. The Academy has reported the successful delivery of its objectives in the 2005-2010 strategic plan to enhance national capabilities, recognise excellence, inspire the next generation and lead debate (www.raeng.org.uk/bisreport). The Council is now working on a new plan to ensure that the Academy engages with the challenge of driving economic recovery for the UK through engineering. The Academy’s settlement in the recent Spending Review has set out the organisation’s public funding for the next four years. In line with all the national academies, the grant allocation has been slightly reduced, resulting in programmes that must be delivered more efficiently. The Academy is in the process of realigning its business to meet these new requirements. The Academy has a highly successful track record of adding value to its work through the support of business, industry and other third parties and this partnership working will become even more crucial in the future. In August, the Academy will engage on a major programme to redevelop the headquarters building into a national Forum for Engineering. The development campaign is looking to meet the £6.5 million target and over £5.5 million has already been raised from Fellows, companies, trusts and other generous supporters. The transformed building will open in May 2012 with state of the art facilities for showcasing engineering, debating the issues of the day and engaging the public, especially young people, with the possibilities created by engineering. The government has announced a new major international prize for engineering for which it is seeking to create an endowment fund in partnership with major private sector companies. The Academy is to take forward the project which Lord Browne welcomed as “a stimulus for the ingenuity and endeavour which this Academy was formed 35 years ago to champion.” Chief Executive Philip Greenish said: “As the Academy moves into the next 35 years of its development, Fellows can be proud of the progress that has been made but are no doubt mindful of the size of the challenge ahead. With the leadership, support and engagement of our Fellowship, I am confident that we can achieve even greater things and contribute even more to engineering and the life of the nation.” Sir John Parker (left) and Lord Browne (right) meet at the Academy in March 2011 © Charles Glover RAEng News Spring 2011 RAEng News Spring 2011 PRESIDENT’S COLUMN New Year Reception Spending review On Monday 17 January, the Academy settlement held the New Year Reception, a popular event on the Academy’s calendar Between September and November that gives Fellows and their partners last year, the Academy was asked an opportunity to socialise after the by the Department of Business, Christmas break. The lecture was Innovation and Skills (BIS) to make followed by both a drinks reception and submissions based upon various a buffet dinner. funding scenarios. At the reception, Professor Sir Richard In a project lead by Dr Mike Howse Feachem KBE FREng, one of the world’s OBE FREng, Academy staff, with most influential public health advisors, support from the Council, had already was awarded the Academy’s prestigious spent several months preparing Sir Frank Whittle Medal. The medal, the best case for sustained public which was presented by Lord Browne, investment in engineering. Last The President addresses the New Year Reception was given in recognition of Sir Richard’s December, BIS announced that the novel, engineering-based approach to Academy’s public funding would managing aid and helping to control reduce by 3% in cash terms over the some of the most virulent diseases. Sir Richard Feachem delivered the New four-year spending review period Year Lecture which outlined his ‘bold aid and on 1 March the Academy lodged In recent weeks, Sir John Parker and challenges. I do not need to convince Engineering is a vital component of our Sir Richard is Professor of Global Health reform’ plan its Delivery Plan (available on the I have been writing to Fellows to ask Fellows of the importance of engineering continued growth and success. at the University of California, San Francisco for your support in helping us to reach to economic growth and quality of Academy’s website) for the next four The Forum for Engineering will be a (UCSF) and at Berkeley, as well as Executive Director of UCSF Global Health our fundraising target of £6.5 million to life: however, that message still needs years. remarkable legacy from the Fellowship to Sciences. His work encompasses the control of AIDs, tuberculosis, malaria and create the Forum for Engineering at the broadcasting to a wider spectrum of future generations and I hope that, if you waterborne diseases. A condition of the settlement is that Academy. Thank you to those of you who society, policy makers and the media. The the academy should achieve a 15% have not already done so, you choose to Having received the award, Sir Richard delivered the Academy’s New Year Lecture have already made contributions to this Forum will help us do this. reduction in the cost of administering support this important project. entitled Re-engineering aid – a bold agenda for the 21st century. He spoke of his belief very deserving appeal. BIS funded programmes. The potential of this magnificently that aid distribution in the world’s poorest countries needs a major rethink. It was at this time last year that we located building is huge but, as many The Academy is realigning its business publicly launched the appeal as part of you know, its internal spaces are in During the lecture, Sir Richard’s lecture introduced the audience to his ideas for a new to deliver this. There are a number of of the making things better campaign. poor condition and not well configured model for aid. The plan recommended a new focus on non-development aid, a need notable impacts that flow from the In spite of the challenge of doing so for modern needs. The planned to innovate financially, a scaling up of aid to global public goods, support for very settlement: at a time of great national economic works, mainly to the public spaces small countries and the fostering of the next generation of leaders. uncertainty, it has been remarkably on the ground and first floors, are Sir Richard’s lecture is covered in more detail in issue 46 of Ingenia. The lecture is also • The following programmes either successful. Significant gifts have been wholly focused on making the visitor available to view online at www.raeng.tv close immediately or phase out over made by leading engineering companies experience a positive one. The planned the next four years: Global Research such as National Grid plc and Rolls-Royce improvements include a 170 seat lecture Awards, Newton International Group plc; from trusts and foundations, theatre, four major interconnecting Fellowships and International Travel Peter Richard Head OBE - Director, such as the Wolfson Foundation; and rooms for exhibitions and meetings and New Year Honours Awards. from individuals including a substantial necessary facilities for larger numbers Arup. For services to civil engineering and to the environment. anonymous gift and a generous of visitors. A whole range of activities is Congratulations to the following Fellows • Funding headroom created by donation from the Ruler of Sharjah. We being planned to use the new spaces in of the Academy who were recognised in Order of the British Empire closing programmes above will be now stand within £1 million of the final ways that will bring engineering to life, Meetings and visitors the New Year Honours list: Officers of the Order of the British directed to three new programmes: target and are on the cusp of being able excite and inspire the next generation, The President recently met: Empire - OBE Engineering Enterprise Fellowships, to begin building work on the project, debate the issues of the day and Order of the Bath Leading Diversity in Engineering and planned for August 2011. contribute to national policy. Professor Christopher Robin Lowe - David Edwards Companion of the Order of the Bath Professor of Biotechnology, University of Professional Leadership. It was entirely thanks to the generosity This is a pivotal moment in the history Chief Executive, Engineering - CB Cambridge. For services to science. Construction Industry Training Board • The headroom will also allow an of Fellows that, in 2007, we were able to of the Academy. As we celebrate our Professor Brian Stanley Collins - Chief Professor Geoffrey Railton Tomlinson - increase in funding to research and move to 3 Carlton House Terrace. Our first 35 years and look to the future Scientific Adviser, Department for as a Fellowship, we have much to Massimo Fontolan Professor of Engineering Dynamics, education programmes: Research new building has enabled the Academy Business, Innovation and Skills.