Recent Visitors to the Department

Nick Baveystock, the new Director General of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a graduate of our civil engineering course, visited to compare notes

Nick Baveystock, the new Director General of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a graduate of our civil engineering course, visited to compare notes. He has had an impressive career with the Royal Engineers including commanding an Engineer Regiment and Division, serving in Germany, Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia and Iraq and heading the Royal School of Military Engineering. His last 10 years were focused on international post conflict reconstruction.  From a personal perspective, he was fascinated by the defence-related work going on in our Structures Lab, as presented by Andy Pullen. 

Dr Jeremy Watson, Chief Scientific Adviser at the UK Department of Communities and Local Government and Arup’s Director of Global Research came in to discuss how we might work more closely with Arup. 

The Science Director, the present and past Chief Scientific Advisors and the Engineering Manager from the Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (the organisation responsible for developing the UK's Geological Disposal Facility) visited us to discuss their plans and to review how we might assist them. Seven of our staff, from 4 of our 5 sections, presented relevant work from Urszula Kanturska on transport of hazardous materials to Prof Dave Potts on geotechnical modelling. 

Ron Dennis (Executive Chairman of McLaren Group and giant of Formula 1 motor racing) and chairmen and CEOs from several major energy companies visited our Hydrodynamics Lab and Dr Johannes Spinneken put on a show. The temporary closure of much of the Lab while AMP work is carried out will give Fluids staff a break from being one of the most frequently visited facilities on the campus.