Choose a profile:
- President
- Chairman
- Immediate Past Chairman
- Vice Chairmen
- Councillors
- Councillor and Honorary Treasurer
President
Professor Geoff Kirk RDI CEng FIED FREng FIMechE FRSA FRAeS
Geoff was elected as a Fellow of the Institution in 2002 and became President in May 2006.
Geoff Kirk is Chief Civil Aerospace Engineer at Rolls-Royce and has been involved with the design of engines for the company for more than 30 years.
Geoff studied engineering at Loughborough Technical College and Loughborough University and started his engineering career in 1961 by training as a drawing office student apprentice with Brush Electrical Engineering Co Ltd.
Geoff moved to Rolls-Royce in 1968 as a Design Draughtsman, and he worked as a designer of research, development and production test rigs for the company for three years. He successfully complete a full-time postgraduate course in Engineering Design at the Design Centre of Loughborough University of Technology.
In 1971 Geoff returned to the Rolls-Royce marine division to design components for nuclear steam rising plant.
Geoff has recently retired as Chief Design Engineer Airlines working on the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380. He is still working as a consultant to Rolls Royce.
He was awarded the British Bronze Medal in 1998 by the Royal Aeronautical Society and was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry in the same year that he was awarded the Institution’s Gerald Frewer Memorial Trophy.
Chairman
A T A Keegan IEng FIED
Tony is a freelance engineering designer who has experience in the aerospace, defence, process and structural sectors.
He joined the Institution in 1988 and became a member of the Membership Committee in 1989. He has held the post of Chairman and Vice Chairman of MEMCO during his term of office on the committee. He has been a member of the Membership Accreditation Board since 1997. He was elected to Council in 1997 and appointed Honorary Treasurer in September 2000, an office he held until May 2005. He is also a member of the Course Accreditation Panel.
Immediate Past Chairman
Professor G N Blount BSc MSc PhD CEng FIMechE FIED
A career academic, Gordon worked at Coventry University and its predecessors in name for 30 years. Before this he worked at the Michelin Tyre factory in Stoke on Trent, principally on Tribology problems, as the lubrication engineer.
As Head of Engineering Design at Coventry University, Gordon oversaw the operation and development of all the engineering design courses, as well as teaching on other courses in the School of Engineering. Gordon’s last position was as Associate Dean in the School of Engineering, with responsibility for academic developments. He has published more than 80 research papers and supervised 29 successful PhD students in the fields of Engineering Design and Tribology. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Engineering Design at Coventry University. He is continuing his research and undertaking occasional special projects.
Since retirement from full time work, Gordon has been able to spend more time to on IED work. He was elected to the grade of Member in 1998 and Fellow in 2005. He joined the Membership Accreditation Board in 2000 and currently sits on the Institution’s Council and Executive Board.
Vice Chairmen
C M C Dowlen BTech CEng MIMechE REngDes FIED FRSA
Chris has been a member of the IED since 1986. He has been a member of Council since May 2003, when he was elected as Chairman of the Education and Training Committee.
In the 1990s, Chris took an industry-based degree in automotive engineering at Loughborough University, in conjunction with what was then known as Triumph Cars. Whilst there, he worked on the design and development of the Triumph TR7 and TR8 range of sports cars before moving into research and working on stratified charge engines and vehicle structures within the Energy Conservation Vehicle Programme.
Chris continued with his structural work when he moved to SiA Commuter Systems, where he was a consultant in the finite element team.
After a few years he took up a position at South Bank Polytechnic (now London Southbank University) teaching on the engineering product design course. Chris has remained at Southh Bank ever since, running the Engineering Product Design degree for several years and is now Reader in Educational Development in the department of Architecture and Design.
He set up an MSc in Enterprise using a learning contract model, where graduates are able to take their innovative ideas through to commercial reality. He has been senior academic on several Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, including one with Cableduct Ltd, which won the 2009 London Knowledge Transfer Partnership award. He was given the University’s award for Enterprise in 2008. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Historians and is researching design paradigms in car history for a PhD.
However, not content with engineering design at work, Chris is also a keen steam model enthusiast. He is the boiler testing engineer at the East Surrey Group of the 16mm Modellers’ Association, winning a commendation at the 16mm Modellers’ Association Model of the Year competition in 2008 for his working model of a Glyn Valley tram locomotive
EurIng M A C Evatt BA(Hons) CEng MIED
Mike joined the IED in 1992, became a member of the Education and Training Committee in 1996, and was elected to Council in 2002. Currently is also Chair of the ETC. He spent the early part of his career as a product designer (before the term was popular) designing a wide range of artefacts from baby buggies to beer coolers. Mike then went on to become an academic at Coventry University, where he is currently Associate Head of the Dept of Mechanical Engineering and Design within the Faculty of Engineering and Computing and the Course Director for the MDes/BSc Industrial Product Design courses. He is also Director of a multi £M European funded project to help SME’s with design problems.
When not working, Mike designs, builds and flies competition model aircraft, writes for magazines, travels in Europe, and performs with the Northampton Gilbert and Sullivan Group, of which he is chair.
EurIng Colin Ledsome BEng MEng CEng FIMechE FIED MCMI FBIS
Colin started out with a BEng in Civil Engineering, but for his first graduate job he worked on Blue Streak, the first stage of the first European satellite launcher, then on a small satellite, ESRO 2. He went back to the University of Liverpool to get an MEng by research into the structure of space vehicle fuel tanks. He then worked for Teledyne-Brown at the Marshall Spaceflight Centre in Alabama on contract to NASA on Apollo Skylab. This was the late 60s when the first moon landings were taking place.
He came back to the UK in 1970 to work for British Rail in Derby on the Advanced Passenger Train on all three versions of the train. In 1980 he moved to London to work for the Design Council as their Engineering Education Co-ordinator. He was responsible for the Council's work in engineering education and training beyond school level. He edited a magazine, ran a national engineering design competition for final year projects, produced teaching resources, organised conferences and exhibitions, sat on committees of professional bodies and did lots of other things. Perhaps the most important was to instigate and be secretary of a Joint Design Council/Engineering Council Working Party to define the design content of engineering formation. Its 1991 report, Attaining Competence in Engineering Design, remains the ECUK's only policy document on design.
In 1994 the Design Council was drastically cut (from 210 to 30 having been 350 a few years earlier) and Colin got early retirement at 51. After a break to build a conservatory and fit a new central heating boiler he joined the then National Council for Vocational Qualifications to help manage a survey of the NVQ system. In 1996, he was invited to join the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London to look after students on deferred and sandwich years and to help with design teaching. In 2004, his post was made redundant (although he continued to supervise a PhD student), and he got early retirement again. Since then he has been a part time lecturer in several universities and colleges. He has recently become involved with the BSi, on behalf of the IED, on the standards covering Technical Product realization. He continues to be active in professional bodies and contributes papers to conferences.
In his spare time, he is an archer and archery coach.
Councillors
Wayne Beck B.Sc. (Hons), C.Eng, FIED
Wayne joined the Institution in 2000 as a member and upgraded to Fellow in 2005. He joined the ETC in 2004 and was co-opted to Council in May 2006.
In the period 1985 to 1995 whilst practising Engineering with Plessey Avionics and Marconi Defence Systems Wayne studied at Highbury College of Technology where he was awarded an OND, HHC and HND in Electronic Engineering. Following this he studied Electronics, Control Engineering and Systems Engineering at the Southampton Institute of Technology before graduating from the University of Portsmouth in 1995 with a 1st class honours degree in Engineering and Business Strategic Management.
Wayne is Sales and Marketing Manager at BAE Systems Integrated Systems Technologies (Insyte) and is also responsible for International manufacturing collaboration management worldwide. This role has provided Wayne with an opportunity to work in many countries worldwide, more recently India, Africa, Korea, Russia, Kazakhstan the Middle East and Europe. Being responsible for International collaboration in the manufacturing and technology sectors of these countries has provided him with a platform to research worldwide manufacturing capability and techniques. Wayne has been in the Defence Industry for more than 20 years and through his involvement with offshore manufacturing has extensive experience of worldwide manufacturing capability in both Defence and Commercial electronics sectors.
Wayne is currently researching worldwide advanced design for manufacture techniques and lifecycle management of design into manufacture in collaborative multinational environments with BAE Systems Integrated Systems technologies in Portsmouth.
Wayne has successfully embedded Design for Six Sigma Manufacturability and Lean Manufacturing Techniques into many organisations in Europe and has lead UK Defence Benchmarking projects into the Operations communities of BAE Systems companies. He has published and presented many technical and management papers covering a wide range of subjects including New Product and Technology insertion, Design for Manufacture and Test and Design for Six Sigma.
In his spare time he enjoys golf and swimming and is a keen DIY enthusiast and carp angler.
L Copestake DipRSA IfL MIED
Linda joined the IED in 1999, as a Member in the CADD division. She joined the Membership Committee in 2000, and became co-opted onto Council in 2002, becoming a fully elected member in May 2003.
Linda had worked as a contract CAD draughtsperson for many years before moving into education. She currently works in the Faculty of Computing at the City of Bristol College where she is CAD Manager and Tutor. Linda is particularly interested in CAD training, with the aim of bringing education and industry closer together.
Dr T M B Humphries-Smith BSc PGDip MPhil EdD CEng MIED ILTM
Tania became a member of the IED as a student when she was studying Engineering Product Design at South Bank University. After graduation, she worked as an engineering designer in a number of companies, designing anything from disposable medical equipment to letter sorting machines. She became a CEng in 1993.
In 1994, Tania took a position as a Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Product Design at Bournemouth University. She subsequently lead the Product Design course for four years before holding a number of Senior Academic roles and was appointed Associate Dean (Technology & Design) in 2008.
Tania joined the IED Membership Committee in 1997 and served on the Education and Training Committee from 1999 to 2002. Along the way, she has gained an MPhil and PGDip in Education and has recently completed her doctorate in education.
Graham Lacy MDes RCA CEng FIED FRSA
Graham is Development Director at PDD, one of Europe's leading product and service innovation consultancies. PDD staff provide a range of integrated services from planning and research, through design and engineering to production outsourcing. For 30 years, PDD has supported its clients' growth in the medical, consumer and industrial sectors.
Graham's background traces his passion for the innovation and development of new products, particularly those differentiated by invention and performance requirements such as medical and safety equipment, sports goods, building products, rugged electronics and industrial equipment.
Graham graduated from the Royal College of Art, London and is a qualified and Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering Designers. He has spent 25 years working within product innovation in industry and consultancy for clients such as Aqualisa, Avon, Dstl, Reebok, Salamander and Vocollect.
Graham is responsible for the technical aspects of work at PDD from research to quality assured manufacture. He also has responsibility for industrial business development and quality management.
He regularly lectures and examines at UK universities, has filed over 25 patents and has won many awards for design and innovation including the DBA Design Effectiveness Award, IDEA, Red Dot and IDSA awards.
In 1997 Graham was awarded the IED's Kathberts Trophy in recognition of a tangible and commercial contribution to industry and society.
Dr David Maffin PhD BEng CEng MRINA MIED
David joined the Institution as a Member in 1997. He has been a member of the Institution’s Membership Committee since 2002, has served as Chairman of MEMCO, and has been a member of Council since 2005.
David works for BOC, a part of Linde Group, within the UK packaged gases business. He currently leads a design support and product development team and is also responsible for project management methodology within the business.
David’s professional career started in 1981 as an Apprentice Draughtsman in the shipbuilding industry. He went on to study Naval Architecture at Newcastle University and, subsequently, joined the University’s research staff in 1992, where he investigated best practice in engineering design and product development. Since 1998, David has held engineering design management positions for companies associated with modular building, fluid flow measurement, aviation refuelling, and industrial gases.
Jerome Poole FIED(PP)(PCh)IEng MCMI
A time-served designer whose 40-plus years experience includes hands-on engineering product design, design management, design education, and design counselling.
Commencing as a Graduate Member of the Institution in 1967, becoming an Associate Member in 1970 and elected to Fellow in 1976, Jerome has served the Institution of Engineering Designers on many boards, committees and working parties. From 1977 until 1984 he was the Honorary Branch Secretary of the Midlands Branch.
He was elected President of the Institution for the years 1990 -1992 and elected Chairman of Council from 1998 – 2000. He has now served Council for three periods, 1978 – 1994, 1995 – 2004 and 2005 to date.
Nick Robinson BEng PGDManuf IEng MIED MSEE MIET
Nick joined the Institution in 2001 as a member and joined the ETC in 2003, he was then co-opted to Council in May 2006. In addition Nick is an IED nominate volunteer to the EC(UK) and joined their QAC (Quality Assurance Committee) on 2007
Nick completed his degree in at Bradford University in 1986 and went to work for Marconi; during this time he continued his studies and did a Post Graduate Diploma with the Open University followed by a Certificate in Archaeology with the University of Leicester.
Nick’s background is in the defence industry within a manufacturing environment, initially with Marconi and latterly with BAE Systems. He has held various engineering management positions specialising in the design and development of custom test solutions coupled with the implementation improved design process. Recently Nick has focused on the management of change within the business and is now working on the implementation of large multi site IT projects.
Dr Andrew Tizzard BSc MPhil DIC PhD MIEEE CEng MIED FHEA
Andrew joined the Institution in 2002 and was then Principal Lecturer in Product Design and Engineering at Middlesex University. He became a member of ETC in 2004 and joint vice-chair in 2006; he was appointed Chair of ETC in 2009 and elected to Council.
In the early part of his career, he took on roles in manufacturing engineering and design and development working for a MOD contractor. He has also worked on the design of automated assembly systems for a major consumer electronics company before taking up his academic career teaching mainly Computer-Aided Engineering (CAD, CAM, Finite Element Modelling) and undertaking research into new medical imaging techniques.
He is now Reader in Bioengineering at Middlesex University, undertaking research in the design of portable devices for imaging lung function in intensive care units and diagnostic oncology.
Ian Treacy BA MSc IEng MIED MIET
Ian has been a member of the Insitution since 1983 and became the Honorary Branch Secretary for the East Midlands in 2001.
Ian spent 18 years in the Railway Industry in Derby. On completing a five year apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering he joined the Technical Services Office. For 12 years he gained considerable experience in designing, tooling, figuring and special purpose machinery, as well as acting as an internal project engineer on the design and manufacture of railway rolling stock.
In 1988 he left the railway industry and spent a couple of years designing automation equipment and robotic tooling in the automotive sector. Since 1990 Ian has worked at Rolls Royce Aero Engines. He is employed as an internal consultant advising on the optimum ‘cost/design for manufacture’ solutions on a wide range of civil and military engine components.
Ian has a BA Degree in Engineering Product Design and a MSc in Manufacturing Management. He lives in Derby with his wife Teresa and two teenage daughters. He enjoys travelling, sailing and golf.
Simon Vaitkevicius BEng (Hons) MSc CEng MIED
Simon completed an HND in Aerospace Studies at Farnborough College of Technology and then continued there with a BEng (Hons) in Aeronautical Engineering in 2000. During his time at Farnborough he took a one-year placement as a projects assistant at East Midlands Airport, and commenced work at Nokia UK as a Mechanical Engineering Assistant. He completed his studies by taking an MSc in Engineering Product Design at South Bank University on a part-time basis, graduating in 2002 whilst continuing his work at Nokia.
In September 1996 he won 3rd place in the Industrial category in the Young Engineers for Britain competition.
At Nokia Simon has worked as a Mechanical Engineering Assistant on the research and development of non destructive and destructive testing of new mobile telephones, as a Mechanical Design Engineer on projects such as the Nokia N80 and N90, involved with projects from concept and architecture stage through to handover to Product Maintenance.
Simon's current role at Nokia is within the Nokia UK Mechanical Line as a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer providing support, mentoring and training for fellow Engineers. His areas of concern are mainly in tolerance analysis, stress analysis, process control and 2D drawing area. He is actively involved at project level ensuring the mechanical quality is correct before file release. Simon is also active in Global Nokia committees looking at mechanical issues and strategies for tolerances and drawings. The current role that Simon does uses his vast experience of mobile phone design and ensures that the products that Nokia release are to the highest of standards.
Simon joined the Institution of Engineering Designers in 2000, becoming a Chartered Engineer in 2007. He has served on their membership committee since 2007 and is currently Chairman.
He is keen to promote Engineering through Schools and Universities to foster the next generation of up and coming engineers. He is a registered Engineering Ambassador through the STEMNET organisation and provides support for his local schools on industry and careers days on average 6 times a year. He has recently been elected as a Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Teaching Fellow and he will lecture on engineering design from a real world perspective at London South Bank University.
Councillor and Honorary Treasurer
EurIng Professor K L Edwards BEng(Tech) MSc PhD CEng CSci FIMechE FIMMM FIED (PCh)
Kevin joined the Institution as a Members in 1992 and gained Fellowship in 1995. He was elected to Council in 1997, appointed Vice Chairman in March 2000, and became Chairman of the Membership Accreditation Board in May 2001. He was also Chairman of Council from 2002 to 2005.
Kevin has many years’ experience in senior academic and industrial positions in engineering design and management. He is currently Business Development Manager at the University of Derby. He is editor-in-Chief of the international journal, Materials and Design, published by Elsevier Science.