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The Institution’s Council


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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.

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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.


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Immediate Past Chairman


M H Lovell BSc MSc CEng REngDes FIED(PCh)

Mark joined the Institution as a Member in 1988 and became a Fellow in 2000. He was elected to Council in 1992 and held the post of Vice Chairman from May 2002 to May 2005 and was elected as Chairman in May 2005. Marks runs an internationally successful design company from offices in Wiltshire, specialising in the design of ‘sustainable engineering’.


Vice Chairman


A R Bowden BSc ACP EngTech FIED FCollP LCGI CertED

Tony served an Indentured Technician Apprenticeship with Messrs Douglas-Rownson Ltd, a subsidiary of Baker-Perkins. He attended Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) part-time and, on qualification, worked as a Mechanical Design Draughtsman. Later, he was promoted to Project Design and Estimating Engineer involved with the design, detail and layout of liquid and bulk handling and processing plant for the food and chemical industries.

Tony joined the IED as an Associate in 1976. He continued his education at BCoT, Reading University and the Open University. In 1984, after a break of five years from industry, he began teaching Engineering Drawing/Design Technology and Science subjects to ‘A’ level and ONC/HNC in schools and further education colleges.

He is formerly a Senior Teacher and Head of the Technology Faculty at Prospect College in Reading and more recently was Acting Head of Design Technology at the Clere School, near Newbury. He is registered as a Design Technology Health and Safety Consultant, and is able to train and accredit teachers in all practical areas of DT. Outside of college, his interests are wide and varied. Among other things, he has been a Duke of Edinburgh Award Instructor and Assessor for more than 35 years and has been involved with some 200 expeditions. He has served on the Institution’s Education and Training Committee since 1989 and joined the Council and MEMCO in 2002.


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.

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Councillors


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.

 

C M C Dowlen BTech CEng MIMechE REngDes FIED FRSA

Chris has been a member of the IED since 1986. He was elected as Chairman of the Education and Training Committee from May 2003 and is an Ex-Officio Member of Council.

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 Programme.

Chris continued with his structural work when he moved to SiA Commuter Systems, where he was part of the finite element team.

After a few years he took up a position at South Bank Polytechnic (now university) teaching on the engineering product design course. Chris has remained at South 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.

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, and looks after the exhibitors at their annual model steam show. He is also a member of the Society of Automotive Historians and is researching aspects of automotive history for a PhD.


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.


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.

 

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 and is now a Senior Academic and Head of Quality and Undergraduate Programmes.

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, the UK ‘s largest independent product innovation consultancy. PDD`s 75 staff provide a range of services spanning research, design and engineering to support their clients’ new product initiatives within several sectors including telecom, medical, consumer and industrial equipment.

Graham’s background traces his passion for the innovation and development of new products, particularly those differentiated by their demanding 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 20 years working within product innovation in industry and consultancy for clients such as Aqualisa, Avon, Gillette, Reebok, Aventis, VTech and Dstl.

Graham is responsible for the technical aspects of design work at PDD from invention through development and into quality assured manufacture. He is additionally responsible for technical business development, quality management, CAD, CAE and PDD’s intranet.

In 1997 Graham was awarded the IED’s Kathberts Trophy in recognition of a tangible and commercial contribution to industry and society. He has filed over 14 separate patents, has won the DBA Design Effectiveness Award and has designed four Millennium Products.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

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.

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.


Jim Waterfall MSc CEng FRAeS MIED

Jim joined the Institution as a member in 2000. He has been a member of the Institution’s Membership Committee since 2004 becoming Vice chairman of MEMCO in 2006.

Jim works for AgustaWestland in Yeovil. He is currently the External Engineering Services Manager and Chief Project Engineer where he has responsibility for managing a large engineering supply chain and technical lead for one of the AgustaWestland product range.

Jim’s engineering career started in 1967 as an Engineering Apprentice with the Ministry of Defence in the Underwater Weapons Division. Jim joined Westland Helicopters in Yeovil as a Design Draughtsman in 1974. Since that time he has undertaken various aerospace design roles on Systems, Structures, Installations and Manufacturing Interface. In 1995 until 2002 Jim lead the Structural Engineering team in the position of Chief Structural Engineer/Designer responsible for all airframe design and analysis activities across the companies product range.

A change of business direction necessitating a significant increase in the offloading of engineering tasks lead to his current role which required the setting up under “extended enterprise” principles the AgustaWestland engineering supply chain. Jim remains involved in engineering activities from his additional role as Chief Project Engineer for all Chinook engineering activities.

Jim has remained active in the CPD arena by undertaking an Open University MSc and achieved his CEng registration through the Engineering Council Mature Candidate Scheme with the IED. Jim feels it appropriate that he should put something back in the industry and offer support through the IED to encourage others in the engineering industry towards institution membership and professional registration.

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.

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Councillor and Honorary Treasurer


EurIng K L Richards MSc CEng FIED MIMechE

Following an Indentured Apprenticeship with BSA Tools Ltd, Keith worked in the machine design office. He then spent a number of years working in design at other machine tool companies, including David Brown (Wickman) on advanced design projects.

Following the demise of the UK machine tool Industry in 1979/1980, Keith was then employed with Vickers Design and Projects working on the mooring system components for the Hutton Tension Leg Oil Production Platform for which he had full technical responsibility. It was on this project he spent a number of years in the USA.

On completion of this project, he returned to the UK and became heavily involved in stress analysis covering the experimental and theoretical analysis of structures including photo-elastic and residual stress determinations.

In later years Keith has been a contractor for a number of companies covering both design and stress analysis with more emphasis on aerospace structures and components. Although officially retired, he has been asked by a previous employer (GKN) to help for a limited time to support the shop production of A380 Trailing Edge structures including engine nacelles for C130 and C27 military aircraft and a number of regional aircraft including Dash8-400 by providing stress analysis experience.

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