Summary of experience (1982 – present)

Overall, experience in:

Electrical and high voltage engineering, product design and development since 1997;
Provision of high-level technical advice and consulting services to internal and external clients on a global basis since 1997;
World-leading scientific (applied physics) and electrical / high voltage engineering research since 1990;
Global project management and collaborations with leading engineers and scientists since 1990;
Education, training, presentation and seminar skills since 1982.

Some specific responsibilities:

Worldwide role in innovative R&D efforts in electrical engineering and applied sciences;
Provision of high-level consulting support on a worldwide basis utilising analytical skills, knowledge and experience;
Planned, directed and conducted fundamental and applied research into new and existing core engineering technologies and presented project reports with recommended actions;
Carried out independent and collaborative cutting-edge research on phenomena of relevance to the lightning protection industry (theoretical, experimental and computer modelling in electrical engineering and atmospheric physics);
Developed and maintained a high level of expertise with numerical modelling and simulation software, e.g., finite element analysis of electromagnetic field problems and advanced circuit simulations;
Developed and maintained theoretical and practical expertise in high voltage engineering and utilised these skills for very specialised testing of a range of existing and new products.
Researched and implemented new processes, techniques and ideas that have application to core technologies and innovative, next-generation product concepts;
Prepared strategic white papers to assist with company growth plans and directions;
Provided directions and integral effort in the complete project management cycle – market research, identification of opportunities, provision of high-level consultancy / advice to potential client, engineer effective solutions and products, initiate new sales, scope out international manufacturing requirements, provide support and advice for the manufacturing effort;
Hired, managed and mentored undergraduate and graduate electrical engineering students to assist with projects;
Developed new concepts and models of relevance to lightning protection products;
Tested and assessed validity of hypotheses to determine practical and economical solutions to problems;
Planned, prepared and delivered technical presentations and seminars (in-house, nationwide and worldwide);
Collaborated and liaised with other engineers and scientists, both national and international;
Carried out risk analyses and implemented modern risk management principles;
Carried out rigorous numerical analyses of data, developed models, derived optimum and practical solutions and used these to provide new directions;
Ongoing expert technical contributions to national and international Standards- and Code-setting organisations;
Applied efficient project management principles in relation to project proposals, budgets, return-on-investment calculations and timelines;
Prepared new course materials for a wide range of theoretical and practical university courses, delivered and taught these courses, managed a wide range of part-time staff and courses;
Developed computer software for scientific and engineering applications and research projects;
Implemented scientific and engineering data analysis and signal processing techniques.

Some specific achievements:

Researched, designed and developed specialised lightning protection products for worldwide applications using innovative modelling and simulation techniques;
Consulted on many general and specialised lightning protection projects around the world, e.g., skyscrapers and towers, oil refineries, substations etc.;
Established, actively participated and delivered outcomes in numerous international collaborations to investigate the theoretical and experimental aspects of lightning protection, earthing/grounding and corrosion issues.
Initiated and completed a world-first study of how to optimise a lightning protection system for typical installation on any building. This work comprised a significant part of two patents;
Initiated, established and completed a world-first field study of lightning strikes to buildings, and paper published in prestigious Royal Society journal;
Developed new products concepts and opened new business opportunities in the rapidly growing wind energy industry;
Developed methods for designing optimised and cost-effective air termination systems for lightning interception;
Carried out high-voltage and high-current impulse testing of products at various indoor and outdoor laboratories around the world;
Carried out a risk assessment and forensic engineering investigation for a major oil and gas multinational;
To date, achieved almost 100% acceptance rate for publication of cutting-edge technical papers in peer-reviewed, international journals;
Prepared and presented many technical papers at a range of conferences around the world;
Designed lightning protection systems for a wide variety of buildings (from factories to landmark skyscrapers and towers), facilities (such as oil & gas multinationals, wind turbine manufacturers, electrical substation owners and operators, mining companies etc.), all done by the application of relevant codes and standards and/or by providing innovative solutions as requested by the client;
Managed a major software development project to successful completion within very tight resource constraints (software was used worldwide to carry out lightning protection designs to a variety of methods and standards);
Developed new, generic, grounding / earthing specifications for the wind energy and utilities / substation industries, providing large cost-savings for more than 50% of cases that would normally require specialised designs;
Developed a series of new, practical courses in applied physics, physics for engineers, digital / microprocessor / computer electronics and data communications at all undergraduate levels.
Developed a new, self-guided electronics course for first year physics, engineering and computing students and published a saleable book from the work.