Professor Stephen Richardson, Principal of the Faculty of Engineering, takes on new role
A leading engineer with over 30 years’ experience of university education, research and leadership is announced today as Imperial College London’s new Deputy Rector.
(Media-Newswire.com) - A leading engineer with over 30 years’ experience of university education, research and leadership is announced today as Imperial College London’s new Deputy Rector.
Professor Stephen Richardson FREng, currently Principal of the Faculty of Engineering, has been appointed Deputy Rector with effect from 9 November and will combine these two roles.
Professor Richardson said:
Professor Stephen Richardson combines the role of Deputy Rector and Principal of the Faculty of Engineering “Imperial is packed with great people all the way through, and I’m looking forward to working with all colleagues to set the College’s priorities for the coming years. To serve as Deputy Rector is a huge honour and I will work very hard to be worthy of it, and to advance the academic mission of this outstanding College.”
Professor Richardson first joined Imperial as an undergraduate student in 1969, and went on to complete his PhD in chemical engineering at the College in 1975. After a period of research at Cambridge, he returned to the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology as a lecturer in 1978 and was promoted to professor in 1994. He has held a number of senior positions including director of undergraduate studies, deputy head and head of department, and was appointed Principal of the Faculty of Engineering in August 2008. His research interests are into methods of improving safety in the oil and gas industry, and he has provided evidence to major accident investigations including the Piper Alpha disaster.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1996 and was chair of the chemical engineering sub-panel during the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.
Welcoming his appointment, the Rector of Imperial, Sir Roy Anderson, said:
“Stephen is a highly popular senior academic, who has shown great dedication to Imperial throughout the more than 30 years he has worked here. He has been an outstanding leader within his department and the Faculty of Engineering, and I am delighted that the whole College will now benefit from his skills.”
The post of Deputy Rector at Imperial was last held by Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, who became chief executive of the Medical Research Council in October 2007.
-ends-
For further information contact:
Abigail Smith Imperial College London press office Tel: 020 7594 6701 Email: abigail.smith@imperial.ac.uk Out of hours duty press officer: 07803 886248
Notes to editors
About Professor Stephen Richardson FREng
Professor Richardson completed his PhD in chemical engineering at Imperial in 1975 and returned to the College as a lecturer in 1978, following a period of research at Cambridge. He was promoted to Professor of Chemical Engineering in 1994 and became director of undergraduate studies and deputy head of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology in 1995. He accepted the role of head of department in 2001 and progressed to Principal of the Faculty of Engineering in August 2008.
His research is focused on improving safety in the oil and gas industry. Major achievements include the development of a computer programme to simulate and predict events when high pressure systems become rapidly depressurised, The programme has been used extensively by oil and gas platforms and petrochemical plants, and was also used to provide evidence in major accident investigations, such as Piper Alpha.
About Imperial College London
Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.
Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve health in the UK and globally, tackle climate change and develop clean and sustainable sources of energy.
This story was released on 2009-11-11. Please make sure to visit the official company or organization web site to learn more about the original release date. See our disclaimer for additional information.