Biography
Educational Background - Graduated with a Bachelor of Technology from the University of Bradford in 1984 and then completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Loughborough University in 1985. Gained a PhD from Aston University with research in manufacturing innovation before joining British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) in research at their commercial aircraft manufacturing centre based at Cranfield University looking at the costing of parts for Airbus aircraft. Academic Background - appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Industrial Technology in October 1991 and promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2001 in the School of Engineering, Design and Technology following departmental reorganisation. Presently, Senior Lecturer in Operations Management in the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics. Teaching responsibilities - These have been mainly focussed in the areas of Operations and Technology management. A key aspect of teaching activity has been on enhancing the business and management knowledge of engineering students in respect of financial and project management. As a result of previous employmeent with British Aeropace and industrial contacts with Boeing and Airbus, also have a particular interest in aerospace manufacturing and management and deliver modules in these areas. Administrative Responsibilities - from 2001 to 2014, I was the Director of Studies for the Technology Management Programme Team and responsible for the management of five undergraduate courses and two MSc courses. This also included leading the gaining of professional engineering accreditation of several of the the courses. I also served on University senate for three years from 2002-2005 and was a member of the School of Engineering Board from 2001 to 2013. Student recruitment activities - I have been actively involved in student recruitment activities since 2001 and am presently the acting Director of Student Recruitment for the School of Engineering. Since 2005, I have worked closely with the International Office to promote the University of Bradford in sub-Saharan Africa and have made over 25 trips to market the University and directly recruit students. I have considerable experience of working with our agents in both West and East Africa and running marketing campaigns in the region. I have set up alumni associations in both Nigeria and Ghana and have given lectures at Schools/colleges/Universities to promote the University. Research - My research interests are focussed on: (1) The management of technology in Africa and am presently supervising a Kenyan PhD student on assessing the viability of the Kenya Vision 2030 plan for the energy sustainability in rural communities. (2) The manufacturing and operations management of commercial aircraft. I am particularly interested in strategies for managing complexity in commercial aircraft manufacturing and the impact of these on the project management of major aerospace programmes.
