Why did you choose the Bristol Composites Institute for your studies?
I was connected to the former Director Ivana Partridge through one of her former students from Cranfield, he was supervising me during my industry led master thesis. I was invited and coincidentally they had a position that was the perfect topic for me. What really drew me to the EngD programme was the close connection to industry, I had the privilege to work on one of the NCC core projects, sponsored by their Tier 1 partners. This gave me exposure to industry needs, a great industry network and a big challenge to tackle, bridging industry and academia.
What research area did you specialise in whilst you were here?
My research area was Automated Fibre Placement with Dry Fibre material. I was able to explore this topic on an industrial level, working with an automation system as it would be used in production, not a small test set up. I was looking into a variety of aspects of this technology, machine parameter determination, influence of part geometries on the layup, the infusion process but also the scalability. I really enjoyed working with a multi-disciplinary team: programmers, metrologists, infusion specialists, production technicians, I have learned so much from all my colleagues.
After leaving the BCI where did you go?
My first job after the EngD was in Sales, which was only short lived. I have learned a lot of what I am not good at and what I do not want to do, which was also a valuable learning experience. I took a different role after less than a year, I joined Airborne in the Netherlands as a proposal engineer, which was a position connecting the sales team and the engineering team. I later changed to the engineering team leading all R&D activities, which brought me back into familiar turf of bridging the gap between research and development. I now work for a Dutch funding body (Luchtvaart in Transitie) overseeing national projects in the aviation sector, working closely with the Dutch government but also the executing companies. Again, I find myself bridging a gap, this time between government and industry.
What are you currently working on and what do your future plans look like?
The funding body Luchtvaart in Transitie is managing several national and international projects, a total of 12 projects, over 60 partners and a budget of several hundred million EUR. I am now overseeing a portfolio of different subsidy projects, branching out from just composites related topics into the broader aerospace industry. I also have responsibilities on the programme management side. I am excited to learn more about the transition to novel propulsion technologies and support the executing parties to develop innovative technology.
How did the BCI prepare you for work outside of academia?
My studies at University of Bristol prepared me in many ways. First of course on a technical level, giving me all the technical knowledge and expertise in the field of composites manufacturing. Perhaps more importantly, I also gained many transferrable skills, such as speaking at conferences, building a strong network, self-confidence, stakeholder management and bridging the gap between industry and academia. Lastly, I learned how important it is to find my passion and to keep going for my goals. I learned that a doctorate is a marathon, not a sprint. This also applies to the career beyond the doctorate, and I am prepared to run the marathon of making aviation sustainable.