How did you first become interested in automotive electrification?

Believe it or not it was when I was about 9, at a summer fair in my village. This must’ve been early ‘80’s and this businessman was touting a fully electric car and giving people rides to demonstrate what it could do. At the time the only EV’s were milk floats. I remember being impressed at the idea of a car that was like my RC racing car. I have no idea what happened to his business. Then much later I was involved in electrifying the Jaguar Land Rover product line up, beginning with the Freelander in 2009 (micro hybrid) and culminated with the Jaguar I-PACE (Premium BEV) as head of the Performance, Efficiency and Driveability Team in 2018. We’d worked on all the targets for I-PACE, and we took it through the development process but the first time I actually drove it…It just blew me away. That’s when I truly realised the future was electric

Why does automotive electrification matter to our lives?

The passenger car industry is governed by strict emissions laws, and the manufacturers try their best to balance cost, safety, customer wants and pollutants emissions. It’s those emissions that bother me the most. Electrification means we can at least clean our cities up, or anywhere for that matter where we drive cars. I don’t like the idea of anyone breathing in these toxins for the sake of getting things from A-B. I enjoy driving, and I love cars, I don’t want to harm anyone for the privilege. We, as engineers have a moral obligation to clean up our act. Mobility will always be important, freedom to travel and explore the world. I just want us to do our bit to preserve this world we live on.

How is your job rewarding?

I love the interaction with the students. My experience in industry allows me to put the subject matter into context for them, and it’s the discussions with the students, from their unique point of view I find so interesting. It’s nice to think I’m helping them see the big picture and that they can go on to develop exciting, clean new energy vehicles. And I’m still learning, there’s so much research going on…it feeds the curiosity I felt as a boy and the reason I became an Engineer…for me…every day’s a school day.

What’s the most important part of teaching?

Engaging the students. I want them to find this industry as fascinating as I do. Cars are fun…Learning should be fun. The students on the course have worked so hard to get there, and they have so much potential. It’s important to show them the relevance of what we are teaching. It’s a journey, and I like to take them along for the ride.

What are your interests outside of work?

I enjoy the outdoors…walking my dog (a Leonberger called Obi), camping with my family. I also enjoy motorsports, I have an older motocross bike which at some point I’ll replace with an electric one when I can afford it. Lastly I enjoy martial arts, I have previously gained black belt in Karate but now I practice Krav Maga. Outside of work it’s all about spending time with my family really. We live on a cool planet, with so much to see and do. It’s good to share it with the ones you love. Oh, and I love films…Sci-fi, Horror, Disaster movies…that kind of stuff.