Name: David Mullins

Job title: Director of External and International Relations

Department: WMG

Number of years at Warwick: 20

There’s no such thing as a typical day, but, in brief, my job involves...

Helping! I came here 20 years ago on a year’s secondment from the Research Councils and didn’t leave! My job is to help put WMG’s vision into practice, this involves working on a wide variety of projects in research, education and knowledge transfer, in the UK and internationally. I am privileged to work with very many interesting individuals within the University and externally. My work is fascinating, most enjoyable and I’m always learning.

My most memorable moment at Warwick has been...

I was involved in developing the evidenced case that was put forward for WMG’s Queen’s Anniversary Award application back in 2009. We were selected for the Award and I had the great pleasure of being invited to join our team at ‘the Palace’ when Professor Lord Bhattacharyya and the then Vice-Chancellor received the Award from HM The Queen in early 2010. It was a huge honour for me to meet Her Majesty – my mum would have been very proud!

In my time at Warwick, the biggest change I’ve seen is...

the confidence of the University as it has become a comprehensive university and grown its global recognition. It has achieved this whilst keeping the ‘family’ atmosphere which was so attractive to me when I joined. And of course, the built environment, with an unprecedented growth in buildings and facilities; not least where I am in WMG.

Warwick's kept me here because...

of the people, both colleagues within WMG and the wider University, that have been and remain great to work with. And the excitement of working in a project based environment, where what we are developing has a major impact on the economy, society and environment and on projects that span departments within the University and the academic: industry interface.

At the moment I'm really enjoying working on...

Our response to the first big initiative of the national Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund – the Faraday Challenge - which is looking to seize the opportunities from battery technologies to drive the electrification of automotive, rail, marine etc. sectors. Projects range from fundamental science, through collaborative R&D through to applications and I’m engaging with colleagues and with external academics, industrialists and government officials.

I recently learnt that...

We have such a diversity of expertise at the University, it is always nice to hear an expert from Warwick on the radio, often discussing something that I just didn’t know that we studied here.

If I could change one thing about the University it would be...

The access, if only we could have a train station like Birmingham with its University station right on campus! I travel to and from work by train as it makes such good use of time, by the time I’m home tasks are (hopefully) all done!

I'm really glad I got involved with...

An opposite answer if I may. I wish that I did get involved with all the opportunities for learning on the campus, from languages to some fascinating short courses that I see advertised. I guess that after 20 years it may be a little late for that now but I will try this year!

I make use of...

Arden House; I can’t praise it enough. I have spent a lot of time there over the last 20 years where we teach our programmes to industry. I was there recently, with a course from the Beijing Government. As always it was a beautiful meal, designed to meet the needs of the participants and served in a very friendly and ‘happy’ environment. This approach has been a good part of the success of the programmes that we have delivered there for many years.

My favourite place on campus is...

It probably sounds corny, but it is the International Manufacturing Centre where I work. It is a beautiful environment, designed by Cullinan Studio, which very much reflects how we work. The architects and Estates went to a lot of effort through approaches like the Design Quality Indicator to seek to ensure that the building reflects the values of its occupants. The first phase was completed in 1995 but it looks as fresh and timely as if it had just opened. I actually came as a guest to its opening, when I was at the Research Councils, but I am showing my age now!

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