Brunel Chairs
Project aim
To establish a series of Brunel Chairs to bring global expertise in areas that Brunel would be working if alive today: intelligent structures; microelectronics; water and health; and energy.
Target
£210,000 per chair.
Recognising significant support
Insight into groundbreaking research.
In the 1980s, the Singaporian Government created the Tamesek Chairs at the National Technical University of Singapore. The part-time Chairs, only in post for a few years, focused on high technology engineering. Today, Singapore’s reputation as the world capital in hard disk design and manufacturing can be traced directly to the vision and drive of the Tamesek Chairs. Bristol now aims to replicate Singapore’s experience, by creating a series of three-year, part-time Brunel Chairs in engineering
Nick Lieven
Dean of Engineering and Professor of Aerospace Dynamics
The support of a Brunel Chair would bring a world leading figure to Bristol University to address globally significant challenges in engineering.
Importance
The impact which extraordinary individuals can make is enormous in the engineering field. Brunel was undoubtedly the most influential engineer of his generation. His unique association with Bristol is evident to this day through his suspension bridge across the Avon Gorge, the SS Great Britain and the Great Western Railway. The projects he undertook influenced his own and future generations.
Impact
There is no doubt he acted as an inspiration to engineers throughout the world. Thus, the aspiration of initiating the Brunel Chairs is to attract world leading engineers back to Bristol to inspire the next generation of engineers and lead a global initiative at the heart of 21st century engineering at Bristol. Their vision, leadership and inspirational ideas will pioneer engineering solutions in the areas of intelligent structures; microelectronics; water and health; and energy.
Goal
We would aim to establish a series of three year Chairs. The aim is to attract someone of international standing who would spend a third of their time in this role at Bristol carrying out this research.
By bringing internationally recognised leaders in engineering to Bristol to provide this leadership for our students and nurturing our young faculty staff we hope to embed a culture of adventure in the next generation of graduates and senior staff at Bristol.