A CA L L FOR ENG I NE E R S
SAV I NG T H E WOR L D I N T I ME S OF C R I S I S
A CA L L FOR ENG I NE E R S
SAV I NG T H E WOR L D I N T I ME S OF C R I S I S
What made you interested in engineeringand renewable energy? When I was a small boy, I went on trips with my father to see a slate quarry that had been converted to a hydro-electric power plant and that was the turning point when I started to wonder where all our energy comes from. Both my parents were fanatically interested in renewable energy and I became interested in solar power. When you realise that every day more energy falls on our planet’s surface than we use in 27 years, you begin to wonder, why do we need to keep digging things out of the ground and burning it ? My PhDwas in solar energy but there was a period when there wasn’t much funding for that kind of work. I went into the steel industry and realised the value end is not simply making the steel but making something useful out of it. Linking this to solar power, here in Swansea, we’ve utilised materials that can generate energy on the outside of buildings. Why did you specialise inMaterials Science? It fascinated me when I realised that Materials Science is involved in everything. There isn’t an object that hasn’t had some influence fromMaterials Science and the application of engineering also allows me to use my creative flair, so I think it’s important to help people understand all the ingredients involved in this amazing area. What is special aboutMaterials Science and Engineeringat Swansea? The reason whyMaterials Science and Engineering at Swansea exists is because we were needed by the local industries 100 years ago, so it’s in the basic DNA
of our University. And because we’ve always done it, the degree to which this subject has influenced the whole area of SouthWales and beyond in terms of how Materials Science has touched people is really significant. We’ve maintained our partnerships with traditional industries that are in our heritage, but we’re also unique in that we are adventurous in looking to new innovative ideas and applications (such as solar energy) to support new industries.
go on to invent all these new devices, it could be the Electrical Engineers or the Mechanical Engineers who go on to use these materials for their inventions and that drives economic growth, improves people’s welfare and lifestyles. Do you think thework Swansea is doingwill inspire youngpeople to do engineering? Traditionally, engineering has been viewed as heavy machinery and turning cogs, but where we are now, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are seeing how engineers have the ability to respond to a crisis by coming forward with solutions to help people’s lives. Also remembering that before this crisis, we were talking about the climate crisis. On the one hand, we could look at the situation with doom and gloom and the limited windowwe have to address the issue. Alternatively, we could get people excited about studying science and engineering to solve other current and future problems for our next leap forward, whether that be the Net Zero Age or the Solar Age. I think it’s a brilliant time to inspire young people into STEMand showing them that the things we are doing is really making a difference.
Professor Dave Worsley Research Lead on the Active Buildings
What is your role here in Engineeringat Swansea?
As a Senior Research Professor, one of my important roles is writing, applying for, and successfully obtaining grants from UKGovernment to fund our research; but another one of my key roles is supporting people. I think it’s important to support people who have good ideas and help them to get funding to grow their ideas and develop a career of their own. There are so many examples of people here in Swansea who started off as undergraduates, have grown with us and are now at a professorial level or successfully working in other areas, and I hope I was part of helping them shape their career. I myself value very greatly that I’ve managed to craft out an entire career in Swansea – a place I love. What rolewould you sayMaterials Science has in shapingour future? Materials Science has underpinned every move forward that humans have made. We’ve been through the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Silicon Age and all the new things that we do are driven by the discovery of newmaterials which enables us as humans to create new things. But it’s not theMaterials Scientists that necessarily
Dave Worsley is a Tata Steel sponsored Professor, leading a number of National and International consortium projects supporting the transformation of industry to a lower carbon future. He has been recognised and awarded for his distinguished work in the field of Materials Science and Engineering , particularly his achievements connected with the iron and steel industries. Most recently, he was awarded a Welsh Government St David Award in the Innovation, Science and Technology category . The national St David Awards scheme recognises and celebrates the exceptional achievements of people from all walks of life in Wales.
ENG I NE E R I NG AT SWANS E A UN I V E R S I T Y
ENG I NE E R I NG AT SWANS E A UN I V E R S I T Y
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