Leading UK academic Bill Banks becomes 123rd IMechE President

Institution of Mechanical Engineers

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Leading UK academic Bill Banks becomes 123rd IMechE President

28 May 2008, Leading UK academic and energy expert, Professor William Banks, was today (Wednesday 28 May) appointed the 123rd President of a global engineering body, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

He will step down as Professor of Advanced Materials within the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Strathclyde later this year. He will continue the IMechE’s nationwide campaign to encourage more young people into engineering as the sector faces a shortfall of skilled staff.

He replaces out-going IMechE President John Baxter, a world leading energy engineer and Group Engineering Director of BP. Prof Banks has been a leading advocate in the education sector calling upon the urgent need for Government and industry to work together to develop the next generation of engineers. Currently tens of thousands of engineers are estimated to be needed to fill vacancies in the UK from engineering technicians to senior engineering posts in transport, energy and manufacturing sectors.

Prof Banks focused on how to encourage the uptake of engineering as a career, in his inaugural speech before 200 engineers, titled Educated Engineers the Only Basis of a Sustainable Society. ‘’There has been an eight percent drop in the number of registered engineers in the UK in the past decade and the IMechE are working hard to reverse this trend. We are focusing our efforts on working with leading UK businesses including Jaguar Land Rover, BAE, MBDA, universities and Government organisations to ensure appropriate accreditation processes are in place.’’

He added: ‘’I am committed to drive the development of the curriculum and ensuring that the content of courses reflects the real requirements of industry. Above all, I will be ensuring that school students are enthused with the value of engineering as a potential career in the context of our sustainable society.’’ Prof Banks also promised to use his year in office to champion all the IMechE’s key themes: Energy, Environment, Transport and Education.

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Notes to Editors:

• •For a copy of Prof Banks’ Presidential Address, biography, picture or any media enquiries on this release, please contact the IMechE Press Office on 020 7304 6888 or email media@imeche.org.
• Bill Banks graduated from Strathclyde University with a First Class Honours BSc Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1965 and an MSc Degree in 1966. He was a Senior Research Engineer at Weir Pumps Ltd but since 1970 he has been in Academia gaining his Doctorate in 1977. Prior to his appointment as President, he was Chairman of Advanced Materials in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. He is also a past Chairman of the Engineering Professors’ Council.
• The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is one of the world’s leading engineering institutions. Established in 1847 it has some of the world’s greatest engineers in its history books. It currently has around 80,000 members in 120 countries representing mechanical engineers working in groundbreaking areas such as automotive, rail, aerospace, medical, power and construction industries to name a few. Visit www.imeche.org for more information.

Source: www.imeche.org

IMechE President William Banks