University of Manchester (formerly Rolls-Royce)
After a false start studying as a geologist, Professor Clarkson went on to complete a Bachelor’s Degree and PhD in mechanical engineering. Following periods in the nuclear and commercial engineering software industries he joined Rolls-Royce plc in 1997, as a thermofluids specialist, helping design aircraft gas turbine engines. Between 2010 and 2025 he led the team responsible for ensuring Rolls-Royce engines can operate acceptably in the extremes of environment they are likely to encounter; extremes caused by water (rain, hail and icing conditions), mineral dust, volcanic ash and chemical pollutants. His expertise was recognised by Rolls-Royce in 2017 when he was elected as an Engineering Associate Fellow. His work on volcanic ash and aviation resulted in him receiving two awards; the 2016 Institution of Mechanical Engineers Derek Astridge Safety Award and the 2018 UK Civil Aviation Authority Flight Safety Award. He was made an MBE in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. After retiring from Rolls-Royce in 2025 he took up a part-time position at The University of Manchester, as Professor of Aerospace Earth Science (in the same department where he studied geology for 1 year in 1982-83 before switching to engineering).
JBA Trust
Rob Lamb is director of the JBA Trust. A hydrologist and numerical modeller by training, his interests are in climate resilience and risk management.
Leiden University
Vivi Rottschafer is a specialist in dynamical systems theory and partial differential equations with a focus on applications in life sciences.
University of Oxford
Professor Colin Please works on the mathematical modelling of physical phenomena arising in practical problems and interpreting the results into the original context. His research takes place at the interface of mathematics with other disciplines primarily engineering, and bioscience.
University of Birmingham
Rosemary Dyson is a Professor in Applied Mathematics at the University of Birmingham.
BeZero Carbon
Aoibheann Brady is the Principal Geospatial Scientist at BeZero Carbon.
