Teesside University

Faculty Member, School of Science and Engineering

Professor of Construction, Director of TFI (Technology Future Institutes), Director CCIR (Centre for Construction Innovation & Research)

About

Career Summary

I have spent many years as an academic and a researcher within the field of project and construction management and the application of  IT in the construction process. This has ranged across a number of research topics including sustainability, Information Technologies and Systems (4D,VR,Integrated databases), planning and management of off-site production, risk management, intelligent decision support systems, cost forecasting and control and business processes. This has resulted in over 180 published papers in refereed international journal and conferences, and research grants from British Council, Industry, Engineering Academy, EPSRC, DTI UK Department Trade and Industry, construction industry companies and Peter Berg Foundation, totalling about £2,500,000 in cash.
Most of my research projects are multi-disciplinary in nature and complementary knowledge and expertise within my research centre, national and international research institutions and collaboration with the UK and EU construction industry has led to successful research bids and exciting research projects.

Currently, I am the Director of the Centre for Construction Research and Innovation with the responsibility of developing and promoting research projects, development of innovative project management modules, teaching and providing academic and research leadership, promoting and developing research proposals for funding, liaise with industry, providing research supervisory and networking with external and internal bodies to develop opportunities for collaborative research and enterprise projects.
My impact on the national and international research agenda is reflected by keynote presentations, EPSRC, EU and DTI funded research, international meetings and conferences.

I work very closely with the construction industry (UK, EU and  worldwide) to promote innovation through the development of innovative research and development programs and the adoption of good practice. I run a wide range of training course to industry in the UK and abroad. I have been appointed the expert reviewer of a major EU integrated project (inpro project, 20 million euro investment)

Presently, I am running a number of funded research projects. Four KTPs,  a major EU research projects, EPSRC funded PhD case and industry funded projects.
Two major EPSRC research projects were concluded last year: VIRCON (Virtual Construction Site) and IMCS (Innovative Managerial Control System) and three industrial sponsored projects. The two EPSRC project have received a very high IGR assessment form EPSRC: ‘Tending to Outstanding’. Furthermore, my work in construction planning simulation and visualisation has received an award from the Constructing Excellence Innovation Award.

I teach Construction Management, Risk Management and Visualisation Application to Construction planning. In addition, I have created a master course in project management and currently I am the director of this course. I have developed a number of management and IT modules for BEng degree and MSc in Project Management at Teesside. In addition, I include current industrial case studies in my teaching by inviting project managers from industry.

I have been a visiting fellow/Professor at VTT -Finland, University of Calgary- Canada, University of Bahrain- Bahrain, Central University of Taiwan, AIT- Thailand, Stanford University-USA, PWRI (Public Works Research Institutes)- Japan, Georgia Tech- USA, Virginia Tech- USA, UNSW- Australia, University of Parana- Brazil, University of Florida-USA, International Islamic University Malaysia, Gyeongsang National University, Korea and Miyagi university , Japan and Osaka University, Japan.

I have been proactive in research and current practises and have attended 60 international and national conferences and presented papers in more than 18 countries. I work closely with partners in Stanford, The University of Texas at Austin, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Miyagi University, Nottingham University, Salford University and a host of industrial collaborators.

I am  supervising ten PhDs, two MPhil students and five research fellows. I directed and supervised successfully a number of sponsored research projects (EPSRC, DTI and Industry) and successfully supervised 10 PhD and two MPhil students.

I have been appointed as an external examiner for PhD research degrees at Leeds University, University of Nottingham, University of Herriot-Watt, University of Salford, Chalmers University (Sweden) and Laleậ University (Sweden). I was an external examiner for B.Sc. CAD in Construction, Wolverhampton University.

I am a member of EPSRC Peer Review College and a member of referee editorial board for four journals and numerous conferences. Additionally, I am a graduate member of the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE), Project Management Institution (PMI)-Special Interest Group in Risk Management (SIG), International Council for Building Studies, Working Commission for Industrialised Building (CIB W24), Working Commission for Construction Management (CIB, W78), VR SIG Construct IT, University of Teesside Research Degree Committee, University RAE Strategy panel and University Research Policy committee.

I have originated the CONVR conference series (Construction Applications of Virtual Reality: Current Initiatives and Future Challenges). The mission of this is to bring together national and international researchers and practitioners from all areas of the construction industry and promote efficient exchange of ideas and develop mutual understanding of needs and potential applications of VR modelling. CONVR 2000 was organised at Teesside and attended by participants from 9 countries, CONVR 2001 organised at Chalmers University, Sweden and attended by participants from 12 countries. CONVR 2003 was organised by Virginia Tech, USA, CONVR 2004 was organised by ADETTI (Portugal), CONVR 2005 organised in Durham UK, CONVR 2006 was organised by Florida State University and CONVR 2007 was organised at Penn State University, USA, CONVR 2008 was organised by IIUM Malaysia and  CONVR 2009 will be organised by the University of Sydney, Australia.


Main industrial Partners includes: Stent, Services Design Association, Bond Bryan Architecture, Kvaerner Construction, HBG, Aggregate Industries, MotaEngil (Portugal)  WS Atkins, Turner & Townsend, Tarmac, AMEC, Vinci (France), GTM (France), EC Harris, Balfour Beatty, Faithful & Gould, WS Atkins, Advanced 3D, Taylor Woodrow, Scanmoor, Mace, BAM Nuttall, CH2MHill, Laing O’Rourke,  Ryder, Deepdale Solution, SES, Shepherd  Construction,

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