In Brief

Centre for Process Systems Engineering
Following a restructuring programme, the Centre for Process Systems Engineering has become a cost sub-centre within the department of chemical engineering, in the faculty of engineering, under the acting directorship of Professor Nilay Shah, appointed in June.

The ongoing research partnership between Imperial College and University College London will continue to be a key component of the Centre, and the two institutions are fully committed to retaining and sustaining the fundamental features which have made it a successful environment for interdisciplinary research and the leading establishment in its field.

Professor Sir Alec Skempton
"It is largely due to Professor Sir Alec Skempton that soil mechanics became a key discipline in civil engineering, alongside structures and hydraulics... After the war, Skempton started an undergraduate course in soil mechanics at Imperial, where he was given a chair in 1955. In 1957 he was appointed professor of civil engineering, and he ran the department until 1976, publishing some 200 papers along the way." [from Professor John Burland’s obituary in the Times]

Teaching Fellowships announced
The Royal Academy of Engineering has announced the latest Esso Engineering Teaching Fellowships. Dr Omar Matar, department of chemical engineering and chemical technology, is among five winners and receives a bursary of £9,000 over the next four years, and a two-week work placement with Esso. Contact Valerie Budd, buddv@raeng.co.uk for details and application forms for the next round of awards.

EPSRC chairs
Stephen Muggleton at Imperial is one of four new professors in bioinformatics announced by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as part of a £3.4 million drive to boost the interface between genomics and computer science.

Writing Fellow
Ann Shearer, department of civil and environmental engineering, has been appointed Writing Fellow for this year appointed by the Royal Literary Fund.

Institute of Actuaries
Professor Mark Davies, professor of mathmatics at Imperial, has been elected as one of six new honorary fellows to the Institute of Actuaries.

IC maps in stock
Imperial College maps are still available, with over 11,000 currently held in stock by Ofrex under product code 551173.