My Experience
View my presentation at the Motorola Foundation-funded AFAC Knowledge Event, 2022
Academic and Research Milestones
- First to highlight the understated hazard of vapour cloud explosion from lithium-ion batteries.
- Research focussed on thermal runaway and thermal propagation in large lithium-ion battery systems.
- Research projects include assessing fire suppression systems for domestic battery energy storage systems, composition and explosibility of vapour clouds from lithium-ion batteries and, with Dstl, Implications of Electric Vehicle Safety in Conflict and Terrorist Scenarios
- Over 39 years as an academic electrochemist.
- Professor Emeritus, Newcastle University.
- Over 180 papers in international, peer reviewed journals, H-index of 58.
- Editorial Board member, Nature Special Reports.
- Invited Guest Editor for Nature Scientific Reports Collection on Solid-State Batteries, June 2024.
- Commissioned by UK Office for Product and Safety Standards & BEIS to research the Safety of Second Life Batteries in Domestic Battery Energy Storage Systems: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-of-second-life-batteries-in-battery-energy-storage-systems. One of top three downloaded OPSS reports.
Formal Positions
- Senior Advisor to the UK National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).
- Special Advisor to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.
- Advisor to the UK Faraday Battery Challenge on lithium-ion safety.
- Subject Matter Expert and consultant, Dstl.
- Advisory Board, Next-Ion.
Collaborative Contributions and Networks:
- Informal advice on regular basis to DfT and OZEV.
- I manage an email network of over 200 members from UK, Australian and New Zealand FRS, as well as UK Government departments/ministries, and safety institutions including IFV Netherlands and INERIS in France, in order to exchange experience, information and advice on all aspects of lithium-ion battery fire safety. My LinkedIn profile has > 5000 followers.
Working groups
- Technical Expert Advisory Group for M/V Genius Star XI ship fire incident. Dec 23/Jan 24.
- Invited member of CEN/TC 191/WG 6 (fixed firefighting systems), CEN/TC 191/WG 6 (Gas extinguishing Systems) and FSH/18/6/2 “Automatic fire extinguishing test protocol for fires of Lithium-Ion batteries”. Acknowledged National Expert.
- Cross-government Technical Steering Group for EV fire safety.
- MoD Battery Safety Standards Working Group.
- Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue Service and Envision-AESC Gigafactory Fire Safety Group.
- UK Energy Storage Health and Safety Governance Group.
- BSI PAS 63100 (domestic energy storage systems) Steering Group.
- BSI Review Group (RG) to develop a BSI base document on the storage of Lithium-ion battery cells, modules and packs.
- BSI FSH/2/-/20 – Working Group (lithium-ion battery extinguishers).
- Chamber of Shipping Lithium-ion Batteries Working Group.
- Special Interest Group of the Fire Industry Association.
- UK FRS National Operational Learning User Group.
- Tyne & Wear FRS and AESC Gigafactory working group.
Awards
2021
Ben Quail of the UK National Fire Chiefs Council led a team including myself in creating a digital learning package on LiBs. At the 2021 Learning Pool Awards the learning package won the “Judges Impact Award” for saving a life.
2022
Motorola Foundations Knowledge Event Series award from the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council for lecture tour of Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand.
2023
Faraday Institution Public Engagement Award for “Outstanding contributions to communicate our research on battery safety to the wider scientific community, first responders, policy makers and the general public”.
2024
Electrical Safety First Safety Innovation Award for “.. valuable and detailed scientific research, and ….engagement with first responders”.