What’s your job title and how long have you worked at Loughborough?

I’m a Professor in Geosciences and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, and I’ve been here just over 12 months.

Tell us what a typical day in your job looks like?

Since arriving a year ago, no two days have been the same. This has varied from undertaking my own personal research programme and meeting with my PhD students and Doctoral Researchers, through to having meetings with the Vice-Chancellor and Senior Executive team. My role also involves visiting external partners such as Rolls Royce and Toyota and travelling to represent Loughborough University and the United Kingdom overseas. I have also met with members of local community groups from around Loughborough exploring the way in which we deliver our civic commitments and have hosted international delegates from universities around the world.

What’s your favourite project you’ve worked on?

In terms of my personal research, it has to be working on research ships investigating deep sea avalanches of sand and mud that pose a risk to subsea infrastructure such as the fibre optic data cables that transport 99% of the internet around the world.

One of the projects I’m currently working on is based on work within the Congo Canyon – one of the biggest submarines canyons in the world offshore of West Africa – where a major underwater avalanche of sand and mud broke three of the four fibre optic internet cables that connect Europe with Africa. The work we are doing is revising the routes of the cables and better quantifying the risks of future cable breaks.

Another of my projects is exploring how flood hazard and risk is evolving due to rivers changing their size and shape over time and how we account for that in our flood hazard mapping at a global scale.

In terms of my PVC role, the project I’m proudest of thus far was bringing together teams from across Loughborough University to submit large funding bids for Centres in Doctoral Training in Systems Engineering, Green Hydrogen, Green Chemistry and Disaster Risk Reduction. The way in which we were all able to come together and submit such high-quality flagship proposals was incredibly rewarding and I am very hopeful the teams will receive positive outcomes in due course.

What is your proudest moment at Loughborough?

I’m an Everton fan and am very used to the team I support getting beaten. With that in mind, I was so proud of the Men’s Rugby team’s performance in the BUCS Super Rugby Final against Exeter. Despite being beaten in extra time, it was perhaps the best game of rugby I have ever seen!

Tell us something you do outside of work that we might not know about?

On moving to the area last year, my thirteen-year-old daughter started a paper round and I somehow ended up on a bike at 5.30am delivering newspapers to the neighbourhood come all weathers! By late December I was doing it on my own!

What is your favourite quote?

Wayne Gretzky, Former Canadian Professional Ice Hockey Player and Former Head Coach said: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” I think this is great motivation for taking the plunge and being less risk-averse in approaching tasks at hand. Its also important to remember to follow up for the rebound when the keeper saves the first shot!

If you would like to feature in ‘5 Minutes With’, or you work with someone who you think would be great to include, please email Soph Dinnie at S.Dinnie@lboro.ac.uk.