RCNDE announces new Director
12/04/2022
The UK Research Centre in Non-Destructive Evaluation (RCNDE) has announced that Caroline Bull has been appointed as the next RCNDE Director, taking over from Professor Robert Smith. In order to ensure a smooth transition, Caroline will assume the position of RCNDE Director Elect with immediate effect and will take over the role of Director by September 2022. In the interim, Caroline will work with Robert and the team to gain an understanding of RCNDE’s priorities, particularly in relation to offering added value to members and influencing Industry 4.0, in addition to developing ideas for the future.
Caroline, who will continue to work as the Product Engineering Technical Outreach Lead for nuclear defence experts AWE, brings over 35 years of industrial experience in addition to a strong technical background in non-destructive testing (NDT) and engineering. Her extensive leadership experience, including connections to the national and international NDT communities, academia, industry and a multitude of professional engineering organisations, made her the ideal candidate for the role of RCNDE Director.
Since starting her career at the age of 17 at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and studying physics and maths at the University of Reading under UKAEA sponsorship, Caroline has participated in many research programmes and travelled the world completing NDT inspections, both on and offshore. She was registered as a Chartered Engineer in 2003 and became President of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) in January 2017. Now a Past President, Caroline continues to support and represent BINDT as required and is a member of BINDT’s Council, the NDT Technical Committee, the NDE 4.0 Working Group, the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group and the Engineering Council Working Group. She is also a member of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) Council for Women in NDT, supporting equality, diversity and inclusion.
This breadth of experience and knowledge, together with a keen interest in enabling innovation, research and knowledge transfer, will ensure that Caroline is well-placed to lead RCNDE in the future.
RCNDE has thanked Robert for his vision and leadership and for steering the ‘RCNDE ship’ over the last three and a half years. He has played a significant part in ensuring that the organisation remains relevant and forward-thinking, particularly in relation to ongoing work to transition its research into industry and to influence the strategic direction of the NDE sector. He has also been pivotal in supporting RCNDE’s transition to a standalone, sustainable, ongoing partnership between industry and academia, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges it brought.
https://rcnde.ac.uk
