Consultancy matters at Imperial
Professor David Nethercot, Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is an active Imperial consultant. Professor Nethercot consults on the structural framework of commercial buildings, often acting as an expert witness in high profile trials where the design of a structure has been brought into question. He speaks to Reporter about the benefits of consultancy to industry and academia.
“It seems to me that there are a number of benefits in doing this. Firstly I think that industrial relevance is vital for academics working in a practical subject like engineering. While incidental conversations with people engaged in engineering are helpful, there is nothing like being involved in a real piece of work. Also when giving lectures or tutorials, you can illustrate a point with an anecdote from your experience, it reinforces what you are teaching.
Secondly consultancy may lead to collaborations in the future. For example where academics in fluid dynamics have established their credentials with the oil industry through consultancy projects, funding or research can follow.
Finally there is the financial benefit– if you’ve got a PhD student who needs a few extra months of funding or you want to go to a conference and the cheapest way is inconvenient, you’ve got the money from your consultancy work to use at your discretion. The so-called Imperial Consultants’ dividend gives us the opportunity to spend in constructive and imaginative ways.”
You can visit Reporter online and view the article in full print.
To find out more about becoming an Imperial consultant, please visit the Consultants section, or to access expertise at Imperial College, please contact us.